James Murphy joined Willmeng Construction right after graduating from Arizona State University in 1999, and he started as a project manager under the mentorship of the company’s founder, Jack Willmeng. Murphy gained experience as an estimator and vice president and, in 2006, Murphy purchased the company.
Under Murphy’s leadership, Willmeng has become Arizona’s largest privately held construction company, boasting a portfolio of projects across public and private market sectors. The company has completed numerous successful projects, including tenant improvements, mission-critical facilities, public works facilities and parks, as well as complex industrial facilities and roadways. The company hit $870 million in revenue in 2022 and worked on $1.38 billion in projects during the year.
“Willmeng has experienced steady growth since James acquired the company and hypergrowth over the last four years,” the company said. “Through all of this growth, James has made it clear that building a genuine place of purpose is a mission that Willmeng lives out and invests in daily.”
Murphy has prioritized employee satisfaction and personal development. Willmeng offers fully paid family retreats, an educational academy led by industry experts and individualized personal development planning. Murphy ensures that resources are available for a healthy work-life balance and fosters a culture of collaboration and innovation, the company said.
“Our process for solving complex problems starts with getting the right people in the right room. Having all the key stakeholders and involving the experts is critical for perspective when solving problems,” he said. “Once all key stakeholders have gathered, we define the problem and share all important and current information related to it. Next, as a group, we ideate possible solutions and identify if there are any roadblocks for each. Once a solution is agreed upon, we create an action plan, which includes steps for implementation, lists any resources needed and how we will measure success/effectiveness of our solution.”
Murphy has received several accolades, including the CEO of the Year award from the Arizona Corporate Excellence awards and the Executive of the Year award from the Valley of the Sun Construction Financial Management Association. He has positioned Willmeng as a leader in the construction industry, known for its commitment to excellence, client satisfaction and community impact through volunteerism.
Beyond his role at Willmeng, Murphy is involved in the region’s economic growth. He serves on the Development Advisory Board for the City of Phoenix, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council’s CBC committee and the Urban Land Institute Executive Board for the Arizona District Council. He also serves on multiple boards and as an associate faculty member at Arizona State University.
“Willmeng constantly is at the top of (the) best places to work rankings for companies its size, which speaks to the healthy culture that James has created in the company,” the business said. “One of the most notable reputations Willmeng has as a company under James is helping the dealmaking side of the project, both for projects they are constructing and tenant improvement work.”
