Building the world through critical infrastructure projects
For more than 100 years, hard-working, honest, innovative people have been building what has become Southland Holdings. We combine the strengths of six companies that share a dedication to building critical infrastructure projects which improve the environment and lives of those around us.
Today, Southland Holdings is a multifaceted heavy civil construction firm active throughout North America, building virtually any structure for to facilitate and protect the movement of people, water and wastewater. We are currently the 33rd largest heavy civil contractor in the United States and one of the largest in Texas.
OUR HISTORY
The history of Southland Holdings is one of powerful companies joining together to create a multi-faceted force in construction. While they began in different places and at different times, as early as 1900, our component companies have always been noted for working harder and working smarter while upholding a reputation for integrity and resourcefulness.
Today, Southland Holdings is managed by leaders in the industry. The next generation of our founders builds on their success and provides unwavering clarity and continuity of purpose.
The Southland Holdings family has completed more than 50,000 projects in 60 countries, executing more than $36 billion dollars of work, and growing to more than 4,000 dedicated full-time employees.
TWO PATHS LEADING TO ONE
Oscar Renda Contracting, Inc.
Oscar Renda Contracting, Inc. was established by Oscar Renda in 1974. His brother, Rudolph J. Renda joined the business a few years later. Having immigrated to the United States in 1956 as young boys with their family of two parents and five sons, their strong work ethic was born out of a desire to give back in appreciation for all this great country had given them in opportunity. Oscar, being a high school football coach and U.S. History teacher, took out a teacher’s credit union loan for $13,000 in September of 1974. Over four decades later and several billion dollars of heavy civil work completed, Oscar Renda Contracting is the foundation which helped create what Southland Holdings is today.
Southland Contracting, Inc.
Southland Contracting, Inc. was established in 1981 by Charlie Griffith. Charlie was a true mechanical genius and could design, engineer, and build tunnel boring machines. This gave him a very strong competitive advantage which allowed him to innovate and grow his tunneling company into a strong force in the industry. His integrity, intelligence, and sheer strength of will continues to provide inspiration for all of the employees of this great company. Charlie’s son, Clay Griffith, helps continue the legacy of innovation and successfully completing some of the most difficult and challenging tunneling projects in the world.
Johnson Bros. Corporation
Johnson Constructioncompany was established in 1929 by Walter D. Johnson. Through several family generations and numerous triumphs and challenges, the fortitude of the company has been strengthened through the faith, grit, and resolve of the family’s leadership and the company’s hard working employees. A leader in the industry with over 85 years of experience specializing in Bridge, Highway, Infrastructure, Marine, Industrial and Emergency Construction services for both public and private clients, Johnson Bros is poised to excel for decades to come building on the traditions established by the company’s founders and leaders.
Mole
Mole was founded by Victor Scaravilli in 1974 to specialize in tunneling throughout the United States and Canada. Victor, a graduate civil engineer, contributed numerous new and innovative approaches to the tunneling industry. Victor is the inventor of the Jarva Hard Rock Tunnel Boring Machine (now the Robbins Company) and holds several patents. Mole has very specialized knowledge, expertise, and skill in the tunnel market. This provides dynamic capabilities rarely available in the industry allowing Southland Holdings to take on the most complex underground challenges and bore through them successfully.
American Bridge
American Bridge Company was founded by JP Morgan through an engineered merger of 28 bridge and structural companies in 1900. American Bridge Company has projects across the United States and in 60 foreign countries. The legendary company features some of the nation’s most iconic structures including the original Yankee Stadium, Sears Tower, and Empire State Building. Notable bridges include the original Tappan Zee Bridge and the new Gov. Mario M. Cuomo span that replaced it; the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge; Hell Gate Arch Bridge; and the “Three Sister” Bridges in Downtown Pittsburgh.
As one of the newest members of the Southland Holdings family, Heritage Materials is a heavy civil construction entity specializing in concrete roadway and asphalt roadway construction and repair work. Established in 2016, Heritage Materials was initially an asphalt paving company but quickly added concrete paving and small structure work. It is a full-service, self-performing paving contractor with clients in both the private and public sectors. Heritage plays a key role in enhancing our self-performance capabilities. Because concrete and asphalt work are included on a wide range of infrastructure projects, the in-house expertise offered by Heritage supports all entities within the Southland Holdings family. Our teams can quickly mobilize to a project and perform onsite concrete production, a service that is also offered to outside contractors. The mobile, self-contained equipment fleet has supported projects from the northern reaches of the United States to the Bahamas. Heritage’s asphalt capabilities have found a niche in providing both smaller, portable facilities that can be quickly deployed to projects as well as full setups that are ideal for major works. With material plants in east and west Texas, as well as Florida, Heritage supplies asphalt for both Southland Holdings projects and outside contracts.Heritage
CORE VALUES
BUILT INTO EVERY ONE OF OUR PROJECTS
SAFETY
We hold the well being of people above all. Everyday we are committed to the safety process so we can send our team home to their families, safe and sound.
INTEGRITY
We do the right thing. We conduct our business with the highest standards of professional behavior and ethics.
TEAMWORK
For instance, the invention of the Hard Rock TBM. But even as we work on each project, we are constantly searching for ways to increase performance and quality. We work harder and smarter than anyone else. There is no limit to our capability.
PERSERVERANCE
We never give up, especially in the face of resistance while working in some of the most challenging conditions.
EXCELLENCE
We strive to excel in every aspect of our business delivering the highest quality and value for our clients.
Building Legacy
Frank Renda Chief Executive Officer
Cody Gallarda EVP, Chief Financial Officer
Tim Winn EVP, Chief Operating Officer
Rudolph V. Renda, Jr. EVP, Chief Operating Officer – Strategy & Special Projects
