Founded in 1898 by Warren A. Bechtel, it is the largest construction company in the U.S.A., based in San Francisco, California.
The company built its early reputation in the railroad industry but, by 1919, had expanded into other areas, completing the Klamath Highway in Northern California. Power plant and pipeline projects followed throughout the 1920s, until the construction of the famous Hoover Dam became the company’s first mega-project in 1931. Warren’s son, Stephen Bechtel Sr., became the company’s president in 1933 and oversaw its expansion into bridge building, ship building and international operations. By 1958, Bechtel had completed 2,000 projects in 30 countries on six continents.
In 1960, Stephen D. Bechtel Jr. succeeded his father as president of Bechtel Corporation. The company went on to be the first U.S. firm granted a construction license in China and built the world’s largest photovoltaic project, the California Valley Solar Ranch. Stephen D. Bechtel’s grandson, Brendan Bechtel, became the company’s CEO in 2016, representing the fifth generation to lead the business.
- Family name: Bechtel family
- Sector: RE, Hospitality & Construction
- Founded: 1898
- Founder: Warren A. Bechtel
- Country: United States
- Company headquarters: Reston, VA
- Managers: Brendan Bechtel
- Revenue: US$32.3 billion
- Rankings:
- Family ownership: 100%
- Employees: 52,700
- Website: https://www.bechtel.com/
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