San Diego, California (Dec. 10, 2019)—Three members of Gafcon Inc.’s leadership team and one of its recent projects have recently been recognized with awards for excellence. California-based Gafcon, a program, project and construction management firm, manages and directs complex projects both nationally and internationally and is headquartered in San Diego, California. The firm is listed among the Top 50 Program Management and Top 100 Construction Management firms in the nation.
Yehudi “Gaf” Gaffen founded Gafcon in 1987 and has been named one of San Diego Metropolitan Magazine’s San Diego County 2019 Men of Influence. As chief executive officer, Gaf has worked with owners on hundreds of projects, including the $2.4 billion Seaport San Diego proposed project at the Port of San Diego; the $12 billion Zizhu Purple Bay master plan in Shanghai, China; the $135 million AltaSea project at the Port of Los Angeles, California; the $100 million redevelopment of the Los Angeles Forum; and $46.25 billion in California education bond programs. Gaf’s commitment to the local community extends to his service on various boards, including the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation and AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles
“Our team at Gafcon is more than just staff; we are a tribe of similar-minded and talented construction professionals who are passionate about the value we bring to our clients on each and every project,” said Gaffen. “We are among the fastest growing companies nationwide in the program management and construction management fields because we are always challenging ourselves to think differently. We’re committed to pushing the limits of technology and innovation as we take our industry into the future.”
Paul Najar, vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of Gafcon, was recognized with a 2019 San Diego Business Journal Leaders in Law Award. Najar was honored in the Private Company category among San Diego’s top lawyers and in-house general counsel attorneys. Najar has been with Gafcon for nearly eight years and manages the legal and risk management departments. His approach seeks to facilitate growth while protecting the firm from risk. Involved in numerous complex projects, Najar navigates a wide array of legal issues. Described by legal profession colleagues as “firm but fair,” Najar is noteworthy for his ability to build bridges and arrive at points of consensus with a wide range of team members and stakeholders. He is the 2019 President of the San Diego Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel.
“At Gafcon, I have the opportunity to provide high-level guidance on complex projects around the world,” said Najar. “Innovation is at the heart of what we do, and that includes legal strategy. The culture at this company is one that empowers us all to find the best solutions to challenges, and I find that invigorating.”
Tiffany LaBruno, Director of Professional Services at Gafcon, was named one of Construction Business Owner Magazine’s 2019 Outstanding Women in Construction. Finalists were chosen based on their skills, leadership and management techniques, as well as their exceptional contributions to their companies, industry and communities. LaBruno has been with Gafcon for 6 years. She manages a team of 10, eight of whom are women. She guides the company’s team managers and project owners through program implementation and life-cycle reporting. She is also charged with setting standards on Gafcon projects for process optimization, requests for information, submittals, safety reporting, building information modeling (BIM) and more.
“As a professional, I’m inspired by the spirit of excellence and commitment to diversity at Gafcon,” said LaBruno. “One of the most exciting aspects of this position is being able to guide teams to adopt new technology on the job site. The results are transformative, and our clients benefit from our new approach—in quality, efficiency, cost savings and so much more.”
In addition to those honors, the Associated General Contractors of America San Diego Chapter awarded Sage Creek High School Performing Arts Center with a Build San Diego Award in the Building Construction—Public Work category. Gafcon served as the program management team on the project with the Carlsbad Unified School District along with Erickson-Hall Construction, who accepted the award.
For more information, visit gafcon.org.
