John Finn

With an insatiable appetite for success, John began his career in the construction industry in 1990 when he started his own finish carpentry business while attending college. He began his career as a project engineer and quickly advanced to project manager overseeing new construction, design-build, and tenant improvement projects in retail, office, and institutional markets.

A construction industry veteran with over 35 years of experience and nearly 25 years at W.E. O’Neil, John has built a reputation for driving innovation and stable growth. Since becoming President of the California division in 2014, John led that region through a decade of rapid growth, driving the scale and complexity of projects to new heights and contributing his operational expertise to the firm and to projects nationwide. His leadership was instrumental in the company’s expansion into San Diego and Northern California.

Elevated to the role of Chief Operating Officer in 2023, John began providing vision, leadership, and tactical guidance for national operations. He worked closely with Brian Ramsay, then W.E. O’Neil CEO, and the rest of the executive team to ensure that the company is well-positioned for continued success. In this role, John increased his company knowledge nationally in anticipation of taking over the role of CEO in 2025 during our 100th anniversary.

“I’m very fortunate to have worked at W.E. O’Neil for the bulk of my career,” shares John. “I chose O’Neil as my home because it was clear that they invested in their people and provided opportunity. This is still true today, and because of that opportunity and my team, we’ve created opportunity and growth.”

As CEO, John’s focus on relationships, efficiency, and building strong teams is  preparing the company for the challenges and opportunities ahead.

When he isn’t steering the ship at W.E. O’Neil, he enjoys running marathons, hiking, and traveling to exotic places. His most adventurous hike is Mt. Whitney which he completed in 16 hours in the summer of 2014.