Building a Legacy of Excellence in Construction

Craig comes from a long line of builders that reaches back to his great grandfather – a carpenter who moved to California from the Midwest in 1936 – and roots in Sonoma County, where he and his three brothers were raised. The brothers spent their formative years working alongside their father Wendell Nordby, who founded Nordby Construction in 1978. A strong work ethic was a given. Craig joined Nordby Construction, after graduating with a degree in business and marketing at Sonoma State University, (and writing a thesis on family-owned businesses). 

Craig came up through the family business not in the field, but in operations. His business background gave him the ability to study the business and see the gaps – in marketing, business development, technology innovation, insurance and, as he jokingly describes it, “everything no one else wanted to do.” He proved himself valuable in a short period of time, and at the age of 36, took over operations. Along the way, he had developed a global view of the company that would prove invaluable in eventually leading it. Company ownership gradually evolved as first one brother, then his father, then his second brother transitioned out of the company. With a straightforward leadership style, a head for business, and perhaps most importantly, an affinity for people and partnerships, Craig has fostered an entrepreneurial outlook that has come to be one of the defining features of the Nordby Companies as a whole, and for each of its divisions as well.

As is true of any company with a history that spans multiple generations, the company has weathered ownership changes along with the highs and lows of multiple economic cycles. Along the way, Nordby launched the Wine Caves and Nordby Signature Homes divisions, both timely and targeted responses to opportunities in the market that the company was uniquely positioned to meet. The launch of these divisions early in his career trajectory would prove to be a defining moment for Craig, revealing a talent and taste for entrepreneurship. 

The company’s growth and successes in the years since the recession of 2008 stem from a singular emphasis on customer service and quality over quantity of work. He describes his leadership style as a combination of strategic thinking and fortitude. “After the recession, our remaining team was made up of leaders, highly focused on customer service. We also had the creative confidence to know our worth.” The transition to this latest phase in the company’s history gave Craig the opportunity to bring on people who are truly aligned in their objectives, creating what he likes to call “a space for possibilities.” One of his favorite phrases sums up the company ethos he has created: “It’s all about opportunity.”

Tony’s father, who owned a flooring company, provided him an early introduction to the construction industry. During college, a position with a custom builder turned his aspirations from architecture to construction, and he earned a degree in construction management. In 2000, at the age of 24, he joined Nordby Construction. True to the ethos of the company, the team recognized in Tony an asset to the team, and helped him develop the skill set he would need to succeed. 

Tony cites mentorship as one of the key forces in his career trajectory. He moved through roles as project engineer and project estimator in quick succession. When an opportunity unexpectedly arose to lead one of the firm’s largest projects, support in the field allowed him to rise to this pivotal point in his career. Upon the company’s leadership succession in 2008, Tony became the company’s first partner outside the Nordby family.

Though his role has shifted to primarily encompass overall company operations, Tony still acts as project manager on select projects, and enjoys building community and fostering the future of construction trades through mentoring. He sits on the board of the North Coast Builder’s Exchange, and participates in the Northbay Construction Corporation – a joint program of the Exchange and Construction Technology Institute that implements construction programs into high schools, helping to support the next generation of builders.

Inspired by his relationships with architects, clients and his business partners, Tony cites repeat clients as a primary indicator of both personal and company success. “We don’t win projects, we engage with people,” he says. “We build trust, form long-term relationships, and our clients become repeat clients.”

Armed with a family history of engineering, design, technical construction, Dave initially studied architecture at Arizona State University. Following the advice of a mentor who knew his preference for being in the field, Dave made the pivotal decision to enter the university’s Del Webb School of Construction, and finished with a degree in construction engineering and management.

After five years in the field, Dave made a second pivotal decision, returning to his native Sonoma County in 2000. A mutual contact introduced him to the team at Nordby, where the immediate connection between like personalities, Sonoma County roots and a symbiotic outlook on life and business proved to be a perfect fit. Initially hired as a project manager, he quickly accumulated knowledge and experience with the company’s opportunity-driven firm culture. Five years into his tenure at Nordby, the Signature Homes division needed leadership. Dave responded to the opportunity to lead the division, beginning with what is still one of the firm’s largest custom home projects.  In 2011, he became a partner and president of the division.

Dave maintains that a shared vision and participatory culture are the keys to Nordby’s success. “For me, it’s all about relationships,” says Dave. “We are all about opportunity, both for the company and for the individuals within the company. We support each other, but we also support a level of entrepreneurship within the company that is unique.”

As a golfer, Dave recognizes the value of individual determination; as a father and coach, he embraces the equally important value of a strong team. In his role at Nordby, he fosters both.

Rick had always envisioned himself as a coach, drawn to the leadership and organization skills it required. His interest in the built environment began with a high school drafting class, (the first academic pursuit that had excited him outside of athletics),. This later led to a degree in civil engineering, and an early career as an engineer within a large construction company – a pivotal introduction to the field of construction.

For Rick, construction represents a fusion of the leadership and organizational skills he admired in coaching and the math involved in the more technical aspects of building, and the critical reasoning required to run a successful business. Early in his career, he began branching out into other aspects of the construction business – human resources, safety protocols – learning as he went. A series of conversations with Craig, who served on several boards with Rick, uncovered a shared outlook and entrepreneurial bent. Rick then joined Nordby Wine Caves as a partner, charged with expanding the division – formed in 1996 in response to the burgeoning market – to meet growing demand.

Born in the 1970s and 1980s, wine caves have evolved from glorified mines to finished structures, ranging in use from straightforward barrel storage to highly developed venues for hospitality. With a breadth of expertise across divisions, the Nordby Companies possess a unique ability to provide winery construction services from start to finish. Rick cites the caves at Inglenook Winery in Napa – excavated by the Wine Caves division and finished by the Construction division – as an example of the company’s seamless process.

With his low-key leadership style, Rick has developed a broad range of successful relationships throughout the industry, built upon trust and mutual respect. He places a high value on his positive relationships with the leadership team at Nordby, who share his dedication to hands-on leadership and collaboration.

Brian grew up in the lumber business, and his career began behind a desk, an experience that quickly taught him he preferred a career in the field. He then spent several years “with bags on,” absorbing the business from the ground up. His first leadership role in the field left him largely to his own devices, an experience that fueled his entrepreneurial spirit. He mastered the art of learning by doing. “I’m really good at asking questions,” he says. As the scale of his projects grew, Brian grew alongside them, and was soon running large subdivisions, several at a time. 

After joining Nordby in 2015 as a superintendent, he quickly moved to project manager and became partner and vice president in 2019. It was in custom homes that Brian truly found his passion. They offered a challenging environment in which no project will offer exactly the same experience, enhancing the sense of accomplishment. “The more specific custom homes become, the more you have to think and engage to get it built successfully,” he says. “In custom home construction, we truly are the architect’s partner. We are not just executing but solving problems and enhancing the project in the field, interpreting the artistic vision behind the design. We are respectful of that vision, asking the right questions to make sure we understand the intent behind the design.”

Brian’s focus is on providing not only outstanding quality, but establishing the high level of trust and communication between his clients and project teams that allows the collaborative process to flourish.