FOUR DECADES HAVE PASSED since Joseph A. DeSalvo and his wife Joy opened their construction business on the sunporch of their home in Liberty Township, with Joy’s mother Kathleen Johnson serving as office manager and secretary. Since then, the company, now headquartered in Liberty, has continued its path to success built on a foundation as firm and solid as the buildings it has constructed.
While the construction industry can be “a feast or famine business,” says Joseph K. DeSalvo, CHC, son of the co-founders and president of the company since 2013, “what has enabled us to sustain and grow are the core values that were instilled and embedded within our company by my mom and dad.”
The 'old school' attitude of the co-founders was evident in how Joe became involved in the business. Joe’s path to the presidency began with him working at the business during the summer while in high school and college. When he joined the business full-time in 1996, it wasn’t to sit behind a desk but as a general laborer, moving upward until he achieved his present role.
Joe believes that learning a business from the ground up is a common denominator for success — “You truly get a feel for it and an understanding of how things are done, and appreciate what the organization is trying to deliver.”
Time will tell if the next generation will join the family business. Joe’s son, Joey and his daughters Jenna, Jamie and Jessica have already worked in the roles formerly held by their dad and their uncle, Dr. Matt DeSalvo, working from the ground up for the company. Currently, all four kids are in college, with Joe and his wife Cammie now officially empty nesters.
Throughout the years, Joe and his father, now the company’s Executive Vice President, have worked closely together. “Dad and I have complementary skill sets. He was really strong in process, estimating and organization. And I felt I my strength was in areas like project management, marketing, and communication - that helped take our company to the next level,” says Joe.
In 2010, Joe became one of the first construction professionals in the country to earn the Certified Healthcare Constructor (CHC) credentials from the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE), which proved a benefit as the company moved into the healthcare space.
No Challenge is Too Big
During the past forty years, DeSalvo Construction has handled a wide range of projects in various industries and sectors, including retail, healthcare and finance. Some of their latest ones included Eastwood Event Center in Niles, a state-of-the-art facility and connector link for Youngstown Orthopedic Associates in Boardman, two major projects for Shepherd of the Valley in Liberty and Poland, Independent Assisted Living and Memory Care, and Salem Regional Medical Center Primary Care – Canfield at Millennial Moments. Most recently,
they completed the Trumbull County Developmental Disabilities & Fairhaven Foundation quiet/calming room at the Scrappers Cafaro Field.
Safety First
Throughout all of the company’s projects, safety remains the top priority. In 2023, these efforts were acknowledged when they received the Joan Kovach Safety Leadership Award from The Mahoning Valley Safety Council. This is an annual award that recognizes Mahoning Valley businesses and individuals who are transforming their workplaces with safety-driven initiatives. Bi-weekly field supervision, continuous safety training, manuals, and a 90-day buddy system are just some of the tactics DeSalvo construction employs. “It’s safety first, always, so that we make sure everyone gets home to their families, every day,” says Joe.
While the healthcare sector has been a good market for DeSalvo Construction, Joe acknowledges that it can also be a challenging one in which to deliver construction, especially when it takes place within an active hospital, such as
the emergency department expansions the company undertook for both Akron Children's Hospital and St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital.
“An emergency department can’t close as we're doing construction right next to it,” he says. “Those are two of the most challenging projects we've ever done as a company and two that we're extremely proud of. It means a lot to us that we were trusted to deliver those types of projects.”
The company is also in the final stage of completion of the approximately 136,000-square-foot Warren G. Harding Student Recreation & Wellness Center for Warren City Schools. Located between and connected to the high school building and the stadium, the center will serve as a central hub for the school and feature multiple community partners from athletics, education and healthcare.
“This is one of the nicest facilities in Northeast Ohio,” says Shawn Pompelia, Private Banking Senior Relationship Manager at Farmers National Bank. “DeSalvo Construction has done a phenomenal job of getting this project to where it is today. The City of Warren and the surrounding communities should be very proud that this facility is in our Valley.”
A recent internal project was the renovation of DeSalvo Construction’s own Learning Center & Training Room. Unveiled in 2023, this is a collaborative space offering enhanced communication and education. “This project was aligned with our commitment to safety and
continuous improvement,” explains Joe. “The learning center is a true classroom setting with AI enabled cameras, allowing us to host dynamic web-based trainings and meetings with industry experts. With this technology, we can bring offsite team members into the room for these sessions, no matter their location.”
One of DeSalvo Construction’s latest projects is the expansion and renovation of Farmers’ headquarters in the City of Canfield, which proved to be a significant logistical challenge since it is at the corner of Lisbon Street and Route 46 right in the heart of town.
“It took a lot of collaboration and coordination to get out of the ground while working throughout the Winter,” notes Joe, who praises the City of Canfield, Farmers , Strollo Architects (and their Engineering Trade Partners). Along with local skilled tradespeople and subcontractor trade partners who are part of the project. “Our local tradespeople are some of the best in the country and in the world, and the pride that they take in their workmanship is really impressive,” DeSalvo states.
Forging New Relationships
While Joe had long-term personal relationships both with Pompelia and Breen Bannon, Senior Relationship Manager Commercial Lending, it wasn’t until just recently that Joe brought his personal and company business to Farmers.
“It takes a long time for a client to gain the trust to move his business,” says Bannon. “There needs to be a compelling reason to make a switch if everything is going well. Joe knew that we wanted his business from me courting him over the years, and when it came time for him to consider a new banking relationship, Farmers immediately came to his mind.” With the change, Joe was able to benefit from a variety of banking services that Farmers offers: commercial and personal deposits, credit products, private banking, and Treasury Management.
“Our Treasury Services have become very sophisticated. Joe’s company takes advantage of the technology Farmers offers to assist them in keeping their accounts safe and secure while at the same time having the convenience that technology offers,” says Bannon. “We also help Joe with any of his requirements through good communication with his other business partners.”
Adds Pompelia, “Clients, especially ones as busy as Joe, want to make sure they can pick up a phone and receive the service and get answers immediately. Breen and I value the relationship that has been established with Joe and his company and we're both very attentive to his needs.”
Both men have high praise for Joe and the company. “They have the qualities that we look for in all our clients,” says Bannon. “Joe believes in the community in which we both serve and likes to support local businesses. And the attention to detail shown by him and his team is a very important aspect that helps both with the construction business and on the office side dealing with the bank. We're honored and privileged to have a local company with such a high profile as our client.”
Giving Back
DeSalvo Construction is deeply committed to supporting the communities it serves—a philanthropic attitude that was set in place by Joe’s parents. In 2023, the company partnered with both Inspiring Minds of Warren and The United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley for DeSalvo’s annual Giving Tuesday campaign, making a matching contribution of $25,000 to each organization. In the past, the company made matching contributions to Akron Children’s Hospital and Animal Welfare League, and is proud to have completed its 2024 Giving Tuesday campaign.
The company actively supports the arts community—Stambaugh Auditorium, DeYor Performing Arts Center, the Youngstown Playhouse—local school districts (Howland Local Schools, Warren City Schools, Campbell City Schools, Liberty Local Schools, Jackson Milton Schools, and others) and Youngstown State University. Some of the other organizations DeSalvo has supported include 15 years of continuous support to the JACBCC & Panerathon, The American Cancer Society & Cattle Barron’s Ball, Youngstown Area Jewish Federation, and Mercy Health & Hospice of the Valley.
“I am always proud of our team – it is amazing how many of them are spending their evenings and weekends giving back by volunteering with various organizations,” Joe says. “We can have a profound effect on our community simply by getting involved and staying connected.”
Future Plans
Reflecting on the company’s forty-year history of success, Joe says, “I think the subcontractors and trade partners that we work with, along with our clients, appreciate the culture that we bring to the industry. Building and delivering a successful project demands a very close and trusting relationship between Owner Design Professional & Construction Professional…our O.A.C. (Owner Architect Contractor) project meetings are typically weekly from project start date to completion.”
At the same time, he appreciates the trust his clients have put in DeSalvo Construction. “It's a major investment that people are making that we're a part of and trusted to deliver for them. In some cases, it's a once in a lifetime investment,” he says. “We strive to do our best to make that process a smooth and timely one and one that's within the budget of the project.”
He is also quick to acknowledge the role his employees play. “We truly do have a really great culture here and a great group of people that are all working together for a common goal and that permeates through our whole organization and beyond.”
In ten years, DeSalvo Construction will celebrate its golden anniversary, and Joe’s goal for the next decade is simple. “I hope our team will perpetuate our mindset and culture of continuous improvement and staying connected to our community through volunteerism and philanthropy. I am very grateful for and extremely proud of our team; and, I am confident that the best is yet to come.”