Transformative Leadership: Two Women at the Helm of Swinerton’s Largest Regions

For the past decade, Swinerton has ranked as the #1 general contractor in California. Today, the firm’s $4 billion annual revenue in California is now being led by two highly respected industry experts, Lori Dunn-Guion and Lia Tatevosian–achieving a significant milestone in an industry traditionally dominated by men.

In northern California, Dunn-Guion serves as senior vice president and region manager, while Tatevosian holds the same title in southern California. Together, they oversee Swinerton’s oldest (137 years old), largest and most diverse region with 10 divisional offices. Their leadership comes at a pivotal time– despite a national decline in women in construction from 11% in 2021 to 10.8% in 2023, Swinerton continues to grow in that department, reaching 16.4% in 2023, well above the national average.

Both 28-year firm veterans, Dunn-Guion and Tatevosian, have navigated an array of roles, developing their expertise and leadership skills while honing a deep understanding of the construction industry. Their dedication to the general contracting industry is matched only by their commitment to the communities in which they work. Dunn-Guion was instrumental in establishing the Tony Williamson Building Better Futures scholarship at the Cypress Mandela Training Center in Oakland, CA and serves as the president of The Swinerton Foundation. Tatevosian is a founding member of Women in Construction Operations (WiOPS) in Southern California and is the executive sponsor of Swinerton’s PRIDE Business Resource Group, continuing to advocate for diversity and inclusivity within the organization.

“Lori and Lia’s leadership will truly be game-changing. Their innovative strategic thinking and steadfast commitment to our core values will play a crucial role in our ongoing success and continuously propel Swinerton to new heights, shares David Callis, Swinerton CEO. “By setting substantial benchmarks for excellence across the board, they are a genuine inspiration for all of us at Swinerton. I am excited to see where they lead our largest operational regions.”

Dunn-Guion and Tatevosian recently shared the challenges and opportunities they see in construction and their vision and definition of success for their regions. These insights offer a glimpse into the state of the construction industry in California and the strategic direction of Swinerton.

Navigating Trends and Challenges in the Industry

Both leaders note similar challenges faced in their regions. Post-pandemic office occupancy remains frustratingly sluggish. In San Francisco, the vacancy rate rose from 19% in 2021 to 31.8% in 2023, while Los Angeles soared to 32.8% in 2024. With this major change to a former primary revenue stream, Swinerton has refocused its attention on other market types, diversifying its portfolio to allow for continued growth. “I’ve always been bullish on special projects in the Bay Area and am anticipating a strong return,” states Dunn-Guion.

Due to high interest rates, many private sector projects have stalled, making it difficult to predict they will eventually move forward confidently. “I’d say the private market in Southern California is on a lifeline–we’re not building a whole lot of high rises, hospitality or any new office buildings,” shares Tatevosian. However, public and public-private projects remain strong with continued investments in aviation, affordable housing and education. “We’ve been able to pivot and broaden our portfolio and continue to watch our revenue grow despite the private downturn.”

A labor shortage continues to plague the industry, widening the gap between open positions and skilled professionals. “We are in the people business–we are not selling products. We need our clients to love and trust our people. Finding, training and retaining the right team members is critical to our success and repeat business,” continues Tatevosian. Dunn-Guion echoes the same sentiment and adds that she prioritizes creating workplaces that people are excited and proud to come to every day. When it comes to retaining talent, Dunn-Guion emphasizes the importance of identifying and developing young talent and encouraging employees to try different roles, ensuring that everyone continues to be inspired by their work and their clients. Additionally, Swinerton has invested in providing hundreds of paid internships, nearly 150 in California alone.

Exploring Opportunities through Self-Perform and Community Engagement

Dunn-Guion sees full integration of self-perform teams on all general contracting projects as an opportunity. Swinerton has developed teams focused on concrete, drywall, door frames, hardware and millwork. “We are starting to do a lot more self-perform final clean, and we are looking for those types of opportunities to continue to evolve our services for our clients. We are also performing services for other general contractors,” shared Dunn-Guion.

With many office buildings empty or with large vacancies, developers have been evaluating the possibility of converting the space into residential and affordable housing, on which Swinerton has been providing constructability analysis and estimates. While developers have yet to move forward, Dunn-Guion and Tatevosian are hopeful that developers will see those projects as valuable and as possible because they will lead to other follow-up markets such as public/civic, healthcare and residential.

There are always opportunities to be a good corporate citizen. One thing that both Dunn-Guion and Tatevosian are proud of is integrating into the communities where they build, leaving a positive impact behind. An example in Northern California is adopting a local school and making improvements to the learning environment of students or teaching students about construction. In Southern California, an example is utilizing small businesses and disadvantaged businesses, along with local hiring initiatives. “Clients look at us as the poster child for our processes of managing our business, bidding, advertising and education. We help, hire and mentor a lot of small businesses, and I do think we are a leader in that area,” shares Tatevosian.

A Unified Vision with Regional Distinctions

Under their leadership, Dunn-Guion and Tatevosian are focused on two core strategies. The first is full team integration across markets and regions. By breaking down silos and increasing collaboration, they aim to create a more agile workforce and opportunities for talent mobility. Tatevosian shared one example, “If our San Diego office has a stellar high-rise resume, those experts should be accessible to other divisions in the organization looking to pursue similar work, maximizing Swinerton’s market  expertise and knowledge for our clients.”

The second is continuing to diversify markets. As experts in mass timber construction, the firm is continuing to push the advancement of knowledge and adoption of this sustainable building opportunity for all product types, including aviation, healthcare, public/civic and education. “We are assisting clients on how they can use mass timber in new construction and renovations, providing cost comparisons between mass timber and structural steel and concrete. As California advances carbon legislation, I see the demand for sustainable alternatives increasing,” shares Dunn-Guion.

Defining Success

For Dunn-Guion and Tatevosian, success is not just about revenue performance–it is about people.

A people-centric approach is essential, as relationships and expertise drive business. Each region is continually evolving its strategy for attracting and retaining talent, ensuring that Swinerton remains a leader in the construction industry. “It’s important for us to coach and mentor, and when we have employees doing the work they’re passionate about, financial success will follow,” states Dunn-Guion.

Steering Swinerton’s largest region, Dunn-Guion and Tatevosian are proving that success is also about embracing challenges and seizing opportunities. Dunn-Guion and Tatevosian are paving the way for a more inclusive, innovative and prosperous future for Swinerton and the construction industry as a whole.