We are proud to announce that Dan Spitza, PE, VMA will succeed Rob Pierce as President of Achen-Gardner Construction (Achen-Gardner).

Achen-Gardner joined the Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS) family of companies in 2019. Over the past three years, Rob Pierce and Dan Spitza have worked closely with each other and the Achen-Gardner leadership team to ensure a successful transition to employee-ownership.

Dan joined Achen-Gardner in April of 1998 and has been an integral part of their leadership team for more than 23 years. Having led the procurement and project management teams for Achen-Gardner for many years, Dan has helped establish Achen-Gardner as one of the most respected and trusted heavy civil construction companies in the state of Arizona. Visit our Management page to learn more about Dan.

“Dan’s motor never stops. He is always seeking ways to drive excellence and exceed client expectations. Ultimately, this translates to value for our employee-owners. Achen-Gardner is in good hands. I look forward to working with Dan and the Achen-Gardner team as they continue to grow and succeed.”

– Robert Gillis,
ESS Co-Chief Executive Officer

The ESS Board of Directors extends its thanks to Rob Pierce for his leadership and guidance of Achen-Gardner over the past three years. Rob’s leadership has fostered a successful transition of the company from one made up of employees to one made up of employee-owners. The processes and procedures he has implemented have improved business operations, but more importantly, the coaching and mentoring he has provided to our management team has put Achen-Gardner in a great position for continued success. Rob will remain a resource for our management teams at both Achen-Gardner and ESS and will continue to serve on the Board of Directors for Achen-Gardner.