Meet RJ Kearey Construction

Aligned, Agile, and Transformed

How We Got Here

History

Ryan John Kearey essentially grew up on a job site. The family-owned company, Kearey Construction, Pty, Ltd., started in Durban, South Africa. After relocating to the United States, Kearey Builders was established in North Carolina in 2001 by John C. Kearey, Ryan’s father.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in finance, Ryan began working in the field, gaining hands-on skills before moving into a management role. His professional career includes roles as a field superintendent, project manager, estimator, and CFO. Ryan spent nearly 20 years working with his father as a partner and shareholder in Kearey Builders, Inc.

After the unexpected passing of John Kearey in 2021, Ryan gathered a team of like-minded, talented individuals and founded RJ Kearey Construction – a company not affiliated with Kearey Builders. While a new force in the construction industry, clients and partners will quickly realize the benefits of Ryan’s experience and expertise. Ryan qualifies for general contractor and heavy highway construction licenses in North and South Carolina.

The late John Kearey with his grandson, a future Kearey builder.
Ryan, Simone, and some of the team on opening day.

Who We Are

Present

As a full-service project development and general contracting firm, we have the ability to offer a broad range of services and options. We operate in the public and private sectors, focusing on bringing extraordinary value to our clients through design-assist contracts in the commercial and residential markets. Our delivery methods include Lump Sum, GMP, CM@R and Cost-Plus Contracts

Ryan Kearey, in his role with his previous company, has executed projects across North Carolina and South Carolina including custom homes, financial institutions, parks and recreation, commercial offices, restaurants, warehouses, and much more. These projects have been executed under a variety of funding sources with public and private partners, including cooperation with housing programs such as Section 8, HUD, and local Housing Authorities.

Digital Transformation

Future

RJ Kearey utilizes a comprehensive platform to manage the design, preconstruction, and construction of all our projects.

This advanced technology combats the traditional divide between project stakeholders by bringing the entire team ––from design consultants to specialty contractors –– into collaboration early in the design phase.

The flexibility of RJ Kearey’s open API provides you with a single source of accurate and up-to-date data that connects you directly to your team and ongoing projects.

Our construction management software, Procore, helps ensure your project stays on schedule and budget.

We strive to provide high quality construction and superior customer service creating unmatched value for our clients.

We strive to provide high quality construction and superior customer service creating unmatched value for our clients.

RJ Kearey Construction is on a mission to build great projects. We intend to improve the communities we build in and leave the world better than we found it.

Ryan J. Kearey

Leadership

Ryan J. Kearey

PRESIDENT, LICENSED CONTRACTOR

Former Vice President of Kearey Builders, drawing on more than 20 years of construction management and executive level experience, Mr. Kearey, throughout his career, worked in the presence of an internationally recognized industry leader, John Kearey, witnessing first-hand some of the greatest breakthroughs and transformations within the construction industry. 

After earning his bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of North Carolina, he has had an exceptional career with more than two decades of operating experience, transforming his family business, starting with the pre-con department and moving into project management and business operations. His professional career started with roles as a field superintendent, project manager, and estimator. Mr. Kearey’s experience includes civic, government, cultural, entertainment, healthcare,  industrial, manufacturing,  office, commercial, custom homes, retail, mixed-use, and multi-family.

Mr. Kearey shares strategies on how to leverage technology into bottom-line business, creating new opportunities within the construction world, advising clients in their industries, and having an impact on builders, architects, engineers, owners, and developers. He has earned his scars through hard-won processes that are more than a checklist. Every project has taught Mr. Kearey something, and when you know how to fix mistakes or prevent them from happening, those improvements and efficiencies can be passed on.

Mark Hartslief

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & ADMINISTRATION

Former CEO of BioDental Science (now Cayster), drawing on 30 years of experience driving innovation and emerging technology into the transformation of an entire industry. He is internationally recognized in healthcare manufacturing. Mark has a broad knowledge base with diverse experience in disruptive technology, digital manufacturing, working with CEOs and R&D executives from companies including Allen and Company, Henry Schein, Ivoclar, 3Shape,  Nobel, and Straumann, to transform technology disruption within one’s industry, building a bridge between disruptive technologies and corporate partners, creating new lines of business. Mark has and does sit on advisory boards.

Mark has lectured, published, and conducted hands-on courses and led training programs for schools such as NYU, North Shore, Rutgers, and Stony Brook. He has mentored many students in their careers and is at the forefront of the revolution in digital manufacturing, and material science and helping organizations transition to entirely digital workflows. Mark brings over three decades of global operating experience in manufacturing procedures, leading digital transition, knowledge, and expertise with 20 years of executive management in daily business operations. He attended the University of Natal, South Africa, earning his Bachelor of Science degree, and receiving awards of excellence in his research, practical and material sciences.

Josh Phillips

DIRECTOR OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Josh brings 20+ years of experience in various construction projects. He is experienced in large-scale private, commercial, and public projects, focusing on multi-family projects throughout North Carolina and South Carolina. He prides himself in staying on the pulse of the industry. Josh began his career in construction at an early age. Highly motivated, he quickly developed into a respected project manager. He now plays a key role in operations at RJ Kearey Construction as our Director of Project Management.

As specifically related to our clients’ development, Mr. Phillips’s focus begins in the estimating and pre-construction phases, building a team that works well together, allowing the project to gain momentum that will follow through construction, turnover, and closeout. This teamwork and communication produce an atmosphere of ownership and accountability, ultimately delivering projects on time and maximizing value for our clients.

Key Team Members

Simone Kearey

OFFICE MANAGER

Leah Neilson

PROJECT CONTROLLER

Jamie Brown

Jaime Brown

ACCOUNTING

Yates Warwick

Yates Warwick

Project manager

Chris Reukauf

Chris Reukauf

Project manager

William Fullard

PROJECT MANAGER

Troy Rukavina

ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER

Winston Osbourne

ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT

Bob Brooks

LEAD SUPERINTENDENT

Stan Mowery

SUPERINTENDENT

Building on a Legacy

RJ Kearey Construction’s leadership team has more than 40 years of combined expertise as a general contractor to your commercial, retail, multi-family, and industrial projects. Built upon the same time-tested principles that his father, the late John Kearey, followed, Ryan and his team provide an extraordinary experience by placing service before self. Our people come first, which allows us to perform diligently for our clients – always with integrity and passion. If you have a development or project, please reach out to us today.