After a career spanning more than four decades, Granite Construction’s Chief Operating Officer Jim Radich will retire on July 4, the company announced May 16. Radich’s departure marks the end of a 45-year journey with the Watsonville, California-based contractor, which specializes in road building and construction materials.

Radich joined Granite in 1980 and steadily advanced through the ranks, holding a wide range of positions that included project manager on major heavy civil infrastructure efforts, chief estimator, and regional leadership roles in Northern California. His deep institutional knowledge helped shape the company’s strategic direction, particularly during recent years of transformation.

“Having joined Granite in 1980, Jim’s numerous and meaningful contributions to Granite span decades,” said President and CEO Kyle Larkin in a press release. “Jim’s leadership has been instrumental as we transformed the company over the last four years, and we are all grateful for his service to Granite.”

Radich's responsibilities in his final role as executive vice president and COO included managing daily operations, ensuring that the company maintained the right systems, personnel and protocols to meet both operational and financial objectives. His role was especially pivotal as Granite restructured itself to become a leaner, more agile firm.

In a departure from tradition, Granite will not seek a direct replacement for the COO role. Instead, the company has established a new Operations Executive Team, signaling a shift in leadership dynamics. Four executives will now report directly to Larkin, streamlining decision-making and enhancing communication across departments.

Senior Vice Presidents Brian Dowd, Michael Tatusko and Bradley Williams will collectively lead the construction division, while Bradly Estes will oversee the materials business. The move, according to Erin Kuhlman, Granite’s chief marketing and communications officer, is designed to create new leadership opportunities while enhancing visibility for operational concerns at the highest level.

“The new structure will provide more leadership opportunities for the executive team members while enabling them to elevate issues directly to Larkin instead of the COO position,” Kuhlman told Construction Dive.

This leadership transition follows a broader evolution in Granite’s business model since the COVID-19 pandemic. Once a geographically organized builder, the firm has reshaped itself into a vertically integrated construction manager and general contractor. The goal: to focus on smaller, more profitable scopes of work embedded within larger infrastructure developments.

Simultaneously, Granite has doubled down on its core materials business, investing in automation at several aggregate and asphalt facilities. The company has also pursued a strategy of targeted, bolt-on acquisitions aimed at expanding its national footprint in key markets.

Radich’s exit follows another major leadership change. In 2024, former CFO Lisa Curtis retired, with Staci Woolsey stepping into the role in September. These transitions suggest a broader generational shift in Granite’s executive leadership as the company enters a new phase of growth.

Radich’s career stands as a testament to steady leadership and deep industry expertise, and his influence is expected to remain embedded in the company’s culture and operational fabric.

Originally reported by Joe Bousquin in Construction Dive.