Michael Nigro

“In construction, it is critical to work as a team. One person cannot do it all.”

President

Nigro Construction

Type of Business: Construction/Development
Based In: Las Vegas, NV
Hails From: Las Vegas, NV

Years Org. has been in Nevada: 44
Years with Organization in Nevada: 37
Employees in Nevada: 50

How did you get into your profession?

Back in high school my father had a small construction company and, as punishment, he made me clean up construction debris and work on jobsites. One summer he put me under a site superintendent then fired the super and put me in charge. He always put me in positions to learn by fire. After college I decided to come back to Vegas and learn the industry.

Who has been instrumental to your success?

Working with my father earlier in my career and teaming up with my brother Todd [has been instrumental]. It’s not often family can work together but us working as a team has allowed us to excel not just in construction, but development of other opportunities in the hotel and tavern business. Our skills complement each other, and we have each other’s best interest in mind.

What career advice would you give to someone just starting in your industry?

Spend the initial years of your career learning an industry or trade then take what you learned and create new opportunities. In construction, experience is everything and finding a mentor and networking are major factors for growth.

What was the most difficult experience you encountered as a leader?

Navigating our businesses through the downturn in 2008. As a developer and contractor, we were on the brink of closing the doors as we had multiple loans become due on land and projects we developed. It was a scary time and took many years and many battles to come out of it. Many lessons were learned during the process, such as not accumulating too much debt.

What would be the title of your autobiography?

“The Strive for Balance in an Unbalanced World”. Being able to be a father, have successful relationships, grow spiritually, take care of myself, and succeed at work requires constant balance.