About Us
Over half a century of excellence
Gary Merlino Construction Inc is a privately held, locally owned and operated general contractor — one of Seattle's leading civil contracting firms.
Our Story
From one crew to a regional leader
Gary Merlino founded the company in 1962 with a straightforward idea: do the work yourself, do it right, and stand behind it. That principle still defines the company today.
Six decades later, Gary Merlino Construction is one of the largest and most diversified contractors in the Puget Sound region — self-performing roughly 85–90% of all projects awarded, from concrete paving and excavation to underground utilities, roadways, bridges and habitat restoration.
Our clients include the City of Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport and Boeing, alongside counties, utilities and private developers who need heavy civil work delivered in active, constrained environments.
Mission & Values
What we hold to
Safety First
A field-led safety culture with daily planning, training and accountability on every crew.
Quality Control
Self-performing 85–90% of the work keeps standards in our own hands, from subgrade to final finish.
Community
Locally owned since 1962 — our people live in the neighborhoods we rebuild.
Reliability
Decades of hard-bid public work delivered on schedule for the region's most demanding owners.
Our History
1962 to today
1962
Founded in Seattle
Gary Merlino starts the company with a small crew and a commitment to self-performed work.
1970s
Into heavy civil
Expansion from grading and paving into underground utilities and public works contracting.
1980s
Regional growth
Long-standing relationships begin with the City of Seattle and regional agencies.
1990s
Airfield & industrial
Complex airfield and industrial concrete work added to the self-performed portfolio.
2000s
Diversification
Bridges, signals, drainage and habitat restoration broaden capabilities across the Puget Sound.
Today
60+ years strong
One of the largest and most diversified civil contractors in the region — still locally owned.
Leadership
The team behind the work
Executive Leadership
Ownership & Management
Second-generation family leadership guiding strategy, bidding and long-term client relationships.
Operations
Project Execution
Superintendents and project managers who have run the region's most complex civil jobs.
Estimating
Preconstruction
In-house estimators producing competitive, constructible bids for public and private work.
Safety & Quality
Compliance
Dedicated safety and QA/QC staff supporting every crew, every shift.
Certifications & Affiliations
Qualified for public works
Licensed and bonded in Washington State, with prequalification for public agency heavy civil contracting and active memberships in regional construction associations.
- WA State licensed & bonded contractor
- Public agency prequalified
- AGC of Washington member
- Certified traffic control supervision
- Documented safety program
- Prevailing wage compliant