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A Heffron Timeline

The Heffron Company is a classic study of one man’s dream that has flourished through four generations of one family.
Founded in 1922 as a small plumbing and heating business, the company has grown into a highly specialized family-run corporation that now works on the cutting edge of its industry, leading the way in the 21st century.

A Legacy Begins

Following his service in World War I, Sergeant Joseph Heffron founded The Heffron Company in Washington, D.C. — arriving home to a country entering the first nationwide wave of modern road and infrastructure building. His vision was simple: deliver exceptional craftsmanship , treat customers fairly, and build a company that would outlive him. Those principles still guide the company today. The first Heffron office was a horse stable.

Rapid Growth

Within six years of opening its doors, Heffron had grown to employ more than 450 skilled craftsmen. As America raced to electrify its cities, the company helped construct major Pepco power-generation facilities alongside Stone & Webster and Bechtel, establishing lasting relationships across the industry.

Integrity During
America's Darkest Hour

When the Stock Market crashed and businesses across America failed, Joseph Heffron made a decision that defined the company’s character. He paid subcontractors and suppliers in cash, ensuring the people who depended on Heffron survived one of the worst economic crises in American history. Relationships mattered more than profits.

Photo credit: britannica.com

A Family Steps Forward

The same year World War II came to an end, Eileen Heffron, the daughter of Joseph Heffron, married George Dunn Sr., a chemist with Sherwin-Williams. Following Joseph Heffron’s passing, George Dunn Sr. left Dallas, Texas and moved his young family to Washington, D.C. to save the company. It marked the beginning of four generations of Dunn family leadership .

Rebuilding America

As the country entered its post-World War II boom — building the interstate highway system and expanding the national power grid — George Dunn Sr. rebuilt Heffron alongside the nation’s own recovery. Many of their customer relationships would continue for decades.

Powering the Region

Heffron regained financial viability serving loyal clientele. The company was heavily involved building Potomac Power Company generating stations in the DC, MD and VA area. Each station took five years to complete.

Engineering America's Food Industry

While America focused on the moon landing, Heffron was engineering the systems that kept the country fed. The company became a recognized leader in design-build process plants , building 15 major dairies for nationally recognized brands. This era established Heffron as more than a mechanical contractor — it became a trusted construction partner.

A Second Generation Begins

George Dunn Jr. joined the company. His nearly six decades of leadership would guide Heffron through tremendous technological change while preserving its family culture.

Major Accounts

The company took on more major accounts and nurtured their relationship with the Potomac Power Company, now known as Pepco. They participated in building several large power plants including Chalk Point, Morgantown, Potomac River and Benning Road.

Award-Winning Excellence

Heffron received the Washington Building Congress Craftsmanship Award for construction of the Intelsat World Headquarters — built for the era’s defining satellite communications company, just as satellites and personal computers were beginning to reshape how the world connected. The award reinforced the company’s growing reputation for quality and technical excellence.

Building the Future of Medicine

As the Human Genome Project got underway and biotechnology began transforming healthcare, Heffron transformed with it. The company became one of the region’s premier life science mechanical contractors, constructing approximately 900,000 square feet for Human Genome Sciences. This work positioned Heffron at the forefront of one of the greatest scientific revolutions in history.

New Headquarters

The same year the first draft sequence of the human genome was announced, corporate headquarters relocated to Rockville, Maryland — placing Heffron in the heart of the nation’s rapidly growing biotechnology corridor.

GlaxoSmithKline

Heffron was tasked to install the mechanical systems for a 240,000 square foot Large Scale Manufacturing facility.

Fourth Generation Joins

After earning his MBA from the University of Notre Dame and spending years working alongside field crews, Colin Dunn officially joined the company. His focus would become preparing Heffron for its next century.

Expanding Federal & Energy Markets

Heffron expanded its presence throughout federal government agencies while growing its expertise in energy efficiency, mission-critical infrastructure, and complex mechanical systems.

A New Generation of Leadership

Colin Dunn was named President. George Dunn Jr. transitioned into the role of Chief Executive Officer, beginning a carefully planned leadership transition between the third and fourth generations.

Answering the Call

Following the devastating Andover, Massachusetts Gas Explosions, Heffron immediately deployed approximately 100 craftsmen working around the clock to assist emergency recovery efforts. When communities needed help, Heffron responded.

A New Era of Scientific Innovation

Gene sequencing, personalized medicine, and pharmaceutical innovation dramatically increased demand for sophisticated laboratories and manufacturing facilities. Heffron became a trusted construction partner for many of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and healthcare organizations.

Investing in the Future

As prefabrication and advanced manufacturing reshaped the construction industry nationally, a state-of-the-art fabrication facility opened in Frederick, Maryland, increasing quality, productivity, and prefabrication capabilities.

Building Through Crisis

When COVID-19 struck, the scientific-innovation work accelerated. Heffron remained operational — helping build hospitals, vaccine production facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturing plants, and life-saving research laboratories throughout the region.

100 Years Strong

The Heffron Company celebrated its 100th Anniversary. Still privately owned. Still family led. Still committed to the same values established in 1922. Few mechanical contractors in America can claim such a legacy.

Largest Contract in History

Merck-Millipore awarded Heffron the largest job in the company’s history, with an accelerated schedule and crucial delivery for owner occupancy.

Accelerating Growth

Major milestones included:
  • Completion of WMATA Headquarters
  • Department of State energy modernization projects
  • Advanced cryogenic piping installations
  • Continued investment in fabrication and technology
  • Continued expansion in life sciences and healthcare
  • Launch of the Process Piping Division
  • National recognition and award for safety excellence

2026

A century in, still building what matters.

More than a century after its founding, The Heffron Company continues delivering complex mechanical solutions throughout the DMV and beyond for:
  • Biotechnology
  • Healthcare
  • Federal Government
  • Advanced Manufacturing
  • Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
  • Mission-Critical Facilities
  • Energy Infrastructure
Employees
EMR
Years Family-Led

To leave every project, every relationship, and every generation better than we found it.

Four generations. One family.
One purpose.
From World War I to the Human Genome Project. From the Great Depression to COVID-19. From 450 craftsmen in 1928 to one of the DMV’s premier mechanical contractors today.

The Heffron Company has never
simply adapted to history —

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— The Heffron Company ·

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