Tom Nason, Nason Construction
Building a solid foundation that impacts patient care
Tom Nason is the third generation owner of Nason Construction, which was founded in 1922 by his grandfather Walton H. Nason. Tom started his career rather ordinarily at age 13 as a laborer sweeping floors of a new freezer building construction site at Nason’s WAWA Dairy farm. His father, Walter H. “Toppy” Nason, Jr., was insistent that his son start at the bottom and learn all aspects of the business during the summers. It was important to Toppy that his son had an appreciation for each type of job involved in the construction industry, the demands of each job, and the conditions in which each employee worked. As Tom remembers, “I was not pushed into this field. It came naturally to me, and I love it. I cannot think of doing anything else.”
Today, as CEO of Nason Construction, Tom follows the guiding principal his grandfather instituted when the company was formed: Excellence in Construction. This overall goal dictates every decision and permeates every project they work on, including the current St. Mary Rehabilitation Hospital. Nason’s philosophy is to exceed customer service expectations for all clients. The $100 million dollar family company that Tom runs is centered on creating long-lasting relationships with customers.
“One thing that I will always remember is that my father, who was very well known and respected in the Philadelphia construction world, told me many times that he never made a decision on or for a project that was not in the best interest of the client! He truly believed in doing the right thing at all times and believed that the rest would take care of itself. Taking care of clients and their needs was first and he knew that if we truly did this, Nason would be a huge success.” Tom and his staff at Nason Construction want to make a difference in the communities where they are building. They are dedicated to improving the quality of life, health and educational opportunities for people who rely on their clients for services. Their clients include educational, healthcare and government organizations that care about their constituents and want to build structures that will be around for generations to come.
It’s not surprising that Nason Construction is involved with St. Mary beyond the rehabilitation hospital construction site. Tom recognized a synergy between St. Mary’s and Nason Construction’s values and dedication to service. “Nason Construction likes to partner with organizations that share our values of caring, integrity, quality, and sustainability.” Tom explains.
These partnerships can take the form of board memberships or other opportunities to support an organization. “We consider giving back to the communities we serve as one of our main missions. We believe in being key stakeholders throughout the regions we serve. Some of the organizations include: SPCA, Tower Hill School, Widener University, Mann Music Center, Main Line Health, Easter Seals…and St. Mary Medical Center. These are just a sampling of who we support through giving back our time, talent and resources. Working with Bart Miller and his team at St. Mary made the decision to support the hospital easy. When I have a respectful, professional working relationship with a client I see past the immediate project and focus on the long term impact to patient care to the community. That is what makes me want to help.”
With regional offices in three states, Tom finds himself working out of his car a lot because he likes to make himself available to his clients and his staff. Traveling to job sites, planning meetings and staff meetings, he juggles it all with the help of a talented, dedicated team of professionals that make up Nason Construction’s core team. Tom has building in his blood, customer service in his heart, and philanthropy in his soul.