MANN Report February 1, 2008 Challenging The "Norms" Of The Industry

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Founded in 2000, Aragon Construction is a leading New York City-based general contracting, construction management, and consulting firm specializing in interior construction fit-outs for the public and private sectors. As the fastest growing interior construction firm in New York, Aragon's expertise in completing challenging, multi-layered projects on schedule, within budget, and with superior workmanship. "What we do has a very real impact," said Alex L. Getelman, Founder and President of Aragon Construction. "Our clients trust us co build out their new space, uproot their operations, and relocate their business while making that process appear seamless."

The company has an extensive client roster, including Bank of America, Shell Oil, NYC & Co., New York Life, and Rudin management, all to whom Aragon offers what everyone in the business promises but not everyone delivers: true principal involvement and a commitment to getting the job done no matter what it takes. Getelman is a 'hands-on' executive. He maintains close contact with his clients throughout the life of their projects and beyond, personally visits sites to gauge the process of the work, and to ensure the quality of the team as the firm continues to grow, he interviews every new hire himself. As a result, the firm has grown from just two employees seven years ago to over 50 today, and from the single, large project that helped launch the firm to the successful completion of more than 500 projects for the elite of the Fortune 1000. Aragon started with a large project right out of the gate. "Taking the land marked production and distribution site for the New York Post and turning it into a storage facility for Manhattan Mini Storage was a huge project for a new firm," said Getelman. "We were thrown a lot of curveballs along the way but we were able to meet the challenge." This large project turned out to be a harbinger of the success to come. Choosing [Q pursue firms in Manhattan and focusing on providing services for those companies throughout the Tristate area allows Aragon to perform with the level of quality that their clients have come to expect. "We provide 'concierge service' - we give our clients service that is tailored to their needs, whatever they are," said Richard B. Hartz, Aragon's Executive Vice President. Any general contracting or construction management company is ultimately only as good as the companies actually executing the construction project. Aragon only hires the best of the best. Subcontractors are loyal to them because they know Aragon manages their jobs well so that they can perform with few, if any, problems. One of the other reasons for Aragon's growth and success has been to challenge the accepted 'norms' in the industry and chart a different, better course. In what may be considered rare for the industry, project managers at Aragon have a dedicated assistant project manager working exclusively for them. Clients can also rest assured that the team that they meet when they begin the preliminary stages of a project with Aragon will be the team that will show up on the first day of work. "We don't bait-and switch," said Getelman. "The project team you met is the project team you'll get." Given that construction is a relationship-driven business, Aragon will continue to grow because of its relationship with its subcontractors as well as the strength of its bonds with architects and its clients. No matter what the future holds for Aragon, the company is dedicated to providing professionalism and transparency to its clients -leading to their glowing testimonials.

"In my business, it is not about the dollars; it's about doing better work," said Getelman. "At the end of the day, there is nothing more important than the stellar reputation of this firm."