For Thomas O’Connell, founder and president of Triple Star Construction Inc., success has never been about shortcuts or quick wins. It has been about resilience, integrity, and a lifelong commitment to the craft of building.
“Behind every successful person, you’ll see that there are a ton of mistakes,” Thomas says with a laugh. “My father’s old saying was, ‘You learn through your mistakes, so you should be a genius by now,’ and it’s true to this day. Every day is a new learning experience; it never stops.”
That mindset has shaped a remarkable journey. Founded in April 2015, Triple Star Construction began as a natural extension of Thomas’s decades-long career in construction. He first entered the industry at 16 years old, working as an electrician’s helper. Over the years, he built experience across multiple trades, from painting to carpentry, eventually establishing his own carpentry company, a business that evolved into the thriving general contracting firm Triple Star is today.
Thomas has seen nearly everything the market can throw at him. He weathered the 2008 financial crash, rebuilt, and kept moving forward. “It hasn’t been an easy road,” he admits. “But that’s how this thing grew.”
Today, the company has grown into a $50-million-a-year commercial general contractor, operating from offices in Michigan and New Jersey and serving clients nationwide. But its heart remains deeply personal. Triple Star is a family-run business in the truest sense—Thomas now leads the firm alongside his three children: Christina, Chief Financial Officer; John, Vice President of Operations; and BrookeLynn, Marketing and Office Manager.
The company’s name itself carries that legacy. “I named it CGT Triple Star after my triplets and daughter,” Thomas says. “I’m very grateful this company grew—and it truly is family owned. I get up every morning thinking, ‘How lucky could another man possibly be?’ I didn’t have this for so many years, but now I get to share it with my family. There’s nothing like that.”
For Thomas, people, both family and employees, are the cornerstone of everything. “We care so passionately about what we do,” he says. “We don’t take shortcuts. No matter what we did the night before, we’re in work every morning. The people are the core of this company.”
“When I started having children, I realized I needed to show them by action, by doing the right thing. Your life transcends into your business, and your life practices transcend into your business practice.”
He speaks with pride of the firm’s seasoned superintendents and project managers. “We have the best project managers of all time,” he says. “We’ve gone through a lot to get the right people. The ones we have now—inside the office and out in the field—are highly trained, and they care about what they do. That’s what it’s about: caring and loving the work. If you don’t love what you’re doing right now, don’t do it. It’s a waste of life.” That philosophy, quality over quantity, has guided Triple Star’s growth. “You can do a lot with really good people,” Thomas says, “but you can’t do a lot with a lot of bad people.”
Triple Star’s roots are in carpentry, a trade Thomas mastered early in his career. “I went from painting to carpentry,” he recalls. “I learned through semester conferences how to build before I was even in business, and it just grew from there.” The company’s early projects were car washes, a niche that Thomas and his team came to dominate. “At one point, I probably built more car washes than anyone in New Jersey,” he says. Over time, the business expanded into retail, restaurant, and animal-hospital construction, the latter of which has become one of Triple Star’s defining specialties.
“We started getting into animal hospitals about 13 years ago,” Thomas explains, “and that’s really become our forte. We’re known throughout the country, especially on the East Coast, in the Midwest, and in North Carolina.”
Triple Star’s recent projects highlight its technical range and consistency. In Portage, Michigan, the company completed a full remodel and renovation of the Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Center of Kalamazoo, a 31,000-square-footfacility that now includes state-of-the-art treatment areas, operating suites, imaging rooms, and diagnostic labs.
The project required significant infrastructure upgrades: a 1,600-amp electrical service, new sanitary and gas connections, all-new rooftop units, and high-efficiency mechanical systems. Outside, the building received a redesigned entryway with a structural canopy, new storefronts and windows, dog runs, and a LED-lit parking lot.
Triple Star also completed a $7-million animal hospital in Michigan, a 16,000-square-foot build-out within a 32,000-square-foot shell. “We came in on time and delivered a beautiful project,” Thomas says proudly.
Beyond veterinary facilities, Triple Star is forging strong partnerships in the commercial and retail space. The company recently completed a 3,254-square-foot fit-out for Sweetgreen in Manhattan, handling kitchens, restrooms, walk-in coolers, storefront finishes, and the dining area. “That seems to be a new steady client of ours,” Thomas says. “They’re a big restaurant chain with a lot of upcoming work—we’re already getting ready to do another location in downtown Detroit.”
Triple Star has also completed projects for BluePearl Animal Hospitals in Farmington, Michigan, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with more work on the horizon, including a forthcoming build in North Carolina. The Pittsburgh project, a 5,000-square-foot interior build-out, featured reception and exam rooms, treatment areas, offices, breakrooms, and an added elevator.
Across every market, Triple Star’s reputation rests on the quality of its work and its commitment to deadlines. “We’ve got steady clients; major corporate clients,” Thomas says. “It takes time to get into this position. We pride ourselves on the quality we deliver. We’re not the cheapest guys on the planet, but we don’t do ‘wham, bam, thank you, ma’am’ type of work. It’s quality, good work at a reasonable number, and we’re competitive on our bids.” He adds, “We are never late on our projects. We’re always on time; sometimes we sweat it out, but we get it done. That’s the nature of the business. People want to start making money right away, and we make sure they can.”
This year, the company moved into two expanded offices, allowing it to manage operations nationwide while maintaining close oversight on every job. The move reflects both growth and a long-term vision: to keep building the company without compromising its family-owned spirit.
Triple Star’s next phase will see profit sharing introduced for employees; a move Thomas says is about legacy as much as business. “It’s going to be owned by these kids eventually,” he says. “That’s the plan.”
For Thomas, the foundation of all success can be summed up in one word: integrity. “If you have integrity in life, you’re going to have integrity in business,” he says. “We’re very transparent with our clients. If they want to see what we’re paying, I’ll show them. They can see what I’m making. We’re extremely transparent with whoever we deal with.” That honesty, he explains, is something he learned from his father. “My dad taught me integrity just by being who he was,” he says. “When I started having children, I realized I needed to show them by action, by doing the right thing. Your life transcends into your business, and your life practices transcend into your business practice.”
After nearly a decade in operation, Triple Star Construction continues to accelerate. The company currently has $25 million in active projects and expects that number to climb significantly next year as new bids convert to contracts.
“We’re projecting more growth and success going forward,” Thomas says. “My goal is in three years to be at $50 million. I think we’ll get there in a year and a half.”
That confidence is not unfounded. With a loyal client base, a dedicated team, and a family leadership model that keeps values front and center, Triple Star has become a model of sustainable growth in commercial construction. “We’re a family-run business,” Thomas says simply. “It will always be a family-run business. We’re not afraid of hard work, and we don’t take shortcuts. You do the right thing, you hire good people, and you stand behind your work. That’s how you build a company that lasts.”
From veterinary hospitals to restaurants and retail fit-outs, from one man’s carpentry shop to a multi-state general contractor, Triple Star Construction stands as proof that integrity and perseverance still build the strongest foundations of all.
