Founded in 2018, Elevate Construction Partnership has quickly become one of the standout names in the Mid-Atlantic construction sector. In just seven years, the firm has earned a place on the Best 100 Places to Work in Philadelphia list twice, recognition that underscores not only its rapid growth but also its reputation for building a people-first culture. The design-build, and construction management company works across a wide spectrum of industries, serving clients in semiconductor, life sciences, healthcare, industrial manufacturing, distribution, multifamily, and commercial construction. Its service offering spans from site selection, pre-construction, estimating, scheduling, and full project delivery. “For construction, we use trusted subcontractors for the majority of the work, but our staff are skilled and have knowledge of all the trades,” explains Chip McAteer, one of the Founding Partners at Elevate Construction Partnership. “We’ll have project managers and superintendents overseeing construction projects, and we do both ground-up work as well as renovations.”
The partnership between McAteer and Jeff Pietrak, Elevate’s co-founders, is built on decades of shared experience. The two first met in college and began working together at another firm in 2002. After that company was acquired, they continued their careers together at two subsequent businesses before deciding to strike out on their own. “There were numerous differences in perspective with the ownership at the company we were working for at the time, and we ultimately decided to move in different directions,” recalls McAteer. “So we started up Elevate at that time.” What set Elevate apart from the start was its grounding in core values. In fact, the company name itself is an acronym for those guiding principles: Effort, Lasting Relationships, Excellence, Value, Attitude, Teamwork, and Enjoyment. McAteer says those values have shaped everything from hiring to client selection. “We’ve worked hard to remain true to those values, in terms of the people that we’ve hired as well as the people that we do work for, making sure there’s alignment. Overall, ensuring that we can provide the best overall value, taking those core values and being able to work with people of similar mindsets was the idea. From there, it’s a focus on treating people well, treating our subcontractors and clients well, and creating a long-lasting organization.”
Although a relatively young company, Elevate has already been recognized for its performance and culture. In recent years, the firm has not only ranked among Philadelphia’s Best Places to Work but also climbed the charts of the city’s fastest-growing businesses, placing fourth for growth last year and sixth the year prior. Elevate has also secured a place on the ENR Top Contractors list in consecutive years, while several of its projects have earned industry awards. For McAteer, however, recognition is as much about people as it is about projects. “Most importantly, we’ve been able to hire a very solid staff of employees and create a very strong organization throughout that time.”
At Elevate, culture is not an afterthought but a strategic driver of success. “Part of our culture and part of the reason why we’ve been on the list for Best Places to Work the last few years is we really do focus on our employees and bring people together,” McAteer explains. The company organizes a year-long team-building competition, where employees are divided into groups that participate in monthly activities and challenges. At year’s end, the winning team receives a prize, reinforcing camaraderie and collaboration. Beyond this, Elevate invests in benefits that set it apart from competitors. “We try to be on the leading edge of benefits for employees, trying to do things creatively,” says McAteer. “Even small items like providing a 200-dollar allowance for people to go have dinner on their birthday and take their family out, along with all the other traditional-type benefits. That’s really been the focus for us, making sure the culture is working and everybody’s pulling in the same direction.”
Michelle Giere, Marketing Manager at Elevate, echoes this sentiment. “The culture is a huge part of it. Chip and Jeff have done a great job of making it feel like a team and a family. We do monthly events and incorporate competition. Everyone in the company is broken out into a team, and we do competitions where you have to work together. Even though you’re not seeing each other regularly, you still feel like you’re part of a group and a team. It’s just a great group that we have.”
For Elevate’s leadership, the company’s name is a constant reminder of its philosophy. “I think the key to success really has been sticking with our core values and learning from the lessons that we’ve had over the course of our careers,” McAteer reflects. “The road to get here hasn’t been a straight line by any means, but it’s all helped in putting this organization together and being more deliberate about the projects that we go after, the people that we work with, and the people that we hire. I think just reinforcing those core values has been the key in creating that culture.”
“I think the key to success really has been sticking with our core values and learning from the lessons that we’ve had over the course of our careers.”
Elevate has already proven itself on complex, large-scale projects. A notable example is the Watermark Apartments in Easton, a 150-unit multifamily project built on a podium structure with a parking garage beneath. Completed in partnership with VM Development, the project was finished in 2025 and, as McAteer notes, was a “solid job.” The firm has also played a role in Pennsylvania’s growing semiconductor sector. For a major client in eastern Pennsylvania, Elevate delivered a project that included a new 70 MW substation, critical utility infrastructure, a second floor mezzanine spanning most of the 300,000 sf space, clean rooms, clean spaces, office areas and production space. The assignment, which spanned more than three and a half years, represented the company’s most technically demanding project to date. “That has been the largest project that we’ve been able to do and the most technical projects that we’ve ever done,” McAteer says.
While about 70 percent of Elevate’s work is in Pennsylvania, the firm is active in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and select markets with clients throughout the United States. Regardless of geography, the company maintains strong ties to its local communities. “We’re involved in the community where we work,” McAteer explains. “Many of our employees coach youth teams. We hold an annual golf outing that’s a charity event raising money for underprivileged youth that can help them get supplies and things to enjoy athletics, and we also sponsor some other significant charities.” The team also participates in the Breast Cancer Walk in Lehigh Valley, engaging employees across all levels of the organization. Such commitments reflect a broader industry trend: according to the 2024 Deloitte Global Construction Survey, 77 percent of construction firms in North America increased their community investment budgets between 2020 and 2024, citing benefits in recruitment, employee retention, and client perception. Elevate is part of that movement, positioning its community involvement as both a cultural and strategic asset.
The past year brought some challenges. Like many firms, Elevate faced a period of slower growth as interest rate hikes dampened real estate and development activity. “Looking forward, things are seem to be moving in the right direction, although there is significant volatility,” McAteer says. “Hopefully, interest rates will head in the right direction, which will help some things get moving in our industry. Fortunately, we’ve been able to expand on our client relationships, although the revenue side of things has been slower to move. The number of clients that we are now working with consistently has grown, and that should underpin us for growth in the future.” With a strong cultural foundation, a growing client base, and recognition from both employees and the wider industry, Elevate Construction Partnership appears well-positioned to sustain its momentum. The company’s guiding acronym continues to serve as both a reminder and a roadmap: effort, lasting relationships, excellence, value, attitude, teamwork, and enjoyment. By holding true to these principles, Elevate is not only building projects but also shaping an organization designed to endure.
