2021 Year in Review: Ryan LaVangie, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Acella Construction

What is the best advice you have received, and who was it from? I’m not sure who this is attributed to, but the idea that you should surround yourself with talented, successful individuals who are positive and forward-thinking and encourage you to achieve your goals. This is applicable in so many of life’s circumstances.

What are your predictions for your industry in 2022? Acella is well-positioned with a variety of projects ranging from ground-up to renovations that are going to put us in position to have one of our best years ever. The commercial real estate environment is open for business and has rebounded hugely from the early days of the pandemic. We are still concerned with the labor pool overall in the construction industry, but at Acella we are proud of the team we have and are fortunate to have some longstanding relationships with our subcontractors who continually value our partnership and team approach.

What was your greatest professional accomplishment or most notable project, deal, or transaction in 2021? The Riverview School Cohen Center for Fitness and Recreation. This included demolition of the existing gym and ground-up construction of a new, $11 million, 40,000 s/f wellness center. Acella installed an elevator, gymnasium, climbing wall, bleachers, meditation room with sensory lighting, cycling room, basketball court, volleyball court, TRX room, and custom wall graphics. Meticulous planning was involved with the gymnasium roof’s 85-foot trusses, and waterproofing and damp-proofing the entire foundation and managing stormwater runoff were additional priorities. Riverview School is also Acella’s longest-tenured client, having partnered with us since our founding 20 years ago. We’re extremely proud of this relationship.