Bob Coffey
Bob is a leader in construction data, software, and services. Having co-founded Gordian
with his friend and mentor Harry Mellon in 1990, He transformed construction procurement
across the United States and Canada.
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Bob is a leader in construction data, software, and services. Having co-founded Gordian
with his friend and mentor Harry Mellon in 1990, He transformed construction procurement
across the United States and Canada.
Bob started his career in 1986 after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Landscape
Architecture from Kansas State University. After graduation, Bob went to work for
CRSS, one of the largest architectural, engineering and construction companies in
the United States at the time. While at CRSS he spent his days practicing landscape
architecture on projects around the world and his nights teaching himself how to develop
software and build databases. It was at CRSS that Bob met Harry Mellon. The idea that
would later become Gordian came out of their discussions while working on a project
in New York. Gordian was founded just six months after those initial discussions.
In 2007 Bob worked with the New York Based private equity firm, The Wick’s Group,
to accelerate Gordian’s growth. Gordian employed approximately 80 people at the time.
The rapid growth with Wicks led to an acquisition of Gordian in 2012 by Warburg Pincus,
a global private equity firm. Warburg Pincus continued the focus on rapid growth and
expansion through investment and acquisition. Bob was able to fulfill a longtime dream
in 2014 when Gordian purchased RSMeans, the leader in construction cost estimating
data. Gordian now employs over 450 people.
Bob retired from Gordian in early 2016 and decided to pursue a Ph.D. degree in Planning,
Design and the Built Environment at Clemson University while teaching future construction
leaders. Gordian is a Fortive company after it was acquired from Warburg Pincus in
2018.
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