To find the quintessential Canadian Dream success story, one needs only to follow the tale of Ermenegildo (Joe) Giusti, a young Italian immigrant who took Canadian construction by storm. As a child, his relatives in Vancouver enticed him with stories about Canada and he dreamed about one day seeing it for himself. Three years working in a factory as a teenager showed him that he wanted to control his own destiny, so in 1973, the 17-year-old set out with $20 in his pocket to chase that destiny across the ocean.
“It started with a dream to immigrate to a different world, to have an opportunity to build something big, to create my own fortune with my own family and to work hard to set the stage for the next generation to continue it,” says Joe Giusti, founder of the Giusti Group of Companies.
Joe’s brother, Fanio, followed him to Canada and within six months they started a framing and cribbing business together in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley. They had a strong passion for construction and were determined to not only always do their best but to improve upon their best every day. Giusti Brothers Construction (GBC) grew quickly to meet the growing demand, but despite that growth, they never let their high standards falter; they could be counted on to keep their word, go above and beyond for clients, and be reliable and honest in an industry that all too often lacked those qualities. From the onset, clients were viewed as partners and the brothers worked at forging strong relationships to make them robust enough to last for decades. Fifty years later, the Giusti Group’s long list of repeat clients shows that the brothers vision succeeded.
These early partnerships were built on trust and sealed with a handshake, and for his entire career, Joe worked to earn that trust by exceeding expectations and contributing to his partners’ successes, one job at a time. Thanks to these partners, Giusti Group earned a stellar reputation for high quality, integrity and great customer service in the industry.
Joe found the balance between efficiency and excellence, and he reinvested his profits to grow his vision for both. He expanded his service offerings with Julian Ceramic Tile in the mid-’70s, ventured into the multi-family housing market in the mid-’80s and extended his reach into Calgary’s construction sector in the mid-’90s. He partnered with a B.C. client on his first project in Calgary, and once here he recognized such huge potential in the area that he relocated his family and the company’s head office to Calgary in 1997.
This move marked a turning point for the company. Fanio returned to Italy to care for aging relatives and the next generation of Giustis stepped in to fill his shoes. Joe and Maria’s three boys had been learning the business since they were young and there was little question that they were destined to join the family business after university.
“When we were kids, we took advantage of any leftover construction materials and used them for elaborate tree forts and such,” says Jiuliano Giusti. “All three of us grew up around it so I think it was a foregone conclusion for us.”
And since the early 2000s, they have certainly left their mark on the organization. Gildo handles commercial business development and client relations throughout Alberta and B.C., Jiuliano oversees the overall operations and finances for the Giusti Group of Companies, and Roland now oversees the day-to-day operations of the Giusti division in B.C. The multifaceted organization employs over 750 people and has grown across five main business areas: Giusti Group LP, Giusti Wall Tech, Viper Concrete, Giusti North Construction and Julian Ceramic Tile. These businesses have expanded with branches across Western Canada and the U.S. Together, these entities make the Giusti Group of Companies a leader in heavy industrial, commercial and multi-family residential construction.
The Giusti Group’s continued growth is supported by the entire hardworking and dedicated team across the organization, some of whom have been with the company for more than 40 years, including the head of Giusti Wall Tech who was one of the company’s first hires nearly 50 years ago. Giusti Group started as a family business and each person hired since became part of the extended Giusti family. That’s why it’s important to the family that their employees feel respected, valued and set up for success so they can flourish.
When asked about pivotal projects completed in the past, Gildo Giusti shifted the focus to Giusti’s clients. “Rather than highlighting our key projects, we want to recognize our clientele, as each and every one of their projects are special to us. Our clients are the envy of our competitors – they are among the most loyal and dedicated companies in the industry. Many are based in Calgary, and like us, are second-generation businesses committed to their craft and driven to be ‘best-in-class.’ Our clients, our people and the family’s commitment to investing back into the industry that has given us so much are the cornerstone of our success.”
“Our success comes from our own commitment but also the commitment of our people. They go hand in hand. Without our people and their commitment every day, we’re only as good as the four of us. That DNA of hard work is bred into our people and has been ingrained in the culture since my dad started the company,” says Roland Giusti. “These are things that don’t happen overnight. It’s just year after year, continued dedication from our people.”
Not only does Giusti invest in top-of-the-line equipment to make employees’ jobs easier, they also thoroughly train their employees on how to use it safely and effectively. The family invests heavily in organization-wide training and is proud to be an industry leader in safety with six full-time safety professionals who have earned the Nationally Certified Safety Officer (NCSO) designation. Each employee at the Giusti Group lives the safety and quality standards, and takes pride in doing the best possible job every day.
That dedication goes both ways. The family doesn’t hesitate to stand shoulder to shoulder with the team and roll up their sleeves to make sure jobs get done and clients are completely satisfied. This dedication and drive was all Joe needed to see to know the second generation was as invested in the wellbeing and growth of the organization as he was. In 2015, he handed the reins to his sons and confidently stepped away from the business to pursue his other emerging passions: Italy and wine.
The Giusti family has worked the land in the Montello Region for hundreds of years and despite the challenges and hardships of that life, Joe loved growing up on the farm. It’s no wonder then, that after retiring, the land and memories of Italy called him back home. In 1998, Joe and Maria started buying land and rebuilding the family property. Shortly thereafter, the winery evolved from selling grapes to other wineries to making its own wine. Today, the Giusti family is the largest landowner in the area and has built an award-winning state-of-the-art winery on his stunning Veneto property. Guests can even book a B&B stay at the winery to experience the beauty, and of course the incredible wine. This is a spectacular package that the Giusti Group has donated to charity auctions to help raise money for worthy causes in Canada.
“We were named one of the best wineries in Italy and are considered to be one of the best in Europe,” says Joe. “Producing the best wine possible is a way to say thank you to the world because I’ve been so blessed.”
Just as in construction, the Giusti wine business is a family affair. Joe surrounds himself with exceptional people like the renowned winemaker Graziana Grassini. His nephew Gabriele Zanatta is learning the business under her to carry on the Giusti legacy in the area.
The family is proud of all they have accomplished to date to create this legacy but they know they have a few more generations’ worth of work left to do.
“This milestone represents a generational commitment that spans 50 years. We are every fortunate that our father established deep roots, and had a strong commitment to not only our clients, but also to our Industry as a whole. That same level of commitment has been ingrained in both of my brothers and myself” Says Jiuliano. “Given that we are a family based business, we are looking forward to seeing the next generation embrace this commitment, and share the same passion for our craft, that their fathers and grandfather had.”
The Giusti passion and work ethic runs deeply through the family, and that strong foundation will support future generations as they add more chapters to the Giusti family’s Canadian Dream success story.
#4 Industry Way SE
Calgary, Alberta T3S-0A2
Ph: 403.203.0492
Fax: 403.217.7795
info@giustigroup.com
