Born in Chicago, Tony Iannessa is driven by the work ethic he inherited from his family, who immigrated from Italy in the early 1950s. Having built a foundation working in the trades, Tony’s roots in construction trace back to his youth, when he spent summers as a concrete laborer and interning with an electrical contractor.
After graduating from Indiana University, he gained over a decade of experience in Chicago’s construction industry, which he leveraged to form BIG in 2016. As founder and CEO of BIG, Tony leads the firm’s strategic direction and is responsible for the organization’s sustainable growth.
Tony is an active member of Vistage, YPO and Chicago’s Economic Club. He serves as a board member of Susan G. Komen and is an Imerman Angels mentor for other caretakers of spouses fighting breast cancer. Tony also serves on the Francis Xavier Ward Catholic School Facilities committee. He is active in the American Cancer Society Making Strides and Think Pink campaigns and on the Sports and Pastimes committee of Riverside Golf Club. As a founding member of an FMI Peer Group he helps interior construction firms across the country expand their businesses sustainably and profitably. Tony has been featured in Crain’s Chicago Business numerous times and has served in various board positions with Leukemia Lymphoma Society, National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, Greater Chicago Food Depository and City of Hope. In 2022, Tony was named to Crain's Chicago Business 40 Under 40.
When he isn’t working, Tony lives in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood with his wife and two daughters. He enjoys golf, cooking/dining, working out, and relaxing in Harbor Country, Michigan with his family.
Growing up in Chicago, Chris was intrigued by the construction business. His grandfather, who worked at a plaster company, and his father, a carpenter and superintendent, inspired Chris’ desire to be an engineer—a natural fit for someone who loves problem solving.
Having graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a degree in industrial technology, Chris now has over a decade of industry experience under his belt and is an asset in his role as project executive at BIG. With a flair for facilitating communication and simplifying processes, Chris helps develop and refine the operations, policies, and procedures that contribute to high-quality, successful project delivery.
John’s first job in the construction industry was as a laborer at a contracting company, and he never looked back. Though he earned his degree in business management, even working for the Board of Trade, it was in construction where John found his true calling.
As Senior Superintendent at BIG, John’s gregarious and ambitious nature are assets to building relationships and advocating for the best interests of projects. As manager of field operations, he employs two decades of experience that ensuring resources meet project specifications on budget.
John is a native and current resident of Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood. Outside of work, he coaches his children’s basketball and soccer teams and participates on the City of Hope leadership council.
With a master’s degree in finance, her CPA ,and 15 years’ experience in construction and real estate accounting, Maggie has the technical knowledge and hands-on experience to make her a vital asset to the BIG team.
As VP of Finance and Administration, she plays an important role in guiding reporting, compliance, and other essential financial decisions at BIG. Maggie’s strong knowledge of accounting concepts and sharp business acumen further BIG’s sustainable growth. Maggie has been instrumental to BIG's success over the last several years, and her responsibilities have grown to include finance, accounting, HR, IT, corporate legal and risk.
When she isn’t busy leading BIG’s financial operations, Maggie enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and friends. She lives in Bartlett with her husband and two kids.
With his operations background through project management, Kevin has taken on a leadership role with BIG’s Preconstruction Team. Project success begins in preconstruction and Kevin has distinguished himself in his ability to walk our clients through that process, helping clarify the budget to make decisions based in each client’s values.
Kevin was one of BIG’s first team members, joining the company in 2017 as a Project Manager. He managed foundational projects for BIG, playing an integral role in the company’s success, and was promoted in 2019 to Senior Project Manager. As an SPM, he focused on managing large-scale, multi-floor projects as well as mentoring the expanding operations staff.
Now, as a Project Executive, Kevin is responsible for overseeing the execution of our projects. He works with the Project Manager to ensure the project is staffed properly and that the project cost and schedule is monitored and maintained to the satisfaction of the client.
John’s first job in the construction industry was as a laborer at a contracting company, and he never looked back. Though he earned his degree in business management, even working for the Board of Trade, it was in construction where John found his true calling.
As Senior Superintendent at BIG, John’s gregarious and ambitious nature are assets to building relationships and advocating for the best interests of projects. As manager of field operations, he employs two decades of experience that ensuring resources meet project specifications on budget.
John is a native and current resident of Chicago’s Beverly neighborhood. Outside of work, he coaches his children’s basketball and soccer teams and participates on the City of Hope leadership council.
Growing up in Chicago, Chris was intrigued by the construction business. His grandfather, who worked at a plaster company, and his father, a carpenter and superintendent, inspired Chris’ desire to be an engineer—a natural fit for someone who loves problem solving.
Having graduated from Eastern Illinois University with a degree in industrial technology, Chris now has over a decade of industry experience under his belt and is an asset in his role as project executive at BIG. With a flair for facilitating communication and simplifying processes, Chris helps develop and refine the operations, policies, and procedures that contribute to high-quality, successful project delivery.
Born in Chicago, Tony Iannessa is driven by the work ethic he inherited from his family, who immigrated from Italy in the early 1950s. Having built a foundation working in the trades, Tony’s roots in construction trace back to his youth, when he spent summers as a concrete laborer and interning with an electrical contractor.
After graduating from Indiana University, he gained over a decade of experience in Chicago’s construction industry, which he leveraged to form BIG in 2016. As founder and CEO of BIG, Tony leads the firm’s strategic direction and is responsible for the organization’s sustainable growth.
Tony is an active member of Vistage, YPO and Chicago’s Economic Club. He serves as a board member of Susan G. Komen and is an Imerman Angels mentor for other caretakers of spouses fighting breast cancer. Tony also serves on the Francis Xavier Ward Catholic School Facilities committee. He is active in the American Cancer Society Making Strides and Think Pink campaigns and on the Sports and Pastimes committee of Riverside Golf Club. As a founding member of an FMI Peer Group he helps interior construction firms across the country expand their businesses sustainably and profitably. Tony has been featured in Crain’s Chicago Business numerous times and has served in various board positions with Leukemia Lymphoma Society, National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, Greater Chicago Food Depository and City of Hope. In 2022, Tony was named to Crain's Chicago Business 40 Under 40.
When he isn’t working, Tony lives in Chicago’s Ukrainian Village neighborhood with his wife and two daughters. He enjoys golf, cooking/dining, working out, and relaxing in Harbor Country, Michigan with his family.
