Company History

Founder, James Michael Cassidy (Jim) served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He returned to Chicago in 1944, eager to return to work as a plasterer to support his growing family. For several years thereafter, Jim and his older brother Tom managed the interior and exterior operations of Michael J. Grady Plastering Company, Chicago, IL.

In 1949, Jim and Tom founded Cassidy Brothers, Inc. Jim focused his attention on the field operations and Tom supervised operations in the office. The company was then-focused on plastering only, and under the watchful eye of the Cassidy brothers, expanded into plastering larger retail spaces, hospitals and high-rise residential buildings.

As would prove to be the case with all the Cassidy sons, Jim’s eldest son James Mark Cassidy (Jim) spent his summers working as a Union plasterer. This experience in the field was immeasurable; it provided him with insight into tradesmen’s work and the skills to fine tune his estimates. In 1963 he received his B.A. in English from St. Mary’s College in Winona, MN and promptly joined Cassidy Brothers as an estimator. Within the next several years, Jim and his wife were blessed with three children, Micaela, Elizabeth and Daniel.

In 1971, Tom Cassidy passed away and his wife sold her interest in the business to James Mark Cassidy. Around this time, Jim’s younger brother Martin (Marty) began working summers for Cassidy Brothers as a Union plasterer. Marty graduated from Marquette University with a degree in Communications in 1978.

James Michael Cassidy lost a short but valiant battle with cancer, and passed away on February 26, 1978. Jim purchased his father’s interest in the company, and became sole owner and President of Cassidy Brothers, Inc. After graduating from college, Marty also joined the firm and worked as an estimator until 1990. He left briefly to pursue other interests, and returned in 1994. He is currently one of the senior estimators and project managers at Cassidy Brothers, Inc.

Yet another Cassidy son joined the fold when Jim’s son Daniel James Cassidy began working as a union Carpenter after his graduation from high school. Dan also attended college at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and later moved up to field superintendent for Cassidy Brothers in 1993. After gaining field experience, Dan moved into the office to learn to estimate. He worked his way up to project manager, and was ultimately named Vice President in 2000. Dan and his wife, Zari, were blessed with two children, Jessica and Michael. Tragically, eight months after Michael was born, Dan passed away following a serious automobile accident.

After Dan’s untimely passing, Jim invited his eldest daughter, Micaela Marie Cassidy, to join Cassidy Brothers, Inc. Unlike the Cassidy sons, Micaela had gained her experience in the family business by working in Cassidy Brothers’ accounting department during her summers while in college. Micaela graduated from Elmhurst College in 1989 with a B.S. in Finance and graduated from IIT-Chicago Kent College of Law in 1992 with her Juris Doctor (J.D.). She worked as a trial attorney for over twelve years before joining Cassidy Brothers, Inc. as Vice President on January 1, 2005. Later that same year, Micaela and her husband Rusty Sweet welcomed a son, Daniel James Cassidy Sweet, who they named in honor of Micaela’s brother Dan.

SPECIALTIES

Cassidy Brothers Inc. specializes in commercial, high rise drywall and acoustical ceilings, carpentry, lath and plaster. In recent years, Cassidy Brothers has worked to build high rise residential condominiums and hotels, and a select number of high-end, “Gold Coast” residences.

PROJECTS

Cassidy Brothers, Inc. completed work on the following, more recent projects of note:
Northwestern Memorial Hospital – Feinberg and Galter Pavilions; Peninsula Hotel, Chicago; Dearborn Towers, Chicago; Park Tower (twelve-story Park Hyatt hotel and forty-six stories of condominiums); Orland Park Library, 840 N. Lake Shore Drive; The Belvidere; The Bernardin; Friendship Village/Bridgewater Place, Schaumburg, IL; 901 W. Madison, Chicago, IL; The Spire Sales Center, Chicago, IL.

Cassidy Brothers, Inc. is working on the following projects of note:
340 On The Park, Chicago; Vetro, 611 S. Wells, Chicago, IL; 1401 South State Street, Chicago, IL; Barney’s New York, Chicago, IL; The Morgan, Chicago, IL; Columbia College, Chicago, IL.

PRINCIPALS AND ASSOCIATES

James M. Cassidy, President; Micaela M. Cassidy, Vice President; Martin J. Cassidy, Senior Project Manager/Estimator; Brian V. Wood, Senior Project Manager/Estimator; Stan Ozarowski, Senior Project Manager/Estimator; James K. Benninger, Project Manager/Estimator; Scott Phillips, Project Manager/Estimator; Walter (Rusty) Sweet, Director of Business Development; Robert J. Cardella, CPA/Controller; John Sheehan, Superintendent; James Jones, Superintendent; and, Laurie Sampson, Administration.