At Paramount Construction, family, hard work and trusted partnerships form the foundation of a business that has grown from small concrete jobs in Hartford to multimillion-dollar infrastructure projects across Connecticut.

Owned today by Steve Reilly, Executive Vice President, Chez-Christopher Pace (aka Chez Jr.), Vice President, and Alex Pace, Vice President of Field Operations, the company operates with more than 30 employees, a full equipment fleet and annual revenues of up to $20 million plus.

But the story of Paramount is much more than numbers. It is the journey of an immigrant family, the lessons of three generations and the value of strong relationships with suppliers.

Roots in Italy, Growth in Hartford

Marzolino Pace, father of Concezio Pace (aka "Chez Sr."), was born in 1929 in a small Abruzzo town north of Rome. Raised amid the devastation of World War II, Marzolino left Italy as a young man in search of opportunity, first heading to Venezuela before securing sponsorship to enter the United States. He arrived in Hartford in 1955, where relatives had already established a small construction firm, G Pace & Son Construction.

Starting in concrete work, Marzolino spent a decade honing his skills before joining the local cement finishers' union in Hartford. Known for his natural engineering mind despite having only an eighth-grade education, he was able to envision and build concrete forms with precision and creativity.

In 1976, Marzolino partnered with Bruno Santilli to form P&S Concrete Contractors. By 1978, his teenage son, Concezio "Chez Sr." was working full-time at his side, and together they created Pace & Son, focused on foundations, slabs, and residential flatwork. Their small Hartford shop on Benton Street was the launchpad for a business built on long days pouring concrete by hand and wheelbarrow.

Moving Into Public Work

By 1984, Pace & Son won its first city contract — a $284,000 reconstruction job in Hartford's Bellevue Street. Despite a crew of just five, the company delivered the project successfully, earning credibility with municipal customers. The firm soon shifted from residential driveways and patios to road reconstruction, sidewalks and storm drain work across the city.

As the 1980s progressed, Chez Sr. became a full partner in the business, formalizing the father-son relationship legally to avoid the pitfalls common in family operations. By the 1990s, the firm's municipal workload was steadily growing. In 1997, Chez Sr. made the difficult decision to retire his father, who by then was 68, to allow for the company's continued growth.

"I give my father credit every single day," Chez Sr. said. "For the sacrifices he made, the work ethic he instilled and for giving me the foundation to build on."

Establishing Paramount Construction

The next chapter came in 2000 with the formation of Paramount Construction. Recognizing that infrastructure work was increasingly complex, Chez Sr. brought in Steve Reilly, a civil engineer by trade, who excelled at matching the evolving construction project requirements. Steve became a partner, and together they positioned Paramount as a general contractor capable of managing full public works contracts — excavation, underground utilities, road prep and traffic systems.

Paramount's first major step up came with the Park Road Interchange project in West Hartford, a DOT-funded reconstruction of Exit 43 that included extensive utilities, roadwork and site improvements. Though initially questioned as an unknown bidder, Paramount quickly established credibility when DOT staff realized they were dealing with the Pace family name.

"That was a game changer for us," Chez Sr. said. "It showed we could handle projects of that magnitude."

Today, Paramount regularly delivers multimillion-dollar contracts for the Connecticut DOT, the Metropolitan District Commission and various municipalities across the state. Recent work includes the Stafford Springs Roundabout, Downtown Plantsville Corridor Improvements, Capitol Ave Water Main Replacement and major streetscape projects in and around Hartford County.

The company also has diversified into sewer, water main and rehabilitation projects, currently averaging 15,000 linear ft. of water main installed annually, alongside extensive sewer lining and rehabilitation work.

Next Generation

For Chez Pace Jr. and Alex Pace, construction was almost inevitable. Each graduating from Xavier High School respectively in 2007 and 2010, they pursued construction management degrees at Central Connecticut State University. Chez Jr. went on to gain real-world experience through an internship and full-time work with DeRita Construction. There, he learned GPS surveying, estimating and scheduling software's — tools he later introduced to Paramount when he joined full-time in 2012.

Chez Jr. began as laborer and estimator, which progressed into a pure estimator and project manager, successfully bidding and managing projects for Paramount from 2012 through the present day. His brother, Alex Pace, joined a few years later as an operator and working foreman, to now leading all field operations. Together, the brothers complement each other — one balancing management and estimating, the other driving production in the field.

Longtime colleague Kevin Berry, who mentored Chez Jr. during his time at DeRita, also joined Paramount in 2023 as estimator and project manager. Kevin is exceptional in all aspects of estimating and project management. From accurately putting together detailed estimates to seeing the project through completion, with strong management, coordination, and proactive communication, Kevin has played a major role in Paramount's development in the past few years. The strong bond of learning from your mentor to now working hand in hand has been a large force in the growth of Paramount, said Chez Jr.

Culture of Family, Loyalty

Despite its size, Paramount remains family oriented. Employees are not just numbers but part of a larger family. The company hosts regular events, promotes from within and invests in employee growth.

"Our success has been on the back of our employees that have been loyal to us, and we recognize that," said Chez Jr. "We know their families, their children, we genuinely care about each and every individual and that's what makes this work."

Building, Maintaining the Fleet

Paramount's work requires a diverse fleet. That fleet is maintained by an in-house mechanic, John Brancifort. John has been with Paramount since 2009, and is a highly skilled diesel mechanic, known for his attention to detail and problem-solving abilities. With a fleet that is continuously growing, because of John's dedication, which often means coming in early, working late or spending his weekends working, helping ensure that our projects run smoothly with functional and safe equipment. But productivity depends not only on ownership, but also on having access to specialized equipment and reliable support. That is where Able Tool has become indispensable according to Chez Jr.

Chez Sr. first met Derek Bauer, owner of Able Tool, around 2003 on a difficult courthouse project in Hartford. Paramount needed to get beneath a duct bank where conventional excavation was impossible. Bauer arrived with specialized vacuum/hydro-excavation equipment, personally suiting up and blasting through the utilities safely.

"From that point on, I knew Derek was the guy for me," said Chez Sr. "He's honest, he's hands-on and he's not afraid to get dirty. That's the kind of partner we want."

Since then, Able Tool has become Paramount's go-to resource for specialized tools, emergency rentals and mechanical expertise that includes:

• Compaction Technology: Paramount purchased two Wacker Neuson RT trench rollers from Able Tool. These remote-controlled padfoot rollers have solved recurring trench settlement issues, especially in water and sewer installations. "Once you run these on a trench, it doesn't move," said Chez Jr.

• Emergency Rentals: When a Paramount mini-excavator broke down, Able Tool had a replacement delivered the same day. "We were back up and running within 24 hours, and kept it until our machine was repaired," Chez Jr. said.

• Shop Support: Able Tool has a crew of very capable service technicians and maintains a deep inventory of accessories and parts, from jackhammer bits to hoses, ensuring Paramount can keep jobs moving without delays. "It reminds me of the old days when you could walk in and get what you needed off the shelf," Chez Sr. said.

• Specialized Service: When one of Paramount's trench roller drums began leaking hydraulics, Able Tool's technicians handled the rebuild, tackling jobs too specialized for Paramount's in-house shop. "Derek brings more than equipment — he brings solutions," Chez Jr. said. "He and his people are an extension of our operation."

Looking Ahead

Paramount today is positioned as a strong, diversified contractor with the ability to weather economic cycles. With the Pace brothers, Steve Reilly and Kevin Berry leading operations, the company continues to expand its scope while maintaining the family values established by Marzolino Pace decades ago and passed on by Chez Sr.

"Construction is a young man's game and my sons are taking us to the next level," Chez Sr. said. "We respect each other's lanes, and we've built a culture that works. We've stayed strong because we've evolved with the times. And with partners like Able Tool standing with us, we're built to keep moving forward." CEG