Liam Coakley

This transcript has been edited for clarity, readability, and flow. Minor adjustments have been made to remove filler words and improve structure while preserving the original meaning and intent of the conversation.

Henry Harrison:
Well hello, Liam. Thank you for coming on. Good to see you. Welcome to Entrepreneurs, Business and Finance.

For those who don’t know Liam, he is a longtime resident of Arlington and McLean, Virginia. Our families have known each other for years. At a young age, we played tennis, golf, ping pong—you name it, we did it together.

We were even single at the same time, so we probably went on a few double dates, although I can’t quite remember. It’s been a while.

He’s also kind enough that when I come to Arlington, I sometimes stay at his and Caroline’s house. There used to be four kids at home—now there are three.

We’re here today because Liam is the co-president of C.J. Coakley Co., and it’s an extraordinary business story. His father started the company in 1962, and now Liam, his brother, and his sister are carrying it forward.

Why don’t you talk a little about how it all started?

Liam Coakley:
Sure.

My dad came from Ireland when he was 18. He stayed with family members who helped him get started, including my uncle Fergus, who got him into a plastering apprenticeship through the union.

From there, he worked for a large commercial plastering company and eventually became a superintendent.

In 1962, he decided to start his own company.

At that time, plastering was everything—walls and ceilings were built using metal lath and plaster. But over time, the industry evolved into drywall, acoustical ceilings, and fireproofing, and the company evolved with it.

We did a lot of work with major contractors, including George Hyman. As the industry shifted from union to more open-shop work, we created a second company called Dominion Applicators, which my mom ran.

By 1993, we merged everything back into C.J. Coakley, and that significantly expanded our capabilities and workforce.

At that point, the business grew substantially, and we were able to take on larger projects.

Henry Harrison:
And since then, the company has continued evolving.

Liam Coakley:
Absolutely.

In 2013, my brother Mike and I became co-presidents.

Since then, we’ve added a number of services, including:

• Metal panels

• Rainscreen systems

• Hoists and overhead protection

• Prefabricated exterior wall systems

We also started a prefab company just before the pandemic.

Today, we can deliver exterior wall systems—framing, sheathing, and air barriers—as a single package with one point of responsibility.

We’ve expanded into materials like fiber cement, terracotta, and metal panel systems.

The key has always been the same: listen to the market and adapt.

Henry Harrison:
To give people a sense of scale, you’ve worked on some of the most iconic projects in the Washington, D.C. region.

Liam Coakley:
Yes, it’s been quite a range.

Some of the projects include:

• The IRS Headquarters

• The Pentagon renovation

• Major shopping centers like Tysons Corner

• Large hospital systems like INOVA

• The Federal Reserve Eccles Building

We’ve also worked on major residential and mixed-use projects, including developments near Amazon’s headquarters.

So over time, we’ve done government, private, residential, and institutional work.

Henry Harrison:
And for those unfamiliar with construction, your company often handles both the interior and exterior building systems.

Liam Coakley:
That’s right.

On a high-rise project, we might handle:

• Exterior wall framing and structural systems

• Sheathing and air barriers

• Interior walls and drywall

• Ceiling systems, including acoustical and specialty ceilings

Ceiling systems, in particular, have become much more complex, with custom wood designs and specialty materials.

For example, we recently completed detailed wood ceiling work for Johns Hopkins.

Henry Harrison:
Your family has also always been known for giving back.

Liam Coakley:
Yes, that’s always been important to us.

My parents were very involved in charitable work, and that’s something we’ve continued as a family.

Personally, I grew up working in the business—starting in my teenage years, working on jobsites, building scaffolding, hanging drywall, and learning from the field up.

That hands-on experience shaped how I understand the business today.

Henry Harrison:
That’s part of what makes this such a great story—a family business that has adapted for over 60 years.

From 1962 to today, the industry has completely transformed, yet your company is still here, still growing.

Liam Coakley:
That’s exactly right.

If you’re not changing, you’re dying.

But at the same time, you have to balance innovation carefully. Technology is expensive, and you have to decide:

• When to invest

• How much to invest

• What actually adds value

Right now, the industry is changing rapidly with:

• Cameras and jobsite tracking

• Document overlays

• AI in estimating and takeoffs

It’s an exciting time, but also a challenging one.

Henry Harrison:
Well, I’m glad you’re leading the company forward, and I know a lot of people appreciate both the business and your family’s contributions to the community.

God bless your parents, and thank you for coming on the show.

Liam Coakley:
Thanks for having me, Henry. It’s always good seeing you. I appreciate your friendship, and I’m always here if I can help.