Our people

As President of McDonald Brothers, and primary lead in the majority of its design-build portfolio, Paul is truly in his element. With roots in carpentry and an undeniable building boom in the late 1980s, Paul embarked on the construction business that still stands today. Starting in residential construction but quickly crossing over to the more challenging and rewarding realm of commercial, Paul was well on his way to success.

In the 30 years since McDonald Brothers inception, Paul has established himself among clients and staff as a consummate overseer and manager of even most complex of projects. “I’ve always enjoyed breaking down projects into their bits and pieces, stringing them together by sequence and time,” he says.

With three decades under his belt, it’s hard for Paul to pick just one favourite project but he’s quick to express his enthusiasm for the collaborative approach that design-build projects afford him:

 “My favourite projects are the ones that are delivered through a relationship-based approach. The design-build model brings consultants, owners and contractors to the table as a whole, and I find the process very rewarding,” he says.

When Paul finds time to step away from the office and job site, he enjoys relaxing with his family at the cottage.

As Secretary Treasurer, Patrick is called on for his shrewd and sensible eye when it comes to numbers. Often tasked with identifying potential pitfalls, he brings invaluable stability and common sense to the project management process.

As one half of the two McDonald Brothers who founded the company, Patrick and his brother Paul place a lot of value in the ideas and feedback of their employees.“When it comes to big decision-making, it’s important to us that we involve all those who will be impacted,” he says. “Everyone’s ideas matter.”

In recent years, McDonald Brothers has become more involved in working with not-for-profit organizations, and Patrick couldn’t be happier about it. “We work very closely with our not-for-profit clients and when all is said and done, it’s a very satisfying experience because we’re having a notable impact on the community at large.”

When Patrick is able to step away from this role at McDonald Brothers, he loves to travel, read and spend time with his family.

As VP of Operations, Matthew keeps a watchful, detail organized eye on the inner workings of all MBC projects. Whether it’s scheduling, assessing risk management, safety or ensuring projects achieve the highest quality of standards, Matthew has his finger on the pulse of every job site.

Working for MBC has provided Matthew with the benefits of a close team environment and ample opportunity for professional growth – something he greatly appreciates. “The wealth of knowledge can’t be beat,” he says.

When asked what project has been the most memorable, Matthew doesn’t hesitate. “That would be the churches and community centres,” he says. They produce a personal dividend that is really immeasurable. The gratitude and excitement the members express is something very special.”

When Matthew is able to step away from the desk or job site, he enjoys camping, being on water, snowboarding and travelling the globe.

With an educational background in finance and accounting, Allessandro could have put his skills to use in almost any type of corporation, but he landed in the field of construction, because as he puts it, he “appreciates working for a company that provides something very tangible. It’s really grounding to be able to walk away from a project and see the direct impact a building can have on a community.”

And while Allessandro isn’t directly involved in the building of buildings, he is without question, a vital player in how they come to fruition. Allessandro delivers critical financial information, reporting on project and company performance on an ongoing basis. He is also tasked with developing policies and procedures, business strategies that keep in line with corporate vision, and managing the many talents of MBC personnel.

When he has a moment to catch his breath, Allessandro reaches for his guitar – one of many in his growing collection.

Patrick Brousseau brings seasoned expertise and wisdom to his role as Design-Build Estimator for McDonald Brothers. It was after working 9 years as an estimator at RONA that Patrick joined the McDonald Brothers team, where he has been since 1997.

Patrick’s exceptionally thorough and accurate approach to arriving at project estimates is a major asset to McDonald Brothers. Not to be confused with the much more elementary task of providing a simple job quote, estimating is complex and vital to the success of large-scale construction. In addition to identifying initial cost estimates, an estimator continues and evolves cost analysis for the duration of a project – in a concerted effort to sustain accountability for the initial forecasting.

For Patrick, the teamwork and end product is what makes his job so pleasurable:

“The inherent collaboration between constructor, client, consultants and municipal officials throughout the design evolution is the catalyst that I appreciate the most,” says Patrick.  “Understanding the project objectives offers an overwhelming sense of accomplishment at final completion.”

When asked what type of project he would like McDonald Brothers to work on that they have yet to, Patrick exercises some pie-in-the-sky thinking:

“I think building a movie set could be very exciting – something ambitious and iconic, like Star Wars or Star Trek. That would be really fun.”