Gabriel Stefania
President

Gabe has been at the helm of Atco Construction Company since 1981, serving as Vice President of Atco Properties & Management, and of Atco Construction, and of all other Atco and Hemmerdinger Companies since 1984.   Under his leadership, Atco has completed thousands of jobs in every major construction classification totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.

Before joining Atco in 1981, Gabe served as a Sergeant in the 4th Infantry Division of the US Army, receiving a Silver Star for Gallantry in Action in Vietnam in 1969.  Upon his return, he received a BS in Architecture, cum laude from The New York Institute of Technology.

After graduation Gabe worked for Kahn and Jacobs Architects, Loral Electronics and Cadillac Fairview Shopping Centers New York serving as a draftsman, project architect and engineer on many large-scale commercial and retail projects.  Over the years Gabe has been a member of the American Management Association, BOMA NY, Construction Specifications Institute, NY Building Congress, NY Building Contractors Association and REBNY. 

Gabe’s community involvement includes: Board of Directors and Membership Chairman of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 126 in NYC, Board of Directors of Friends of Vietnam Veterans Plaza, and Co-Chair of The Fountain Gallery Events Committee. In honor of his service to the company, Atco sponsors the Gabriel A. Stefania Scholarship Award, given each year to a deserving student at New York University.

Gabe will now serve as President of Essential Design + Build.

Rich Hiler, LEED^®AP
Vice President

Rich joins Essential Design + Build as Construction Manager with over ten years of experience in the Atco family of companies.  His commercial work—spanning projects both large-scale and intimate—includes the conversion of a former factory into office flex space in the Totowa Business Center, construction of the Katzenbach Partners, LLC offices on Park Avenue South, creation of the Laurence Miller Gallery on West 57th Street, the renovation of building lobbies on Central Park South and West 58th Street, and numerous build-outs for law firms, retailers and small businesses.  His work on residential projects includes the restoration and modernization of an historic 1940’s home in Queens, the gut renovation of two high-end Fifth Avenue residences, and the construction of multiple luxury apartments on Central Park South.

Rich holds a BS in Construction Management from Roger Williams University, and is an active fundraiser for the Fountain Gallery's Celebration of Life Benefit (an annual event supporting the not-for-profit cooperative run by and for artists living with mental illness) and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.  He has served as President of his co-op’s Board of Directors for 2+ years.

Chris Pettus
Senior Project Manager

Chris brings to Essential Design + Construction 15 years of experience with Atco Construction and over 30 years of experience overall, having worked as a laborer, carpenter, foreman, field supervisor and project manager.  He has extensive knowledge of new construction and commercial and medical facilities renovations, and has overseen the lobby renovations of 630 3rd Avenue and 20 West 57th Street, the gut renovation of Atlas Cafe on Central Park South, and high-end residential renovations and commercial build-outs in properties throughout the city.

Jeff Brelsford
Architectural Designer

Jeff has over 7 years of professional experience as an architect, having specialized in projects of diverse scales ranging from multi-unit residential developments to commercial office spaces.  He is experienced in all aspects of project development from schematic design to construction documents and administration.  Jeff’s knowledge of NYC Building and Zoning Code allows for thorough design from project conception to completion, and his proficiency in CAD and multiple rendering and design programs allows Essential Design+ Build to graphically represent and document every detail of the design and construction process. 

Jeff has a B. Arch and an M. Arch from SUNY Buffalo, as well as an MBA from NYU.  He has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, has done fundraising for Shoes for Shelter, and supports the American Heart Association and the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Joseph Fiorentino, R.A.
Registered Architect

Joe joins Essential Design & Build with over 20 years of experience in the procurement of design and construction services of retail, commercial, and residential real estate projects in New York City. He brings a logical and pragmatic approach to finding solutions to design and construction issues, and adds valuable space planning, visualization and management skills to the team.

Known for his keen attention to details, Joe has served as Project Architect and Construction Manager for 100,000 square feet of new residential projects. He was Senior Project Manager for 350,000 square feet of a first class commercial office project, has refurbished various residential apartment buildings, and headed up a conversion-preservation project and planned the design for a 200 acre Business Park master plan/building prototype in South Carolina. He has also functioned as Job Captain for varied corporate interior design projects.

Joe holds a BA in Architecture from Pratt Institute. He is a member of the New York Society of Architects and a professional member of the Construction Specifications Institute. Joe received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Navy.

Peter Cruz
Accountant

Peter has 9 years of experience working for Atco, and 11 years of overall knowledge of the construction accounting industry.  He handles accounts payable, accounts receivable and collections for the department.  He insures that all subcontractors are properly licensed, insured, and paid on a timely basis.  He oversees the preparation and processing of purchase orders and change orders and helps ensure that all projects remain within budget.   His project management experience allows him to support the construction team in the field and in the office whenever the need arises.

Peter has an AA in Business Administration from BMCC and is a licensed New York real estate agent and notary public.  He supports the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

Esther Torres
Administrative

Esther has 9 years of experience working for Atco and 20 years of overall administrative experience.   She supports our entire office staff and field crew.  Esther handles all administrative duties on all jobs including payroll, correspondence, filing, Submittal Logs, scheduling appointments and more. Esther is the glue that keeps our team together.