EDiS Company
Encyclopedia
Ernesto DiSabatino and Sons, more commonly referred to as EDiS, is a large construction management firm with offices in Wilmington, Delaware
and West Chester, Pennsylvania
. Its has five divisions: EDiS Building Systems, EDiS, Asset Management Alliance, EDiS Development, and EDiS Interiors. Originally formed in 1908, as a stone mason contractor, EDiS has survived the past 100 years through World War II, the Great Depression and several recessions. EDiS is considered one of the first construction management firms in Delaware.
region of Italy
. In 1905, Ernesto and his eldest two sons, Arthur and Clarence were constructing the Simplon Tunnel
in the Alps
along the Switzerland
border. On the jobsites, Ernesto taught his sons the construction trade but also valuable life lessons, which would later be the core values of EDiS.
After failing his Army
physical because of a misdiagnosis of Tuberculosis
, Arthur along with brother Clarence encouraged their father Ernesto to immigrate to America as new opportunities for a better life were available. With initial hesitation, Ernesto agreed that immigration to America was best for the family. The family had a sponsor in Little Italy, Wilmington
, Luigi Pedicone, and when the DiSabatino family arrived in 1906 they immediately picked up work as stone masons. At that time bricklayers earned $3 for 1,000 bricks laid. Ernesto and sons Arthur and Clarence worked 12 hours a day, six days a week as master stone masons. By January of 1907, the remaining family immigrated to Wilmington, Delaware
including wife Angela Dea and the remaining DiSabatino children.
Ernesto settled quickly and within 15 months of his arrival established Ernest DiSabatino and Sons in 1908. Originally started as a masonry
contracting company-quality construction by skilled tradesmen became the principals for EDiS. In 1917, the company moved to their first office at 415 Lincoln Street and through hard work became a leader in the construction field and the community.
One of the best known projects at this time was St. Anthony of Padua Church, a Little Italy landmark which was completed in 1926. Ernesto DiSabatino later received the Papal Cross
in honor of his work in starting the parish and erecting the church. Around the same time was the completion of St. Francis Hospital in 1925, the hospital was located in Little Italy, Wilmington
, the area where Ernesto originally settled.
After the passing of Ernesto in 1932 at the age of 67, the business was left in the hands of his four sons, Arthur, Clarence, Dominick and Paul.
that produced the nuclear bomb. During World War II
, the company helped major corporations convert their factories for wartime production while also assisting the government with defense and housing projects.
generation proved to be a success in the eyes of top management as EDiS was commissioned to build numerous schools for the growing children population in Delaware. Even today, education remains a large market for EDiS. The DuPont
family became a customer for EDiS with the construction of the Nemours building and the Edgemoor Plant in the late 1930s. November 14 1963 marked the dedication for the Delaware Service plaza, a project EDiS managed. On hand for the dedication was President John F. Kennedy; it was his last public statement on a public works project as his assassination was a week later.
With a current effort to expand regionally, EDiS opened a branch in West Chester, Pennsylvania
that serves Chester, Bucks and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania. Although EDiS plans to never loose sight of its roots in Delaware
, the past five years have shown success in expanding its market into the Philadelphia suburbs.
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
and West Chester, Pennsylvania
West Chester, Pennsylvania
The Borough of West Chester is the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,461 at the 2010 census.Valley Forge, the Brandywine Battlefield, Longwood Gardens, Marsh Creek State Park, and other historical attractions are near West Chester...
. Its has five divisions: EDiS Building Systems, EDiS, Asset Management Alliance, EDiS Development, and EDiS Interiors. Originally formed in 1908, as a stone mason contractor, EDiS has survived the past 100 years through World War II, the Great Depression and several recessions. EDiS is considered one of the first construction management firms in Delaware.
History of the Company
As master stone masons, Ernesto DiSabatino and his sons stayed busy with tunnel projects in the AbruzzoAbruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
region of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. In 1905, Ernesto and his eldest two sons, Arthur and Clarence were constructing the Simplon Tunnel
Simplon Tunnel
The Simplon Tunnel is an Alpine railway tunnel that connects the Swiss town of Brig with Domodossola in Italy, though its relatively straight trajectory does not run under Simplon Pass itself. It actually consists of two single-track tunnels built nearly 20 years apart...
in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
along the Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
border. On the jobsites, Ernesto taught his sons the construction trade but also valuable life lessons, which would later be the core values of EDiS.
After failing his Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
physical because of a misdiagnosis of Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
, Arthur along with brother Clarence encouraged their father Ernesto to immigrate to America as new opportunities for a better life were available. With initial hesitation, Ernesto agreed that immigration to America was best for the family. The family had a sponsor in Little Italy, Wilmington
Little Italy, Wilmington
Little Italy is a neighborhood on the west side of Wilmington, Delaware.Little Italy is bounded roughly by 4th Street to the south, Union Street to the west, Clayton Street to the east, and Pennsylvania Avenue to the north. Like other neighborhoods with the "Little Italy" designation, Little Italy...
, Luigi Pedicone, and when the DiSabatino family arrived in 1906 they immediately picked up work as stone masons. At that time bricklayers earned $3 for 1,000 bricks laid. Ernesto and sons Arthur and Clarence worked 12 hours a day, six days a week as master stone masons. By January of 1907, the remaining family immigrated to Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...
including wife Angela Dea and the remaining DiSabatino children.
Ernesto settled quickly and within 15 months of his arrival established Ernest DiSabatino and Sons in 1908. Originally started as a masonry
Masonry
Masonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
contracting company-quality construction by skilled tradesmen became the principals for EDiS. In 1917, the company moved to their first office at 415 Lincoln Street and through hard work became a leader in the construction field and the community.
One of the best known projects at this time was St. Anthony of Padua Church, a Little Italy landmark which was completed in 1926. Ernesto DiSabatino later received the Papal Cross
Papal Cross
The papal cross or ferula is the pastoral staff used by the Pope. This is in contrast to other bishops, who use a crozier.The pastoral staff carried by the popes since Pope Paul VI is a contemporary single-barred cross, designed by the Italian artist Lello Scorzelli and carried in the same manner...
in honor of his work in starting the parish and erecting the church. Around the same time was the completion of St. Francis Hospital in 1925, the hospital was located in Little Italy, Wilmington
Little Italy, Wilmington
Little Italy is a neighborhood on the west side of Wilmington, Delaware.Little Italy is bounded roughly by 4th Street to the south, Union Street to the west, Clayton Street to the east, and Pennsylvania Avenue to the north. Like other neighborhoods with the "Little Italy" designation, Little Italy...
, the area where Ernesto originally settled.
After the passing of Ernesto in 1932 at the age of 67, the business was left in the hands of his four sons, Arthur, Clarence, Dominick and Paul.
The War Era
With the third generation of the company serving in the war, this time period is considered to be one of the most challenging times in the company’s history. Eugene DiSabatino, an engineer, worked on the Manhattan ProjectManhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
that produced the nuclear bomb. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the company helped major corporations convert their factories for wartime production while also assisting the government with defense and housing projects.
Post War Era
The Baby BoomerBaby boomer
A baby boomer is a person who was born during the demographic Post-World War II baby boom and who grew up during the period between 1946 and 1964. The term "baby boomer" is sometimes used in a cultural context. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve broad consensus of a precise definition, even...
generation proved to be a success in the eyes of top management as EDiS was commissioned to build numerous schools for the growing children population in Delaware. Even today, education remains a large market for EDiS. The DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
family became a customer for EDiS with the construction of the Nemours building and the Edgemoor Plant in the late 1930s. November 14 1963 marked the dedication for the Delaware Service plaza, a project EDiS managed. On hand for the dedication was President John F. Kennedy; it was his last public statement on a public works project as his assassination was a week later.
The 2000s
The developments of the Wilmington Riverfront lead to the construction and renovation of many prominent buildings on the Christina River. Notable projects such as the Riverfront Market, ING Direct and Harry’s Seafood Grill are all EDiS star projects. Another notable project completed in 2002 was the New Castle County Courthouse. The company built the $137 million, 572,000 sq. ft., 14 story building over 3-1/2 years and serves as a landmark in the Wilmington skyline.EDiS Today
Family Business Magazine estimates that less than a third of all family businesses make it to a second generation while only 10% make it to the third and a slim 4% onto the fourth generation. 2005 marked the beginning of the fifth generation of the company as E. Andrew DiSabatino III joined the company followed by Adam DiSabatino in 2010. Now in the fifth generation, EDiS is redefining those statistics and sees no sign of slowing down.With a current effort to expand regionally, EDiS opened a branch in West Chester, Pennsylvania
West Chester, Pennsylvania
The Borough of West Chester is the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 18,461 at the 2010 census.Valley Forge, the Brandywine Battlefield, Longwood Gardens, Marsh Creek State Park, and other historical attractions are near West Chester...
that serves Chester, Bucks and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania. Although EDiS plans to never loose sight of its roots in Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, the past five years have shown success in expanding its market into the Philadelphia suburbs.
Notable Clients
- AmtrakAmtrakThe National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
- Appoquinimink School DistrictAppoquinimink School DistrictThe Appoquinimink School District is a public school district in southern New Castle County, Delaware. The district office is located in the Odessa Park Building, 223 South Fifth Street, in Odessa, Delaware, with John L. Burrows as the current superintendent. Former superintendent Tony Marchio...
- Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- AstraZenecaAstraZenecaAstraZeneca plc is a global pharmaceutical and biologics company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's seventh-largest pharmaceutical company measured by revenues and has operations in over 100 countries...
- BioMed Realty Trust (REIT)
- Bloomberg
- BlueCross BlueShield of Delaware
- Brandywine Realty TrustBrandywine Realty TrustBrandywine Realty Trust is a real estate investment trust in the United States that buys, sells, leases and manages approximately 225 commercial properties, no more than 25 industrial parcels of land, mixed-use property, and over of undeveloped parcels. They also offer construction and...
(REIT) - Capital School DistrictCapital School DistrictCapital School District is a public school district in Kent County, Delaware in the United States. It serves the greater Dover area.-Geography:The district covers a area in central Kent County....
- Carbon Nanoprobes
- Christiana Care Health SystemChristiana Care Health SystemChristiana Care Health System is a network of private, non-profit hospitals providing health care services to all of Delaware and portions of seven counties bordering the state in Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey...
- City of Wilmington
- Dansko
- Delaware State UniversityDelaware State UniversityDelaware State University , is an American historically black, public university located in Dover, Delaware, and there are two satellite campuses located in Wilmington, Delaware, and Georgetown, Delaware...
- DuPontDuPontE. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
- Fidelity InvestmentsFidelity InvestmentsFMR LLC or Fidelity Investments is an American multinational financial services corporation one of the largest mutual fund and financial services groups in the world. It was founded in 1946 and serves North American investors. Fidelity Ventures is its venture capital arm...
- Fisker AutomotiveFisker AutomotiveFisker Automotive is an American automaker based in Anaheim, California. The company's first product, the Fisker Karma is among the world's first true electric vehicles with extended range...
- Grant & Eisenhofer P.A.Grant & Eisenhofer P.A.Grant & Eisenhofer is an international boutique law firm with a focus on securities and complex litigation, corporate governance, false claims/wage and hour litigation, and portfolio monitoring. Stuart M. Grant and Jay W. Eisenhofer founded the primary office in Wilmington, Delaware in 1997...
- HMSHost
- INGDirect
- JPMorgan Chase
- Legg MasonLegg MasonLegg Mason, Inc. is an American-based global investment management firm with a focus on asset management. The company’s business is divided in two divisions: Americas and International...
- Morris Nichols Arsht & Tunnell, LLP
- PNC Bank
- Potter Anderson & Corroon, LLP
- Richards Layton & Finger, PA
- State of Delaware
- Summit Aviation
- Sunday Breakfast MissionSunday Breakfast MissionSunday Breakfast Mission, in Wilmington, Delaware, was established in 1893 to provide homeless men with a meal and a place to worship on Sunday. Shortly after, homeless men were able to seek overnight shelter there....
- University of DelawareUniversity of DelawareThe university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...