John Cannistraro, Jr.

An exceptional businessman and employer, John Cannistraro is a leading evangelist for the use of building information modeling (BIM), modular prefabrication, and lean manufacturing that help his clients reduce their building costs.

J.C. Cannistraro is a major, family-owned mechanical construction firm with a unique four trade approach specializing in plumbing, fire protection, heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration, and sheet metal services for commercial and institutional projects throughout New England. With a company tagline of Building with Intelligence™, they manage that way as well.

As President, John provides the company with its overall strategic direction with a focus on pre-construction. John has a passion for combining creativity with design and technology, and believes firmly in the ideals of mentorship and collaboration. 

Cannistraro is the only mechanical contractor in the area that’s signatory to four trades. Asked if that’s complicated, John responds, “It isn’t always easy, but we find solutions. Introducing new construction methods or products requires intense teamwork, including collaboration between our trades. Our mutual success depends on us being competitive, getting the business and growing our market share.”

“With today’s need for technical expertise, we’re proud and fortunate to have such talented, highly-trained tradespeople. While BIM and fabrication are essential to this next generation of projects, we can’t lose the individual craftsmanship. Today’s trade apprenticeship programs are more demanding than most college degrees, and can’t be beat for providing an honorable and lucrative, middle-class career and lifestyle.”

A Past President of the Massachusetts Building Congress and the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC) of Greater Boston, John is a volunteer leader for the Artists for Humanity and the Newton Wellesley Hospital Charitable Foundation. Just elected to the Corporation at Wentworth Institute of Technology, he serves as the Chairman of the Board for the American Sanitary Plumbing Museum and holds a Master Plumber’s License in Massachusetts. John is a graduate of Tufts University and the Owner/President Management Program at Harvard Business School.

John and his wife Tracy, have five children: Laura, who works in Client Services; Matthew, a systems analyst with Harrington Air Systems; Amy, J.P. and William.