Don Adair

With 17 offices in nine states and approximately $2 billion in construction annually, Swinerton Builders is one of the country's largest builders.

"Integrity is our No. 1 core value," said Don Adair, vice president and division manager for the San Diego office of the 118-year-old, employee-owned company. "It's nice when you have a reputation to hold up; it gives us a lot of depth, more so than any other company."

Adair was picked by company executives to open Swinerton's regional offices in the San Diego area, an opportunity he refers to as his best business decision. At that time he was a pre-construction manager with the company. Adair credits his journey up through the ranks at Swinerton with giving him a well-rounded view of operations, one that enables him to be as comfortable on job sites as he is in conferences with clients.

Now he oversees a staff of 95 employees and a division that brought in $175 million in 2005.