As Executive Vice President for United Contractors Midwest (UCM), Allen Cullinan handles matters of strategy and resource allocation, acquisitions, cost-efficiency initiatives, personnel development and internal communication. In his three years with the company—one of the largest heavy-highway construction companies in the Midwest—he has brought a fresh perspective to the owners, board and management team.
Cullinan helped expand the company’s focus from road and bridge construction to include mass excavation, and developed a cost-effective solution for properly capping and closing the defunct Pekin Landfill, removing all threats to public health and safety. He also led the company to develop a new, state-of-the-art material testing lab in Springfield, enabling it to produce longer-lasting asphalt products, and instituted an employee self-assessment program, which has helped create a more productive workforce.
In the community, Cullinan is a leader in a number of area organizations. He serves on the board of the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and sits on the 2016 United Way Campaign Cabinet. He is also involved with fundraising for Easter Seals through his devoted participation in the Lyle Finch Claybird Classic each year. This fall, he and his wife, Laura, chaired the inaugural Farm to Table culinary event at Junction City, raising money for the American Cancer Society and its partnership with Illinois CancerCare.
A graduate of the University of Illinois, Cullinan co-founded the Better World Foundation NGO, which helps underprivileged Egyptian youth advance in academia and technology, after a university trip to Egypt. He earned his CPA at PricewaterhouseCoopers and went on to be an investment banking analyst at J.P. Morgan Securities for three years before returning to Peoria to become a leader in his family’s business. Described as a dogged individual with a magnetic personality, Cullinan is sure to make his presence felt for many years to come. iBi
