Meet Our Team

Since 1971, Nicholas C. Xenelis has owned and operated Xenelis Construction Co., Inc.

Nicholas graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology in 1963 with an associate’s degree in mechanical engineering technology. It was during his time at Wentworth that he first began working in construction as both a laborer and an equipment operator.

Nicholas went on to pursue a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Connecticut. He continued to spend his summers working in construction, focusing on road construction and site development.

Following his graduation in 1966, Nicholas was commissioned in the United States Air Force as a Civil Engineering Officer at Holloman AFB New Mexico. In 1968, he was assigned to a Red Horse Unit in Vietnam. Following his return to the United States in late 1969, Nicholas relocated to the Nellis AFB Nevada where he served as the Squadron Commander of the 820th Red Horse Squadron until 1971.

In 1975, Nicholas joined the Air National Guard at Bradley Air National Guard Base as a Base Civil Engineer. In 1986, after 26 years, Nicholas retired from military service, having achieved the final rank of Colonel.

Nicholas founded Xenelis Construction Co. Inc. in February 1971. Since then, Xenelis Construction Co., Inc. has not only become a successful construction operation, but a true family business. Two of Nicholas’ children help run the company and many of his grandchildren have been involved in Xenelis Construction.

Nicholas has four children and fifteen grandchildren. In addition to running Xenelis Construction, Nicholas enjoys spending his time in Vermont, boating and snowmobiling. Nicholas also owns a small farm where he cultivates hay and grows vegetables, which he sells at his farm stand.

Dwayne Xenelis is the eldest son of Nicholas C. Xenelis. After graduating Xavier high school in 1986, Dwayne received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Connecticut in 1990. In 1988, while in college, he joined the Connecticut Air National Guard as an Airman First class. Upon graduating UCONN he attended officer training in Knoxville, Tennessee and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Civil Engineering Squadron, Connecticut Air National Guard. He worked on active duty status at Bradley Field, rebuilding the base in anticipation of the F-16 fighter plane conversion. In 1996, Dwayne continued his active guard military career in the Kansas Air National Guard where he served as the Operations Officer and Assistant Base Civil Engineer. In 1998, he made his last military move to the 106RQW, NYANG in Westhampton Beach, Long Island. There he served as the Commander of the Civil Engineer Squadron for seven years. In 2013, after over 25 years of service he retired to focus on his civilian career.

In 1998 Dwayne permanently settled into the family business, Xenelis Construction, focusing on commercial site work and general contracting. He is involved in every aspect of the business and serves as the Senior Operations Manager.

Dwayne and his wife Melinda live in Westbrook, CT and have five children. In his free time, Dwayne enjoys snowmobiling, hiking and boating. Dwayne has sat on the zoning and wetlands commissions in Westbrook since 2009 and is currently Vice chair of both.  He was a member of the subcommittee for selection of the town IDE Engineering firm and as well as the zoning regulation review subcommittee.  Dwayne has been active at the Williams School in New London, CT since 2012.  He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees.  

David Xenelis is the youngest son of Nicholas C. Xenelis. He graduated from Xavier high school in 1995 and went on to receive a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Western New England University. Upon graduation, David worked as a Project Superintendent for Turner Construction in New York, NY for five years.  During his tenure in New York City, David’s most notable project was a large hospital expansion at Bellevue Hospital where he oversaw all facets of the construction industry, focusing on the civil and structural components of large scale developments.

David has spent his entire life immersed in the construction industry. Growing up, most of his free time was dedicated to working for his family’s construction company; he spent countless summers on jobsites and winters shoveling snow. Since rejoining the Xenelis Construction in 2006 as a project manager, his responsibilities have grown to overseeing both the estimating department and the field operations. In 2020, David was promoted to Vice President of Xenelis Construction.

Erin Xenelis is a 2004 graduate of the University of Connecticut and holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing as well as a Master of Science Degree in Information Technologies from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.  Prior to joining Xenelis Construction as general manager, she worked as a branch manager for Otis Elevator which enabled her to bring 10 years of construction and management experience to her role.  As general manager, Erin is responsible for overseeing daily business operations and supporting the needs of both field and office staff.

Erin lives in Middletown with her husband, David and their three young daughters who can often be found running around the office.  Erin enjoys traveling, skiing and any activity on the water.

As a senior project manager, John brings over 30 years of experience to Xenelis Construction. After studying construction management at Central Connecticut State University, John began his career as a laborer with D&V Morin Construction Co. in 1988. Throughout his tenure, John's dedication to delivering quality results and focus on company development allowed him to work his way up to the position of vice president and owner.

In 2018, he joined Xenelis Construction. As the designated bridge and dam expert John manages and provides support to all involved in the construction process including field crews, owners, estimators, and peers.

John currently lives in Farmington, CT with his wife. He enjoys spending time with his three adult children, playing golf and beach vacations.

Tyler is a graduate of Coastal Carolina University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Recreation and Sport Management. Growing up, Tyler spent much of his free time working on job sites for his father’s framing business. In 2015, Tyler returned to construction and has since worked as a laborer, operator and estimator.

In 2021, Tyler joined Xenelis Construction as the estimator. Tyler not only oversees pre construction matters but plays a key role throughout the entire construction process by offering assistance to project managers on active projects.

Outside of work, Tyler is a dog trainer in Bethany, CT where he helps people build relationships with their pets. He also enjoys golfing and spending time with his own dogs, Dexter and Si .

Kevin has been a project manager with Xenelis Construction since July 2019. He brought with him over 30 years of sales, service, and management experience from multiple industries including auto repair, gasoline retail sales, and most recently, mortgage operations.  Kevin’s focus is to lock up success and efficiency on every project he manages and has been nicknamed “The InCARSErator” by his co-workers.

Kevin is a lifelong resident of the Connecticut shoreline and has lived in Clinton since 1996. Kevin and his wife, Amy, have two children together. When he is not at work, Kevin enjoys competitive sailboat racing and spending time on the water with his family.

Dylan has over 11 years of experience in the industry and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management from Central Connecticut State University. Prior to joining Xenelis Construction in 2021, Dylan worked for The Whiting-Turner Construction Company for seven years as a Superintendent where he completed several projects in the science and technology, higher education and retail industries. Outside of work, Dylan enjoys spending time with his family, fishing, and riding his motorcycle.

Chris has been with Xenelis Construction since 2000 and brings over 30 years construction experience to his current role.  As foreman, Chris’ focus is to manage his site’s labor force, maintain the project schedule, and remain forward focused to stay ahead of his job’s requirements. Chris operates all types of heavy machinery, but his favorite is the Volvo 380 excavator.

Chris enjoys spending time with his children and wife, Tracy. Most weekends he can be found on the golf course with his son Logan, or traveling to watch his daughter Brooke compete on her college field hockey and lacrosse teams.

Rick has been working in the construction industry since high school. He began his career as an operator for his father’s company, Hajek Construction, where he drove trucks and operated heavy equipment. He later started his own tractor trailer business which he owned and operated for 20 years. Rick’s passion for construction drew him back to the industry in 2016, when he joined Xenelis Construction as a Foreman.

When he is not working, Rick enjoys spending time with his two boys and his wife. They enjoy camping and spending time at their family property in New Hampshire. Rick also has a green thumb and supplies the office with beautiful vegetables from his garden every summer.

Bror was first introduced to the construction industry by his father, who started a successful excavation business in the 1960’s. The family business was operated by his brother, James Ashe, until 2021. Bror is a graduate of Post University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in History. Following his graduation, Bror began his own career in excavation and has been working in the industry for over 25 years. His years of on site training, estimation certificates, and P7 license have allowed him to become an accomplished operator of heavy machinery and site foreman.

Bror is a lifelong Connecticut resident, and currently lives in in Old Saybrook, CT with his wife and two children. He has been at Xenelis Construction since 2018 and looks forward to continued success with his colleagues and clients.