THE HISTORY OF CWC
Building A Legacy
THE HISTORY OF CWC
Building A Legacy
EST. 1961
The Legacy Begins
Founders - Neil T. Coakley & Fred G. Williams
The company's origin dates back to a rainy evening in 1961 when Neil T. Coakley & Fred G. Williams met in a parking lot on Brookeville Road in Silver Spring for the first time. Neil owned and ran a successful plastering business founded by his father, a native of Ireland. Fred was a Cornell mechanical engineering grad who owned a small business building custom homes. Each was looking for a warehouse to house his expanding business. Their secretaries were friends and suggested to their respective bosses that they meet since they had this common need for more space.
Fred & Neil remained in their cars due to the heavy rain but pulled up side by side. After a brief discussion, they sealed a partnership with a simple handshake through car windows. Their new joint undertaking as real estate developers was born, and its first project was their warehouse, which they would build and share. They ran their respective plastering and home-building businesses out of their completed warehouse and immediately began planning and executing further development projects. After a time, their materials and employees became hopelessly commingled, and they wound down their original businesses and became full-time developers, operating as Coakley & Williams.
Throughout the sixties, they acquired land using Fred's helicopter to scout available parcels along the new Capital Beltway. They developed and built these acquisitions into hotels, office buildings, and warehouse space. By the early seventies, they were full-service developers with in-house hotel management, property management, leasing, and construction divisions. They continued to manage their real estate portfolios until their retirements in the early nineties.
Lynn Stith Bennett, Terrence Caulfield & Greg Harraka
A New Chapter in Leadership
In 2025, Lynn Stith Bennett was named Chief Executive Officer and Greg Harraka was appointed President, marking a significant milestone for both leaders and the company. Their rise reflects decades of dedication, deep industry expertise, and shared commitment to the values that have shaped Coakley & Williams Construction since its inception. As they lead CWC into its next era, they do so with a clear vision—building on a legacy of integrity, excellence, and partnership to shape an even brighter future across the DMV.
The Next Generation:
The Rise Of CWC
Meanwhile, Pat Caulfield and Terry Coakley, two executives at the company, changed the course of the future when they started up a third-party general contracting operation by incorporating and purchasing the Construction Division of Coakley & Williams. The resultant firm, incorporated in 1987, Coakley & Williams Construction, Inc., targeted complex design-build projects for public and private sector clients while balancing its business with negotiated traditional delivery projects in the institutional, and commercial sectors.
Under their leadership, the company grew from modest construction revenues of $3 million to a perennial ENR Top 400 within eight years. The company grew steadily, building projects in twenty states throughout the US while also cementing itself as a highly respected local brand with a diverse portfolio and blue-chip repeat clients.
Pat Caulfield & Terry Coakley
Building The DMV For 60+ Years
Lynn Stith Bennett, Terrence Caulfield, and Greg Harraka ushered Coakley & Williams Construction, LLC into a new chapter, building on a legacy that began more than 60 years ago. Under their leadership, the company advanced its tradition of excellence while adopting a dynamic business unit model that deepened specialization and strengthened client focus.
With expertise spanning the commercial, education, government, science & technology, interiors, and multifamily sectors, CWC remains a trusted partner for complex projects. This era of leadership reaffirmed the company’s commitment to delivering tailored solutions and cultivating long-term relationships across the DMV—a hallmark of Coakley & Williams Construction from the start.
Lynn Stith Bennett & Greg Harraka
EST. 1961
The Legacy Begins
The company's origin dates back to a rainy evening in 1961 when Neil T. Coakley & Fred G. Williams met in a parking lot on Brookeville Road in Silver Spring for the first time. Neil owned and ran a successful plastering business founded by his father, a native of Ireland. Fred was a Cornell mechanical engineering grad who owned a small business building custom homes. Each was looking for a warehouse to house his expanding business. Their secretaries were friends and suggested to their respective bosses that they meet since they had this common need for more space.
Fred and Neil remained in their cars due to the heavy rain but pulled up side by side. After a brief discussion, they sealed a partnership with a simple handshake through car windows. Their new joint undertaking as real estate developers was born, and its first project was their warehouse, which they would build and share. They ran their respective plastering and home-building businesses out of their completed warehouse and immediately began planning and executing further development projects. After a time, their materials and employees became hopelessly commingled, and they wound down their original businesses and became full-time developers, operating as Coakley & Williams.
Throughout the sixties, they acquired land using Fred's helicopter to scout available parcels along the new Capital Beltway. They developed and built these acquisitions into hotels, office buildings, and warehouse space. By the early seventies, they were full-service developers with in-house hotel management, property management, leasing, and construction divisions. They continued to manage their real estate portfolios until their retirements in the early nineties.
The Next Generation:
The Rise Of CWC
Meanwhile, Pat Caulfield and Terry Coakley, two executives at the company, changed the course of the future when they started up a third-party general contracting operation by incorporating and purchasing the Construction Division of Coakley & Williams. The resultant firm, incorporated in 1987, Coakley & Williams Construction, Inc., targeted complex design-build projects for public and private sector clients while balancing its business with negotiated traditional delivery projects in the commercial, institutional, and commercial sectors.
Under their leadership, the company grew from modest construction revenues of $3 million to a perennial ENR Top 400 within eight years. The company grew steadily, building projects in twenty states throughout the US while also cementing itself as a highly respected local brand with a diverse portfolio and blue-chip repeat clients.
Building The DMV
For 60+ Years
Lynn Stith Bennett, Terrence Caulfield, and Greg Harraka ushered Coakley & Williams Construction, LLC into a new chapter, building on a legacy that began more than 60 years ago. Under their leadership, the company advanced its tradition of excellence while adopting a dynamic business unit model that deepened specialization and strengthened client focus.
With expertise spanning the commercial, education, government, science & technology, interiors, and multifamily sectors, CWC remains a trusted partner for complex projects. This era of leadership reaffirmed the company’s commitment to delivering tailored solutions and cultivating long-term relationships across the DMV—a hallmark of Coakley & Williams Construction from the start.
A New Chapter
in Leadership
In 2025, Lynn Stith Bennett was named Chief Executive Officer and Greg Harraka was appointed President, marking a significant milestone for both leaders and the company. Their rise reflects decades of dedication, deep industry expertise, and shared commitment to the values that have shaped Coakley & Williams Construction since its inception. As they lead CWC into its next era, they do so with a clear vision—building on a legacy of integrity, excellence, and partnership to shape an even brighter future across the DMV.