Commercial Interiors wishes John Legg a happy retirement

John Legg is a lifelong builder. He started at 14 as a carpenter, graduated from college with a degree in architecture, and spent more than 50 years mastering the construction process. Although he is stepping back from the office after nearly 28 years, John is not going far. He will continue with Commercial Interiors in a remote consulting role, bringing his decades of expertise to the team in a new capacity.

John joined the Commercial family in December 1998, when founder Kevin Johnson offered to absorb four of his active jobs. “At the time, we shared estimators. One of the estimators here worked for him and me. So basically, [Kevin] bought me out,” John said before laughing. John’s impact on Commercial Interiors was immediate. From the beginning, he prided himself on being “the encyclopedia of the industry.” One of John’s specialties is his creative problem-solving, which can elevate the simple into the sublime.

“Each job is unique. We use off-the-shelf components in a unique fashion in every single job because we’re customizing products that are not custom.” Commercial Interiors Chief Administrator Sheila Lewis called him one of the most knowledgeable project executives Commercial Interiors has ever had, but John refuses to accept all the credit.

“When we do the jobs, it takes a team effort. It’s not just me. We don’t do well without our foremen and our workers in the field. They’re the ones that actually put it together.”

John was also an invaluable mentor to younger members of the team, with several going on to become project managers themselves.

“I’ve mentored a lot of those people. I mean, you think about it. Ed was a fresh project manager. Cristina started as a receptionist in the office and now she is an assistant project manager. My job here was not only to do the job, but to bring these people up to the point where they could do the job without me.”

You might not know, though, that John has spent his weekends racing sports cars for the better part of four decades. He’s competed at Daytona, Charlotte, Phoenix, Mid-Ohio, and at circuits in Canada. He’s been on TV. Once, he had to escape after his car caught fire.

Now, John is looking forward to spending more time with his wife, continuing to work on those race cars, and lending his expertise to Commercial Interiors from a distance. We are incredibly grateful for John’s 27 years of service and for the spirit of excellence he has embodied, which has helped solidify Commercial Interiors as one of the top interior finishing companies in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Thank you, John, for being an exceptional member of the Commercial family.