Michael J. McGuire emigrated from Ireland to California. He worked as a successful U.S. Treasury Bonds fund-raiser and union member with the boilermakers.

Mike McGuire started his own construction business. Some of the company's first jobs included installing sewers for new and existing homes around Oakland.

In 1931, Michael asked Mike Hester, also an Irish immigrant, to be his business partner. Using their 1921 Buick touring car as a mobile tool shed, they worked throughout the Bay Area, at first for other contractors, gaining a good reputation for drainage work on such major Depression-era projects as the Alameda County Courthouse in Downtown Oakland.

In 1935 McGuire and Hester stopped using the 1921 touring car and purchased their first pickup truck. Operations expanded along with their reputation for good work. . The company's headquarters was located out of Mike McGuire's home at 14th Street and Hopkins in Oakland. It was becoming apparent that a larger location would soon be needed.

The company moved in 1938 to a 16 acre parcel at the foot of 66th Avenue in East Oakland. The waterfront property would serve as the McGuire and Hester headquarters until the late 1980's.

The partnership continued to grow, and in 1947 on April 7th, McGuire and Hester was incorporated. In 1948 Michael McGuire passed away and Mike Hester subsequently purchased his remaining interest in the firm.

During WWII the two partners quickly became major Bay Area players, laying all the underground utilities at the massive Oakland Army Base and nearby Naval Supply Depot, as well as large military projects at Mare Island, Hamilton Field, and Merced. The company also installed a section of the massive Hetch Hetchy water system for the City of San Francisco.

Throughout the 1950's and 1960's McGuire and Hester steadily forged ahead to meet the growing needs of the people and businesses in the community. This culminatinated in the construction of a brand new office in 1960.

The McGuire and Hester Foundation is established. Founded by Michael and Maureen Hester in 1955, the Foundation has invested millions in educational and community programs, reflecting the company's longstanding commitment to giving back.

In 1962 McGuire and Hester constructed the prototype of the California Aqueduct Canal, 10 miles of canal and appurtenances around the City of Livermore supplying water to the Santa Clara Valley. It was on this project that McGuire and Hester developed methods and techniques for trimming and lining canals that would later show up in major water projects in California and worldwide.

In the early 1970's under the leadership of Joseph M. Hester (image left) and Robert Hester (image right), sons to Michael Hester, the company's capabilities gradually expanded into all types of underground construction, as well as grading and paving, reinforced concrete structures and mechanical work.

McGuire and Hester had called 66th Avenue home since 1938. In the 1980's it was zoned by the Port of Oakland for the Nimitz freeway and later an entrance for the Oakland Coliseum. McGuire and Hester then moved a few blocks away to Railroad Avenue, a property that is still in use today.

Until his passing in 1991, Mike Hester came to work everyday and had a lifelong avocation as a philanthropist. Like father, like son, Joe Hester also became well known for his own philanthropist spirit. In 1998 Joe received the "Scout of the Year" Award for his and his wife's dedication to helping those in need. Today this legacy carries on through the McGuire and Hester Foundation which has contributed millions to worthy organizations and causes.

In 2002, in support of expanding operations, McGuire and Hester established a presence in Sacramento, beginning with one full time senior level employee.

2003 was a milestone in McGuire and Hester history. The company transitioned from family owned to 100% employee owned. As a result, each employee/owner has a personal stake in the future of the company and is empowered to build long lasting relationships with our clients.

The company added landscaping and architectural concrete divisions to McGuire and Hester skill set. Industry experts were brought in to lead each group and McGuire and Hester quickly became known for the company's ability to handle all phases of site work both below and above ground.

In 2009 McGuire and Hester was recognized as one of the Fastest Growing Companies in the Bay Area and received recognition as an employer of choice when it received the San Francisco Business Times Best Places to Work in the Bay Area award. In addition to these awards M&H was honored in Washington D.C. by Old Republic Insurance group with the prestigious national Lenny LaGrua Award of Excellence.

Joe Hester was very active in the construction industry. He served as district manager and chairman for the Association of General Contractors, and on the board of the Teamsters' Health and Welfare Trust for 15 years, where he also served as chairman. He also helped found an organization to provide representation to the underground contractors in the Bay Area. Today that organization is known as the United Contractors Association. Joe Hester's experience and advice was an asset to every employee. He continued to offer his support and guidance up until his passing in 2012.

McGuire and Hester continued to be recognized as one of the safest and top workplaces in the Bay Area. In addition to receiving the prestigious UCON R.E.A.L Safety Award, 2015 marked the 4th consecutive year of McGuire and Hester being named as a Bay Area Top Workplace. The Company was also named as one of the 75 largest commercial contractors in the Bay.

In May of 2017, 2810 Harbor Bay Pkwy in Alameda became a new office location for McGuire and Hester, integrating parts of McGuire and Hester with our parent company, Harbor Linx. The Railroad Avenue location in Oakland remained fully operational and our main location.

After more than 30 years of being involved in all aspects of the Company's operations, Mike Hester was happy to hand the reigns of McGuire and Hester over to Brock Grunt and step into his new role at Harbor Linx as Executive Vice President. Bringing a wealth of leadership experience and passion to the position, Brock looks forward to working as a team to continue building on the achievements of generations of strong leadership.

Casey Fogli Concrete Contractors a respected industry name for over a century unites with McGuire and Hester. This unification enables McGuire and Hester to streamline our operations enhance efficiency and provide an even higher level of quality and expertise across the multiple service offerings.

In 2026, McGuire and Hester proudly celebrates a century of building California's communities. This milestone honors the generations of employee owners, clients, and partners who have shaped our legacy while looking ahead to the next 100 years of innovation, quality, and impact.