Spotlighting a Corporate Partner: Pankow Builders
Corporate partnerships play a critical role in the Y of Greater San Francisco's ability to serve our shared community. We are especially fortunate to have partners like Amazon, Comcast, JPMorgan Chase, and many others who have provided expertise, pro-bono services, and/or board members, in addition to flexible operating funds that are essential to scale and improve much-needed community programs.
A partner organization we'd like to highlight and celebrate is Pankow Builders, which has a long history of supporting the community with and through many YMCAs.
Our Partnership
Pankow Builders has been a strong partner of the Y for over fifty years. Pankow has worked alongside the Y on many projects across Southern California, Silicon Valley, the East Bay and right here in San Francisco – from office moves to pre-construction services, and most recently the construction of our newest Early Childhood Center. They have also been generous with direct philanthropy, recently donating $25,000 to help the Y provide much-needed youth education and support programs. With the upcoming official launch of our newest Early Childhood Center, Villa de Kapuso, we’re excited to share how Pankow Builders has been instrumental in bringing our vision of the site to life.
History of Pankow Builders
Founder Charles “Charlie” Pankow was a huge supporter of the Y and had once served on our Board of Directors. Through his philanthropic support and construction expertise, he supported the Y’s various programs and services, and even went so far as to grant free access to his own land in Oakland if it was ever needed. This gesture laid the foundation for a lasting partnership based on mutual respect and a deep commitment to building strong communities and enriching lives.
The Future of Construction
"I think a vast majority of us have really fond memories of the YMCA from childhood, so Kapuso was about designing a space that can serve as a great learning environment for kids. We focused on our shared goal to create a positive, lasting impact on the community. It's great to be part of a team that cares about the generations ahead to have their own stories of growing up in the Y, just like I did." -Michael Strong, Pankow Project Executive, Pankow Builders
Vice President of Business Development, Bret Firebaugh, and Pankow Project Executive, Michael Strong, have overseen over a dozen projects including Kapuso. “Our Kapuso project is the Y's first design-build MEP project – a significant shift from their traditional approach. The decision to embark on this unique project was bold and proved fruitful, as it was delivered on budget and schedule.”
Thank You!
We value and appreciate Pankow Builders’ authentic partnership, not just for their dedication and passion toward building exceptional structures but more importantly, for supporting vital community services that make a lasting impact. We look forward to continuing our collaboration to ensure that together we build healthy, sustainable, and equitable communities for all generations.
To learn more about Pankow Builders, please visit pankow.com.