Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | MARCH 23, 2026 15 Andrew "Drew" DiSilvestro Jr., CEO of AmeriTech Consulting LLC, stands in front of the company's newly acquired headquarters at 599 Research Parkway in Meriden. HBJ Photo | Steve Laschever Chance Encounter Vacation meeting helps grow AmeriTech into $195M federal contractor Building experience DiSilvestro's background — in both construction and the military — made him a good fit to help rebuild AmeriTech. He began working in construction shortly after graduating from Cogin- chaug Regional High School in Durham in 2005. That summer, a friend's father hired him to help rebuild the Time Out Taverne in Durham after it was destroyed by fire. "He hired me for 10 bucks an hour, cash on the table," DiSilvestro said. The work became more than just a summer job, he said. "I fell in love with the process." He continued working in the industry while attending Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, where he earned a bachelor's degree in business administration. He later joined the Air Force, serving nearly 15 years as a structural craftsman responsible for projects ranging from temporary hangars in desert deploy- ments to gym locker-room facilities. During that time, he also launched a small company, Grade A Home Improvement, based in Middlefield. Though the business was successful, it struggled to operate without him. "The problem was, it was so reliant on me," DiSilvestro said. "I had to leave for some (military) training. I had a team in place that I thought could keep things together, … but I came back to massive headaches." After a seven-month deployment to the Middle East, he decided to shut the company down. While serving in the military, DiSil- vestro earned an associate degree in construction technology and construction management from the Community College of the Air Force. He also completed the UConn School of By David Krechevsky davidk@hartfordbusiness.com J ust as in a Hollywood script, some- times a chance meeting really does lead to business success. Just ask Andrew "Drew" DiSilvestro Jr., CEO of Berlin-based AmeriTech Contracting LLC. He leads a fast- growing federal contractor he knew nothing about less than four years ago — until a conversation with a stranger during a vacation in Rhode Island. Since getting involved with Ameri- Tech in 2022, DiSilvestro has helped grow the company from about $1 million in annual revenue and a single employee to 85 employees handling projects in 22 states, with contracts totaling $195 million last year. The company is also expanding its Connecticut footprint. In December, AmeriTech purchased a 51,750-square- foot office building at 599 Research Parkway in Meriden for $1.5 million that will become its new headquarters. The company is relocating from a much smaller office at 318 Main St. in Berlin. DiSilvestro traces the opportunity back to a chance meeting during a long weekend in the summer of 2022 at The Preserve, a luxury sporting club and resort in Rhode Island. There, he struck up a conversation with Dan Eastman, a founding partner in AmeriTech. The two talked mostly about government contracting, "what I was doing and what he was doing," DiSilvestro said. At the time, DiSilvestro was vice president of Brookfield-based Black- Horse LLC, a veteran-owned general contracting and construction manage- ment firm that performs federal projects. "One thing led to another — there was a synergy between Dan and I — and he said, 'Hey, we potentially should work together,'" DiSilvestro said. Eastman said he quickly recognized the potential partnership. "Within the first 30 minutes, I knew we had the foundation for a strong future as teammates and partners," he said. "There was an immediate sense of synergy and shared opportunity." AmeriTech had been founded in 2020 by Norman Scott Dahl, a service-disabled Navy veteran who had recently been diagnosed with stage four cancer. Eastman was uncertain about the future of the company and his investment. So, DiSilvestro agreed to take a look. "I was not a partner at all," he said. "I just came in to see if I could help do something with it." When DiSilvestro visited AmeriTech in August 2022, the one-employee company was operating out of Dahl's home in the Pawcatuck section of Stonington as a plumbing and HVAC contractor. "At the time Drew became involved, the company primarily focused on self-performing union mechanical work, with approximately 70% of its business coming from federal contracts," Eastman said. Eastman said DiSilvestro brought the leadership the company needed. "What mattered most wasn't perfec- tion, but having the right attitude and drive to help build the company," Eastman said. "Drew brought a strong work ethic and, just as importantly, a willingness to learn." AT A GLANCE AmeriTech Contracting LLC Industry: Federal Construction Services Top Executive: Andrew "Drew" S. DiSilvestro Jr., CEO Founder: Norman Scott Dahl (2020) HQ: 318 Main St., Berlin; relocating in April to 599 Research Pkwy. in Meriden Employees: 85 2025 Revenue: $195 million Continued on next page

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