Exec at construction firm tied to Palumbo family is elected chairman of powerful road builder trade group
A top executive of a road-building operation tied to the Palumbo family — and embroiled in a bitter legal dispute with the state’s main transportation agency — has been chosen to lead the powerful trade group representing Illinois’ road construction industry.
John Healy, chief integration officer of Builders Asphalt LLC, was picked by members of the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association to serve as next chairman of the group’s board of directors for at least a year, starting in January.
The association advocates for the billion-dollar industry, whose success is derived significantly from government contracts, and interacts with the Illinois Department of Transportation and the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, both of which build and maintain vast networks of roads and ultimately report to Gov. JB Pritzker.
Builders Paving LLC — a sister company of Builders Asphalt, with both part of a Hillside consortium called Builders Companies — sued IDOT earlier this year after the agency paused awarding new contracts to the group.
That hold on new contracts followed questions from the Chicago Sun-Times about whether Sebastian “Sam” Palumbo, a felon banned from state and federal road projects, was secretly involved in Builders, whose top executives also include one of his daughters, Kaitlyn Palumbo Gandy, and her husband Ryan Gandy.
Among other Sun-Times findings: Builders shared a construction yard with Orange Crush LLC, one of Palumbo’s companies that IDOT says is banned from state projects.
An attorney representing Orange Crush and Builders has insisted Palumbo had nothing to do with Builders, but he’s also declined to answer questions about whether Palumbo played any advisory role, even if unpaid, or otherwise helped seed Builders.
Builders Paving sued IDOT in the spring, hoping to force the agency to allow the consortium to resume lucrative work for the agency.
The case remains pending, and at last count, Builders claims it’s the low bidder on $56 million in IDOT projects that haven’t been formally awarded and Builders wants to get to work on.
A Cook County judge has indicated he will rule on a crucial part of the case by Jan. 9, according to court records.
Builders was not a member of the Road Builders association until recent years as the company grew in size and prominence.
Part of its growth came from the acquisition of Arrow Road Construction in or about late 2023, as Healy led Arrow and then joined Builders.
Healy was tapped as the chairman-elect while still with Arrow, but a vote by the trade group’s membership to affirm that came last month, with Healy well ensconced with Builders by then.
Healy couldn’t be reached, but the trade group said in a statement:
“John Healy has 44 years’ experience in the road building industry. John’s family owned Arrow Road Construction from 1925 to 2023. Mr. Healy served as president of the Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association in 2000 and 2016, is the chief negotiator for the Mid-America Regional Bargaining Association for Teamsters and Auto Mechanics, and has been on the IRTBA Board for several terms spanning between 1991 and 2025 and as its Chair Elect.
“John Healy was slated as Chair Elect prior to the acquisition of Arrow Road Construction by Builders Asphalt. Following his term as Chair-Elect, IRTBA members elected Mr. Healy as Chairman of the Board of the IRTBA in November 2025.”
The trade group’s board includes officials from other heavyweight construction firms, including the Walsh Group, Aldridge Electric, K-Five Construction Corp. and Lorig Construction Co.
The outgoing chairman is with Dunnet Bay Construction Company.
The trade group operates a political action committee that last quarter made $85,500 in campaign contributions to political figures, including $25,000 to Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Hillside) and $25,000 to Illinois House Minority Leader Toni McCombie (R-Savanna.)
The PAC has donated roughly $2 million to state and local political candidates and causes since the late 1990s.
The trade group’s board doesn’t have a direct say over the PAC’s spending, an official says.
The association has more than 300 members that “design, build and maintain the state highways, transit systems, railways and aviation systems,” according to its web site. “The core purpose of IRTBA is to advance and promote the transportation design and construction industry in Illinois.”
State transportation officials regularly meet or speak with the Road Builders association's leaders and members to discuss initiatives and best practices.
Asked whether Healy’s new position with the group presents potential problems given the ongoing litigation, an IDOT spokeswoman said:
“As an agency that impacts every Illinois community every day, IDOT regularly meets with a variety of stakeholder groups on a wide range of issues. We will continue to do so while looking out for the public’s best interests, as always.”