06/18/2026
Throwback Thursday – An Excerpt from Our History Book The Next Hundred Years
Our Founders and Leaders: Peter D. “Pete” Wierzba
Pete’s father, an electrician, taught him to be proud of his work and to remember that his name is on everything he does. Pete has carried this advice with him through a 40-year career in management and finance.
Pete was born in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1962, one of five children. He earned degrees from the University at Buffalo and Buffalo State College, then moved to the Rochester area with his wife, Denise. After working for a small computer consulting company, he joined Rochester Gas & Electric, where he spent 23 years in computer and treasury analysis and budget management. Along the way, he earned an MBA in finance and entrepreneurship from Simon Business School at the University of Rochester.
Pete joined P&CG in 2011 as general manager. Focused on improving the bottom line, he worked with President Phil Brooks to add structure and support to the business model while balancing growth with investment in people and equipment. He recognized that bids were leaving money on the table—funds that could strengthen the company. Promoted to assistant vice president in 2013 and executive vice president the following year, he helped shift P&CG’s reputation from the cheapest contractor to the contractor of choice among utility companies. That change improved quality and safety and created room in the budget for apprenticeship programs.
Pete worked with the Livingston Associates, Inc. (LA) team to restructure our fleet maintenance program. Procurement now happens cyclically, and the majority of maintenance occurs at the preventive stage, rather than after a costly breakdown.
When John Cleveland retired in 2015, the Maple Street location needed strong leadership, and Pete moved into the role. He supported the project managers with budgeting, forecasting, and management expertise, but his leadership was about more than numbers. He nurtured a culture of empowerment and kept an open door for employees who wanted to share concerns and ideas. In this kind of environment, he found and kept those who fit with our philosophy. And when stress inevitably ran high, he used humor to break the tension so employees could see their way through setbacks.
His philosophy on customer service was equally generous—and astute: Make sure they look good and are successful on their projects. That’s what they will remember, and new business may come as a result.
Pete recently retired and passed the reins to the next generation of leadership. He now has more time to relax on his boat or on the beach with Denise, and to travel to visit his children, Stephanie and Jarek, both of whom live out of town.
Learn more: https://www.pandcg.com/our-history/
