Navigating Success: The Journey of Tom Fanning and Northstar
June 2026
Welcome to Northstar’s article series, ‘Meet the Partners of Northstar: Guiding Our Strategic Vision & Company’s Success.’ In this series, we explore the experiences and journeys of our partners who have played a pivotal role in shaping Northstar’s trajectory over the past fifteen years.
Tom Fanning’s Path to Leadership
As founding partner and President of Northstar for the first 13 years, Tom Fanning didn’t just fall into his role. His initial introduction to the industry came at the age of 16, working for his dad’s general contracting company on projects throughout New England. He gained valuable, diverse trade skills, starting as a laborer and eventually graduating to carpenter, dump truck driver, and equipment operator during high school and college breaks. This hands-on experience gave him a healthy respect for the trades and an honest day’s labor, and helped him build a foundation of skills he still uses today.
The next leg of his journey was a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Colgate University, where he learned basic research, writing, and critical-thinking skills while also playing Division 1 basketball. After graduating from Colgate, Tom started working at Gilbane Building Company, where he met his future business partner, Lee Burneson. Tom worked primarily in field operations positions and was fortunate to be assigned to a Gilbane hard bid/self-perform team with Lee as a field engineer, furnishing line and grade for the trades. He eventually progressed through various engineering and superintendent positions, where he learned how a building goes together. During this phase of his career, Tom benefited immensely from a strong mentor who rounded out his soft skills and taught him to communicate, motivate, and actively manage teams. Northstar’s intense focus on mentoring and skills development programs was, in many ways, a byproduct of this experience.
After six years with Gilbane, Tom returned to school and earned a Master’s in Land Use Planning and Urban Design from the University of Rhode Island, with the goal of transitioning into real estate development. Tom then joined Spaulding & Slye, which was later acquired by JLL in 2005, where he worked for over 15 years, starting as a project manager and working his way up to becoming a senior vice president in the development services group. During his time there, Tom was fortunate to work on a diverse range of projects across all major market segments, including the company’s investment arm, Spaulding & Slye Investments. Tom carried his “at risk” development skills into many of his fee-for-service assignments with a particular focus on large-scale ground-up residential and office projects. He developed a robust client roster, maintaining a foothold in both the fee-for-service business and investment development worlds.
The inception of Northstar: A Guiding Light
While he enjoyed his role at JLL, the financial markets were taking a toll on many businesses, including JLL. It was during this challenging time that he, along with Dave Girard and Anthony Warren, both colleagues and like-minded individuals, envisioned a more narrowly focused, client-centric company that prioritized client projects above non-client-centric corporate behavior. The firm would focus on three service lines only: project management, development management, and advisory services, with a goal of providing best-in-class, “white glove” level services.
On October 28, 2010, they officially left their jobs at JLL to launch Northstar Project & Real Estate Services. Fifteen years later, Northstar has grown into a robust 55-person firm offering still narrowly focused on the same three service lines.
So, how did the name “Northstar” come about? Tom notes that it symbolized the team’s commitment to guiding clients toward successful project outcomes, much like how sailors and travelers rely on the North Star for direction.
Overcoming Early Challenges
Launching a new company presents its own set of challenges, especially when it comes to instilling confidence in potential clients that your new startup business will survive. This challenge is particularly important for a project management company, where a project’s lifespan can range from 12 to 30 months. “Clients understandably need to be very confident that our company will survive and thrive through the entire project lifecycle.” Tom and the team faced this challenge head-on. They demonstrated their ability to weather the transition by leveraging established relationships and expertise. This resulted in them successfully transitioning the majority of their former clients to Northstar. Tom is proud of this achievement because it proved their credibility and capabilities in the eyes of their valued clients and the industry. It also showed how their vision of a client-centric culture resonated with their target market, paving the way for growth and success in a competitive market.
Evolution of Tom’s Role
As the company expanded, Tom’s impact transcended the traditional duties of a president. His role evolved from project management to leadership and finally to mentorship. One of Tom’s favorite parts of his job is teaching and developing young employees. He is passionate about nurturing and empowering them, ensuring they have the skills, tools, and resources they need to thrive as owners’ project managers. His passion for mentoring is evident in his significant involvement in guiding team members through projects from inception to completion and offering career advice on job sites.
Shaping the Company’s Culture
Tom took his individual mentoring a step further, taking the initiative to launch the company’s monthly lunch and learn series, inviting industry experts to educate the team on diverse technical subjects and industry trends. Tom’s primary objective has been to equip employees with comprehensive skills to manage all facets of a job site.
Dedicating a day to each project, Tom visits his project sites, meets with project teams, and closely monitors project progress. Some of his clients have included Werfen, Boston Children’s Hospital, Dartmouth College, Harvard, and Akamai Technologies, to name a few. He leads by example through his active engagement in all his projects, a testament to his success over the past 30-plus years.
Tom’s Life Outside the Office
Tom enjoys outdoor activities beyond the project job sites, such as fishing, hunting, golfing, and skiing. He cherishes family time and coached and attended his kids’ various sporting events while also finding time to fish on his boat. Tom is also an avid bird dog owner and hunter, traveling to South Dakota and Northern Michigan with a group of six close friends he has traveled with for the last 20+ years.
Tom-isms
Tom Fanning’s journey from the son of a contractor/ tradesman to the founding president of Northstar exemplifies his dedication and commitment to excellence. His leadership skills have helped Northstar succeed as owner’s project managers, and he has fostered a culture of mentorship and camaraderie. This is evident every day in the office, as people quote “Tom-isms” and seek his input on their projects.
Stay tuned for more inspiring stories about the visionary partners who continue to shape Northstar’s journey and contribute to its ongoing success.
