Matthew Mulligan: The Shauger Group's New President of Operations

By Alexandra Gakos

With close to 30 years of experience at The Shauger Group (TSG) and in the construction industry, Matthew Mulligan was a natural choice for the position of TSG’s President of Operations. On November 1, 2021, the Shaugers announced that Mulligan will be transitioning into an elevated role with the company, and, at the same time, will help guide TSG in its new direction of services.

According to the Shaugers’ announcement, the November 1 transition “marks the start of the exciting next chapter for The Shauger Group. As [the company continues] building for the next generation, the ‘new’ Shauger Group will focus on underground utilities, landscaping, street sweeping, snow plowing/removal, and special condo projects.”

“We couldn’t be more honored to have Matt as the face of the future of The Shauger Group,” said Lisa Shauger, President/CEO of TSG. “Matt is a great person, a great colleague, and a great friend. He is passionate about the company and the industry, and he is an asset to The Shauger Group in every way—the company benefits every day from his attentiveness, his vast knowledge, and his experience in the industry. We look forward to seeing his continued success with The Shauger Group in his new role.”

“I am excited to move into my new role as President of Operations,” said Mulligan. “The opportunity to lead The Shauger Group into the next chapter and help in building the future Shauger Group for Donald II and so many long-time employees is motivation enough for me to lead this company. I’m grateful to Donald and Lisa Shauger for my initial opportunity into management more than twenty years ago, and I am even more grateful for this opportunity as President of Operations as I approach thirty years with The Shauger Group. I am truly fortunate to have been with the Shauger family my entire career and look forward to the next thirty!”

In Mulligan’s most recent role as Vice President of Operations, which he has held for over 16 years, Mulligan has been responsible for working closely with Lisa Shauger and Donald Shauger, Executive Vice President of TSG, to oversee all aspects of TSG’s day-to-day business operations in its many divisions, including underground utility work, construction, landscaping, street sweeping, and snow removal. Mulligan oversees more than 100 administrative, field, and supervisory employees, while he presides over and approves purchase orders, vendor proposals, contracts, bidding, subcontractor agreements, and countless other aspects of TSG. Mulligan works closely not only with TSG’s upper management, but also with project managers and staff in every department at TSG. Hands-on in his approach, Mulligan also maintains direct contact with TSG’s client base—staying on top of the status of projects, participating in progress meetings with clients to attend to their needs, and ensuring the overall success of each client’s project.

As President of Operations, Mulligan will continue to increase and expand upon his existing responsibilities, running day-to-day company operations on an even larger scale and working closely with the Shaugers’ son, Donnie, to guarantee TSG’s continued growth and success.

Mulligan’s tenure with TSG began in 1994, when he was hired to work as a Dump Truck Driver. He then held a variety of positions with the company, including Tractor Trailer Driver and Sweeper Operator, before working his way up to the role of Construction Foreman. Then, in 1998 to 1999, when TSG’s operations started to center significantly on street sweeping work, Mulligan became Superintendent of Street Sweeping and took on the substantial managerial responsibilities the position entailed. Subsequently, in 2000, Mulligan was promoted to an even greater role in charge of TSG’s entire Cleaning Services Division: General Manager of Cleaning Services. Five years later, in 2005, Mulligan’s advancement with the company continued as he assumed the role of Vice President of Operations.

Mulligan originally hails from Orange, and he has remained deeply committed to the community for his entire life. One of Mulligan’s greatest passions (other than the New York Giants!) is the Orange Elks Lodge 135, a charitable organization based in Orange, with which he has been involved for around 40 years. Mulligan has served as the group’s Secretary for more than 14 years and is currently Chairman of Trustees. His contributions to the Elks over the years have been substantial, including personally securing grants from the Elks National Foundation in order to benefit the local Orange community. Mulligan’s love for charity, community service, and the Elks, specifically, comes from his family. Mulligan’s father, who passed away in 2020, also was also dedicated to helping children with special needs and veterans through the Elks—Mulligan’s father volunteered with the Orange Elks for 51 years and also served as State Vice President of the New Jersey State Elks.

“Matty is a pillar of the community—someone who volunteers his time to help others, who gives back to others, and who truly understands what it means to ‘pay it forward,’” said Donald Shauger. “Service has always been an important part of our mission at TSG—we are proud to be community-minded people who care about making a difference for those in need, and Matty embodies that well. Matty also loves his family tremendously: he’s a great husband and father. He is a man of character, and we are proud to name him President of Operations of The Shauger Group and see him thrive in that capacity.”