MADISON – Findorff is excited to announce several recent promotions of people that have been instrumental to the Company’s success over the years:
- Amanda Byrd was recently promoted to Senior Marketing & Communications Specialist. Having started at Findorff in 2012, she has been significantly involved with spearheading creative proposals, executing departmental programs, and contributing to various campaign efforts. As an experienced marketing professional, Amanda is LEED® accredited and last year served as the PR Chair for SMPS Wisconsin. Currently, she is a member of United Way’s Rosenberry Society and UW Health’s CATCH program. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Amanda is a graduate of UW-Madison and is currently pursuing her masters in Integrated Marketing Communications online from Northwestern University.
- Ben Hager joined Findorff in 2005 and was recently promoted to Senior Project Manager. He graduated from Northern Michigan University and since has become an ASHE Certified Healthcare Constructor. As a leader to Findorff’s project management team, Ben was significantly involved with various projects such as the Madison College Gateway Building, American Family Children’s Hospital, and Ovation 309. Currently, Ben is leading construction efforts for downtown Milwaukee’s new Westin Hotel. Outside of work, Ben has volunteered for organizations such as the United Way and Project Home. Ben and his new bride, Katy, live in Madison. During their free time, they enjoy traveling, boating, as well as spending time with friends and family.
- Luke Hutchins began his construction career as a laborer with Findorff in the summer of 1999 and returned as an intern in 2002 while earning his degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering from UW-Madison. Most recently he was promoted to Senior Project Manager and was involved with various notable projects in the area such as Madison Central Library and the Hub at Madison. Luke is now heading efforts at The James, a 12-story, mixed-use apartment building. His community efforts involve serving as a Board Member for the Second Harvest Food Bank of Wisconsin as well as serving as an active member for AGC of Wisconsin and the United Way. Luke currently resides in Madison with his wife, Joanna, and their two children.
- Brad Olson started at Findorff in 2008 and was recently promoted to Senior Project Manager. Several notable clients Brad has completed projects for include St. Clare Hospital and Meriter Hospital. He most recently led various efforts in the construction of UW Health at The American Center. As an experience professional in building healthcare facilities, Brad is certified by WHEA in Healthcare Construction and is a LEED® Accredited Professional. Brad graduated from Lawrence University and currently resides in Fitchburg with his wife, Megan.
- Matt Premo was recently promoted to Senior Project Manager after starting his career with Findorff as an intern in 2001. After graduating from UW-Madison, Matt was instrumental in projects such as the Madison Children’s Museum and LaBahn Arena at UW-Madison. Most recently, he has been a vital part of Findorff’s education team providing day-to-day oversight of project management activities in the Middleton-Cross Plains and Kettle Moraine School Districts. He is now involved with the Sun Prairie Area School District’s pre-referendum efforts. Outside of the office, Matt is very active with the United Way. He has been a member of its Rosenberry Society Young Professional’s Group for the last eight years and chaired the committee in 2011.
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MADISON – As the year comes to a close, Findorff is very proud and humbled by everything it has achieved. Not only has Findorff reached a significant milestone in 2015 celebrating its 125th year in business, but also has been recognized for its ongoing commitment to hard work and superior construction over the years. Such efforts were recently honored by The Daily Reporter. Each year, this established Milwaukee-based publication selects top individuals and firms for their efforts in the construction industry as well as their contributions to surrounding communities. In 2015, Findorff once again became a Newsmaker earning the Builder of the Year award from The Daily Reporter.
This year Findorff was additionally recognized by its peers. As part of the In Business Executive Choice Awards, our genuine character, support for local communities, and excellence in craftsmanship made Findorff the winning commercial builder in the Madison area. Findorff earn such honors also in 2014, 2013, and 2012.It should be noted that these awards would not have been possible without those who made Findorff what it is today. Our Company’s people have set the standard for craftsmanship and made quality their mission in the office and on the job site. Maintaining a reputation for superior construction has been carried out by generation after generation. John H. Findorff, our Company’s founder, would have found it remarkable as to what impact his company has achieved throughout the Midwest after opening his original office and planning mill at South Bedford in Madison, Wis. Findorff sincerely appreciates the talented team of professionals that make honors such as those previously mentioned possible.
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MADISON – Wisconsin Kenworth is breaking ground on its new Madison area commercial truck dealership next week. The 75,700-square-foot facility will be constructed on the company’s current 20 acre site located at I 90-94 and Hwy 19 in Windsor, Wisconsin. The building incorporates many new technologies including energy efficient lighting and geothermal heating and cooling systems to help reduce its carbon footprint. It also has bays specially designed to provide rapid-assessment service solutions to its customers, as well as servicing environmentally friendly CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) powered units. “We are very proud of our dedicated employees for their contributions to our company’s growth in recent years. This new facility will ensure that they can continue to deliver the best service possible to our great customers.” Says Jim Moeller, CEO of CSM Companies, Inc.
Wisconsin Kenworth is a subsidiary of CSM Companies based in Madison. It has 6 full-service commercial truck sales, parts and service locations across Wisconsin with an additional parts-only location in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Wisconsin Kenworth has selected Findorff as its general contractor. The project’s architect is Excel Engineering out of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
Interview and photo opportunities: Media is welcome to attend this local groundbreaking. Representatives from Wisconsin Kenworth, as well as those from the project’s design and construction teams will be in attendance to speak about the project’s importance to CSM Companies and the local community. Photo opportunities will also be available.
Who: Jim Moeller, CEO of CSM Companies, Inc. will share special remarks.
When: Wednesday, September 9th at 3:00pm
Where: 4539 Pelican Bay Circle – Windsor, WI 53598Parking for the event will be along Pelican Bay Circle.
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MADISON – Findorff is excited to announce the groundbreaking at Grace Episcopal Church, which has been a center of ministry on the Capitol Square and throughout Madison for over 175 years. Since 2012, the congregation has been engaged in a process of discernment and fundraising in an effort to improve its facilities and to reimagine how its beautiful and historic buildings can be a place of welcome and spiritual respite for the whole community.
This special event marks the first steps in major renovations that will encompass much of the building, including the worship space, classrooms and gathering spaces, as well as its iconic Cornelia Vilas Guild Hall. Additionally, the reconstruction of the Church’s central stairway will enhance movement throughout the building and create a striking entrance from the courtyard. Additional efforts will involve finish and system upgrades, as well as improved signage. Rev. D. Jonathan Grieser, Rector of Grace, says “we hope that this project will help to adapt our historic building and our congregation to engage the challenges and opportunities of mission and ministry in the changing twenty-first century.”
Interview and photo opportunities: Media is welcome to attend this local groundbreaking. Representatives from Grace Episcopal Church, as well as those from the project’s design and construction teams, will be in attendance to speak about the project’s importance to the parish and local community. Photo opportunities will also be available.
Who: Fr. Jonathan Grieser, John Wood, Vince Micha, Steve Klaven, and Jane Ferris will share special remarks.
When: Sunday, August 23rd at 9:15amWhere: 116 West Washington Avenue – Madison, WIStreet parking is available along W. Washington Avenue, N. Fairchild Street, and N. Caroll Street. There are also several parking ramps within walking distance.
Much gratitude goes out to all that helped make this major milestone possible for Grace Episcopal Church, especially Kubala Washatko Architects, who was significantly involved in the design and planning efforts.
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MADISON – Findorff is excited to announce the recent completion of its latest construction endeavor, UW Health East Madison Hospital. In 2005, UW Health purchased a 42-acre parcel of land on Madison’s east side as part of its successive evolution. A decade later, a state-of-the-art facility stands epitomizing the spirit of innovation.
Taking a fresh approach to patient- and family-centered care, UW Health partnered early on with Findorff to strategically develop a comprehensive, one-of-a-kind health and wellness center. As a crucial part of the project, both patient and provider perspectives were evaluated to improve efficiencies in care and operations, as well as foster better patient outcomes and experiences. Ready to open its doors and provide care from a holistic approach, UW Health at The American Center is an inviting, 496,000-square-foot healing environment easily accessible to visitors and home to:
- 14 operating rooms
- A 56-bed hospital serving orthopedic and general medical/surgical patients
- A cardiology clinic with same-day access
- A dedicated training space for athletes consisting of: a full-sized basketball court modeled after that of at the Kohl Center, an outdoor training field, the Center for Sports Movement with 2D- and 3D-movement-evaluation systems, strength-development accommodations, as well as lap and therapy pools
- A Universal Care Center to support urgent and emergency services, outpatient diagnostic and treatment procedures, as well as pre-operative and post-operative care
- Two floors of clinic exam rooms
- Physical- and occupational-therapy space
Additionally, UW Health at The American Center is pursuing LEED® Silver for Healthcare. Through this initiative, it is expected that 34% of the building’s total base water usage will be avoided and 34% will be reused.
Findorff is extremely proud to have again partnered with such a progressive healthcare institution and congratulates UW Health on crafting one of the most-advanced care facilities in the nation. The project’s architecture and structural engineering were completed by Flad Architects. Affiliated Engineers was responsible for the MEP engineering, which was supported by TURIS™ Systems.
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MADISON – J.H. Findorff & Son Inc. (Findorff) is excited to announce the recent completion of its expansion, which was celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony at its headquarters in Madison, Wis. The Company is proud to have accomplished this major milestone during its 125th anniversary. Totaling over 22,000 square feet, the addition has nearly doubled the size of Findorff’s office and accommodates over 150 people. As a means to further encourage teamwork, streamline efficiencies, and increase productivity, various state-of-the-art environments were part of the project’s scope, including the construction of new training spaces for both office and field staff, as well as new conference rooms, workout facilities, collaboration areas, plus much more.
The ceremony was comprised of a heartfelt speech from Company owners and the gift of a blue spruce from employees to commemorate the building’s addition. Vice President Mike Dillis spearheaded the expansion and was proud to be part of a new chapter in Findorff’s history. “It has been incredibly exciting to witness our growth over the last few years,” said Dillis. “Since I started at Findorff in 1982, I couldn’t have imagined where we would be today. As we build our talented staff to meet growing industry demands, our addition exemplifies our ongoing commitment to hard work and quality craftsmanship.
”Additionally, this exciting undertaking in the Company’s history would not have been possible without a great team. Much gratitude goes out to the men and women whose craftsmanship continually exemplifies the superior quality Findorff strives for as well as those who helped Findorff’s vision for growth become a reality. Our design team included: Potter Lawson Architects, Pierce Engineers, D’Onofrio Kottke & Associates, and Ken Saiki Design. Additional key members in the construction of Findorff’s addition were: Nickles Electric, General Heating and Air Conditioning, Hooper Corporation, plus several leading subcontractors and suppliers in the area.
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MADISON – As sustainable design is continually becoming a necessity in construction and is making big differences to protect our surrounding environments, Findorff is proud to announce it has been awarded the Waste Management® 2015 DART® Circle of Excellence Award for 2014 Diversion. This recognition honors top contractors in the industry who consistently achieve significant milestones in sustainability.
Although Findorff has been performing green building practices for decades, the Company’s efforts were put under a microscope in fall 2014 using Waste Management’s DART (Diversion and Recycling Tracking) tool to better track projects and analyze waste-diversion metrics. This innovative system updates information daily to provide accurate recycling totals and reductions in greenhouse gases.
Through DART, all of Findorff’s LEED® certified and major projects since March 2011 were reviewed. The results were astounding and reflect the following savings in resources:
- 19,841,148 kilowatt hours of electricity: Equivalent to powering nearly 20,000 homes per month
- 49,649 mature trees: Equivalent to producing over 615 million sheets of newspaper
- 15,421,802 gallons of water: Equivalent to meeting the fresh water needs of over 200,000 people
- 3,682 barrels of oil: Equivalent to the energy needed to heat and cool over 9,100 homes
- 38,005 cubic yards of landfill airspace: Equivalent to meeting municipal waste disposal needs of nearly 600,000 people per month
Findorff’s focus on sustainability is not only driven by environmental demands as projects grow in size and complexity, but also by the Company’s commitment to making local communities better places to live, work, and play through green building solutions. Such service is exemplified by over 20 projects that are either LEED® certified or pursuing certification by Findorff as well as the various organizations we partner with to support the Company’s sustainable practices. It is with much gratitude that Waste Management recognizes such initiatives and we are proud to have been distinguished as a leader for our diversion and recycling efforts.
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]MADISON – Publishers of TheDaily Reporter recently presented Findorff with two Top Projects awards for UW-Madison’s Signe Skott Cooper Hall and the VA Community Resource & Referral Center. This prestigious recognition honors industry professionals whose projects exceeded expectations in design, engineering, and construction completed throughout Wisconsin during 2014.
Signe Skott Cooper Hall is the new, free-standing home for UW–Madison’s School of Nursing, which opened fall 2014. This 166,000-square-foot building resides next to the University’s School of Medicine and Public Health. Major features include a 300-seat auditorium, mile-long indoor walking path, green roof, as well as simulation suites and clinical labs.Now completed and having earned LEED® Silver Certification, Signe Skott Copper Hall offers one of the largest active learning spaces in the country, designed to support best practices in nursing and inter-professional health education. The state-of-the-art facility additionally supports 30% growth in faculty numbers, research programs, and enrollment to support the changing needs for future generations of faculty and student. The building is to “serve the State of Wisconsin for the next century,” said Mark VanderWoude, Assistant Dean for Facilities and Planning.
The VA Community Resource & Referral Center was originally built in 1925 for a cartage company (for horse-drawn carriage delivery services). As this historic, 7,540-square-foot, cream city brick building was renovated for its newest tenant, work included interior demolition to reconfigure the space for a workable office environment. The exposed brick walls and open steel truss structures remained an important design element and are showcased throughout the building. Having an extreme significance to Milwaukee’s Bronzeville District, this historic building was eligible for historic tax credits from the State of Wisconsin and the federal government through the Natural Park Service. This building will continue on as a historic site as part of the VA’s Jobless Initiative. Additionally, the revitalized building has achieved LEED® Silver and is currently pursuing LEED® Gold Certification.
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MADISON – Findorff is excited to announce Senior Project Manager Kyle Loest has been chosen as a “Top 20 Under 40” Winner by Engineering News Record (ENR Midwest). This annual competition recognizes young design and construction professionals from the Midwest who have made lasting contributions to their professions and communities.
Kyle has played a significant role in the construction of two notable Madison healthcare projects since joining Findorff in 2006. His first role as a Project Manager was for the American Family Children’s Hospital. Completed in 2009, the facility continues to set the standards for caring for sick children from across the country.
Shortly after the completion of that facility, as well as an additional expansion of the hospital, Kyle was named Senior Project Manager of UW Health at The American Center healthcare campus. Kyle and his team are approaching the last six months of construction on the new 496,000-square-foot acute care center, clinics, and wellness campus for UW Health.
Throughout the life of these projects, Kyle passionately leads his team of professionals solely dedicated to focusing on the special needs of the healthcare construction industry. Kyle finds most rewarding about his job being a part of building healthcare facilities that will improve the quality of life for so many families.“I am sincerely proud of Kyle for receiving this designation,” said Jim Yehle, Vice President at Findorff. “As the Senior Project Manager on these two substantial, multi-year projects, Kyle has excelled at applying patient-focused care models and lean principles throughout the construction process in his desire to lead his team and all stakeholders through a complex, multi-phased schedule.
”Kyle has received his LEED® accreditation from the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI) as well as a healthcare Construction Certificate from the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE). He is also active in Wisconsin Healthcare Engineers Association (WHEA) and Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA). Kyle volunteers his time through many community organizations include Downtown Madison, Inc. (DMI), Amigos de las Americas (Board of Directors), United Way of Dane County, Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, and as a volunteer for Salvation Army.
MADISON – It is with much excitement that Findorff announces its 125th anniversary. While turning the page on any new year can feel invigorating, 2015 promises to be particularly special.
From 1890 on, Findorff has sustained the test of time to become a leading builder throughout the Midwest. This would not have been possible without our customers, suppliers, subcontractors, employees, and communities. Honoring this major milestone, Findorff has earnestly developed a year-long campaign to celebrate the Company’s time-honored achievements. Our Postcards from the Past provide a glimpse back in time starting with Findorff’s modest beginnings at the cusp of the nineteenth century. A vintage website has been created to honor our evolution in the construction industry and those who have been part of our journey. People even have the opportunity to Celebrate & Share in Findorff’s momentous year on the website and with a commemorative Facebook page.
Upon Findorff’s 125th anniversary, the Company also earned high remarks from select businesses in the Greater Madison area. At the end of 2014, Findorff once again received the Executive Choice Award as the winning Commercial Builder by In Business magazine. Such an accomplishment is not only a testament to Findorff’s work now and in the past, but also to its people.
Interview Opportunities: Having taken a step back in time, it is certain our past has laid the groundwork for the Company’s incredible talent and character it is known for today. As many current employees have humbly been part of Findorff’s progress, we welcome the opportunity to share more about where we have been and what we anticipate for the future. If the media is interested in scheduling an interview, please contact Nancy Mayek per the information above.
Contact
Nancy Mayek
Marketing Manager
608.442.7345
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