2020 News

December 2020

Stefan Figley joins Westwood Contractors as CEO

Westwood Contractors announced the addition of Stefan Figley as Chief Executive Officer, a role he officially assumed on December 7, 2020. Robert D. Benda—a past present of RCA—who has served as CEO since 2005, will continue with the company as Chairman of the Board. As part of Westwood’s succession plan, a nationwide search was conducted and Mr. Figley was selected for the role of CEO. As Mr. Benda stated, “On behalf of the entire board we are delighted to welcome Stefan to the Westwood team, and we believe he possesses the combination of skills and experience necessary to build on Westwood’s 37-year track record of success. Stefan’s depth of marketing experience including domestic and international roles and successful track record of leading large organizations operating on a national scale will bring added resources to the talented Westwood team and ensure a bright future for the company.”

Mr. Figley, a Certified Franchise Executive, has more than 24 years of experience employing his strategic vision focusing on the key metrics driving EBITDA performance and multimillion-dollar revenue growth. He has worked extensively in developing and leading large and small teams both in the U.S. and abroad for national and international brands including Steamatic where he most recently served as President until its sale to an international public company, Jani-King, ServiceMaster, and Leo Burnett Worldwide. Having also served in roles of chief operating officer, strategy consultant, chief marketing officer, and other capacities, Mr. Figley’s highly collaborative approach and leadership style results in well-aligned teams within an organization to maximize competitive advantages and exceptional customer value propositions. In addition, he brings a tremendous network of clients, prospects, subcontractors, and other resources further expanding the company’s potential for growth. Click here to read more.

David A. Nice Participates in Angel Tree Program
The Salvation Army Angel Tree program is for families at the poverty level with children ages 12 and younger, as well as senior citizens 65 and older. David A. Nice Builders (Williamsburg, VA) first got involved in the program a decade ago and has donated hundreds of items to the program over the years. For the past past years, the company has been assigned to families directly, helping to bring some holiday cheer to families in need. Click here to read more.

KBE Gives the Gift of Gobble
For the twelfth year, KBE Building Corporation (Farmington, CT) employees and their families assembled and delivered Thanksgiving meal boxes to families and organizations in Farmington. Boxes contained all the ingredients for a Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, corn, beans, potatoes, yams, rolls, apple pie, pumpkin pie, and a roasting pan. Since 2009, KBE has provided Thanksgiving meals to more than 2,611 families in Connecticut and Maryland, where the firm has its regional offices. Click here to read more.

Sachse Begins Work on Mixed Use Development
Sachse Construction (Detroit) is the contractor for Woodward West, a $60 million mixed-use development in Midtown Detroit. The five-story development will feature 204 apartments and 25,000 square feet of retail and is set to open in summer 2022. Amenities at the Woodward West will include an outdoor roof deck, theater, fitness center, wellness studio, pet wash station and electric car charging ports. There will also be 84 on-site surface parking spaces. Click here to read more.

November 2020 

September 2020

Cleaver Named to Women in Construction List 
Erika Cleaver, a project manager at Tri-North Builders (Fitchburg, WI) was honored as one of 33 Women in Construction by The Daily Reporter (Milwaukee) during its second annual event in August. Click here for the video.

Schimenti Completes Times Square Krispy Kreme
The new Krispy Kreme Times Square Flagship is open and serving hot and fresh Original Glazed® Doughnuts 24-hours a day. The store was recently completed by Schimenti Construction (New York).Customers experience a theatrical journey through the entire doughnut making process at this one-of-a-kind flagship. Click here to watch the video.

Commonwealth Building Completes Starbucks
Commonwealth Building (Quincy, MA) recently completed the Starbucks project at The Loop In Methuen (Massachusetts). Commonwealth worked with Charter Realty & Development and Scott/Griffin Architects, Ltd. on the project. Click here for more.

ESI Completes Boise Home2 Suites Hotel
Engineered Structures, Inc. (ESI) (Meridian, ID) recently completed the Boise Home2 Suites Hotel and parking garage. Located in the heart of Downtown Boise, the 297,000+ square foot structure provides 546 new parking stalls to the public. The Home2 Suites by Hilton portion of the structure adds 138 luxury hotel rooms to the downtown area. Click here for more. 

DLP Remodels Grocery into Plasma Donation Center
DLP Construction Company (Alpharetta, GA) is currently in the process of remodeling and renovating the former Reid's grocery building in Orangeburg, SC. Octapharma Plasma, which collects, tests, and supplies human blood plasma for therapeutic purposes, will open in the building by the end of the year. Click here to read more.

Wolverine to Build Alro Plastics HQ
Wolverine Building Group (Grand Rapids, MI) is working on a new Grand Rapids location for Alro Plastics: 65,000 square feet of a 160,000-square-foot facility. The new location will house Alro’s full plastics operation, including head offices, assembling, manufacturing and warehousing. The project is expected to be completed in spring 2021. Click here to read more. 

July 2020

Management Resource Systems Working on Lululemon
Management Resource Systems Inc. (High Point, NC) will be building out space for Lululemon Athletica, a yoga-focused retail chain offering sports and exercise wear and accessories, is slated for a Gulch location. The business will operate from a soon-to-open mixed-use building in Nashville’s Gulch neighborhood. Click here to read more.

Engineered Structures Working on Stinker Store
Engineered Structures Inc. (Boise, ID) is overseeing construction on a Stinker Store in North Lewiston, ID. The 4,000-square-foot convenience store with include six pumps. Work is expected to finished by late September. Click here to read more 

May 2020

Westwood Promotes Litzman to Preconstruction Manager
Westwood Contractors (Fort Worth, TX) has promoted Kevin Litzman from Senior Estimator to Preconstruction Manager, a role designed to enhance the company’s ability to develop precise, accurate, and aggressive bids to ensure best-in-class pricing for its clients. Kevin, has more than 15 years of experience in the construction industry including estimating, project management, cost management, and project controls for a wide range of commercial and civil projects. As Preconstruction Manager, his primary focus is to direct oversight of the estimating processes and systems to ensure consistency and efficiency. He is responsible for all preconstruction activities, including hard bids, conceptual estimates, value engineering, quantity takeoffs, and oversight of all estimators and support staff for these functions providing leadership for the preconstruction/estimating process. Click here to read more.

KBE Project Selected for Safety Training Partnership from OSHA
The Bradley International Airport (BDL) Consolidated Rental Car Facility project now under construction in Windsor Locks is the newest site of a Safety Training Partnership between the OSHA federal and Hartford Area offices, Austin Commercial (design-builder for the project) and KBE Building Corporation (general contractor for the project). This is the sixth invitation-only Safety Training Partnership that Farmington, CT-based KBE has partnered on with OSHA since 2014. When completed, the 1.4 million sf consolidated rental car facility will house car rental services, add public parking, and incorporate public transit connections. The project includes a 4-story building and garage complex for six rental car agencies, along with 830 public parking spots, with half of those under cover. A second 4-story garage will provide service areas for the rental agencies, including fuel, vacuuming, window washing, fluid replacement, car washes, and maintenance bays for routine car work. Click here to read more.

Rockford is Contractor for Meijer Expansion in Dayton
Grocery giant Meijer Inc. is laying the groundwork for a $160 million project north of Dayton and Rockford Construction (Grand Rapids, MI) is the contractor on the project. The privately held supercenter chain plans to develop a fully automated dry grocery supply chain facility on a 160-acre property adjacent to its existing 1.7 million-square-foot distribution center in Tipp City. The new facility will serve Meijer stores throughout Ohio, Southern Indiana and Northern Kentucky, and will play a key role in Meijer's continued growth. Click here to read more.

Rockford Blog on Post-COVID Trends
Rockford Construction (Grand Rapids, MI) published a blog on the Grand Rapids Business Journal site about the shift in workplace design and construction trends as a result of COVID-19. “As builders and designers, we are accustomed to embracing solutions that leverage our knowledge and experience to provide safeguards for workers, building users and inhabitants. Here are ways we are actively working to achieve a healthy and safe work environment…” Click here to read more.

Wolverine Featured in “Back to Work” Story
WZZM Channel 13 in Grand Rapids, MI, featured Wolverine Building Group in a piece about the reopening of job sites and the new restrictions in place. Click here to read more.

David A. Nice Included in Equipment World Articles
David A. Nice Builders (Williamsburg, VA) is mentioned in a series of Equipment World articles:

• How construction contractors are working safely amid coronavirus threat
• Are contractors are willing to buy equipment in the midst of the coronavirus
• How location is playing a critical role in the coronavirus impact on construction

March 2020

Management Resource Systems Inc. Builds Nashville Sephora
Management Resource Systems Inc. (High Point, NC) is handling the build-out of a Sephora at the soon-to-open Fifth + Broadway project in downtown Nashville, TN. This will be the third standalone Sephora store in Nashville and is part of a 100-store expansion by the retailer.

Prime Retail Services Launches Prime-Net
Prime Retail Services (Flowery Branch, GA) has launched a new division focused on providing low-voltage and network integration solutions. The division, Prime-Net, will expand the company’s current management of low-voltage scopes to include self-performing technicians and the core ability to execute diverse network integration programs in the retail industry. Prime-Net provides low-voltage cabling, network infrastructure, and Wi-Fi services.

With the launch of this new division, Prime clients have the option of getting project management and execution in the areas of construction, installation, electrical, or network integration services. For years Prime has been project managing low voltage services for clients using sub-contractors. Click here to read more.

ZipWall Announces ZipWall Dust Barrier PassThrough™
RCA sponsor ZipWall® has introduced the new ZipWall Dust Barrier PassThrough™, a quick and professional way for passing a duct hose up to 14 inches in diameter through a ZipWall Barrier. The PassThrough is designed for use by commercial and residential remodeling professionals when setting up negative air pressure on a job site, and by restoration and mold remediation professionals when ducting air through a ZipWall containment barrier. The PassThrough consists of a pair of mating plastic rings that mount onto any ZipWall® pole and create an opening in the barrier. It supports any duct hose up to 14 inches in diameter, including vinyl, while maintaining the integrity of the barrier. A nylon fabric sleeve seals around the hose with a quick cinch. When the hose is removed, the sleeve can be cinched closed to completely seal the opening. Part of the ZipWall Dust Barrier System, the patented PassThrough clamp-mount works with all ZipWall spring-loaded poles. For more information on ZipWall, contact Peter Micheli.

January 2020

Immel Announces New Leadership
Immel Construction (Green Bay, WI) has announced a leadership transition. Effective January 1, 2020. Kelly Hafeman and Pete Smits left the roles of President and Vice President, which they had held since 2005. The management of the company has been turned over to the following long time employees:

• Paul Martzke AIA, LEED AP, President
• Alex Santos LEEP AP, Executive Vice President
• Steve Hucek, Vice President, Estimating
• Brian Wetzel, Vice President, Operations
• Steve Sipiorski, Chief Financial Officer

Hafeman and Smits will serve on the company’s Board of Directors and serve as advisors to the company’s new leadership team, which has a combined 138 years of experience in the construction industry, 58 of that at Immel Construction.

Last fall, Immel became 100% employee owned when 100% of the company’s stock was been sold to its employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). As an employee-owned company, Immel continues to operate under the same business model and structure.