Bruce Engelsma Named a Minnesota Icon Award Winner

In late 2022, Finance and Commerce named Kraus-Anderson’s President, CEO, and Chairman, Bruce Engelsma, a Minnesota Icon Award Winner.

The nomination submitted on his behalf reads:

A Brief History

From Depression-era contractor to owner of a vast construction and real estate development enterprise, it would be hard to eclipse the career trajectory of Minnesota Business Hall of Famer Lloyd Engelsma.

Lloyd’s son, Bruce Engelsma, never tried. Rather, throughout his own 47-year Kraus-Anderson career, Bruce has made his own path and contributions as a leader of our times, navigating continual change and challenges with a calm, ethical, and collaborative leadership style grounded in integrity. In his 25+ years as Chairman, Bruce has built upon his father’s legacy, adhering to Kraus-Anderson’s foundational values while leading the enterprise to new milestones.

Bruce (L), Lloyd (C), and Dan (R) Engelsma

Bruce grew up with KA, learning from an early age about his entrepreneurial father’s varied enterprise as it grew into real estate development and retail operations in the 1960s and 70s.

Bruce remembers childhood ride-alongs with his dad, making inspection stops at job sites and KA properties. As a teenager, he spent summers as a laborer on KA job sites and doing maintenance at KA shopping centers.

He met the woman who would become his wife, Mary Jane, while on a business trip to a women’s apparel chain operated for a time by KA.

After gaining a business degree from the University of Minnesota, Bruce officially joined the family business in 1975, growing into greater leadership roles over the next two decades.

As President, CEO, and Chairman since 1997, Bruce is actively involved with the day-to-day management and administration of Kraus-Anderson’s varied activities, including construction, insurance, accounting, budgeting, and project finance and real estate development. While sustaining and growing these operations, he championed strategic planning, continuous improvement, and change management, leading through vast organizational changes while balancing traditional values with emerging market opportunities and cultural/technological horizons.

Community Involvement

Kraus-Anderson’s enterprise-wide Core Purpose, Together, Strengthening the Communities We Serve, is a guidepost for everything the organization does. Examples:

  • MN Keystone Program- KA has given back in excess of 5 percent of its pre-tax profits to charity for over 20 years.
  • Twin Cities Hearts & Hammers– A founding participant, Bruce and KA have supported this annual volunteer home rehab program since 1998.
  • Fall Giving Campaign- KA’s corporate-matched annual campaign has given over $1.8 million to our communities since 2000.

Bruce has personally maintained Kraus-Anderson’s tradition of community service through leadership roles with the boards of numerous organizations, including AGC, Meda, and Minneapolis Club, among a long list of others.

Diversity and Inclusion

For decades, Bruce has championed industry efforts to connect with and develop a more inclusive workforce. He encouraged and supported KA’s participation in numerous programs to introduce young people to construction careers and networking organizations for underrepresented groups, including:

Minneapolis Investment

KA maintained its headquarters in downtown Minneapolis throughout its 125-year history. Redevelopment of the KA Block in 2017 underscored that commitment, transforming an underutilized surface lot and outdated office into a phased, high-density live-work-play development comprising a 5-story office headquarters, 17-story HQ Apartments, The Elliot Hotel, and Finnegan’s, a unique brewpub and social entrepreneurial incubator environment.

Mentoring, Leadership Development, and Succession Planning

Bruce deeply appreciates the benefits of mentorship in his own life. He fostered the creation of KA University and its host of professional development programs, including Executive Development, Leadership Development, Field Management Academy, and other programs providing a pipeline for the advancement of talent through all the operations and service areas of the KA companies, as well as facilitating seamless transitions as retirements or other transitions occur.

“I have worked with some really talented people at KA who have moved us forward,” Bruce said. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with many great clients and industry partners.”

Two generations of the Engelsma and Diessner families

Conclusion

Finance and Commerce recognized Bruce Engelsma and his many achievements at an event in December in Minneapolis.

“Looking back on my career, I am certainly proud of the many great projects Kraus-Anderson and its people have been involved with and the positive impact they have on communities,” Bruce said. “But, the greatest reward has been the people and relationships I’ve built along the way.”

CATEGORY: Awards