“Following unanticipated personnel changes, Steve Bergerson was left with a gap in staffing on the $34.6 Million Zenith Housing Project in Duluth, MN. Steve not only expertly fulfilled his role as Project Superintendent on this challenging project, but also displayed his COMMITMENT, by taking it upon himself to temporarily bridge the gap for many project responsibilities while we worked to get more staff on site. This was a HUD project that had historical preservation challenges, sustainable construction requirements, and an extremely tight schedule. Steve utilized his interpersonal skills and straight-forward approach that helped to maintain our relationships with trades, design, and other construction partners, through his day-to-day honesty and INTEGRITY.
Once a new team of managers were assigned to the project, Steve welcomed them with his positive TEAMWORK approach, quickly informing them on pertinent information and the history of the project, enabling their expedited integration. Steve’s VALUE of PEOPLE was evident in his approach to leading the field personnel, resolving countless challenges inherent to a project of this nature. Steve’s leadership was instrumental in the timely completion of the project, greatly benefiting the client. Steve Bergerson truly displayed the KA CORE VALUES on this project and is more than worthy of this award.”
“Max Vergeldt stepped in to take over the $34.6 Million Zenith Housing Project in Duluth, MN as the primary Project Manager. Max quickly analyzed the contract documents, value engineering logs, project schedule, and submittals to provide a base of knowledge that enabled him to identify priorities and a plan of action. Max showed his COMMITMENT by working tirelessly through many change orders, historical requirements, and other challenges. Max’s collaborative TEAMWORK approach resulted in a timely completion that greatly benefited the client. His genuine display for VALUING PEOPLE greatly improved the work environment, resulting in a more productive and pleasant atmosphere for the project team. Max completed this feat while fostering a positive relationship with the client and design teams. He accomplished this through his display of INTEGRITY, fairness, patience, and competence, gaining the trust of all involved. Max truly displayed the KA CORE VALUES on this project and is more than worthy of this award.”
The KA Core Values Award is presented monthly to a KA employee. Nominated by their peers, business partners, and clients, award recipients are selected based on their representation and practice of KA’s core values:
Integrity: Do the right thing; always be respectful, honest, and fair
Commitment: Take ownership, work hard, and keep promises
Teamwork: Collaborate to foster trust and success for all
Value People: Support each other in a safe, positive environment where people are recognized and appreciated for their contributions
The post Max Vergeldt and Steve Bergerson Win February 2024 Core Values Award appeared first on Kraus-Anderson.
]]>Finance and Commerce named Kraus-Anderson’s Preconstruction Services Manager Paul Noll a 2023 Rising Young Professional of the Year.
Noll graduated from the University of Minnesota with a dual-major in Construction Management and Architecture. He began his career at Kraus-Anderson as A project engineer intern and was hired full-time upon graduation in 2015.
Paul began his career as a project engineer intern in 2014 and since has grown his career at Kraus-Anderson. He now serves as our Duluth preconstruction services manager but previously worked as a project manager on various projects. Here are some highlights.
“I want to make new employees feel included and set them up to be successful. If they have questions or need support, I’m there! It helps build a positive working culture.”
Paul finds it important to give back to the community and steps outside the job site to do so.
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]]>The post March Friday History: Mattocks School appeared first on Kraus-Anderson.
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Some construction projects are historic, and some projects are historical. Kraus-Anderson has completed more historic projects – more architectural landmarks, more projects that have had a lasting influence on the Twin Cities, than any other construction company, but KA also has more than its share of historical projects – projects that reflect history or are commissioned for historical purposes.
Moving an old schoolhouse from one place to another in St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood didn’t change the world, but it was historical.
Reserve Township
There is an origin story for the city of St. Paul that goes something like this: After the treaties of 1837 were ratified, all those settlers not engaged in military matters were encouraged to leave the vicinity of Fort Snelling and claim whatever land they were able to. Several families chose the area around fountain cave (present-day Randolph Avenue and Shepard Road) as being close to the conveniences and safety of the fort, while not being within its military reservation. After a couple years, during which time these settlers raised their livestock and operated their taverns, the authorities at Fort Snelling informed them that they had not settled far enough from the fort and that they must again move. After a display of defiance, with their smoking cabins at their backs, these hardy unfortunates crowded in with their fellow frontier settlers down the river, where, at what is really a better steamboat landing anyway, they soon constructed a chapel and named it St. Paul.
In the 1840s, when Minnesota was surveyed and divided into townships, this became Reserve Township, initially verboten to build upon by the authorities at the fort, and eventually something of a suburb to the new city of St. Paul.
This was the context, in 1871, when the people of Reserve Township built a one-room schoolhouse out of stone on the southwest corner of Randolph and Snelling Avenues. Initially called Webster School, the name was changed to Mattocks in 1887 when it was folded into the St. Paul system. Reverand John Mattocks was a prominent minister and educator in early St. Paul.
By the 1920s, the area around Mattocks School drastically outgrew its little schoolhouse. In 1923, when a new Mattocks school building was completed, nobody had the heart to knock down the little Italianate schoolhouse. And so, to borrow a phrase from Larry Millet, Mattocks had “a 30-year tour of duty as an American Legion post.”
Whether it was an instinct for preservation generated by the aggressive urban renewal efforts of the era, or simply the irresistible charm of this small stone schoolhouse, the citizens of St. Paul raised the money to have the building moved. Saint Paul Public Schools agreed to incorporate the old schoolhouse into the campus of the new Highland Park High School.
Proving that the size of a building does not necessarily determine the scope of the project, Kraus-Anderson of St. Paul took apart the old schoolhouse one stone at time and reassembled it one mile south.
The Mattocks School project was completed in 1964, so the reassembled Mattocks building has now served for sixty years as both a classroom and an historic monument.
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]]>In January, the Minnesota Construction Association (MCA) selected KA-Duluth’s Rock Ridge High School project as an Award of Excellence Winner.
The 280,000-square-foot school is part of Rock Ridge Public School’s extensive set of more than $190 million construction and demolition building projects. The high school is the only wall-to-wall career academy school north of the Twin Cities.
Designed by Cuningham Group Architecture, alongside local firm DSGW Architects, the high school incorporates the natural beauty of these geological elements, including pine forests, diverse wetlands, and exposed rock ledges. Custom masonry blend reflects the color and texture of the rock outcroppings and weathered steel, connecting to the rich history of the Iron Range. Large feature windows frame views of the surrounding landscape, flooding the space with daylight and providing opportunities to learn and play in all four seasons.
The comprehensive career academy features an open and centralized main commons, hands-on learning studios and laboratory spaces, Career Technical Education (C.T.E.), carpentry, metals and automotive labs, culinary arts lab and Prostart restaurant management program, certified nursing assistant skills (CNA) lab, media alcoves, and exterior learning environments. In addition, the school includes a new pool and a gymnasium with indoor athletics and physical education features.
Rock Ridge High School is an outstanding example of working together with the public and private sectors to drive prosperity in an economically distressed region— working with the IRRRB, The Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board, to make the $180 million referendum possible for the $90 million Rock Ridge High School, which joined together three rival school districts to became “Fiercely United” on the Laurentian Divide.
The Laurentian Divide site presented unique construction challenges that 40-year construction veterans called the most challenging project of their careers (“IT WAS BUILT ON A ROCK!”). The team blasted roughly 70,000 cubic yards of rock to create a suitable construction surface. The project was completed with zero lost time claims.
The KA team successfully value-engineered $5.2 million from the budget, and during construction, the team collaborated with the school to provide on-site construction training opportunities, including student construction of 15 small structures on the campus, such as dugouts, decks, and storage buildings. The school district also partnered with local businesses to provide students with training and exposure to a range of career opportunities during construction.
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]]>I just wanted to send you a note about the amazing work that Ricka is doing on the SW Cargo building. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate her willingness to take on this messy project and really get things done for MAC. She is the best person to work with and we would be in a lot of pain with the main stakeholder tenant, the Airport Police Department, if it wasn’t for the time she spent coordinating this work and getting everyone on the same page.
The KA Core Values Award is presented monthly to a KA employee. Nominated by their peers, business partners, and clients, award recipients are selected based on their representation and practice of KA’s core values:
Integrity: Do the right thing; always be respectful, honest, and fair
Commitment: Take ownership, work hard, and keep promises
Teamwork: Collaborate to foster trust and success for all
Value People: Support each other in a safe, positive environment where people are recognized and appreciated for their contributions
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]]>Written by: Brenden Nickels, Senior Office Assistant
After 39 years at Kraus-Anderson, KA Project Manager Doug Jaeger is hanging up his hard hat. Doug’s first official job at KA was for the KA Yard/Building Company mowing the lawn in 1977, but his beginnings started much before that. As a third-generation employee, Doug has been part of the KA family for a long time. While it is bittersweet that he is heading into retirement after so many years, he’s built an unforgettable legacy. And if you know Doug that legacy is filled with positivity, hard work, passion, and maybe a guitar solo here and there.
Before he sails off into the sunset, we sat down with him to gain some insights on his long career and to talk about what he learned along the way.
The short answer, my dad. The long one: my dad was hired by Kraus-Anderson in 1956 and he started as a carpenter foreman at Methodist Hospital. He thought I’d be a good fit in the construction industry. Initially, I looked at UW-Stout for hotel and restaurant management. I wanted to own a bar and have live music (surprise, surprise). But, at that time, gas prices in 1985 were .75 cents a gallon, which was a lot at that time. No one was going to travel, but the construction industry was going to be taking off in the mid 80’s. It ended up being a great career choice for me because, in a way, hospitality ties in to the work we do: take care of people’s needs. I always say we take people’s dreams and make them their realities.
I look at Kraus-Anderson as the major leagues, and right out of college, brought into the major leagues. So, why would I want to be a minor league star when I could be a major league contributor? I’ve known of KA’s reputation my whole life. I knew it was a great place to work that treated their people well. I also really enjoyed working with my and father. I always looked up to my dad, he was one of the hardest workers I know. But I was tested by some of the field employees, they all knew who my father was, so I had to take a little bit of light teasing at first. I was called the S.O.B. “Son of Boss,” and boy did they keep me on my toes! I wanted to be respected because of my hard work, not because of my last name. And eventually, I think they saw that I was here to be part of the team and that I was here to learn.
By complete happenstance, I also met my wife, Kim, while working at KA. She worked in the Minneapolis South office in 1993 and had come here from California, meeting her changed my life, and the direction I wanted to go. So, KA will always be a reminder to me of the people I cherish most, my family.
I always say that my heart belongs to my wife, but my butt belongs to KA. It’s passion. I have so much passion for my work and for my career at KA. When you love something it’s not really work. My firm philosophy is “TEAM: together everyone accomplishes more.” I’ve been fortunate over the years to be able to work alongside and learn from many, many talented people. And like I said before, KA has brought so many wonderful people into my life and allowed me to do so many cool things.
I also have a lot of respect for the Engelsma family. I’ve known Bruce for many years and even though I called him “Dan” the first time I met him, I would call him a friend. He is the quiet, commanding type of leader. He doesn’t have to be the loudest in the room but when he says something it’s something that matters. Hisa Tanaka, a mentor, once told me, “The eagle is graceful bird and a powerful bird, but you don’t hear it making a lot of noise.” That is how I would describe Bruce’s, and Lloyd’s, leadership style and it’s a style that I personally, and many others, have been able to thrive and grow under.
*laughs* ah yes, it’s true. We were working with a client in the residential real estate business and the people installing the carpet didn’t show up and it put us behind schedule and the client was not happy. So, to break the tension I mentioned that my wife and I were thinking about selling our house even though we weren’t, my wife was pregnant with our second child at the time… But the owner went from being upset to a concerned realtor, so thus we ended up selling our house. I don’t know if it was stupidity or brilliance, but it ended up working out well, we are still in that same house.
First, I don’t know what “special projects” means because I believe every project is special to that customer and we have to look at it that way. And second, all projects matter, no matter the size or scope. What I like most about working in this market sector is that it is fast paced. We are working on multiples jobs at once. We get to meet so many clients, see so many projects, work through different challenges and exercise so many different skill sets. We do all our own estimating, planning, drawing reviews and changes, managing the work and trades partners, etc. so we get to fine tune our technical and personal skills every day.
Bob Janssen is now taking over of the group, and he has done what I’ve hoped to do back in 2010 in a matter of only a few years. He’s brought in seasoned professionals that enjoy the fast-paced nature of our work and empowered them to make their own decisions. He’s growing that group and imagining what they can do in so many creative ways.
There are many interesting projects that I’ve worked on, I think I averaged throughout my career about 25/year, but your first project is the one that always sticks out. Camichael-Lynch was my first, and it was rehinging a big brass door. Our bid was for $375. And I’m happy to say, we made $25 profit, so, good for us! My first big job was at an Amoco station in New Hope. And that got us into a partnership with Architect, North Star Engineering, where we ended up doing two other Amoco stations because they liked working with KA so much.
I was PM in 1986 on the Twins Press Box renovation and it was my first time meeting legend Carol Sende who was a carpenter at the time, also pregnant and walking around with her tool belt. But I got to meet and work with the Twins staff, and this was the season (1987) they made it to the World Series for the first time and they asked me to come watch batting practice, which was pretty cool.
I was at Supervalu in 1986, and we’ve worked on multiple projects with them over the decades. But in 2020, I was a project manager on a job for them that I was originally project manager on in 1989. So, we did a little renovation, so it was pretty cool to pull those old 1989 plans out.
I have many special clients. I’ve been invited to their homes for dinner, weddings, and vacations. There was even a time my daughter had car trouble in Denver, and I called up my client who lived there and he came and rescued her. It’s stories like that and relationships like those that have made my career so rewarding.
I think that I have instilled in my team that all projects matter. To honor every client and every project with the care it deserves, no matter the size. I can proudly walk away saying I was fair to all the trade partners and honest with all the owners I had the privilege of working with.
We have a really good pipeline of trades and carpenters, and not just in the special projects group, but it’s part of KA’s culture with self-perform to develop our field laborers into positions where they can grow. And that’s something that I am really proud to be a part of: developing the workforce and giving trades and field personnel the opportunity to grow into leadership positions if they want to. Recognizing their work and showing them we are proud of what they do.
Absolutely. In a way I feel like I still ended up working in hospitality. I still got to serve clients and heck, I have my guitar next to my desk so I still ended up bringing music into career.
People work in places, they live in places, and somebody has to build that. We take people’s dreams, and we make them realities. This career path allows you to meet so many great people and there is also a huge sense of accomplishment. Buildings are a tangible deliverable, and I can drive around the greater Twin Cities, and even beyond, and point to many buildings that have my fingerprint on them.
Obviously, my dad. Erling was a great mentor. I’m the third of four boys, and I was fortunate that he was able to coach me in all my athletics when I grew up. So, I learned how to manage people by watching him manage us little kids running around, and then, working for him, because he was my boss when I was a field laborer. I have three brothers: Tom, Dave, and Rick, for various reasons, they’ve mentored me, whether they’ve realized it or not. So, growing up with three brothers, you’ve kind of just learned different things.
Professionally, Harlan Opheim was the first one because his office was near mine. And every morning he’d walk in with a cup of coffee and a cigarette, and he’d say, “Kid, let’s go have a cigarette and a cup of coffee and talk about it.” (This is back when you could smoke in the office.) So would we do that. And then, at the end of the day, Len Colson would walk into my office, (his office was right next to mine), He’d throw his feet on my desk and say “Okay, what did you screw up today?” And we’d talk about issues that I had on the job or subs that were difficult and they’d help me through that.
Have a positive attitude. A positive attitude goes a long, long way. And you don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. That’s another thing, my father taught me years ago, “Yes, you’re the estimator. Yes, you’re the project manager. But never go to the field personnel and say ‘this is how it should be done.’ You should say, ‘this is how I thought it should go, what do you think?’” Because they may have a totally different way to get to the end result that might save money, might save hours (which is money). And so, I’ve always abided by that philosophy. I share with my field superintendent, “here are the hours I figured for doing this particular task, what do you think? Because I was thinking we do this, this, and this,” and they may say, “oh no no no, we’ll come from the top and do this.” It’s about being a good communicator and having an open dialogue with your team vs. being the dictator on the job. If you’re the dictator, that’s never good, that’s not how you earn respect or even get things done efficiently. My dad also used to say, “You have two ears and one mouth for a reason. So, spend more time listening than you do talking.”
And lastly, just do a good job and take pride in your work. Be proud of what you do and what others on your team are doing.
Enjoying time with my family of course. But I am on the board of directors with The Learning Jet, which is a non-profit organization that works to get youths interested in aviation careers. As someone who loves to travel, I have a personal incentive to bring new people into the industry as they are seeing a downward trend for aviation careers. We find that a lot of the time kids don’t know about the vast career opportunities in aviation. We do talk about piloting, but it goes far beyond that. From being a first responder to a technician to air traffic control, we cover all the options you may find in the industry.
What’s unique about The Learning Jet is we uses a real plane as the classroom. It’s functioning, can’t fly, but the engines work and part of the craft are exposed so we can look at the electrical and mechanical components. We use it to stage different airline scenarios and we even host groups for people who have never flown or have a fear of flying to let them get acquainted with what it’s like being on a plane.
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]]>Since the early 1990s, Kraus-Anderson has been the contractor of choice for the MSP airport. Originally known as Speedway Field (as it was built over a failed race car track), and then as Wold-Chamberlain (to honor local pilots Ernest Wold and Cyrus Chamberlain, who died in WWI), the Twin Cities airport eventually settled on a version of its current name in 1948 with Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
When MSP became the area’s major airport (because, among other reasons, it was equidistant from both downtowns) passenger counts continually exceeded expectations. By the 1980s, the Minnesota legislature studied two possible courses: fit out the current airport to accommodate the millions of passengers now projected to use the airport every year or start from scratch with a whole new facility in a whole new location.
In choosing the first option, the Metropolitan Airport Commission (MAC) committed to a program of capital improvements within an operating airport. As the construction manager for MAC, Kraus-Anderson has been a partner in building the MSP airport while it flies. The challenges have been rewarding. MSP is often listed as a favorite airport for travelers, and it is consistently ranked among the top US airports in efficiency and innovation.
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]]>The post Laurisa Titterud wins December 2023 Core Values Award appeared first on Kraus-Anderson.
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Laurisa Titterud, Senior Marketing Communications Coordinator out of the Twin Cities Office, wins the December 2023 Core Values Award. Mary Kaeding submitted the nomination. It reads:
“Laurisa Titterud embodies KA’s Core Values of Integrity, Commitment, Teamwork and Valuing People. As a key member of our Marketing Communications team, she collaborates closely with a wide range of clients, business partners and employees as she lives our core purpose of building enduring relationships and strong communities. She is the go-to authority for production and use of our numerous communications platforms, from blogs, videos, podcasts, tech wall and Kraus Haus; and for training our employees in best practices for building their brand and KA’s brand via social media and beyond. Laurisa carries herself with a quiet composure and confidence that sets people at ease, and has abundant patience when training or helping a colleague walk through a thorny technical challenge. She is committed to inclusion, and is always thinking proactively about how our messages may be perceived by people from differing life experiences. Whether it’s helping us launch a major corporate communications initiative, or enlisting new employees to join the KA softball team, Laurisa’s genuine caring for others makes our days smoother, more efficient, more fun and more joyful. She’s such a gentle person, yet her work is so powerful and impactful. Thank you, Laurisa, for everything you bring to KA!”
The KA Core Values Award is presented monthly to a KA employee. Nominated by their peers, business partners, and clients, award recipients are selected based on their representation and practice of KA’s core values:
Integrity: Do the right thing; always be respectful, honest, and fair
Commitment: Take ownership, work hard, and keep promises
Teamwork: Collaborate to foster trust and success for all
Value People: Support each other in a safe, positive environment where people are recognized and appreciated for their contributions
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]]>Finance and Commerce named Kraus-Anderson’s Project Manager Payton Hosch a 2023 Rising Young Professional of the Year.
“This award and recognition is a great reminder to all the rising young professionals, that it matters what you put into your career and yourself. The old saying “the more you put in, the more you get out,” rings so true and I am proud of all my fellow honorees for proving that the we are putting in the work to create a better future.”
Payton’s journey into the world of construction started at a young age. Surrounded by the hum of power tools, the smell of freshly poured concrete, and the joy of seeing families move into their a new home for the first time. “My father was a project manager and owner of a residential construction company, but it really wasn’t until I stepped away and went to college that I realized how much I not only missed the job site but how much I enjoyed seeing something built,” says Hosch. He explains that’s what keeps him inspired each day. Turning blueprints into realities and walking down the streets of downtown Minneapolis, and beyond, being able to see his work and his impact all around him. “It’s a very tangible industry to be in. See your work physically become reality and shaping skylines, adding meaningful places to communities, and creating places that people can enjoy is what makes being a project manager so rewarding.”
Hosch graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout with a degree in Construction management. He spent two summers with Kraus-Anderson as a project engineer intern and accepted a full-time position in 2018 where he’s grown his career ever since.
Hosch works primarily in the Housing sector, but also takes on various leadership roles and responsibilites. Some of his most notable projects include:
“Scheels in Eden Prairie is one of those projects that always stands out to me. It was such a fun project for so many reasons. The logistics of an indoor Ferris wheel, navigating conversations with suppliers from Jordan (yes, the country) for a 40 foot aquarium and so many one off unique details that Scheels pours into their buildings.”
While Hosch is known around the jobsite for his positive attitude and charisma he is passionate about learning and creating a welcoming workplace for all employees.
It’s important for Payton to give back to the community, and construction industry, and he steps outside the job site to do so.
See below for some of the ways in which he’s made a positive impact:
“It’s important that people know about the opportunities that the construction industry provides. Cultivating fresh, young talent is necessary and I want to help develop the next group, as we’re always looking for more people.”
“I am constantly learning and asking questions. Part of growth is learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. Not shying away from any opportunity or any piece of advice someone gives you. There are so many brilliant minds in our industry that offer so much knowledge and support as we (young professionals) are paving our way. I owe many thanks to my mentors, team members, and industry colleagues who’ve supported my endless curiosity. “
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]]>Patrick Gallagher and Pete Auvinen, Senior Project Manager and Project Manager I from the Duluth Office, won the November 2023 Core Values Award. Rob Wurzl submitted the nomination. It reads:
“My wife Kathy was driving home from work traveling north on 35W and got a flat tire. She pulled over and called me to say she had the flat and could use help (even though she is perfectly capable of such a task). I was just leaving our annual KA Fall Seminar, on my way over to help her out when she called again. She told me, “Two guys stopped and helped me and I’m back on the road.” I didn’t think much on it, but I was able to catch up to her and follow her. After we got her tire sorted out, she came up to my truck and we discussed the two guys who helped her. She reached into her pocket and handed me two name badges from our seminar… It was Pat and Pete’s names I saw. They were the ones who unknowingly helped out my wife.
They pulled over to help a complete stranger on the side of a freeway which turned out to be a “shirt tail KAer!” For them to have the compassion to do that is just great in my eyes, I am proud to work with these two and really appreciate them stopping to help!! They really do live our core values even when nobody is watching.”
The KA Core Values Award is presented monthly to a KA employee. Nominated by their peers, business partners, and clients, award recipients are selected based on their representation and practice of KA’s core values:
Integrity: Do the right thing; always be respectful, honest, and fair
Commitment: Take ownership, work hard, and keep promises
Teamwork: Collaborate to foster trust and success for all
Value People: Support each other in a safe, positive environment where people are recognized and appreciated for their contributions
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