Knutson Construction

YEARS IN CONSTRUCTION

24

JOINED KNUTSON

2011 as Vice President and General Manager of the Iowa Offices

FAVORITE PART OF THE INDUSTRY

Building a team to leave a physical legacy that will be used and enjoyed for generations

KNUTSON CULTURE

Dedication, integrity, commitment, ethical

HOBBIES

Spending time with my family, biking, playing sports, and enjoying a good meal and a great bottle of wine

KEY JOB SKILLS

A passion for construction, having a personal commitment to the success of Knutson, clear communication, and the ability to listen to all team members

HIDDEN TALENT

At YMCA camp I received the American Archer Award, the highest award given by the Camp Archery Association, and I bike ride like a Chicago bike messenger

Brendan Moore is President of Knutson Construction and provides leadership to a growing team of operations, business development, and administrative staff. Prior to joining Knutson in early 2017, Brendan spent 10 years working on large-scale sports projects for one of the nation’s leading sports builders. Brendan holds a master’s degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota and is a licensed Professional Engineer (PE). With his positive attitude and ambition, Brendan provides the leadership necessary to successfully grow the company’s increasing revenue goals.

Outside of work, Brendan enjoys music, coaching his kids in soccer and spending time with his family, working on his house, and eating good food.

YEARS IN CONSTRUCTION

35

JOINED KNUTSON

1980 as a Layout Assistant for the Metrodome Stadium project

FAVORITE PART OF THE INDUSTRY

Helping make clients' dreams a reality and celebrating with them when opening their buildings

KNUTSON CULTURE

Integrity, pride, excellence

HOBBIES

Spending time with family and spoiling my granddaughters

KEY JOB SKILLS

Understanding people's needs and wants — often before they do

HIDDEN TALENT

Excellent cook

CLIENTS VALUE

Integrity

CO-WORKERS VALUE

Sincerity, reliability, and knowing where they stand at Knutson

John C. Curry serves as Chief Executive Officer of Knutson Construction.  John represents the third generation of the Curry family to lead the company.  John started with Knutson as an intern and laborer—and played eight years of professional hockey before joining the team full-time in 2015 as a business development associate. Previously, John created the role of customer experience where he conducted experience feedback meetings with customers, led initiatives to improve customer satisfaction, and measured Knutson’s performance in delivering an exceptional experience for owners, design partners, and trade partners. As an owner, John has been intimately involved in the creation of the advisory board and current leadership structure.  He has served Knutson’s leadership team and been instrumental in developing the company’s strategic plan. John holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Boston University and an MBA from the Carlson School of Management. John’s personality, leadership qualities, and unique experience in professional sports have been great assets to the organization.

Outside of work, John enjoys spending time with friends and family—especially with his wife, Shannon, and sons Lewis and Casey. His hobbies include golfing, skiing, boating, grilling, running and hockey.

Scott Hughes is Vice President & General Manager of Knutson’s Minneapolis office and provides leadership to a growing team of operations, business development, and administrative staff. Scott joined Knutson in 2015 as a project manager and has led 100s of healthcare projects in his career including most recently the University of Minnesota Masonic Institute of the Developing Brain, Ridgeview Medical Center Emergency Department Expansion, and various projects with local healthcare organizations including Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, Hennepin Healthcare, Allina Health, and M Health Fairview. Scott supports Knutson’s operations and builds lasting relationships with Knutson’s clients and industry partners. Scott holds a BS in Civil Engineering from University of Wisconsin – Madison, participates in the Children’s Council for Children’ MN; and is active in ASHE.

Scott and his wife Stacey have four children: Lenny, Noah, Eleanor and Harriet.  Scott loves to be outside and enjoys running, hiking and fishing so he can spend time on the water. When he’s not outside, he’s  likely working on some type of house project sharpening his DIY skills.

As Chairman of the Advisory Board, Steve works in partnership with John Curry and the Board members to support Knutson’s leadership team. As part of a family owned company, which has thrived for over one hundred years, he is committed to nurturing Knutson’s values and delivering The Knutson Experience to employees, clients and partners wherever they are in their construction journey.

When away from Knutson, Steve enjoys spending time with his wife, family, and grandsons Lewis and Casey. He loves biking, boating, traveling and visiting Arizona during the winter trying to refine his golf game.

Tom Leimer is Senior Vice President & General Manager of Knutson’s Rochester, Mankato, and Iowa office and provides leadership to the team of operations, business development, and administrative staff. Tom grew up working in his family-owned residential construction business. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from Minnesota State University Moorhead, he joined Knutson in 2007 as a Project Engineer. Tom’s amiable personality and work ethic provide a different perspective on how certain challenges can be solved with just a conversation.

Tom, his wife, and their two children are avid Minnesota sports fans, attending various Minnesota team events every year; they even witnessed the Minneapolis Miracle firsthand.

Micah joined Knutson in 2013 as a project engineer before joining the preconstruction team where he has spent the past 5 years. During this time he has successfully helped the firm win work as well as ensure projects are set up for success.  In this new role, Micah will oversee Knutson’s preconstruction team including development of team members and maximizing value to all customers. Micah holds a BS in Construction Management from Minnesota State Moorhead, is a LEED Green Associate and is active in USGBC and ASHE.

Outside of work, Micah and his wife Janet along with their four children enjoy being together, especially on family road trips, camping, biking, and hiking. Micah’s hobbies include house projects, cycling, swimming, and playing hockey.

Chris joined Knutson in 2003 as Assistant Project Manager and has held roles of increasing responsibility primarily with life science, research laboratories, hospitality, and industrial projects. Chris supports Knutson’s operations on multiple projects and builds lasting relationships with Knutson’s clients and industry partners. Chris holds a BS in Industrial Engineering Technology from Southern Illinois University He enjoys volunteering for local non-profits, helping at his church, and coaching youth sports.

Chris and his wife, Tara have one child, Garrett. In his free time, Chris enjoys, traveling around this big, beautiful world, being outdoors, and spending time with family and friends.

Derek O’Connor joined Knutson in 1996 as a carpenter’s apprentice with several years’ experience already under his belt. He worked construction starting at age 15 during summers and enlisted with the Army Reserve when he was just 17. He moved to the operations side as a field engineer and has held roles of increasing responsibility ever since. Now a project executive, continues to cover a lot of ground. From mentoring team members to managing the financial side of operations and still managing projects, no two days are ever a like. Derek has had the opportunity to see Knutson’s Rochester office grow from just a few people to over 45 employees  and over 100 field employees.  And he’s seen our project types evolve and our impact on the community grow as well. Derek holds a BS in Construction from University of Wisconsin-Stout and an OSHA 30 certification. He is a member and volunteer with the Preston Services Club, coaches for Filmore Central Youth Sporting Activities and leads Preston’s Youth Summer Fast-Pitch program.

Derek and his wife Janet have three children, Jeremy, Dillon and Haley.  His hobbies include farming, coaching, going to sports activities, spending time with family, and restoring old vehicles, currently a 1970 C10 Chevy Pick-up.

Doug joined Knutson in 2017 as a project executive. He has nearly 25 years of construction experience working on a variety of project types and self-perform work. As a solid go-to for complicated problem solving, Doug believes a solid project kick-off is the key to mitigating challenges throughout a project. He enjoys mentoring teams and ensuring they have the resources they need to be successful. Recently Doug has covered ground working with project teams in Ames, Iowa, Santa Fe, NM and Willmar, MN and several closer to home including Hennepin County Medical Examiner, Minneapolis Bus Garage and various projects for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Doug holds a B.S. in Construction Management from North Dakota State University and an OSHA 30 certification. He was instrumental in launching Knutson’s Zero Incident Safety program.

Doug has 2 daughters. He enjoys spending time outdoors at Lake Mille Lacs fishing, hunting and being with his family.

Jens joined Knutson in 2012 as a project engineer and has held roles of increasing responsibility in a variety of sectors and project types, including Metro Transit Bus Garage, Park Nicollet Burnsville Campus, and various projects at Minneapolis St Paul International Airport Terminal One. Jens supports Knutson’s operations on multiple projects and builds lasting relationships with Knutson’s clients and industry partners. Jens holds a BS in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota and volunteers for Hearts and Hammers, ACE Mentoring and Roseville Youth Hockey board.

Jens and his wife Tracy have 2 children, Felix and Lottie. In his free time, Jens enjoys doing DIY projects, fishing, golfing, coaching kid’s hockey and running around town to gymnastics and soccer.

Ryan started with Knutson in 2006 working as a project engineer and has held roles of increasing responsibility primarily with higher education, research laboratories, and local government projects. Notable projects he has worked on include Children’s Hospital expansion, Target Field Station, Hennepin County Medical Examiner and numerous University of Minnesota projects. In this new role, Ryan will support the Knutson’s Operations on multiple projects, as well as continue to build lasting relationships with Knutson’s clients and industry partners. Ryan holds a BS in Construction Management, is LEED AP certified and serves as a board member for the Saints Foundation.

Ryan and his wife Kelly have three daughters, Ella, Amelia and Mabel. Ryan’s hobbies include hunting, fishing, golfing and most importantly spending time with family.  Together they enjoy traveling, exploring new places and winter wood hikes.

Rob Bremer is Project Development Director for our Minneapolis office. Rob has been at Knutson for over 13 years, which 11 of those years were in Operations and the last 2 years in project development. Rob brings his incredible work ethic, passion for what he does, and the integrity in which he carries himself to his new role while also pulling from his extensive background in project management and the relationships he has formed. In Rob’s current position he works hand in hand with operations and estimating while creating opportunities with prospective clients and also fostering relationships with current clients.  Rob stays active in multiple chamber organizations along with AHSE region 6 and MN Healthcare Engineer Associates Twin Cities chapter. Rob is a graduate from Minnesota State Mankato with a Construction Management degree.

Rob, his wife and their two children Asher and Briggs love spending time outside and traveling. When the family is not traveling from kids sport events to another they love to stay put with family and friends.

Tony Joseph is the Director or Project Development for Knutson Construction’s and is responsible for creating opportunities within southern Minnesota. Sharing his time out of the Rochester and Mankato offices, Tony collaborates with Knutson’s preconstruction team on potential projects with designers, architects and owners. Tony as over 25 plus years working within the construction industry. His deep knowledge the political landscape and network of architects, developers, public officials provides the continuity necessary to assist our clients with their projects. Tony has a Master of Business Management from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee and also holds his Project Management Professional certificate as well.

Outside of work, Tony enjoys spending time with his wife, Wendy, and his four dogs. Tony is an adjunct professor at Rochester Community & Technical College and St. Mary’s University, and serves on several non-profit board. Tony enjoys volunteering in his free time, specifically at the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester, and gets heavily involved in the communities he works, lives, and plays in.

Casey Sarver is Knutson’s vice president of human resources and provides HR leadership to all offices. Casey has over 25 years of HR experience with strength in building strategic business partner relationships and establishing collaborative HR services aligned with company culture and values. At Knutson, he focuses on attracting, developing, and retaining best-in-class talent for the exciting career opportunities at Knutson that positively impact our communities.

Casey holds an MA in Human Resources & Industrial Relations from University of Minnesota-Carlson School of Management and a BS in Business Administration, Human Resources from University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.

Casey resides in Inver Grove Heights, MN with his wife and two children. They enjoy golfing, hiking, water activities, and attending sporting events, especially MN United soccer.

As Vice President of Technology & Innovation, Katie seeks out ways to utilize virtual design and construction for all aspects of project management, contractor coordination, and visualization. Growing up in central Minnesota, she saw firsthand the skilled mason work of her grandfather. The interest in his craft drew her to complete a Master of Architecture degree from North Dakota State University. After holding traditional design positions, Katie transitioned away from an architect role and pursued her love of construction technology. Today, as a registered architect, she enjoys working alongside designers and owners to investigate and integrate new technology as a problem-solving tool throughout the project lifecycle.

Katie, along with her husband and two kids, love to travel and explore the outdoors. She loves researching and testing the latest outdoor gear on family camping, hunting, and hiking trips.

Mike has more than 30 years of experience in implementing loss prevention programs for large construction projects and is an experienced safety trainer. Mike is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and successfully applies his expertise and knowledge to try and keep Knutson’s construction projects accident free. He is responsible for developing and overseeing the implementation of Knutson’s corporate safety plan. Mike works directly with Knutson’s field staff to ensure every member of our organization is properly trained and knows how to run a safe project site. Mike has a Master’s Degree in Industrial Safety from University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Mike and his wife, Cindy, have two kids, Ethan and Kate. In his free time, Mike enjoys traveling with his family and is involved in many outdoor activities, including, skiing, mountain biking, fishing and chasing around his English setter, Izzy, hunting pheasant and grouse in the fall.  Mike also enjoys being involved in the community and volunteers his time with the Golden Valley Historical Society and with several programs through Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Adaptive Sports.

As Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Knutson, Ramona works collaboratively with project teams to achieve or exceed diversity goals, build relationships with minority-owned and women-owned subcontractor firms, and develop, implement, and monitor business inclusion plans. In addition to her success on Knutson’s projects, Ramona is the recipient of several awards including Advocate of the Year for NAMC, Minority Business Advocate for MMSDC, and being named one of the top 100 women in supplier diversity by Women Enterprise Magazine

Family is important to Ramona.  Each year she and her family attend the “Allen Family Reunion”. Held in various locations including Chicago, St. Louis, Mississippi, and St. Paul, the family has held reunions for 44 years!

Sean is a valuable member of the Knutson team and provides exceptional customer service as a project leader. Working for Knutson is how Sean first started in construction 33 years ago as a first year carpenter apprentice. Since then, he has worked on projects totaling over $500 million and has extensive experience working on all types of facilities, and is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure work environment for everyone involved. He strives for perfection and has an eye for detail, which is imperative on all construction projects. His favorite part about the job is the look of excitement on peoples faces as they walk through the site and start seeing their dream come to life. Sean loves a challenge. It drives him to work harder and find a solution in any situation that might arise. 

Outside of work Sean likes spend time with his kids, go boating on the lake, and enjoys Harley rides. He is a volunteer fireman, and enjoys to farm occasionally or visit his brothers in Nashville, Georgia, and Florida.