Northfield Construction Company

When did you start working for Northfield Construction Company? Would you describe your job for us?
I worked with Northfield Construction from 1992-2009. I started out as as a carpenter foreman and was promoted to a Project Manager in 2001. I started again in October of 2016 as a Project Manager. I am in charge of meeting with customers, estimating projects, arranging subcontractors, etc. I get to work with a job from start to finish. I enjoy working with projects of every size — people are interesting!

Can you tell us a little bit about your previous construction/carpentry experience?
I’ve been in the industry since 1985. I’ve worked on both large and small projects ranging from bathroom remodels to big commercial buildings.

When you aren’t at NCC, who do you spend your time with? Tell us a little bit about your family!
My wife and I are empty-nesters, with one pup. We enjoy time with our 2 kids when they are visiting from college.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy spending time at our family cabin in Hayward, WI. I like fishing and traveling, too.

What has been your favorite NCC project? Why?
I loved developing some property in Faribault, MN. We took land and worked with the community to get a Subway and Starbucks built at virtually the same time. It was a fun project and I learned a lot.

Chris Kennelly has been involved in real estate construction and development for fifteen years, and has been with Northfield Construction since 2012. As President, he makes sure that all projects and people are moving forward, and that NCC is not just meeting client expectations—they're exceeding them.

Chris earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Kalamazoo College and an MBA from the University of Colorado’s Leeds school of Business. He and his wife live in Northfield with their two energetic young boys.  They enjoy staying busy with sports and spending time outdoors with their Goldendoodle, Otto.  A strong believer in giving back, Chris is an active member in the Northfield and Minnesota real estate communities, including:

•    Chair, Northfield YMCA Board of Directors

•    Executive Committee, Urban Land Institute of Minnesota

•    Volunteer Hockey Coach, Northfield Youth Hockey Association

•    Volunteer Teacher, Urban Plan curriculum

•    Volunteer - Laura Baker Services Association, Three Links Care Center, Northfield Rotary

When did you start working for Northfield Construction Company? Would you describe your job for us?
My first day at NCC was November 1, 1992. I am the project manager and estimator for the commercial construction portion of NCC. In the past, I was in charge of managing and scheduling all field personnel.

Can you tell us a little bit about your previous construction/carpentry experience?
I have attended two school programs in Faribault, extension classes at the University of Minnesota-Mankato and University of Minnesota-Winona. I worked in the Twin Cities’ construction market from 1976 until 1991 as a carpenter, foreman, superintendent and project manager.

When you aren’t at NCC, who do you spend your time with? Tell us a little bit about your family!
I like to spend time with my wife Sandi, my son Nick, his wife Jennah, and their two boys, Landon and Cohen. I also enjoy spending time with my stepchildren and their kids: Kim and her husband Jerry; Chad and his wife Jill and their three kids (Malcolm, McKenzie and Payton; Kyle and his wife Kelly, and their kids Luke and Ava.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? 
Fishing, spending time with grandchildren, and working on projects at home.

What has been your favorite NCC project? Why?
There have been many large and interesting projects and a lot of churches that we have done have been enjoyable, but my favorite was Millstream Commons, which we built in 2005. It was a large and very detailed project and at the time it was built, the project had a value of 5 million plus. Very interesting project.

When did you start working for Northfield Construction Company? Would you describe your job for us?
My first day at NCC was in January of 2016. My title is Project Manager. There are many things a project manager is responsible for; including estimating, scheduling, supervising, and being a 3rd party between the customer and their finished product. Our main goal is to find the right people for the job and get them the best resources and materials to get the job done as efficiently as possible.

Can you tell us a little bit about your previous construction/carpentry experience?
I was 13 years old when I started cleaning up job sites in the summers for my father’s residential company. After graduating college with a construction management degree, I continued working for him until the collapse of the residential industry in 2008. Since then, I’ve spent time working in northern Wisconsin for a custom home contractor, and most recently working for a local commercial contractor.

When you aren’t at NCC, who do you spend your time with? Tell us a little bit about your family!
Most of my time is spent with my wife, family, and friends. My wife and I have been together for 5 years, and married for 2. We have a son named Maverick and a boxer named Koda.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I enjoy the outdoors, fishing, hunting, family events, alpine skiing, golfing, traveling, visiting with friends, and raising our son.

What are you excited for at NCC?
It’s been great getting to know the entire staff here and I’m excited to be working for a well-respected local company in the town where I was born and raised.