Scott Keller, COO of Nationwide Construction Group (Nationwide), a company of Rmd Holdings, Ltd., easily lists the attributes he believes distinguish this Richmond, Michigan-based fencing and guardrail contractor. He says that the core values…

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It’s fair to say that Thunder Valley Enterprise (Thunder Valley) of Detroit, Michigan, is the embodiment of the Motor City’s ability to reinvent itself. Founded in 2005 by Matt Calabrese, President, Thunder Valley has been providing the Detroit…

BH Awning in Benton Harbor, Michigan, has fabricated and installed commercial and residential awnings for nearly a century. Jason Krupinski, General Manager/Owner, is the newcomer to this centenarian business. “I recently acquired the company…

Jennifer Neibel calls her husband, Rob Neibel, the Founder and President of Sterling Heights, Michigan-based JS Biondi Inc., a “maestro.”

The quote beneath Tim Frankland’s name in his email signature aptly summarizes the high value that he and his team at Arisco Contracting Group, Inc. (Arisco) place on precision, clarity and quality: “A short pencil is better than a long memory.”…

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Looking for a way to pay for college, Nick Whitehurst and his twin brother, Dave borrowed $9,000 from their folks and bought True North Asphalt (True North) when they were only 19. The duo went to Michigan State University (MSU) by day and sold…

In 2015, a catastrophic fall from a roof left Larry Shaw with a dilemma. At the time, he had about 15 years’ experience as a roofing installer and had worked his way up to Project Manager, holding that position for 10 years. Beginning with residential…

Some people are fortunate enough to receive lifelong training for the careers they’ll thrive in. Ben Clark, President of Clark Brothers Building Contractors, LLC (Clark Brothers), of Delton, Michigan, and his brothers, Caleb and Luke, are three…

Though many people claim that software makes our lives easier, it’s often the case that complex training is required of those who have the least time to spare. So, what’s the easiest, most cost-effective way to automate work processes? jācapps,…

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It was the French author Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr who said nearly two centuries ago, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” Today, M.L. Chartier Excavating, Inc., a 66-year-old excavating and environmental services company…

You’ve probably been in a car dealership and noticed how the floors were impeccable. The same goes for the lobbies of newer corporate office buildings. Floors in those spaces are shiny and spotless. For Tri State Industrial Floors, Inc. (Tri…

A decade has gone by since the official end of the Great Recession, but the financial crisis is still fresh in the minds of many business leaders, including Daniel Schmidtendorff, President and CEO of Communication Company of South Bend, Inc.,…

For Snyder Construction, the recipe for success has been straightforward. “It’s about getting an understanding of the client, what they need and require on their projects,” says Justin Snyder, President and Owner. “We facilitate their goals…

For Axiom Construction Services Group, LLC (Axiom), a project isn’t just a business transaction that ends with a job’s completion. “We stand behind our work long after we’re done,” says Deib Mougrabi, who is Director of Field Operations and…

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Family bonds are strengthened during times of testing, and that’s never more true than in the Elliott family. “Testing” in this case means something else—something that directly gives the family meaning and purpose, that contributes to the…

No job is too big or too small for Contego International, Inc. (Contego) because preventing things from burning is always a good thing. Contego, founded in 2001 and headquartered in Rochester, Indiana, manufactures a passive fire-barrier coating…

One might say John Hansen has cruised into success as a Founder and the President of Suntrol Company and Custom Tint, Inc. (Suntrol), a leader in Ohio’s window film industry celebrating 45 years. That’s because the origins of his dream began…

Construction can be a tough business, but the team at Phoenix Contractors, Inc. (Phoenix) has a winning game plan for success. “We treat our people and our clients equally fair and equally well: subcontractors, architects, owners and owners’…

Ryan Moon and Dave Chie have grown Diversified Excavating and Site Utilities LLC (Diversified Excavating) from a two-person shop to a company that relies on 20 employees to dig dirt all over Southeast Michigan and Ohio.

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“This all started with just me and a van in 2009,” says Ray Barnowske, COO of Stuart Mechanical in Auburn Hills, Michigan. “I had been let go from a position as an HVAC account manager and I needed a job. So, when Broder & Sachse Real Estate,…

Resiliency is a quality one expects with newly painted walls or industrial floor installations. Both processes should leave surfaces neat and durable—free of any signs of previous adversity such as scrapes, dings, dents or scratches. Industrial…

Spirit & Sons, Inc., a family-owned and operated roofing contractor based in Brighton, Michigan, specializes in installing and maintaining flat commercial roofs and standing seam metal roofing systems. It was founded in 1983 by Dan O’Neill,…

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Stony Creek Services, Inc. is in the business of solving problems. “We work with customers to provide services and technologies that improve energy efficiency, reduce noise and optimize acoustics,” says President Anton Cornellier.

Woodland Direct, Inc. thrives through its mission: “Learn. Shop. Enjoy.” Andrew Ingram, founder and President, 
explains the slogan that permeates the company culture:

Concrete Cutting & Breaking Co. (CCB) is celebrating 45 years in business. The company name succinctly describes one of the niche services it provides: “We cut concrete. Any location, any type, any thickness,” says Rick Olson, general manager.

Search the internet and you will find more than 53 million results on the characteristics of a great team, each containing a different theory or perspective on the dynamics that result in peak performance. It’s clear there is no “one size fits…

Thomas Edison and his team at Menlo Park, New Jersey, forever changed the way we see the world when he patented the first commercially viable incandescent light bulb in 1880. In recent decades, however, an increased demand for more resilient…

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The Dore family has demolished and abated structures for 60 years throughout the United States and around the world. “We’ve got a lot of experience,” says Arthur Dore, founder and Chairman. As a newlywed, Dore began with taking down houses to…

After more than 35 years in the construction industry, Windale Tate has learned a thing or two about how to succeed as a general contractor. The CEO of Metropolis Excavating, Inc. (Metropolis)—a utility infrastructure, site development and excavation…

With a tenure that extends back to Michigan’s Housing and Urban Development (HUD) days of the 1970s, third-generation, family-owned G. Fisher Construction Company (G. Fisher Construction) has thrived in a low-income residential market for 60…

As a lifelong resident of Detroit, Leon Petty has seen his hometown struggle in recent years as the Motor City attempts to remake itself in a changing economy. And as the owner and President of an environmental remediation company, Go Green…

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When five members of a family lose their jobs on the same day, some would see it as a crisis. The Vork brothers saw it as an opportunity.

Commercial buildings come in all shapes and sizes, from upscale mixed-use developments to high-rise hotels to leading-edge health care facilities. But without the art of rough carpentry as their starting point, none of these myriad and complex…

In 1960, Jack Schodowski, a Detroit-based sales representative with a growing family decided to take his fate and fortune into his own hands and strike out on his own by founding Shelving, Inc., an Auburn Hills, Michigan-based company that now…

Old structures needing a little love motivates the owners of Community Building Services (CBS) into action.

When Albert Einstein coined the phrase, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity,” he was likely motivated by someone just like Kent Tackett and his sons.

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A workshop in a converted one-car garage … a resolve in the face of doubters … a generous and supportive benefactor … two hours of sleep each night while working the day job and the dream job … a belief that engineering and customization concepts…

Commercial Contracting Corp. (CCC) is continuing its long ride with customers in the automotive industry—and with those in manufacturing, power and commercial markets—because of its legacy as a qualified, mission-focused “passenger.”

Keeping things cool is the name of the game for Ken Papa, who has spent two-and-a-half decades guiding restaurants and other commercial clients through the ups and downs of maintaining icy conditions where and when they need it—24 hours a day.

Flint, Michigan, has made national headlines in recent years. Anyone who has seen or heard the news knows of the water crisis and the mounting challenges that this city has faced.

Detroit’s Hamilton Anderson Associates (HAA) has a vision, and that vision is to create a team where the sum of their design solutions is greater than the parts. This simply means that they value inclusive thinking and bring all their ideas…

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Founded in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1939 as a tile installation subcontractor, Wolverine Building Group (Wolverine) has grown into a large general contractor with national reach. The company’s diverse portfolio includes multifamily housing…

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Lakeside Surfaces Inc., one of the largest fabricators of quartz countertops and surfaces in the Midwest, is all about sustained long-term growth. Established in 1992 by current company President and CEO Rob Riegler, Lakeside Surfaces now employs…