More than capable of running Kraemer Brothers’ largest projects, recently retired project superintendent Bill Reetz has been relied upon for more than 30 years to lead and oversee some of our biggest efforts – from a Shopko in the beginning of his stint – to the Ho-Chunk Casino, Hotel and Convention Center in 1999 – to more recent landmark projects for Promega Corporation – and dozens of other major projects. At Covance Laboratories, where he did countless projects large and small between 1989 and 2011,

Bill’s tenure spanned three different ownerships and exceeded many of Covance’s own employees’. His knowledge of the facility and his longevity was so seasoned that Bill eventually was RE-remodeling areas for this client. Bill was also known as a detail man, and when plans lacked design he had the knack for filling in the holes. Bill wonderfully performed the role of mentor to those he took under his wing, particularly up-and-coming Kraemer Brothers leaders. As valuable to construction as his all-encompassing building knowledge was Bill’s ability to assure owners that their best interests were being well taken care of.

Clients such as Promega Corporation and Covance came to value his ability to help them truly understand the choices, challenges and processes along the path of construction. At Promega, Bill attained such a reputation for bringing value and direction to the firm’s construction program that – after the success of the Feynman Center – he was asked by the owner to delay retirement and construct one more key project, the Promega Kepler Center. Kraemer Brothers is as grateful as Promega that he agreed to this request. We wish Bill all the best now that his tasks for Kraemer Brothers and our valued clients are complete.

The Associated Builders & Contractors of Wisconsin (ABC) recently announced that five of Kraemer Brothers’ latest projects will be honored for excellence in construction. Winning projects include the Promega Kepler Center, the Fairfield Inn & Suites Renovation, the Sauk Prairie Medical Clinics & Office Building, Kalahari Resort and Conventions – Poconos Mountains – Phase I, and the Sauk Prairie Schools 2020 Building Program. The ABC Projects of Distinction award banquet will be held in February. As their contribution to the award application, the owners and architects of these projects evaluated Kraemer Brothers’ performance with words of praise. The architect of the processing center, said, “Communications regularly held assured a network of relationships. This effectively resulted in a project with a minimal percentage of field changes, leading to the project’s on budget completion – in time and money.” The Sauk Prairie School District superintendent, said, “In all of my 37 years of leadership, teaching and serving in education, I have not experienced a more positive, knowledgeable and hard-working group of people.” Owner of the medical office said, “The integrity and attitude of Kraemer Brothers at all levels and types of their employees is unsurpassed. Their ‘can do’ and ‘will do’ spirit is universally supported throughout the firm.”

With a successful referendum passed last April, the Platteville School District selected Kraemer Brothers once again to build multiple projects for its school system in Platteville. Kraemer’s project leaders each are coming off successful school projects for Sauk Prairie and Fennimore. Next month they will break ground at Westview Elementary School for a large addition and renovation project. Next spring and summer there will be three additional projects at other schools in the city, including a renovation at Neal Wilkins Elementary, a renovation at the Middle School and renovations and an addition at the High School. The overall project is reminiscent of Kraemer Brothers’ last time working with Platteville School District when in 1997 additions and renovations were simultaneously completed for several schools, including the High School, Middle School, O.E Gray Elementary, Neal Wilkins Elementary and Westview Elementary. This major, multi-school project will be completed in time for the 2016-17 school year.

PHOTO CREDIT: PLATTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Daily Reporter newspaper will honored Kraemer Brothers projects at its 16th annual Top Projects awards dinner on May 14 at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in downtown Milwaukee. The Promega da Vinci Building and Sauk Prairie Hospital projects are among more than 30 other notable projects from across the state that received recognition. These same projects also received Projects of Distinction awards last year from the Associated Builders & Contractors of Wisconsin. In his evaluation of the da Vinci project, architect Steve Wellenstein praised Kraemer Brothers, saying, “There was never a need for me to intercede on the owner’s behalf on anything. Kraemer always approached any occurrence with what is in the best interest of the project, and never what is in the best interest of Kraemer.” In his evaluation of the hospital project, architect Matt Tendler said Kraemer Brothers was “very professional and collaborative during all phases of the project. They did what was best for our client, delivered a high quality project, and it was below budget and on time!” Congratulations to all involved, whether their projects receive public recognition or not; Kraemer Brothers’ clients are simply grateful we build each and every project at an award-winning level.

PHOTO CREDIT: VISIT MILWAUKEE

Today Kraemer Brothers is participating in the annual AIA conference and exhibition at Monona Terrace in Madison where we are excited each year to touch base with architects we have worked with, are currently doing projects with, or who we look forward to teaming up with in the future. Architects represent one of the three main team members in any Kraemer Brothers construction project, the other two being the project owner and Kraemer. Events such as this are a great opportunity to share ideas and for Kraemer Brothers to offer our unique pre-construction and construction services. Please stop and say hello next time you see us at one of the many conventions around the state throughout the year. Recently, we exhibited at the April 22 cheese industry conference at the Alliant Center, the April 16 health care conference held at the Kalahari Resort in Lake Delton, and the March 19 assisted living conference, also at the Kalahari.

An award-winning cheese company and Kraemer Brothers, itself an award-winning company, are slated to commence an expansion project together this spring in Monroe, Wis. Each of our companies are proud, multi-generation family businesses with master craftsmen, making this new business relationship an appropriate match. The 20,000-square-foot addition project will feature a new brine room and raw product packaging facilities, expanding our client’s capacity to craft its famous cheese varieties. Kraemer Brothers’ return to the Monroe area has been years in the making after several projects there in the 1980s and 90’s, including five for the cheese/ dairy industry, two supermarket projects and a new church.