Publication: Illinois Business Journal, January 2020

Several company milestones and a diverse portfolio of projects from both repeat and new clients have propelled Poettker Construction Company to achieve record-breaking revenue in 2019. Back in 2010 when it was growing at the seams, the company had a vision for a new headquarters facility in its hometown of Breese, Ill. Now, nearly a decade later, Poettker saw that vision come to life when hundreds of family members, business partners and civic leaders gathered in October to celebrate the grand opening of its new, 40,000-square-foot headquarters.

The company’s president, Keith Poettker, said the plan for the new building was two-fold. “We wanted to celebrate the vision and craftsmanship of the Poettker team and demonstrate our skills and capabilities to our clients, as well as offer employees the best possible environment in which to grow and expand their career while ensuring work-life balance.”

The headquarters opening capped a busy and buzz-worthy summer for the company. In June 2019, the company opened a Southeast regional office in Charlotte, North Carolina to help better serve its clients in the education, federal, distribution, hospitality, retail, and mixed-use sectors. Along with the expansion came several strategic promotions for the multi-generation firm, including the appointments of Ryan Poettker to executive vice president and chief operations officer, and Jon Carroll to vice president project management.

Named one of the region’s Best Places to Work by both the Illinois Business Journal and St. Louis Business Journal in 2019, the company enhanced its team and hired more than 30 employees in construction management, site supervision and support roles, with a 40% increase in manhours this past year alone, the latter which earned the company a safety award for outstanding performance in the 300,000+ manhour category.

Poettker remains committed to philanthropic partnerships, advocating, fundraising, and volunteering in the communities where we work and live. This past year, Poettker partnered with local colleges and K-12 schools for vocational trade development and STEM learning programs. In May 2019, the company hosted its second annual safety merit badge center for the Boy Scouts of America Greater St. Louis Area Council. At its annual golf classic in August, Poettker raised more than $30,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Illinois’ one-on-one youth mentorship program.

Heading into the new decade, Poettker credits its strong repeat and referral business, as well as new clients in the hospitality and education markets, for the company’s success. This past year, Poettker completed projects for repeat clients including Ameren, Planet Fitness, Mascoutah School District, HSHS Southern Illinois Division, Scott Air Force Base, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Veterans Affairs, and University of Illinois, as well as various national commercial retailers. The addition of new hospitality projects in St. Louis – Seven Gables in Clayton and Le Méridien Marriott Hotel in downtown – and $50M in education projects for Richland County and Effingham School Districts this past year have positioned Poettker to continue making a tremendous impact in the Midwest and Southeast, which couldn’t come at a more perfect time when the company celebrates 40 years in business in 2020.

This article originally appeared in the January 2020 issue of the Illinois Business Journal. 

 Also featured in: Construction Forum St. Louis, Midwest Real Estate News (REJournals.com), and North Carolina Construction News