Publication: Charlotte Business Journal, April 2, 2025
Keith Poettker, Chairman & CEO, earned the prestigious Most Admired CEO award from the Charlotte Business Journal. The program recognizes established leaders in the Charlotte region who have demonstrated a strong vision for their companies and a commitment to the community. They have a proven track record of innovation in their field, outstanding financial performance, promoting diversity in the workplace and making an impact that extends beyond the boardroom.
Honorees for this signature awards program, now in its eighth year, were chosen following a nomination process earlier this year. Each holds the title of chief executive or an equivalent, such as president or managing partner.
Keith’s mentorship and servant leadership approach has propelled the company to achieve unprecedented success in a time that has challenged many construction companies due to labor and supply chain constraints. Since Keith’s appointment to CEO and Chairman in 2021, Poettker’s revenue has more than doubled from $183 million to $404 million in 2024.
A major factor in the company’s financial success is the relationships and strategic partners that have helped the company grow over the years. To serve those relationships better, Keith moved to the Charlotte area to oversee the firm’s southeast expansion efforts and lead this strategic growth effort.
Centrally located across all of the firm’s market sectors, Charlotte was an ideal market for establishing an office to better serve its clients looking to expand their real estate portfolio in the region.
Keith’s eye for growth and development, along with his core values grounded by faith, trust, mutual respect, and “The Golden Rule,” have secured the company with some wonderful partnerships throughout the region. His decision-making process is based on a long-term approach centered around what is in the best interest of protecting and growing the relationship. Since 2023, the company has managed over 3.3 million SF of distribution and warehouse projects in the Carolinas, and industrial buildings represented the largest share of Poettker’s revenue that year. Also that year, Poettker made the Charlotte Business Journal’s largest general contractors list and has since ranked as one of the Top 30 largest general contractor firms for two consecutive years.
Keith has created a culture that rewards hard work, empowers employees with the ability to make decisions, and provides them with training and opportunities to grow and expand their talents and career aspirations. In addition, the Poettker Team partners with community and technical colleges, associations, higher education schools, and universities throughout the Southeast region, leveraging their talents and excellent workforce development programs to create a robust workforce filled with talent, leadership, passion and the willingness and empowerment to mentor and coach others.
Recognizing that employees perform best when they know and understand their coworkers, Keith fosters team bonding through events like the annual holiday party, chili cookoff, cornhole tournament, lunch and learns, food truck visits, and family outings at various Charlotte professional sport team games.
The Charlotte Business Journal celebrated the honorees on June 5 at The Westin Charlotte hotel uptown.
Meet Keith
Describe your leadership style or guiding philosophy and how you put that into action within your organization:
“I take a servant leadership approach rooted in the principles of faith, trust, mutual respect and living by ‘The Golden Rule.’ I foster a family-oriented culture by treating employees, clients, business partners and subcontractors as family. Prioritizing and investing in employees early on and continuously creating a culture that rewards hard work empowers employees to make decisions and provides them with training and opportunities. Our company’s average employee tenure is 10 years, and many of our employees are second- and third-generation workers with deep family ties to the company’s inception.
Describe a difficult decision or major change you’ve made as the leader of your company over the past year, how you handled that and how it impacted the business:
“We recently wrapped up our 2030 strategic plan. As a family-owned business, our firm’s previous strategic plans were developed and implemented by a small group primarily consisting of my siblings and I (all company owners) and a few long-term leaders. With the firm’s growth over the past decade, we knew our approach needed to be adjusted. Although I wanted to empower others to take more ownership of the strategic direction of the company, I was worried about potential bottlenecks with so many opinions on direction. Ultimately, the ownership group decided to expand the committee, which proved beneficial.
“Additionally, our industry is evolving rapidly due to technological advancements. This brings both challenges and investment opportunities. Decisions on these investments are crucial for building efficiency and meeting client expectations. While I am optimistic about the strong ROI in operational efficiency, the implementation phase does strain the organization.”
Describe your top accomplishment of the past year:
“In 2024, Poettker Construction reached an impressive $404 million in revenue. This milestone was driven by the completion of 1.3 million square feet of new facilities and renovations in the Southeast across various sectors, including distribution and warehouse, federal and defense, and retail. Key projects included the 702,000-square-foot Gaston Commerce Center logistics park in Gastonia and the 472,000-square-foot Innovation Logistics Center in Salisbury. Poettker’s commitment to safety and quality was recognized by several prestigious organizations.
“Furthermore, the company supported over 50 nonprofit organizations through philanthropic partnerships, advocacy, fundraising and volunteering initiatives. Poettker raised over $121,000 for Dream On 3 Carolinas from its first Southeast Charity Clay Shoot and impact contributions for the gala.”
What is the top priority for Charlotte to ensure a strong business environment?
“Economic growth and development in the region have significantly benefited the community, including a growing tax base and a surplus in career opportunities. To ensure a strong business environment, Charlotte must keep up with affordable housing demands along with the infrastructure expansion and maintenance needs tied to this growth.”
What was your first job, and what is one lesson you carried forward from that?
“In the mid-1980’s, when I was around 6 or 7 years old, I started going with my father to help at our business, Poettker Construction. My task was to pick up nails and screws around the laydown yard. For every 60 nails I picked up, I would earn a soda. My dad would remind me that picking up nails was a very important job. I remember feeling upset when I missed a nail and someone ended up getting a flat tire. I didn’t realize it then, but my dad was teaching me to take ownership of my work. To this day, when visiting our project sites, I pick up nails throughout my walk.”
Who inspires you, and why?
“My father stands out as the mentor who taught me the principles of servant leadership.”
What is something you do for fun?
“Spending time with my wife and 6-year-old son. We enjoy camping trips and traveling together. I have a passion for fine wine and often research and schedule vineyard tours during our travels. My wife and I try to have regular date nights at our favorite restaurants in the area. Recently, my son took up golf, and watching him learn and grow in this sport is a lot of fun. Additionally, I enjoy boating, snow skiing, running and entertaining friends and family.”
What is one of the best books you’ve read recently, and why?
“Rebound, by Coach Matt Doherty. This book was filled with lessons learned and some wonderful leadership takeaways. Of course, the greatest book is The Bible.”
What is your best advice for future leaders?
“Never give up on yourself and learn from your mistakes so you don’t repeat them. Be a relationship builder and always treat others as you would want to be treated. Empower and encourage others to make decisions and embrace a servant leadership approach. If you do these things with sincerity, you will earn respect, and people will follow you.”
