91制片厂 today announced it has earned a National Safety Merit Award from , which was presented at the 34th annual Excellence in Construction庐 Awards during ABC Convention 2024 in Orlando, Florida, on March 14.

91制片厂 received a National Safety Merit Award for its continuous commitment to safety on the job. The award was presented to only 45 contractors nationwide.

鈥淎迟 91制片厂, we prioritize safety and health above all else,鈥� said Charles Wilson, Vice President of Risk Management. 鈥淲e are extremely proud to have maintained a flawless safety record on all of our projects, and we are fully committed to upholding safety excellence throughout our entire company. Whether it’s our top-level management or our workers on the job site, safety always remains our number one priority.鈥�

The 2023 National Safety Merit Award winners were selected from ABC member firms that achieved Diamond, Platinum or Gold status in ABC鈥檚 STEP Safety Management System in 2023, reflective of their 2022 safety performance data. During the selection process, contractors were judged on self-evaluation scores, lost workday case rates, total recordable incident rates, leading indicator use, process and program innovations, and interviews conducted by members of ABC鈥檚 National Health and Safety Committee.

“Safety isn’t just a value at Poettker; it’s at the core of everything we do,” emphasized Keith Poetter, Chairman and CEO of 91制片厂 Company. “We base all our actions and decisions on it, and we’re proud to say we’ve maintained a zero-accident performance on our projects. It’s something we absolutely refuse to compromise on, and we’re pleased to be recognized for it.

ABC鈥檚 STEP Safety Management System provides contractors and suppliers with a robust, no-cost framework for measuring safety data and benchmarking with peers in the industry. The self-assessment tool helps participants identify real opportunities for scalable growth in their safety programs to lower their total recordable incident rates.

91制片厂, an award-winning family-owned construction company, closed out the 2023 calendar year with tremendous employee, financial, industry, philanthropic, and market sector growth across the company.

鈥淥ver the years, Poettker has earned a reputation for building relationships and buildings in the safest and most cost-efficient way possible, all while maintaining the highest degree of quality and emphasis on sustainable design solutions,鈥� said Ryan Poettker, president of 91制片厂. 鈥淚 could not be prouder of our team鈥檚 safety-first mindset and commitment to bettering the communities we live and serve.鈥�

Poettker continued its track record for outstanding safety performance with nearly 400,000 work hours performed without a lost time incident in 2023. National and local organizations recognized the company鈥檚 ongoing commitment to safety and quality throughout the year. The Associated General Contractors awarded Poettker 1st place for the 2023 National Construction Safety Excellence Award and the Associated Builders and Contractors designated multiple honors, from PLATINUM level designation through its STEP Safety Management Program and accreditation as a Quality Contractor to rankings as an ABC Top Performers. Poettker also moved up the national Engineering News-Record鈥檚 Top 400 Contractors ranking.
Poettker remains a Best Place to Work, a national best-in-class business, and a top-performing general contractor in the Midwest and Southeast. This year, the company enhanced its preconstruction, estimating, and project management teams with the promotion of 17 integral team members across every level.

In the commercial, healthcare, and municipal sectors, Poettker is helping Illinois-based businesses manage scalable growth, including a new branch location for Midwest National Bank and an industrial warehouse expansion for Chelar Tool & Die. Poettker is actively enhancing area healthcare services with the construction of a new medical office building for Memorial Hospital Chester and renovations at HSHS St. Joseph鈥檚 Hospital-Breese. In public works, construction continued on two new fire stations for North County Fire & Rescue, and a groundbreaking was held on the new Public Safety Building at Emerson Park Metro Station.

Poettker excelled in the Midwest and Southeast industrial markets with over 4.3 million square feet of distribution and warehouse space under construction in 2023. The company鈥檚 federal team continued to build a variety of mission-critical headquarters complexes, hangars, airfield pavements, laboratory centers, and health campus infrastructure projects. In retail, Poettker enhanced online shopping, grocery pickup, and distribution services at 32 facilities for multiple national clients.

In the utility and infrastructure market, Poettker continued its multi-phased work on substations, transmission and distribution lines, restoration projects, and facility renovations throughout Illinois and Missouri.

Poettker also had a very strong year in the higher education and PK-12 markets. The company served as the construction management partner for 12 districts located throughout the Metro East and Southern Illinois; continued its partnership with Kaskaskia College as their construction manager for a five-year network-wide facility improvement initiative; was selected to serve on the design-build team for Southern Illinois University 鈥� Edwardsville鈥檚 221,000 SF Health Sciences building; and kicked off the six-year Parkway School District improvement program with seven separate active projects underway heading into 2024.

Invested in the communities where they live and work, Poettker supported over 50 non-profit organizations through philanthropic partnerships, advocacy, fundraising, and volunteering initiatives in 2023. This past year at its annual golf classic benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Southwestern Illinois, Poettker raised an astounding $57,000 in donations. Poettker also partnered with Junior Achievement, Big Brothers Big Sisters, CEO entrepreneurship program, Boy Scouts of America, CharacterPlus, and area non-profits, schools, and colleges to expand educational opportunities in the local communities.

Publication: St. Louis CNR Magazine, October 2023

Company-wide ownership of the outcomes of the firm鈥檚 safety process 鈥� whether they鈥檙e good, bad or indifferent 鈥� is the key to success in keeping jobsites safe and projects successful.

91制片厂 Co. espouses this philosophy, as set forth in the book Extreme Ownership by retired U.S. Navy Officers and SEALS Jocko Willink and Leif Babin.

鈥淪afety has to be owned by everyone on your team,鈥� says VP of Risk Management Charlie Wilson, CSP, ASP, STSC. 鈥淲e try to embrace every planning opportunity connected with risk management and we stress collaboration so that everyone鈥檚 very best ideas rise to the surface鈥or construction companies to be successful and to build a culture that supports best practices in terms of jobsite safety, every single person has to be all in. Getting past pointing blame and diving down into the details 鈥� especially when you鈥檙e trying to avoid a specific outcome 鈥� is essential.鈥�

One of Poettker鈥檚 clients demonstrated this, motivating the company to build what is called a culpability model as a means of improving human performance in the field and in the office. Wilson says this model has proven to be a powerful tool in raising awareness of relevant safety issues, improving the understanding of the causes of adverse incidents and near-incidents and serving as a basis for developing practical guidance and resources.

鈥淚t鈥檚 something we鈥檙e all trying to do,鈥� Wilson says. 鈥淭he culpability model that we align with the most is that of a just culture鈥voiding finding blame and instead finding ways to improve the safety process, improve communication and find the deep-rooted causes.鈥�

For example, Poettker recently experienced a subcontractor injury. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 more challenging, as it involves a third party,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here was an operator who went out to make an adjustment on a piece of equipment and ended up injuring themself. The automatic question is 鈥榃hat was that operator doing wrong?鈥� But going further and analyzing that incident through the lens of our culpability model, we asked if there may have been external factors that contributed to the incident, what the subcontractor might be able to do differently or better. We really strive to create a safe space in terms of conversation and create a collaborative environment where we鈥檙e constantly seeking feedback from our people in the field鈥� and where an employee can question and offer ideas and improvements to the process. It definitely takes all of us to maintain a culture of safety. And because of this, we鈥檝e seen an uptick in safety milestones for the company like winning the National AGC Construction Safety Excellence Award this past Spring.鈥�

Conducting safety prequalifications with clients and subcontractors is another ingredient in Poettker鈥檚 overall safety strategy, according to Wilson. 鈥淚n our more extensive prequals, we ask our clients and subcontractors to describe the components in their safety policy 鈥� including how they orient workers, the length and detail of their project orientations and more. We want to make sure that when they contract with us that the workforce that will build their project is set up for success.鈥�

91制片厂 would like to congratulate NorthPoint Development for the completion of phase II of the Gateway85 industrial park in Gastonia, NC. Poettker was selected by NorthPoint as the phase II general contractor. Phase II of the park consists of buildings 4 and 7, encompassing 55 acres and adding an additional 946,000 square feet of industrial warehouse building product to the development. Gateway85 sits on 300-acres just east of Cox Road abutting N.C. 7 to the north and Interstate 85 to the south and will comprise of 3.6 million square feet of industrial warehouse product once fully developed.

Building 4 is a 241,000-square-foot single rear load warehouse with a 36-foot clear height consisting of 22 dock doors that can be expanded to 45. Building 7 is a 705,000-square-foot cross-dock warehouse with a clear height of 40 feet and features 70 dock doors that can be expanded to 140. Preparation of the project consisted of relocating an existing road that goes through the site, associated utility infrastructure extensions to support the development and land development of the 55-acre phase II area.

鈥淭his is an exciting milestone for NorthPoint and 91制片厂 is appreciative of the opportunity to support them on it鈥� said Keith Poettker, CEO of 91制片厂 Company. 鈥淭he Southeast market is seeing incredible strength and resilience across many market sectors fueled by continued population growth. In particular, the Charlotte region is evolving into a transportation and logistics industrial hub due to its superior transportation network and we are excited to play a small part in that growth as we continuing to be a resource that industrial developers can trust and rely on to assist them in their construction needs.鈥�

Congratulations Memorial Hospital Chester on the groundbreaking for your new multi-story medical office building! 91制片厂 is proud to partner with you to construct your new patient-centered care facility.

To view project details, visit our Healthcare Portfolio > Memorial Hospital Medical Office Building.

Annual golf classic raises over $280,000 in donations to date 聽

91制片厂, an award-winning family-owned construction company, raised $57,000 at its ninth annual golf classic benefitting . The golf classic was held on Friday, July 28, 2023, at Roland Barkau Memorial Golf Course in Okawville, Ill.

鈥淲e are once again thrilled to host the annual golf classic and raise money in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters鈥� mission within our community,鈥� said Kevin Poettker, vice president of business development and BBBSIL board member. 鈥淭he generosity from friends, family, business partners, sponsors, and event participants over the years has been remarkable.鈥�

There were 66 golf teams that participated this year, which helped Poettker reach its goal of supporting the mentorship organization. Proceeds will support the BBBSIL mission of assisting children in recognizing their potential and building better futures. Since 2001, the organization has matched over 1,000 elementary and middle school students in Clinton, Madison, Monroe, and St. Clair counties with a Big Brother or Big Sister mentor.

鈥淲e are sincerely grateful for the time and effort that goes into Poettker鈥檚 annual golf classic,鈥� said Kim Rawlings, Board President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Illinois. 鈥淎ll funds raised from the tournament allow us to provide mentorship for youth throughout the year and help them build their futures.鈥�

Since 2014, Poettker鈥檚 annual golf classic has raised over $280,000 in donations for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Illinois (BBBSIL).

Six team members promoted in preconstruction, estimating, and project management

91制片厂 Company, one of the nation鈥檚 top-performing construction firms, recently promoted six team members to the Preconstruction, Estimating, and Project Management Teams.

In Poettker鈥檚 Preconstruction and Estimating department, promotions include Gary Richter to MEPFP Director, Justin Luitjohan to Preconstruction Manager, Justin Dulle to Lead Estimator, and Mike Smith to Senior Estimator.

Richter joined Poettker in 2021 as Assistant Director of Estimating. He has over 35 years鈥� experience in operations, electrical engineering, and refrigeration, with management experience in financial, operational and maintenance projects. Richter received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois. In his new role, Richter will work across multiple departments to strengthen relationships and coordination with Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Fire Protection trade contractors.

Luitjohan has over nine years of experience in Infrastructure, Commercial, Industrial, Distribution, Federal, and Education markets. He joined Poettker in 2016 as a Project Engineer and most recently served in the role of Estimator. Luitjohan received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.

Dulle has over 12 years of experience in the Commercial, Industrial, Distribution Center & Warehouse markets. He joined Poettker in 2015 as a Project Engineer and most recently served in the role of Estimator. In addition to leading estimates on complex projects, Dulle will be providing mentorship, oversight, guidance, and training for the estimating team.

Smith has over 18 years of experience in the Retail, Industrial, Distribution Center & Warehouse markets. Since joining Poettker in 2008, Smith has served in roles as a Project Engineer and Estimator. In his new role, Smith will lead estimates for more complex projects.

Both Dulle and Smith received their bachelor’s degree in construction management from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.

For Poettker鈥檚 Project Management team, Peter Ratermann was promoted to Senior Project Manager and Nick Stockard was promoted to Senior Project Engineer.

Ratermann has over 11 years of experience in the Commercial, Industrial, Distribution, and Education markets. He joined Poettker in 2016 as a Project Engineer and most recently served in the role of Project Manager. Ratermann received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.

Stockard joined Poettker in 2022 as Project Engineer with seven years of experience in electrical systems design and commercial construction. Prior to joining Poettker, Stockard served in the United States Navy providing construction support of operating forces. Stockard is currently pursuing a bachelor鈥檚 degree in applied management from Rankin Technical College.

鈥淚t has been a remarkable year for growth at Poettker and that is a testament to our team鈥檚 commitment to proactive safety, quality, preconstruction, and project management initiatives, whether it be in the field or at the office,鈥� said Ryan Poettker, president of 91制片厂. 鈥淐ongratulations to these talented and diverse individuals on their much-deserved promotions.鈥�

Forty-three years ago, Charles 鈥淐huck鈥� Poettker founded a small commercial contracting company in his hometown of Breese, Ill. Since then, 91制片厂 has built a reputation for delivering quality projects in the safest and most cost-effective way possible.

鈥淥wners and developers really appreciate collaboration and financial transparency on their real estate projects and is why 95 percent of our commercial real estate portfolio comes from repeat clients and referrals,鈥� says Ryan Poettker, President of 91制片厂. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really a testament to our team鈥檚 approach to ensuring proper project execution is backed by unparalleled financial transparency.鈥�

Poettker鈥檚 prowess is demonstrated through ongoing partnerships with clients in the commercial real estate, retail, multifamily, distribution, and warehouse sectors. From one-off projects to large regional distribution centers to the rollout of multiple locations, Poettker utilizes these past experiences along with historical cost database of similar projects, partnerships with local trade contractors, and knowledge of current industry trends to help any size business achieve their goals.

In distribution and warehousing, Poettker completed over 3 million square feet of projects in the Midwest and Southeast last year and is actively working with tenants to build out commercial and warehousing space to meet additional distribution needs.

In the multi-family sector, Poettker partnered with Premier Senior Living and the St. Louis Design Alliance to open the developer鈥檚 first Illinois destination for a new assisted living and memory care center in October 2022. Revela at O鈥橣allon addresses a goal frequently discussed within the City of O鈥橣allon鈥檚 2040 Master Plan 鈥� to ensure residents of O鈥橣allon have optimal housing during whatever stage of life they may be in.

Poettker has been a preferred contractor of Planet Fitness in their multi-state expansion, with Poettker providing a key role in site selection and evaluation, making sure potential locations work within the client鈥檚 budget and fits overall constructability.

Poettker鈥檚 approach of early contractor involvement, team collaboration, and shared common goals brings immense value to owners and developers in search of resilient and flexible long-term growth solutions.

91制片厂 is thrilled to move up the ranks to #86 on ENR’s Top Southeast Contractors list.

Publication: Engineering News-Record (ENR), July 2023