Case Studies Region: Midwest

In 1987, Johnny Morris, who founded Bass Pro Shops, purchased a small parcel of lakeside property to create a “fish camp” getaway for his outfitters. Thirty-seven years later, that initial vision has evolved to become a luxury wilderness resort known as Big Cedar Lodge. The award-winning destination sits on 4,600 acres across the Missouri portion […]

It was an ordinary doughnut shop in International Falls, Minnesota—part of the Tim Hortons chain and a place for people to come for a snack or linger over coffee with friends. The shop was also part of the portfolio of plumbing and HVAC mechanical contracting services provided by Shannon’s, a family-owned business based in International […]

While many children spend their free time playing with toys or video games, Trey Poe did things differently while growing up in New Mexico. His father, Lewis Poe, is a retired electrical engineer who used to take him on jobs when he was a kid. “We went everywhere from a burned-down fast-food restaurant to a […]

You could say that Mark Radtke is one driven man when it comes to his professional and personal interests. For the former, there’s The Cincinnati Air Conditioning Co., where he’s the third-generation owner and chief executive officer. On the latter, there’s the nonprofit Salty Dog Museum, which he co-founded and operates in nearby Shandon, Ohio, […]

In 1948, Nick Thomarios started a small painting company to meet the needs of his neighbors as well as residents of nearby communities. His son Paul Thomarios would often join him, wielding brushes and rollers. Later on, as a political science undergraduate student at The University of Akron, the younger Thomarios would spend his summers […]

Glass and concrete: Two seemingly diametrically opposed materials, one known for its fragility and the other for its strength. So, how could glass ever replace concrete? One Wisconsin company has discovered the secret to using post-consumer recycled glass as a one-for-one replacement for cement—and the leadership at Wausau Tile is working in partnership with it. […]

Light drastically influences the way people perceive their surroundings. Imagine a haunted house without flickering and broken lights or a Broadway play without a spotlight shining down on the performers. Since 2013, Lisa Smola-Hollo has been bringing a similar mindset to Ulta Beauty, where she has been the director of construction and remodels for one […]

In the early 2000s, Tony Palumbo was a general contractor, someone who handles everything from materials and equipment to labor for construction-related projects. Rush Oak Park Hospital hired him every so often on a contract basis. Having worked on everything from retail to residential homes and commercial properties, he found he really enjoyed working on […]

Michael Blanchard gets a charge out of building long-term working relationships. As the owner of Vision Electric & Plumbing, he’s cultivated plenty of them with agricultural producers for more than 25 years. Now as the company adds commercial electrical and plumbing to its service offerings, he says he and his team always think long-term as […]

It’s a sensitive operation, much like what goes on in the surgical units at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Only it’s the hospital itself undergoing the operation as part of several major renovations and expansion projects that have been ongoing since 2020. And a hospital being a 24/7/365 operation, some very intricate procedures […]