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July 11, 2023
NEENAH – Locally, Miron Construction Co. is a pretty well-known name in the construction world.
The Northeast Wisconsin-based construction firm is also making a name for itself nationally, even more so this year as it jumped 11 notches on Engineering News-Record (ENR)’s recently published list of the Top 400 Contractors in the nation.
ENR’s list ranks the top 400 general contractors in the United States, both publicly and privately held, and is based on gross revenue from the previous year derived from general contracting, construction management at-risk, the construction portion of design-build activities and equipment procurement and installation services as part of an overall construction contract.
This year, Miron ranked No. 57 on the list, up from last year’s rank of 68.
Miron is also the only Wisconsin-based building contractor to break the top 75 on the national list, recording $1.78 billion in revenue in 2022.
Making 105 years of business an even bigger celebration.
A bit of history
Headquartered in Neenah – with regional offices in Green Bay, Eau Claire, Madison, Milwaukee, Wausau and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and a yard operations location in Menasha – Miron specializes in preconstruction, construction management, design-build, general construction and industrial services to various markets throughout the Midwest – with expanded reach across the United States.
The family-owned company was founded in 1918 by Canadian immigrant Patrick G. Miron.
In the 1930s-40s, Patrick partnered with a cousin to form The Miron and St. Aubin Construction Co.
In 1949, that partnership dissolved and a new company was incorporated known as P.G. Miron Construction Co. with five stakeholders – Patrick, Roland Kippenhan, David Voss, Sr., Harvey Netzel and Karl Kuchenbecker.
A handful of relocations of the company’s headquarters happened over the years landing the company in Appleton, Menasha and eventually Neenah – a 60,000-square-foot location at 1471 McMahon Dr.
In 1979, Kippenhan, Voss Jr. and Patrick Voss became the principal owners of P.G. Miron Construction Co., Inc.
The company opened its yard operations in Menasha in 1982.
In 1990, the company changed its corporate identity to Miron Construction Co., Inc. – just a handful of years before its 75th anniversary.
Miron opened its Wausau location in 1993, sparking a push for service offerings statewide.
In 2003, in an effort to expand the company’s Midwest presence, Miron opened a regional office in Iowa, followed by the Madison one in 2004, the Milwaukee office in 2009 and the Eau Claire office in 2015.
A Miron employee does work on Neenah High School, a project the construction company is currently working on. Photo Courtesy of Miron Construction Co.
Today, Miron’s ownership team consists of David Voss III, Dan Voss, David Voss, Jr. and Tim Kippenhan – which oversees approximately 1,700 employees.
Miron is the Official Provider of Construction Services for the Green Bay Packers and Lambeau Field.
Team-effort success
When any company tries to pinpoint its success, it is typically never one thing.
A statement Kippenhan, who serves as Miron’s vice president and COO, said is true of Miron.
Kippenhan said the strength of the business sectors in which Miron focuses on not only played a role in its success in 2022 – which led to the rise in its ENR ranking – but will help build further success this year and beyond.
“We see a similar sentiment in 2023 thus far in these markets,” he said. “The trajectory our company is on is fueled by and is a direct result of, the hard work of our 1,700 employees, the loyalty of our clients and the consistency of our partner subcontractors and suppliers. The 57th ranking is a remarkable accomplishment and one we share with all of them, as we celebrate this achievement of building excellence together.”
Dave Walsh, executive vice president of human resources, said the history of the fourth-generation, family-owned company tells much of the story of how Miron has continued to have success over the years.
“Our people are our biggest and best asset – they’re the difference makers, the dreamers and the doers,” he said. “When we actively live out our core values – ‘Stay Grounded, Think Big, Rally Together, Dig Deep and Build Legacies’ – we’re unstoppable. There’s nothing we can’t do together.”
Standing out in the crowd
Walsh said Miron believes it does a few things differently that set them apart in the industry.
One of those distinctions, he said, is Miron’s preconstruction services.
Walsh said sometimes Miron works with clients or prospective clients for months or even years before a shovel hits the ground.
Dating back to 2007, Walsh said the company’s virtual construction specialists play a key role in the preconstruction phase of projects by utilizing Building Information Modeling (BIM) to provide virtual models and associated tools, which engage both the design and construction teams – with sustainability always planning a part in the planning.
Miron teams, Walsh said, do more than construct buildings – “we build dreams.”
“As we grow, our communities grow,” he said. “We embrace the importance of giving back and encourage all our employees to get involved by assisting their neighbors in need and bettering the world by putting their unique interests and talents to use for the greater good.”
A Miron Construction employee does work on Bellin’s Ashwaubenon Ambulatory Surgery Center project. Photo Courtesy of Miron Construction Co.
Walsh said the company and its employees make a conscious effort to give back to the communities they call home.
Miron raised $3.2 million in sponsorships and donations, $775,000 in in-kind services in 2022 and logged 598 hours of volunteer time.
The company was named the Community Partner of the Year in 2023 by the Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity and was recently recognized by the Fox Cities Chamber as a gold-level Employee Friendly Workplace.
Walsh said the chamber’s recognition highlights Miron’s commitment to promoting work/life integration by creating a positive work environment and experience for all employees.
“A winning workplace culture doesn’t happen by chance,” he said. “It involves intention and careful nurturing. Everyone at Miron – from the interns to the owners – invests time and energy into making the culture what it is. Miron is a workplace where people can begin, cultivate, grow and finish out their careers in construction.”
Voss, Jr., who serves as president and CEO, said the energy at Miron is palpable.
“Every year that passes, I’m thrilled to see the upward growth and progress we make,” he said.
For more information about Miron Construction Co., Inc, visit miron-construction.com
Growth
In May, Miron broke ground on a 15,000-square-foot office in Chippewa Falls, which will replace its current one in Eau Claire.
The $7.5 million project, which is expected to be completed in spring of 2024, will feature open workstations, collaborative spaces, training rooms and meeting spaces for clients and community organizations, company officials said.
The office will include sustainable features, such as geothermal heating and cooling and a photovoltaic-ready roof structure.
Company representatives said it will also seek LEED certification, a sustainability achievement given by the U.S. Green Building Council.
