Constructing A Legacy
Since 1907, Hunzinger Construction Company has built the structures that give Wisconsin its pulse. They built Miller Park, The Marcus Amphitheater and countless other entertainment venues. Hunzinger has constructed facilities for some of the Midwest’s greatest companies, including Miller Brewing, Harley Davidson and John Deere. Millions of students have walked through the halls of grade schools, high schools and universities built by Hunzinger.
Hunzinger builds the commercial, industrial and retail centers where tens of thousands of people work and shop each day. They have become Wisconsin’s contractor of choice for healthcare facility construction and renovation, a highly specialized and challenging market sector. John Hunzinger, President, believes that his family’s company has prospered due to the strong relationships forged with employees, subcontractors and clients.
“We have employees here that are second and third generation, which means a great deal to our family,” he explained. “The loyalty of our subcontractors and clients is equally impressive, and we know this is a result of our dedication to quality, safety and timeliness.”
Hunzinger provides a full range of general contracting, construction management and design-build services. Jim Hunzinger, Executive Vice President, contends that understanding risk is the key to success in their industry. “Our people must understand exactly when a risk transference takes place as well as the magnitude and layers of that risk,” he explained. “Educating our employees about risk management and other critical facets of our business is a top priority at Hunzinger.”
HCU: Hunzinger Construction University
The question of how much gross profit is made on a $10 million project was raised by John Hunzinger to a host of employees. Answers ranged from $750,000 to $3 million. The actual figure of around $300,000 left mouths agape. This misunderstanding of profit potential led to the founding of Hunzinger Construction University in 2001.
“At HCU, we help employees learn to read a balance sheet and income statement so they can understand how dollars of revenue generate pennies of profit,” John Hunzinger said. “I learned years ago that there’s no substitute for an open-book policy. Sharing financial information helps our employees realize that controlling costs is everyone’s responsibility. Open communication enables us to build trust and establish a strong sense of teamwork.”
Collective Best Interests
Hunzinger’s safety training and employee screening is also unrivaled in their market. All employees of subcontracted companies must go through stringent screening regulations and site-specific safety training. Hunzinger often enlists the help of experts to address their employees regarding pertinent issues facing the construction industry.
“Often we can see sign posts of danger down the road, but we need to be able to turn to someone and ask how to address that potential danger,” John Hunzinger said. “There was a recent mold litigation craze that targeted large general contractors much like asbestos years back. The Horton Group participated in a discussion panel with attorneys and industrial hygienists to address this topic. We depend on The Horton Group and other experts to help educate our people and they never let us down.”
Rob McIntyre, who is the Wisconsin Branch President of The Horton Group, often accompanies Hunzinger to client negotiations to discuss how insurance works into their collective best interests. Jim Hunzinger feels that insurance and risk management are issues too often swept under the rug.
“A lot of general contractors choose to ignore the realities of our industry and don’t bring up the notion of risk,” Jim
Hunzinger said. “I have such great confidence in The Horton Group that I bring them into complex negotiations and ask them to discuss the risks everyone may face in that project. Our goal is to incorporate an adequate, effective insurance and risk management package into the total cost of the contract. This often becomes an educational process for all parties involved.”
Finding Reason To Give Thanks
When the owners of Hunzinger looked back at the history of their company, they saw three critical success drivers – the quality of their clients, the quality of their subcontractors and suppliers, and the quality of their employees. Hunzinger accepts nominations from their employees for the annual Q3 Award, which recognizes excellence in service from any of the aforementioned partners.
Hunzinger also maintains an unwavering dedication to various philanthropic endeavors, most notably the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The company hosts an annual golf outing to raise funds for Make-A-Wish, which has resulted in more than 50 wishes granted to date. Hunzinger employees at all levels take an active role in the wish granting experience. The people of Hunzinger also recently spearheaded an ongoing care package drive that has sent more than two tons of bare necessities and hard-to-find treats to soldiers serving overseas.
Hunzinger Construction Company is poised to build great structures in Wisconsin and beyond for another 100 years. John and Jim Hunzinger are confident that the values they learned from their father will be passed on to the company’s fourth generation.
“Honest relationships will always be the cornerstone of this company,” John Hunzinger concluded.