Berghammer :: Behind the Hammer
Berghammer :: Behind the Hammer
Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online.
Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online. Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online. Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online.
Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online.
Project
Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online.
Community
Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online.
People
Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online.
Mind-Bender
Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online.

Leif A. Nesheim, President & Principal
Leif A. Nesheim
President & Principal
leif@berghammer.com


Business Development Is Everyone’s Job!

All of us are familiar with the term Business Development. It’s a function by which organizations develop an outreach of branding, marketing, and personal relationships, to bring clients in the door and create loyalty, goodwill and opportunities. It doesn’t just apply to new prospects, but to existing clients as well. There is usually a person or two dedicated to this function, one of whom is usually a Principal or the President of the company. These people, and hence the organization, are connected to a lot of people, and there is a network of information gathering that gives them a first alert of an upcoming opportunity.

Business Development is not just the purview of a few individuals. It’s everyone’s job throughout the organization to present themselves properly at the appropriate level of management. You need to be conscious of how you represent yourself. A receptionist doing a great job of directing a phone call to the appropriate party; administrative staff being timely and thorough with required paperwork follow-up; phone calls returned within a reasonable time period; I think you get the idea. Every external touch someone has is an opportunity to impress that person, not just about you, but about your organization. We can’t predict what will happen behind closed doors outside of our own organization. Wouldn’t it be great if the President of the organization you are working with approached their co-worker that you have worked with and said, "we have a new assignment coming up", and the co-worker’s response was, "would there be an opportunity for me to work with (insert your name here) again?". Hopefully, you can see why everyone has a responsibility to contribute to Business Development.

Food For Thought

Regardless of whether it’s a robust market or a soft market, whatever happened to exceeding a customer’s expectations? It’s something we should be doing every single minute of every single day.

Sincerely,

Leif A. Nesheim

Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online.
Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online.

Featured Project: DRS Power & Control Technologies, Inc.

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Architect: HGA Architects and Engineers

From Concept
Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online.

To Completion

It may not be the longest running project in Berghammer’s history, but it is certainly a contender. Since the original pre-design meeting in 2003, we have had two years of pre-planning, a one-year approval process and 18 months of actual construction activity. Now the DRS project team of Jim Parks, John Pszonak, Matt Iwanski, Gary Artymiuk, Kelli Fraley and Beth Tabat is wrapping up the project!

The client is DRS Power & Control Technologies, Inc., a leading supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and prime contractors nationwide. Many of the project challenges involved reconciliation of the original client vision with the approved project budget. Now that it’s all said and done, however, the client is effusive in their praise, and the new spaces are contributing to happier employees and enhanced productivity.

Berghammer’s value engineering process produced approximately a 15% savings from the initial project budget, while preserving many of the original desired project components and substantially fulfilling the original project objectives.

The project was built in five phases, with the goal of consolidating the client’s operations from 600,000SF of space into 300,000SF, freeing up the other 300,000SF for potential third party leasing. It was critical that DRS be able to continue operations, protect security and keep employee morale and productivity high throughout the duration of the project.

The greatest challenge was the Phase 4 consolidation and reconfiguration of the main offices. New conference rooms, cafeteria, a unique "mainstreet" concept to make private offices resemble "buildings," and a new configuration for support staff workspaces affording privacy along with an intimate team work environment, were all accomplished without interruption of workflow. In this phase, new HVAC equipment and functional, raised access floors for efficient data and phone cable management were also installed.

There may be no greater testimonial to Berghammer’s commitment to customer service than a project where client and contractor "live together" over a six-year period, and still remain friends at the end. Such is the legacy of the DRS project!

Project Team:
Project Executive: Jim Parks
Senior Project Manager: John Pszonak, LEED AP
Assistant Project Manager: Matt Iwanski, LEED AP
Project Coordinators: Beth Tabat and Kelli Fraley
Project Superintendent: Gary Artymiuk

Back to Top


Here’s What Berghammer’s Been Up To Lately...

Golden Hammer Awards – On Wednesday, October 7, approximately 150 subcontractors attended the third annual Golden Hammer Awards ceremony at Berghammer’s Butler headquarters. Each year, the Golden Hammer Awards recognize southeast Wisconsin subcontractors for their exceptional work and excellence in performance, quality and responsiveness on Berghammer projects. This year, there were 20 subcontractors nominated by Berghammer personnel for the awards based on overall project performance for 2008.

Golden Hammer AwardsRecipients of Berghammer’s 2009 Golden Hammer Awards included (left to right) Norm Niemiec of State Painting Co. in West Allis; Mike Chmielewski of State Painting Co.; John Loberg of Henry R. Marohl, Inc., in Wauwatosa; and Joe Zoulek of Mid City Plumbing and Heating in Butler; with Jim Parks, Executive Vice President of Berghammer Construction.


Trade Shows – Berghammer exhibited at two trade shows this fall showcasing its construction management services. The first show was the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance (WGBA) exhibition held in September at the Italian Community Center in Milwaukee. Tiffany May, Project Manager for Berghammer, participated in one of the panel discussions. One week later Berghammer exhibited at the Wisconsin Healthcare Engineering Association (WHEA) show in Green Bay.

Trade Shows

Berghammer’s booth at the WGBA Show in Milwaukee. Michael Wallace, VP of Business Development, is shown here talking to a booth visitor.



EUA Bike Ride – Six Berghammer employees participated in the 5th Annual Beyond Design Bike Tour sponsored by Eppstein Uhen Architects. The money raised from event participants and sponsors is used to help fund a variety of organizations in Milwaukee, Madison and elsewhere in Wisconsin. This year’s grant recipient was the Backpack Buddies program. Riders had the option of biking the 32, 67 or full 100-mile route!

EUA Bike Ride
The first wave of bikers awaits the start of the EUA Beyond Design Bike Tour. Somewhere in that crowd (or in the later groups) were Leif Nesheim, Jim Parks, Chris Rozof, Matt Iwanski, Cassie Nesheim and Steve Strelka of Berghammer.




HeartLove Place Golf Outing – The 7th Annual HeartLove Place Golf Outing was held at Bristlecone Pines in Hartland on September 21st. Berghammer originated this event and Leif Nesheim, Berghammer President, is the committee chairman for the outing. HeartLove Place is a conduit for the kind of lasting change needed to profoundly impact lives. Every week, HeartLove Place provides sanctuary from the streets to predominantly low-income, minority children and families in the heart of Milwaukee’s central city.

HeartLove Place Golf OutingThis foursome participating in the HeartLove Place golf outing included Andrew Horwich (on the left) of Concours Motors, sponsor of the hole-in-one contests; Maureen Toohey of the golf committee; Patrick Eddie of HeartLove Place (former New York Knickerbockers basketball player); and Leif Nesheim of Berghammer.


Back to Top


Berghammer: The Right PEOPLE

Our pre-construction planning process for new and remodeled health care facilities focuses on two main project elements – the patient and the healthcare staff. Berghammer’s very seasoned and professional Project Managers will always make sure that facility issues like noise control, infection control, and maintenance of quality air flow are addressed at the beginning of the project. Experienced health care facility PM’s like Martin Chapa, Tom Schneider, Terry Koth, Jessica Wenzel and Jeff Gerbensky know how to proceed on a systematic basis to minimize interruptions and concerns. Together they have over 70 years of health care construction industry experience to handle the many construction management details that are critical to your success.

Back to Top


Construction Mind-Bender -
Win a personalized calculator/business card case!

Be among the first 50 respondents to correctly answer the construction mind-bender below and you will win a personalized satin silver calculator/business card case! Test your construction knowledge – it will be fun. Simply click the email link below the question to reply with your answer. Good luck!


How many cubic yards of concrete would be needed
for a 6” thick, 352’ X 1050’ slab?

Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online.A. 1,140.7 cubic yards
B. 3,422.2 cubic yards
C. 6,844.4 cubic yards
D. 20,533.3 cubic yards
E. 82,133.3 cubic yards
F. None of the above


Click here quiz@berghammer.com to reply with your answer. If you are correct and among the first 50 people to reply, you will shortly receive your Berghammer gift.


Back to Top



Contact Us

As a contractor, Berghammer’s reputation is its stock in trade. It is built on consistently providing the best possible solutions for our clients, and conducting business in an honorable, ethical way.

That reputation manifests itself in a commitment to total customer satisfaction that echoes throughout the company. It is found in an unending drive to deliver the highest quality workmanship and a mission to improve our work and improve our results.

Your feedback is appreciated.

Berghammer Construction Corporation
4750 N. 132nd Street
Butler, Wisconsin 53007
http://www.berghammer.com


Telephone: 262-790-4750
Facsimile: 262-790-4755


Back to Top

Missing images?  Click link above to view this email online.