Going the extra mile

Mike Henke (left) and Tom Henke Photo by Ray Guansing

By Melissa Rigney Baxter

Tom and Mike Henke of Construction Supply & Erection Inc. know their duties as leaders of a successful company go beyond the walls of their Germantown office.

The brothers run the fabrication and erection company their father, Bruno Henke, founded in 1980. True to their father’s legacy, Tom and Mike — president and executive vice president, respectively — are active in trade associations such as the American Subcontractors Association of Wisconsin Inc., labor negotiation committees and union fund trustees, said Jeffrey Beiriger, executive director of ASA Wisconsin.

“There’s a real legacy of being involved at CSE, and, as a result, that has led to a very fit company,” Beiriger said. “They just don’t pay their dues and join a group; they get in there and get to work.”

That strong work ethic is a boon for customers as well as industry peers, said Mark Lillesand, operations executive with CG Schmidt Inc., Milwaukee.

“I worked with CSE on my last three office building projects, which were complex, and they handled it with ease,” he said. “They went above the call of duty and worked with us on steel procurement when that was a challenge. They really helped us move the project ahead.”

The companywide dedication to going the extra mile that started with Bruno Henke has continued to flourish under Mike and Tom’s leadership, Lillesand said.

“CSE is a great partner to work with,” he said. “Our core values align — we both care about our projects and doing the best job possible.

That caring and commitment to doing a great job starts at the top with Mike and Tom and goes right out to the guys in the field.”

The company’s handiwork can be seen throughout southeast Wisconsin, from Miller Park and Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital to the Al McGuire Center at Marquette University and expansions at Acuity in Sheboygan and Harley-Davidson Inc., Milwaukee.

CSE’s staff and leadership find time to work on a variety of projects while also dedicating time to industry groups because it is ingrained in the company culture, Beiriger said.

“CSE really has a culture of participation,” he said, “which leads to improvements for not only the company, but also for the industry.”