Jurowski, formerly of AGC of Greater Milwaukee, taking over at Building Advantage

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Having gone nearly a year without a top executive, the union-aligned group Building Advantage has hired Nathan Jurowski as its next executive director.

After vetting dozens of applicants and spending months re-thinking their priorities, Building Advantage officials found a leader who can help the industry overcome its persistent labor shortage and keep pace with the Milwaukee area’s ongoing construction boom, said Dan Bukiewicz, co-chairman of Building Advantage’s executive board.

Jurowski, an attorney, comes to Building Advantage after four years working as general counsel for the Associated General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee. That job, he said, was a nearly perfect introduction to the Milwaukee-area’s construction industry.

Before joining the AGC of Greater Milwaukee, he had worked as a trial attorney at the Kenosha-based law firm Rizzo & Diersen. His first day at Building Advantage will be Monday.

“He’s a perfect fit to hit the ground running,” Bukiewicz said. “He’s not only familiar with the management side but the labor side, too. He has represented contractors. He knows how the pipeline for getting apprentices works. He knows the value of our training. He’s pretty much an instant fit.”

The group took its time finding a replacement for its previous executive director, Ken Kraemer, who left the organization in January after spending a decade there. Bukiewicz said the group used Kraemer’s departure as an opportunity to take another look at its mission.

Building Advantage received more than 60 applications for its top position.

“It was an extensive process, and we weren’t in a hurry,” Bukiewicz said. “We were more focused on getting the right person for the job.”

Bukiewicz said the group’s goals are now more sharply defined. Under Jurowski, the organization will increase its emphasis on brand-building following a recent overhaul of its website and re-design of its logo.

Another priority will be contending with the industry’s lack of skilled labor. Jurowski said Building Advantage plans to help with the workforce-development work now being done by various labor unions and groups such as the Wisconsin Regional Trade Partnership’s Big Step program.

Following his last day at the AGC of Greater Milwaukee, on Friday, Jurowski has been working to introduce himself to even more people in the Milwaukee-area construction industry. Building Advantage, which represents more than 600 contractors and 20,000 tradespeople in southeast Wisconsin, is meant generally to promote the benefits of union construction. Jurowski said one of his goals is to bring Building Advantage’s central message to a wider audience.

As the industry tries to meet an ongoing demand for new projects, it needs to do more to make sure more people have an opportunity to enter the industry, Jurowski said. He said yet another priority will be promoting diversity in the trades.

“My biggest gift is relationship building but also understanding that there are a lot of hardworking men and women at every level,” Jurowski said. “I want to be able to look them in the eye and say that I’m (representing their interests).” Follow @natebeck9