C-Level Awards 2026: John Schulze | Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin

John Schulze has spent more than a decade championing Wisconsin’s construction industry as director of legal and government relations for the Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin, an organization founded in 1950.

A Marquette University Law School graduate, Schulze brings a combination of legal expertise and political savvy to his role. His career spans government, private practice and academia — including service as general counsel for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and seven years of teaching business law as an adjunct faculty member.

His advocacy has earned five national “Outstanding Grassroots Performance” awards and the 2019 “Excellence in Advocacy” honor. Under his leadership, Wisconsin climbed from 25th to a consistent top-five ranking on the National Merit Shop Scorecard.

“John Schulze is a masterful connector, with a long history in government relations,” said Kelly Tourdot, president of ABC Wisconsin. “His leadership has ensured Wisconsin ranks among the top-five states, nationwide, for policies that protect open competition.”

Schulze’s guiding philosophy — “no permanent friends and no permanent enemies” and “disagree without being disagreeable” — reflects the consensus-building approach that has defined his career and made him a respected voice at the Wisconsin State Capitol.