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Newsmakers of the Year
Date & Time
Event Location
The Daily Reporter’s Newsmakers of the Year awards honors individuals and companies that have made headlines throughout the year and have excelled in their field.
SAVE THE DATE
October 8th, 2026
5PM-8PM CDT
Jan Serr Studio
2155 N Prospect Ave
Milwaukee, WI
2025 HONOREES
Builder of the Year
Findorff
Business Analyst of the Year
Stacy Laux, Miron Construction Co., Inc.
CFO of the Year
Bob Schaller, Hooper Corporation
Construction Executive of the Year
Brian Enders, Walbec Group
Bert Pieper, 8PINE.
Eric Schmidt, CG Schmidt
Anna Stern, Tri-North Builders
Educator of the Year
Dawn Grenzer-Stumpf, Miron Construction Co., Inc.
Darin Nagel, Findorff
Engineer of the Year
Xuhuan Zhao, Mortenson
Estimator of the Year
Marc Gilman, Hunzinger Construction Company
Industry Connector of the Year
Bill Stranberg, Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin
Innovator of the Year
Paul Andersen, GRAEF
Matt Zummo, Gilbane Building Company
Inspector of the Year
Andrea Solomon, City of Milwaukee
IT Superstar of the Year
Sean Pollock, Tri-North Builders
Kevin O’Toole Lifetime Achievement Award
Michael (Mick) Hatch, Retired, formerly Foley & Lardner LLP
Project Executive of the Year
Tony Coraggio, The Boldt Company
Tom Felstead, JP Cullen
Nathan Pamperin, GROTH Design Group
Ryan Schmidt, CG Schmidt
Project Manager of the Year
Hannah Burant, Selzer-Ornst Construction Company
Anuj Dubey, Findorff
Tristan Hickman, Mortenson
Bryan Nuckolls, The Boldt Company
Kathryn Sullivan, Moore Construction Services
Rising Young Professional of the Year
Zach Barrow, Greenfire Management Services
Meagan DeGroot, Hunzinger Construction Company
Dylan Gratz, Tri-North Builders
Kyle Poklar, GRAEF
Jamie Pritzl, Findorff
Safety Professional of the Year
Josh Schmitz, CG Schmidt
Senior Project Manager of the Year
Matt Femal, Findorff
Kurt Hedstrom, Hooper Corporation
Alex Smart, The Boldt Company
Super Super of the Year
Nick Humburg, The Boldt Company
Ben Kuehn, Findorff
Dave Lamb, VJS Construction Services
Mark McCloskey, Greenfire Management Services
Mike Schulteis, Walbec Group (Payne + Dolan)
Josh Stanton, Hunzinger Construction Company
Sustainability Specialist of the Year
Theresa Lehman, Miron Construction Co., Inc.
Team Leader of the Year
Jamie Pauli, Hooper Corporation
Technologist of the Year
Tara Munn, Kahler Slater
Unsung Hero of the Year
Jane Foran, GROTH Design Group
Woman Owned Business of the Year
Michelle Grau, Professional Construction Inc.
Workforce Developer of the Year
Elizabeth Roddy, Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin
2024 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR
Architect of the Year, Joe Galbraith – Galbraith Carnahan Architects
Builder of the Year, VJS Construction Services
Construction Executive of the Year, Ryan O’Toole – Hunzinger Construction
Construction Executive of the Year, Linda Pawlak – Walbec Group
Construction Manager of the Year, Brandon Barden – Integrity Grading & Excavating
Construction Manager of the Year, Trista DeTemple – Ahern
Educator of the Year, Tony Carns – Cullen
Educator of the Year, Kyle Olson – Findorff
Estimator of the Year, Jasun Berka – Cullen
Estimator of the Year, Ed Person – Greenfire Management Services
Innovator of the Year, Kyle Huebner – Mead & Hunt
Kevin O’Toole Lifetime Achievement Award, Rich Lynch – Findorff
Project Executive of the Year, Jeff Maples – Mortenson
Project Executive of the Year, Jason Jones – Findorff
Project Executive of the Year, Charlie Sparks – Duffek Construction
Project Manager of the Year, Ben Bobzien – Cullen
Project Manager of the Year, Billy MacDonald – Moore Construction Services
Rising Young Professional of the Year, Mario Gonzalez – Hunzinger Construction
Rising Young Professional of the Year, Cheyenne Foster – Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin Apprentice & Training Trust
Rising Young Professional of the Year, Mitch Danner – Cullen
Rising Young Professional of the Year, Adam Gesior – Gilbane Building Company
Rising Young Professional of the Year, Johl Turzinski – Walbec Group
Rising Young Professional of the Year, Kara Nemec – Mortenson
Rising Young Professional of the Year, Mitchell Berti – Greenfire Management Services
Safety Professional of the Year, Ryan Olsen – The Boldt Company
Senior Project Manager of the Year, Ric Szalewski – Walbec Group
Senior Project Manager of the Year, Steve Gay – Findorff
Senior Project Manager of the Year, Mike Smith – Greenfire Management Services
Servant Leader of the Year, Brent Yahn – Findorff
Servant Leader of the Year, Kalib Hrbacek – Hunzinger Construction
Subcontractor of the Year, Pieper Electric
Super Super of the Year, Kris Jenks – Findorff
Super Super of the Year, Doug Hills – Mortenson
Super Super of the Year, Dan Jack – Miron Construction
Super Super of the Year, Gene Widenski – Greenfire Management Services
Team Leader of the Year, Chris Eger – Bray Architects
Unsung Hero of the Year, Tom Ungerecht – VJS Construction Services
Unsung Hero of the Year, Dorinda Corbett – Miron Construction
Unsung Hero of the Year, Michelle Forge – Gilbane Building Company
Workforce Developer of the Year, Allison Knautz – The Boldt Company
2023 NEWSMAKERS OF THE YEAR
Builder of the Year Findorff
Communicator of the Year Alex Mielke – JP Cullen
Communicator of the Year Amy Griffin – Hooper Corp.
Construction Manager of the Year Tracy Lutterman – Northwestern Mutual
Educator of the Year – Scot Lauwasser – Boldt
Engineer of the Year Sean Race – WisDOT
Estimator of the Year David Baran – JP Cullen
Estimator of the Year Bill Schlie – Findorff
Estimator of the Year Andy Seiter – Hunzinger Construction
Estimator of the Year Chris Meulemans – Miron Construction
Innovator of the year Gardner Builders
Innovator of the year empowHER
Kevin O’Toole Lifetime Achievement Award Dan Swanson – JP Cullen
Pawsitive Impact of the Year The Mighty Thor – U.S. Vet General Contracting
Project Executive of the Year Greg Manzetti – Findorff
Project Executive of the Year Rob Myers – Mortenson
Project Manager of the Year Dan Semrad – Boldt
Project Manager of the Year Tim King – Mead & Hunt
Project Manager of the Year Craig Hanson – J.F. Ahern Co.
Project Manager of the Year Jake Miller – Moore Construction Services
Rising Young Professional of the Year Michelle Perttunen – Mortenson
Rising Young Professional of the Year Michael Moe – Greenfire Management Services
Rising Young Professional of the Year Luke Mikula – JP Cullen
Rising Young Professional of the Year Mitch Gallitz – Walbec Group
Rising Young Professional of the Year Cam Evans – Findorff
Rising Young Professional of the Year Olivia Schulte – Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin Apprenticeship
Rising Young Professional of the Year Nathan Derks – Bray Architects
Safety Professional of the Year Nick Femal – Findorff
Safety Professional of the Year Jeremy Brunhoefer – J.F. Ahern Co.
Safety Professional of the Year Sara Gorenchan – Miron Construction
Senior Project Manager of the Year Dave Chmielewski – Findorff
Senior Project Manager of the Year Derek Burdick – Findorff
Senior Project Manager of the Year Matt Berth – J.F. Ahern Co.
Super Super of the Year Steve Hordyk – Mortenson
Super Super of the Year Mike Holl – Greenfire Management Services
Super Super of the Year Brandon Hill – JP Cullen
Super Super of the Year Jeff Hatzenbeller – VJS Construction Services
Super Super of the Year Jared Write – Tri-North Builders
Super Super of the Year Nick Molnar – Findorff
Super Super of the Year Shane Scoles – Boldt
Super Super of the Year John Griffin – Miron Construction
Super Super of the Year Dan Parente – Hunzinger Construction
Teacher of the Year Morgan Aune – Tri-North Builders, Little Builders Day School
Team Leader of the Year Dan Schneider – Miron Construction
Unsung Hero of the Year Mike Malloy – Mortenson
Unsung Hero of the Year Jenny Rzepiejewski – VJS Construction Services
Unsung Hero of the Year Matt Rosch – Duffek Construction
Unsung Hero of the Year Kevin Dempsey – Findorff
Woman-Owned Businesses of the Year Allyson Nemec – Quorum Architects
Workforce Development Provider of the Year Hooper Corp.
2020 Newsmakers of the Year
2019 Newsmakers of the Year
2018 Newsmakers of the Year
2017 Newsmakers of the Year
2016 Newsmakers of the Year
2015 Newsmakers of the Year
2014 Newsmakers of the Year
2013 Newsmakers of the Year
2012 Newsmakers of the Year
2011 Newsmakers of the Year
2010 Newsmakers of the Year
2009 Newsmakers of the Year
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