Two leaders in the local design-build sector joined forces last year when Nashotah-based construction company MSI General Corp. acquired Milwaukee-based architectural firm Tredo Group LLC. The deal marked seven years since Jeff Tredo launched his firm as a spinoff of Korb Tredo Architects Inc. (now known as Korb + Associates Architects), which he co-founded in
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Ken Krahe, president of MSI General. Photo credit: Jake Hill Photography[/caption]
Krahe: “One of the benefits of the partnership is it doesn’t change our ideal clients; it doesn’t change our target markets. It really complements our current client base. MSI General has a long history (with clients) in the industrial and manufacturing sector, which Tredo Group has great experience with. Certainly, the religious or private education office projects, Tredo Group is very strong in those and has a long history of executing a lot of those projects very well. It’s very complementary bringing the two companies together, and that’s what has led to some short-term successes early on because we’re not trying to change either of us. We’re not trying to do something different. We’re really sticking to our core values of who we are, and that has really led to this transition period being very short and letting us continue to push forward.”
Tredo: “A lot our clients, those project types, building types, one of the themes of a lot of those is they’re really privately held companies. They’re interested in highly functional, efficiently designed and operational facilities, but they want a hospitality feel to their facility, and sustainability is a big part of every project we take on. We’re not doing big medical campuses and things like that; we know where our sweet spot is and a lot of that has to do with companies and organizations that are really at the top of their game. They’re leading their industries and we’re supporting them in that effort. We get some specialty projects here and there which are really cool, sometimes it’s a food-and-beverage- or hospitality-specific (project) or a performance venue.”
Krahe: "We’ve done a few historic renovations recently. But as Jeff mentioned, we’re very strong in our design excellence, we’re very strong in our construction excellence and being able to partner with our clients that have a need: They want to grow their business, they need something to help enhance what they’re currently doing. For us to be able to come in and be a part of that and, for example, help that parish put that addition on their school – or build a new school for that matter – or complete an addition on a manufacturing company, those types of needs are what drives us, and we really feel rewarded at the end of the day because we help them grow their business and in turn it helps us grow as well.”
BizTimes: It sounds like the acquisition has already yielded positive results. What are some of the early, or short-term gains you’ve seen so far?
Krahe: “As a company, we operate on the U.S. traction model. Some of the goals, initiatives and metrics that we’ve been using have been adjusted through the dialog that Jeff has brought in, and I think that’s really helped us focus our energy in a different direction than what we were thinking before. They are very subtle changes but important not only to the continued success and continued growth of our company, but it also helps to drive better project success to our clients.”
Tredo: “One of my first weeks here, we chased a project that was a new school expansion for a private school campus. It was on my radar at Tredo Group for a couple of years, and it was a referral that came to MSI General independent of me. We went in together and interviewed against a few other strong teams in the marketplace, and we were the unanimous selection. We would have been in competition with each other in the past; now we’re putting those things together, and we’re seeing it’s well received in the marketplace.”
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Jeff Tredo, vice president - director of design at MSI General. Photo credit: Jake Hill Photography[/caption]
So, the response from clients has been positive?
Krahe: “I’ve gotten nothing but compliments (on) the partnership, and it’s also fun when you show up at a meeting with Jeff and they’re surprised to see him, which is exciting. All good surprises.”
BizTimes: What projects are you most excited about this year and beyond?
Krahe: “We’re very excited about the opportunities that we have in front of us; there’s a lot of good dialogue and a lot of good momentum in a forward direction. Certainly, there are some supply chain issues and some labor issues that we’re navigating just as everyone else is, but with our teamwork and truly our partnership model with not only our clients but our subcontractors and our other consultants, that transparent communication is what leads to successful outcomes. I’m very excited about the future, I think for 2023 and beyond we’re in a really good place, and we’ve got a lot of good momentum to having continued success.”
Tredo: “We can’t necessarily list specific projects because they’re not under contract yet, but we’re seeing a lot of strong activity from the private education and charter school world. It’s been a lot of the background for my work with different clients. Tredo Group just finished the Luxe Golf project (at Ballpark Commons) in Franklin, which was a big deal for us. We did a few projects on that campus. A lot of the work that I’ve done with places like charter schools or private operators in Milwaukee – whether it’s Wisconsin Lutheran High School, St. Marcus (Ministries), Eastbrook Academy or Milwaukee College Prep – those are all entities that are planning more projects, and we’re able to keep doing some of that planning work.”