November 19, 2024 News
This year marks a significant milestone for Shook Construction as its Indianapolis office celebrates 30 years of dedicated service to the region! From humble beginnings, Shook's team looks to the future to serve communities throughout Indiana.Ěý Together, its employees rally behind the pursuit of the firm's Mission, To Dramatically Improve the Communities We Serve.Ěý
Shook first planted roots in the Indianapolis community in response to client demand. Following a successful partnership building Meijer stores in Dayton, Ohio, the national retail chain invited Shook to collaborate in Indiana due to the team’s proven ability to manage large, complex, and time-sensitive projects with frequent changes. To meet this demand, Shook transferred employees from the Dayton office to oversee a five-year collaboration with Meijer. Subsequently, a group of Shook employees approached leadership, recognizing the opportunity to expand into the Indiana market, supported by strong relationships with local subcontractors.
“I love the story because it’s typical of Shook; we empower people to foster innovative ways, and we are smart enough to listen to [them, which has] become a key core focus of our company,” said Bill Whistler, Chairman of the Board at Shook Construction.
From its humble beginnings as an eight-person team, Shook has grown to manage projects with an even larger reach for clients in the industrial, aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and wastewater industries.
Presently, Shook is working on projects at Indy-area manufacturing plants that are integral to local, regional, and national infrastructure. Shook crews are currently managing heavy industrial work like concrete foundation pouring for a large grain manufacturer based in Southeast Indianapolis. Shook is also completing work in plants to process and manufacture pet food. The work on these facilities is vital to maintaining and improving factory operations, which in turn affects the final product that people across the country rely on every day.
“A specialty of ours is working inside existing, active plants. It’s like remodeling a house while someone is living in it. It takes a lot of communication and coordination with the teams to figure out the customer, exceed their expectations, and build long-term relationships,” said Tom Gehrlich, Director of Operations.
In addition, Shook crews are currently working at active solar panel manufacturing facilities as well as plants where batteries and transmissions are produced for electric vehicles (EVs), showing that in addition to manufacturing facilities, Shook is right at home working alongside next-gen technology. When asked about the future of the Indianapolis region, both Tom Gehrlich and Rob Wineland, Director of Business Development, share an optimistic outlook, and for good reason. Shook Construction’s specialties in water infrastructure and manufacturing plants align well with the current market trends in the Indianapolis metropolitan area.
“There is incredible opportunity for water resources infrastructure in Indianapolis, largely due to the efforts of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation,” shared Wineland. “We are excited to further expand our services into this market in the coming years in alignment with our Strategic Plan. More importantly, we are excited the impact our growth will have on our local communities as we further our efforts to live our Mission, To Dramatically Improve the Communities We Serve.”
In May, Shook gathered with clients, industry partners, and employees to celebrate its 30-year anniversary and announced a way it would be furthering its Mission in the community: a partnership with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. Over the last few months, Shook teammates rolled up their sleeves to give back by helping with a project at the historic to transform a vacant lot into a thriving greenspace for the community. Volunteer efforts included pouring a concrete slab for a storage building and water catchment system, constructing the storage building and perimeter fence, and creating two accessibility beds.
“It’s always inspiring to see organizations like Shook Construction truly embody their values by working side-by-side with the community,” shared Kelly Cook, KIB’s Greenspace Program Director. “Their support at Northwest Landing made a real difference—not only in terms of the work accomplished, but in strengthening the neighborhood’s pride and connection.”
With an exciting 30 years of rapid growth, Shook Construction looks to expand its impact in Indianapolis in the future, seeking new talent to join its ranks and as well as further opportunities to serve the people of the greater Indy area.Ěý
Founded in 1926, Shook Construction has a rich history of providing construction expertise across various markets, including education, healthcare, industrial, and water resources. With an annual revenue of $325 million and a workforce of 400+ employees, Shook operates seven offices across Indiana, Ohio, and North Carolina. Engineering News-Record ranks Shook as one of the nation’s “Top 400 Contractors,” reflecting the company’s commitment to excellence in the construction industry.
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