In 1975, when he was just 16 years old, Joe Erhardt began working for his father, Larry Erhardt Sr.’s, contracting and construction management company, Erhardt Construction. Now, after 42 years total years of service—31 of which were spent at the helm—Joe Erhardt announced his retirement as chairman and CEO of Erhardt Construction, effective Dec. 31.
Come the New Year, Erhardt will transition into an advisory role, acting chairman of its advisory board.
Longtime Erhardt President, Ben Wickstrom, will take over as CEO and the largest shareholder of the company, while current vice president Taggart Town will also acquire ownership of the firm, both leadership moves part of a larger eight-year succession plan put in motion by Erhardt to transfer leadership and majority ownership to Wickstrom.
“After 42 years of active involvement, the time has come to formally step back and allow the next generation of leadership to continue to grow the company and lead it into an exciting future,” Erhardt says, adding that he “couldn’t be more thrilled” with how seamless the transition over the past eight years has been.
“My goal through this succession has been to ensure that continued success of Erhardt Construction as a positive contributor to our community and an employer that provides good work opportunity to so many great people and families,” he says. “It’s a clear sign to me that the next generation of leadership is well prepared to lead the company for years to come.”
After graduating with a degree in civil engineering from Michigan Technological University, Wickstrom, now 42, started at Erhardt Construction as a n assistant project manager in 1998, becoming its vice president in 2006, executive vice president in 2009, and finally president of the company in 2011.
As part of his new CEO role, Wickstrom has elevated two other Erhardt executives to join him on the new leadership team -- Ryan Formsma, project development director, and Stan Elenbaas, senior estimator.
A licensed residential builder, Formsma has more than 23 years of experience in the construction industry and leads the company’s client relations. Elenbaas, a graduate of the construction management program at Ferris State University and LEED accredited professional, has been at Erhardt for the past 21 years and in the business for more than 30.
“I have respect, appreciation and gratitude to Joe Erhardt and Larry Erhardt for the opportunity I’ve been given over the past two decades,” Wickstrom says. “I have been blessed to work for a great company with great people. Now to have the opportunity to continue to lead the company as an owner, along with our team, is humbling and exciting.”
Based in West Michigan, the general contractor, construction management, and design-build firm services commercial, education, worship, municipal, and heath care industry clients, and is behind some of Grand Rapids’ most recognizable buildings, such as the DeVos Place, the Van Andel Arena, Van Andel Institute, the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel Tower, and the Salvation Army Ray Joan Kroc Corps Community Center.
Recently having finished restoration and renovations efforts for the historic St. Cecilia Music Center, Erhardt has also been behind several Spectrum Health building renovations at both its Butterworth and Blodgett campuses, and has built $105 million in LEED projects since 2006, beginning with the Aquinas College Hauenstein Library.
Wickstrom says though there have been some structural changes in ownership, the company itself will not immediately experience any major shifts in business operations, adding that he, Town, Formsma, and Elenbaas will continue to follow the examples set by Joe Erhardt and his father Larry as they move forward in new leadership roles at the company.
“They instilled in all of us the guiding values and principles that set us a apart…We continue to look to the future to grow our business in a way that serves our community, our clients, and our employees and their families,” Wickstrom says. “We’ll always be a family company.”
For more information about Erhardt Construction or their past and current projects, visit
www.erhardtcc.com.
Written by Anya Zentmeyer, Development News Editor
Images courtesy of Erhardt Construction