OUR TEAM
James Bringle
General Manager
What is your favorite part of working in the construction industry?
I love collaborating with our clients whether it is the architect, contractor, or even the owner to help them turn their design ideas into buildable systems.
What has been your favorite project you have worked on so far in your career at Empirehouse?
Lakewood Mausoleum in Minneapolis, this project had so many fine details that needed to be thought through to achieve the design intent of the architect. I spent several months collaborating with the contractor and architect to help design custom systems using custom bronze components.
How long have you worked at Empirehouse?
Since February of 1984, I have been lucky enough to work with all three generations.
Mike Gilbert
President
What is your favorite part of working in the construction industry?
The teamwork it takes to complete the whole project. Nothing is greater to say then, “we did that project.” What it really takes to understand all the components of a project.
What is your favorite part of the construction process?
Communicating transparently with our clients. The relationships. The Empirehouse Way (or the process itself). I love all the processes we have in place because I have been involved in all of them at some point in my career.
How long have you worked at Empirehouse?
My whole life if we are being specific. When I was a kid I use to mow the lawn, pick weeds, move materials, and unload windows. In high school with a few friends we started pushing gasket, making deliveries, and sometimes be a very pour second hand on jobsites. I took a full-time role 20 years ago, I have been in all aspects of the company since then: product sales, estimating, production management, and project management leading me where I am today.
James Hutera
Director of Human Resources & Finance
What is your favorite part of working in the construction industry?
I have always enjoyed the comradery that derives within this industry. Everything from a kickoff meeting to closing a year from a financial standpoint it takes teamwork and cohesion to stand out in a confident manner.
What’s your favorite part of being in the Empirehouse family?
Empirehouse has always stood up to the test of any and all difficult situations. Whether it is a deadline that needed to be hit or fighting through a pandemic as a united front. The Empirehouse family always comes together to have an effective and positive finish.
What is your favorite part of the construction process?
I have always enjoyed the numbers within a business. I also enjoy working in a team environment where all of the minds can work together in solving a questionable situation while having extremely different ideas for a solution.Â
Chad Rice
Job Superintendent
What is your favorite part of working in the construction industry?
Everyday challenges of changes, trying to evolve and keep ahead of these times that we live in today!
What is your favorite part of the construction process?
I think the best thing about the whole construction process is watching every job grow in its entirety from. Ground breaking day to the end of the whole erection process!
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Hollywood Stunt Man, because I knew I wasn’t handsome enough to be an Actor!!!
Kristin Hutera
Chief Executive Officer
What is your favorite part of working in the construction industry?
Being able to collaborate with a team of people on a project from start to finish, and the story that you are able to tell each time you are driving by a project.
What is your favorite part of the construction process?
Each project is very unique so watching our team come together from start to finish is pretty incredible to be a part of. I love being able to drive by each completed project and telling my family that Empirehouse did that job! What an incredible feeling to see and tell the story.
What has been your favorite project you have worked on so far in your career at Empirehouse?
Lakewood Mausoleum – This project has so much meaning to me. Not only did this job allow us to collaborate with a partner from the beginning, but also show them that we could be so much more valuable on a project from the beginning to the end. It is also where our founders John and Betty are placed to rest, in a way, it was like they were watching over us! Kind of cool!
Trent Johnson
Operations Manager
What’s your favorite part of being in the Empirehouse family?
My favorite part is the familiarity and forming lasting relationships that extend outside the business.
What is your favorite part of the construction process?
I enjoy the pre-planning – being presented with a challenge and developing a solution to overcome it.
How long have you worked at Empirehouse?
Since October of 1996, when my dad brought me into help push vinyl over MEA week when I was in eighth grade. I started full-time in the field when I turned 18.
Jake Reining
Safety and Quality Manager
What is your favorite part of working in the construction industry?
Construction is about building. I’ve always had an interest in constructing something with my hands. Once the project is done, it’s nice to see how the dream metamorphosed into reality.
What has been your favorite project you have worked on so far in your career at Empirehouse?
American Swedish Institute it was challenging and had a custom curtainwall. Everything was designed, fabrication, and installed by Empirehouse. It also had a lot of old history that I enjoyed about the job.Â
How did you get into the construction Industry?
I have always enjoyed working with my hands, I dabbled in home construction during college part-time. I always have been someone who likes to build and work with my hands and it seems I always find my way back to this industry. My family introduced me to the industry and I never left.
Joe Veit
Virtual Design Coordinator
What is your favorite part of working in the construction industry?
Implementation of new technologies and seeing how it influences the construction processes and the final product.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Initially it was to be an Architect.
What is your favorite part of the construction process?
Preconstruction/Virtual Design & Construction Coordination
Jason Weld
Director of Project Management
What is your favorite part of working in the construction industry?
Every day brings on a new challenge that keeps me on my toes.
What’s your favorite part of being in the Empirehouse family?
Just as you wrote – it’s a family! We are not cogs in a corporate machine. We are a family!
What is your favorite part of the construction process?
The final product; knowing all the hard work from so many different team members paid off. People admire the work we do, but they often don’t know what it takes to get it to that point.
Hannah Wicker
Project Manager
What has been your favorite project you have worked on so far in your career at Empirehouse?
University of St. Thomas STEAM and Mayo Clinic.
What is your favorite part of working in the construction industry?
Building a relationship with different trades, general contractors, and vendors as well as the camaraderie it takes to complete a project.
How did you get into the construction Industry?
While my background was in non-profits, my specialty was processes, procedures, and efficiencies. My favorite part of working was when I had a few projects going at once. I saw this as an opportunity to use my expertise and learn about an industry that many of my extended family members were involved in.
Leslie Johnson
Sales
What has been your favorite project you have worked on so far in your career at Empirehouse?
1919 University, TI Entrance, Crossview Lutheran Church, Dunwoody
What is your favorite part of the construction process?
Estimating – I enjoy digging into the plans and putting the puzzle together
What your favorite part of being in the Empirehouse family?
Empirehouse is more like a family than a corporation. You matter, your voice matters and you feel valued.
Mark Waggoner
Project Manager
What is your favorite part of the construction process?
Building what architects dream up and filling in the blanks when it comes to the detail in our scope of work.
How did you get into the construction Industry?
My Father, we have worked together on and off for 18 years.
How long have you worked at Empirehouse?
15 years.
Dan Weis
Farmer
What is your favorite part of working in the construction industry?
Being physically active every day, and working with my hands. Seeing something solid built at the end of the day.
What’s your favorite part of being in the Empirehouse family?
The teamwork and collaborative efforts.
What has been your favorite project you have worked on so far in your career at Empirehouse?
They have all been fun and educational in their own way. There are no two projects alike. They all pose some type of challenge that drives us to do better. Adapting and overcoming new challenges through innovation and teamwork is what puts us above and beyond the competition.
Clayton Gripp
Engineering Manager
What is your favorite part of working in the construction industry?
The fact that we create something from scratch and can see the final product of our designs and projects. Going from design to construction and being able to see what has been created and how our hard work has paid off is probably the most rewarding part of the job for me.
What is your favorite part of the construction process?
For me personally it’s the design assist process when needed. Helping to solve problems and helping to create and design the systems that are required for each project. That and helping to create field fixes when needed while we are out in the field constructing the project.
How did you get into the construction Industry?
I started at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities with a Civil Engineering degree with a Structural emphasis and was lucky enough to get a job straight out of college in the Curtain Wall field. I’ve now been working in the Curtain Wall field for 15 years and have loved every minute of it.
Tim Malin
Estimator
What is your favorite part of working in the construction industry?
Seeing something come together with all the different companies working together.
What your favorite part of being in the Empirehouse family?
Everybody is always very helpful, and we are active in the community.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Either a football player or race car driver