2024 Year In Review: Building Momentum
Discover highlights from another remarkable year at Knutson Construction. From championing our Zero Incident Safety Culture to strengthening partnerships with key collaborators, we elevated The Knutson Experience for our clients, partners, and employees.
Safety
Safety is the foundation for everything we do. Thanks to our zero-incident safety culture, Knutson Construction achieved substantial milestones in 2024.
- The Andersen Building project achieved MNSHARP status for its exemplary safety performance
- Knutson Construction received the Chase Level 2 2024 Recognition of Excellence Award
- A long-time client reached 4,000 safe days
- The Knutson team completed 2,465 safety training courses
Looking ahead
Moving forward, we’ll sustain and continue to build a safety-first culture by promoting communication and accountability.
- "Our success in safety will not be measured by the incidents we encounter, but by the resilience of our safety systems. By fostering a mindset of continuous understanding and active learning, we can strategically focus on our highest safety priorities. Our commitment to success stems from the care and concern of and for our team members, not merely from the numbers." – Kevin Hogan, Corporate Safety Director
Projects
Knutson built exciting partnerships and award-winning projects in 2024, including:
- Mayo Clinic Health System: 70-bed hospital in LaCrosse, WI.
- University of Minnesota: Microbial Cell Production Facility (MCPF)
- Olmsted County: Public Safety Building & Public Works Service Center Expansion
- St. Francis Regional Medical Center: Ambulatory Surgery Center
- Syngenta and McNeilius projects in Iowa
- Fendt Lodge & Pavilion
- St. Louis Park Public Schools, multiple projects
We also commenced work on exciting projects that will carry over into the new year:
- Xcel Chanhassen Service Center
- ISD 196
- Andersen Building, Proton Expansion
Awards
- Ridgeview: Two Twelve Medical Center vertical expansion — Winner of the 2024 Minnesota Construction Association Top Project Award for Excellence
- Children’s Minnesota: Limited Stay Unit (LSU) — Winner of the 2024 Minnesota Real Estate Journal Real Estate Awards: Interior Design, Healthcare Category
Looking ahead
In 2025, we’ll focus on fostering and maintaining our strong client relationships, expanding our reach, and creating outstanding projects with our partners in the K-12, healthcare, life science, and higher education sectors.
People
Once again, Knutson Construction was named a Top 200 Workplace by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. We’re so proud of all of the people who make Team Blue great, and we’re excited to welcome fresh faces to the team.
- 52 new field hires
- 12 new office & superintendent hires
- 27 promotions
- 20 interns
Awards
Our team members consistently receive recognition for their excellent service and skills.
- Carolyn Wood — First woman to graduate from the LSDP (Laborer’s Superintendent Development Program)
- Steph Ekeren — Finance & Commerce’s Top Women in Construction 2024 Winner, Unsung Hero
- Amy Schilling — Twin Cities Business, Notable Emerging Leader
- Jacob Garr & Adam Giannini — Finance & Commerce Rising Young Professionals
- Katie Montag — Twin Cities Business, Notable Women in Technology
Looking ahead
In 2025 and beyond, we’ll continue to develop the Intern Connect and High School Connect programs and our strategy for engaging field leaders and personnel. We’re also embarking on our fourth year of Knutson Development Academy (KDA), focusing on developing our employees' leadership skills.
Services
We’re continuing our decades-long legacy of excellence in general contracting and construction management while innovating exciting new services.
- Evolved our preconstruction service with projects for Treasure Island, Xcel Energy, and Wescott
- Developed a phased plan for strategic turnover
- Proposed creative design solutions to expedite delivery
- Optimized trade services to deliver the best building experience for clients
- “Our reimagined Trade Services and Self-Perform work divisions mark a bold step toward achieving greater quality control and efficiency across all our projects, ensuring we’re responsive to our clients' evolving needs. With this initiative, we’re determined to deliver superior results from within, aligning our work to the standards and timelines our clients expect while positioning us as a stronger, more innovative self-perform partner.” – Torrey Kistler, Director of Trade Services
- Expanded our partner marketing efforts with social media, newsletters, website updates, and events
- "At Knutson, partner marketing means working hand-in-hand with our clients to make their projects more than just buildings, fostering a deep community connection every step of the way." – Lindsey Garr, Marketing Manager
Looking ahead
- Expand our cost consulting services to help owners and design teams pre-plan projects.
- Continue to integrate AI into our daily processes
- Further establish our industry-leading project delivery process
Community and Partnerships
We’re proud to be visible members of the communities where we live and work.
- In 2024, Knutson staff spent hundreds of hours volunteering at Habitat for Humanity, Hearts and Hammers, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the Ronald McDonald House, and more
- “Team Blue understands the importance of making a positive impact in our communities and remains dedicated to supporting local initiatives, building relationships, and giving back through meaningful volunteer efforts. Our involvement reflects our commitment to not only building strong structures but also stronger, more connected communities." – Steph Ekeren, Human Resources Manager
KAP 3.0 Recap
- Membership: Our 3.0 Cohort consists of 20 members — including 3 from Rochester — demonstrating our commitment to fostering diversity and enhancing relationships across our markets.
- Engagement: We successfully hosted 6 KAP meetings, covering essential topics such as capability statements, financial literacy, an introduction to preconstruction and estimating processes, and a panel discussion with subcontractors who shared their challenges and successes on various projects.
- Knowledge Sharing: We hosted three impactful lunch-and-learn sessions, during which KAP members shared their business goals, presented scopes of work, and explored potential partnership opportunities.
The Knutson Experience
“2024 was another amazing year at Knutson! We elevated our Zero Incident Safety Culture to a new level, successfully delivered The Knutson Experience (TKE) to our clients, partners, and fellow employees, and further clarified our strategic plan to show the bright future of the company. Thank you to all our clients, design partners, trade partners, and employees for the partnership, hard work, and dedication to making 2024 a banner year at Knutson!” – Brendan Moore, President
Looking ahead
“On behalf of every member of Team Blue, we wish all of our customers and industry partners a happy new year. We look forward to growing our partnership and impact in 2025 because Together We Make Dreams Real!” – John Curry, CEO
