THE PARK PRESS: Q3 2024

Mission Statement:

Park Construction is dedicated to improving the infrastructure of our communities by providing exceptional construction services. Guided by our core values of safety, quality, integrity, and teamwork, our goal is to exceed expectations and raise the bar of excellence.

In This Issue:

• New Shop Open House Celebration Video
• Employee Spotlight
• Safety Message
• Park Participates in Day of the Dozers Event 
• Park Participates in 2024 Yellow Ribbon Rib Fest & Career Fair
• Park Branded Apparel For Sale
• Employees moving from Apprentice to Journeymen
• Training Opportunities
• Park Avenue Trucking Celebrates 10 year Anniversary
• Project Spotlight: Perley Grade Raise
• Technology Spotlight
• Strategic Initiatives Update
• Project Highlight: Fargo Waste Water Treatment Plant
• Recent Wins
• Park on Social Media
• It Pays To Have Friends!
• EEO/Minority Outreach

New Shop Open House Celebration Video

Park Construction hosted an Open House celebration for our new shop facility and cold storage warehouse in Blaine, Minnesota. 🎉

We held a ribbon cutting ceremony that included our current CEO Jeff Carlson, past CEOs Bruce Carlson and Richard Carlson, past President Duane Prairie, members of the North Metro Chamber of Commerce, and numerous friends and Park staff members. 

Our attendees enjoyed great conversations, games of bag toss, and delicious food provided by the amazing Rolling Smoke food truck. We want to extend our gratitude to everyone who joined us in celebrating this groundbreaking moment, marking a significant chapter in Park Construction's journey.

Employee Spotlight

We’re thrilled to highlight the exceptional contributions of Bob Thomas and Lowell Lofgren to our Park Construction team. These two have been an outstanding addition, seamlessly transitioning from T.A. Schifsky and Sons to Park’s Paving Division and setting a remarkable standard of excellence. Bob and Lowell bring a wealth of experience to the field, along with invaluable insights into best practices that elevate both quality and safety on every jobsite.

Their commitment to integrating safety and production is clear; every project they lead becomes a product of efficiency and care, demonstrating their dedication to delivering top-tier results. Wherever the job has taken them, Bob and Lowell have consistently guided their crew, always ensuring that safety remains the top priority and the work gets done.

Lowell has consistently maintained a safe work environment in tight spaces by collaborating with project managers and city officials to adjust traffic controls and ensure the safety of his crew and the public. He has demonstrated strong foresight by identifying potential slope issues on retaining walls and addressing them before the work begins.

Each morning, Bob draws on his years of experience to hold thoughtful meetings with his crew, sharing real-life examples that emphasize the importance of working safely. He is detailed when reviewing plans with his crew, carefully identifying potential risks such as utilities, and encourages practices like pre-shift stretching and thorough inspections of equipment and tools.

Some jobs highlighting their work can be found at Hopkins Crossroads, Lino Lakes, Dale St. and Chanhassen. We’re proud to have them on our team, where their expertise continues to shine.

Safety Message

If 2024 has taught us anything, it’s that unpredictability is the name of the game. From non-stop rain followed by drought, to 85-degree days in October, this year has certainly kept us on our toes. The Pohlads deciding to sell the Twins and the Vikings going 5-0 into the bye week? None of this was on my 2024 bingo card. But one thing has remained predictable—the unwavering effort and adaptability of all Park employees in the face of challenges. As we near the end of the season, I want to take a moment to highlight some positives, while also addressing areas that need some attention.



Last year, in 2023, we created a mental health committee to better understand how we, as a company, can tackle the growing mental health struggles in the construction industry. The work being done to break the stigma around mental health has already made an impact. I’ve seen more and more employees come forward—whether asking for help themselves or seeking guidance on how to support a coworker or family member. This is a critical step toward building a truly healthy workplace culture, one that addresses not only physical safety but mental well-being as well. Your efforts are making a difference, and for that, we sincerely thank you.

The commitment and effort you’ve all put in have not gone unnoticed. Many jobs this season came with long hours and tight deadlines, but they were completed on time, injury-free, and with exceptional teamwork. The attitudes displayed by everyone in the field have made the seemingly impossible achievable, all while maintaining safety and the high-quality standards we’re known for.

That said, it hasn’t all been smooth sailing, and there are some areas that still need work. One ongoing issue is compliance with basic PPE requirements. We’ve seen too many instances this season where basic personal protective equipment—like hard hats, safety glasses (ANSI Z87), hi-vis vests (zipped), and safety-toed boots—has not been worn. This needs to be addressed and corrected without the need for heavy-handed enforcement. It’s a fundamental aspect of safety, and Park’s Leadership expects everyone to adhere to these requirements.

Another area of concern is injury reporting. There have been instances where injuries were not reported immediately, either to a supervisor or from the supervisor to safety. Regardless of the severity of the injury, it must be reported immediately. Failing to do so hinders our ability to get the injured employee back to health quickly and can lead to other significant consequences, such as project delays, increased field friction, or the injury worsening to the point of becoming disabling. We have a process in place for a reason, but for it to be effective, it must be followed.

In closing, I want to sincerely thank everyone for the dedication you’ve shown in caring for yourselves and those around you. I know there are many great safety interactions happening in the field that may go unnoticed, but I know they’re taking place. If they weren’t, this update would look a lot different. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished and how you’ve responded to this year’s challenges. I’m truly proud of everyone at Park and look forward to a strong, safe finish to the season.

Park Construction Participates in Minnesota Utility Contractor's Association Day of the Dozers Event 

Here at Park Construction we are proud to be a MUCA member and a sponsor of the recent Day of the Dozers™ event. This annual event provides an opportunity to educate Minnesota families about the construction industry, while at the same time raising money for a wonderful cause - Children’s Minnesota.

At the event, children were able to ride inside a wide variety of construction vehicles alongside a friendly certified machine operator, play in sandpits, participate in other fun activities, and enjoy great food from some delicious local food trucks.

Park had 2 featured pieces of equipment at the event - a Cat D5 Dozer and a CAT 336 Excavator. We'd like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Adam Pickett, Brent Thompson, Josh Swankier, Sam Kmit, and Tony Van for volunteering and representing Park Construction at the event.

Park Construction Participates in 2024 Yellow Ribbon Rib Fest  & Career Fair

Park Construction was proud to be a part of the 2024 Yellow Ribbon Rib Fest & Career Fair in Arden Hills, Minnesota. Our incredible team fired up the grill and served some mouthwatering ribs that left everyone craving more. But that's not all, we also had some awesome Park Construction swag for all our friends and supporters. We were also promoting job opportunities for veterans and military service members within Park Construction. 

What makes this event even more special is that it's not just about fun and food – it's about giving back to the community. All proceeds from the 2024 Rib Fest & Career Fair go to support the Minnesota Building Trades Yellow Ribbon 501c3 programs. These programs make a significant impact on the lives of Minnesota servicemembers, veterans, and military families. 

We're incredibly grateful to have been a part of this meaningful event, and we want to thank everyone who joined us, supported us, and helped us contribute to such a worthy cause.

In addition to this event, Park has recently attended Recruitment & Career Fairs at:

• Minnesota State University Mankato
• University of Wisconsin Stout
• Minnesota State University Moorhead

Park Branded Apparel For Sale

Contact Kelly Elness (HR) for product options, costs, and size availability.

Email: kelness@parkconstructionco.com 

Office: 763-717-6200

Training Opportunities

Park encourages you to take advantage of this off-season by getting training!

Taking classes through your Union is FREE! The Union will likely cover your hotel, fuel, and airfare expenses, too!

With ever changing technology, continuous equipment improvements, and being a life long learner, we highly encourage you to take advantage of the various opportunities offered through your union.

Improving yourself in the workplace opens many more doors – professionally, personally, and financially. If you are unsure of a class you should take, or a skill you should improve upon, please ask your Superintendent for their input.

“The road to success is always under construction.” – Lily Tomlin

OSHA 30:

All individuals overseeing or managing personnel at Park Construction must have completed OSHA training within the last five years. A text message will be sent to those who need to complete the OSHA 30 during the off-season.

Safety Leadership Academy:

The Safety Leadership Academy is a mandatory program for individuals overseeing or managing personnel at Park Construction. The course spans 2.5 days and has received positive reviews, highlighting its substantial value. Those who have not yet completed the training will be contacted with the dates and RSVP information. Even if you are not currently supervising anyone but wish to enhance your safety leadership skills, attendance may be possible depending on availability. For more information, contact Jeff Slusser at jslusser@parkconstructionco.com. Be on the lookout for a 1.5-day refresher for those who have already completed the course. More information will follow.

Park Avenue Trucking Celebrates 10 year Anniversary

2024 marks the 10th anniversary of Park Avenue Trucking. We would like to thank our dedicated team of drivers for always keeping safety at the forefront of what they do and playing an integral role in the operations of Park Construction Company and other clients. Congratulations on this milestone! 

Project Spotlight: Perley Grade Raise

We are currently working on a grade raise project at the intersection of Highway 75 and County Road 39 in Perley, Minnesota. We are providing a variety of construction services, including earthwork, utilities, and paving. This project aims to raise the levy around the City of Perley, providing essential flood control and ensuring the safety of the community.

Technology Spotlight

Crews may have seen Avery out on their sites over the summer flying Park’s Wingtra Drone. Park utilizes this drone to perform topographic surveys (topo’s) and capture volumetric quantity updates on many of our projects. Each one of these topo’s has been used to track weekly progress on the job sites. It allows us to verify the actual production on the site versus the production of the bid.

This verification and analysis help the project teams to adjust if/where needed and provides important data for use in future bidding of similar projects. Below are some of the images coming back from the drone and pictured above is a sample of a cut/fill map based on a topo survey that is produced using the Propellar program.

Strategic Initiatives Update

In January of 2024, Park Construction’s Senior Leadership had identified 5 strategic initiatives that would be emphasized and focused on in 2024. Each initiative committee is guided by a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Below is an update to each of the key strategic initiative committees since our last newsletter.

Divisional Alignment for a Common Goal: Division Managers

• Members: Charlie Borene, Dewey Kimmes, Jake Droessler, Mike Christianson, Mike Nottestad
• The group has placed emphasis on supporting each division through the use of equipment and labor resources. This will continue to help the productivity and utilization of Park’s equipment as well as provide added opportunities to our current employees.
• This group has also prioritized the collaboration between the different divisions for the betterment of Park Construction. There have been many projects awarded this year in which our different divisions are collaborating and working together on. Check out the recent wins section for additional information.
• The group has emphasized the sharing of equipment resources as well as labor resources on multiple projects.  

Training: Jeff Slusser

• Members: Jeff Slusser, Trent Cottingham, Ryan Pace, Dewey Kimmes, Bob Bruski, Sam Ganske, Larry Puck, Jennifer Clemens, Josh Prudhomme, Kelly Elness.
• Continuing to develop a more effective and educational onboarding strategy.
• Defining critical training areas that must occur during onboarding to facilitate an easier transition to park construction.
• Identification of on/off-season training opportunities for field and office staff.
• Introducing a training resource for front-line supervisors to enhance their field leadership skills.

Mental Wellness: Jake Droessler

• Members: Chad Grady, Derick Sonnenberg, Jake Droessler (Chair), Jeff Slusser, Josh Swankier, Kelly Elness, Rachel Stein, Rick Norenberg, Trent Cottingham 
• Held the Park Mental Wellness Holiday on Friday, August 2th, 2024.
• Promoted National Suicide Prevention Week in September to further increase awareness.
• Seeking off season training opportunities.

Recruiting & Retaining Employees: Charlie Borene

• Members: Jennifer Clemens, Brandon Larson, Chris Grimes, Charlie Borene, Jake Droessler, Kelly Elness, Sam Ganske, Trent Bolin.
• Analyzing data from the streaming, radio, and billboard campaigns to determine future applications.
• Attended multiple career fairs at UW Stout, MSU Mankato, MSU Moorhead, & Beyond the Yellow Ribbon.
• Participated in 2024 Day of the Dozers event.
• Participated in 2024 Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Ribfest (BBQ Competition) & Fund Raiser.

Using Artificial Intelligence to Improve Efficiencies: Shawn Bloch

• Committee: Shawn Bloch, Jeff Carlson, Rachel Stein, Ted Gabel, Josh Prange, Alex Havis, Robert Bruski, Jeremy Schmitz, Kelly Elness
• Investigated search engines include Chat GPT, Bing AI, and copilot.microsoft.com.  
• Explored using Read AI with Microsoft teams

We thank all of you for your participation as committee members, volunteers, survey participants, and dedicated employees that continue to improve upon Park’s success and work toward a Safe and Successful year in 2024.

Project Highlight: Fargo Waste Water Treatment Plant

We are currently providing concrete construction services on the Fargo Wastewater Treatment Facility Expansion Project. This massive facility is being expanded to add membrane treatment technology and increase the overall WTP capacity from 30 to 45 million gallons per day. Our team is hard at work on concrete formwork design and installation, anchor bolt placement, and steel installation to help make this vital infrastructure upgrade possible.

Recent Wins

Here are some of the projects we recently won bids on:

• ASN Land Locked 24th ST SE
• Hector International Airport Terminal Apron - Collaboration between Park’s Heavy Civil & North Dakota Crews
• ASN 35th ST SE – Collaboration between Park’s Heavy Civil & North Dakota Crews
• BNSF Missouri River Bridge Regarding
• MREFPP MI-6B South Downtown Roosevelt Park – Collaboration between Park’s North Dakota, Heavy Civil, & Concrete Crews
• USACE Oahe Dam Spillway Stabilization
• USACE Garrison Dam Spillway Approach Rehab
• Grey Cloud Island
• Richfield Woodland
• Roseville County RD B park
• Ramsey MSA Overlay
• Apple Valley Eagle Brook Church
• Lino Lakes Eagle Brook Pond Cleanout – Collaboration between Park’s Paving & Commercial Crews
• Dale Street Recon
• Flaherty Bowl
• Bailey Nursery Curb
• Wayzata Central Middle School
• Bloomington Transportation Building
• Minnetonka Oakland
• MIT-12 Site Grading
• ACS Lime Screener Upgrade
• First State Bank of Rosemount
• LAK-11 Concrete Foundations
• ZAN-01 Site Grading
• Allina PET/CT Scanner
• Beaver Lake Elementary Parking Lot - Collaboration between Park’s Paving & Commercial Crews

Park on Social Media

One of our goals for 2024 is to have a bigger presence on social media. We are posting weekly content on multiple platforms, and we encourage you to follow us, like our posts, and leave a comment or share it if you feel inspired. You can find us on the following sites:

It Pays To Have Friends!

Remember our Referral Bonus Program! It’s Simple – if you refer someone and they get hired, you get a bonus!

We believe that our employees are our most valuable asset and that they are in the best position to recommend qualified candidates to join our team. If you know someone who would be a great fit for our company, please reach out to your supervisor or HR (contact info below) for more information on how you can participate in this program. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to growing our team with your help.

Email: kelness@parkconstructionco.com 

Office: 763-717-6200

EEO/Minority Outreach

It is Park Construction’s commitment to support our Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy & Affirmative Action Plan (AAP) to create a workplace with diversity, inclusiveness and fair treatment. In effort to achieve and maintain this commitment, our Company is continually striving to diversify its personnel to reflect the changing demographics of the construction industry. We highly encourage employees to refer candidates who are women, people of color, or any member from a protected class for employment opportunities at Park.