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.
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In This Issue:
- Project Spotlight: Lake Elmo Elementary School
- Park Receives Safety Excellence Award with Joint Venture
- Message from the Corner Office
- New Hires and Promotions
- Park Branded Apparel For Sale
- Mike Nottestad Retires After 24½ Years of Leadership and Legacy
- Training Opportunities
- Video Spotlight: Fleet Manager Dewey Kimmes
- Safety Message: What Does Safety Really Mean?
- Employees moving from Apprentice to Journeymen
- Recent Wins
- Park on Social Media
- It Pays To Have Friends!
- EEO/Minority Outreach
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Project Spotlight: Lake Elmo Elementary School
Our team has been busy with the ground-up construction of a new 96,000 square-foot elementary school for ISD #834 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. We are working for Kraus-Anderson Construction, who is serving as the Construction Manager, and our crews are diligently working across two separate contracts on this exciting project.
Contract #1: Best Value – Earthwork & Site Utilities for the School Site
🔹 Site size: 30 acres
🔹 School excavation: 138,000 CY
🔹 Storm sewer: 3,732 LF
🔹 Sanitary sewer: 2,628 LF
🔹 Watermain: 858 LF
Contract #2: Road Improvements
🔹 Road area: 104,000 SF
🔹 Road excavation: 17,000 CY
🔹 Storm sewer: 338 LF
🔹 Sanitary sewer: 468 LF with directional bore
🔹 Asphalt Pavement: 3,344 tons
Our scope of work includes earthwork, utilities, asphalt pavement, and concrete pavement
We’re proud to help lay the groundwork for the future students of Lake Elmo Elementary and support the surrounding infrastructure and community.
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Park Receives Safety Excellence Award with Joint Venture
We are proud to announce that HSG Park JV2, a joint venture between Harvey Sand & Gravel and Park Construction Company, was awarded the Safety Excellence Award from the St. Paul District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for our work on the Drayton Dam Project in Drayton, ND. The award was received by Susan Shearer (President of the JV - HSG Park JV2), Nick Shearer (JV Manager), and Bob Bruski (Safety Coordinator – Park Construction).
This prestigious award recognizes our unwavering commitment to safety culture, which was demonstrated at every level of the project—from our management team to our dedicated crew members. The USACE commended our team for prioritizing safety leadership, adherence to safety protocols, and an overall "safety first" mentality.
Drayton Dam Project Highlights:
- 36,000 CY River Excavation
- 11,000 TON Imported & Placed Bedding Materials
- 45,000 TON Imported & Placed R270
- 850 Boulders Imported & Placed
- 2 Fishing Platforms Installed
- 550 Willows Installed
This achievement wouldn't be possible without the dedication and leadership of our incredible team. A huge thank you to the following individuals for their hard work and commitment to excellence:
- Trent Rahn
- Dean Anderson
- Bryan Pederson
- Craig Sauer
- Kevin Shofner
- Cindy Hamilton
- Randy Hamilton
Safety is more than a priority - it’s part of who we are. Thank you to our entire team for ensuring that every project is completed with safety at the forefront.
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Message from the Corner Office
As the snow melts and the days grow longer, we find ourselves at the start of another construction season—a time of year that brings with it a renewed sense of energy, purpose, and momentum.
Each spring marks more than just the return of work in the field. It’s the kickoff to the projects, challenges, and accomplishments that define us as a company. And every year, I’m reminded that it’s our people who make it all possible. Across our crews, project teams, estimators, support staff, and leadership—your dedication, skill, and teamwork continue to drive our success.
We’ve built a strong foundation, not just in the infrastructure we construct, but in the culture we’ve created together. Park Construction has earned a reputation for doing the job right—with Safety, Quality, Integrity, and Teamwork in every task. That’s something we should all be proud of.
Looking ahead, we’ve got a full season lined up, with exciting projects on the books and opportunities to continue growing our impact. I’m confident that this year will be another one where we not only deliver great work, but strengthen the relationships that make this company special.
Let’s keep supporting each other, looking out for one another’s safety, and staying focused on what we do best. I’m grateful for the work each of you puts in, and I’m excited for what we’ll accomplish together this season.
Here’s to a safe, productive, and successful year ahead.
Sincerely,
Jeff Carlson
CEO/President
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New Hires and Promotions
Park Construction has recently welcomed several talented new staff members to our team - be sure to stop by and say hello if you get a chance!
| Luke Adams – Heavy Civil Superintendent | Dustin Donald – Utilities Foreman | William Swenson – PM/E Commercial | Nolan Schempf – PM/E Paving | Dylan Wolfgram – Project Engineer | Jack Lohman – Field Intern (Fargo) | Jeremy Knight – Project Engineer | David Smart - Director of Environmental Services | Dillon Kost - PM/E Concrete | |
Park would also like to congratulate the following employees on their promotions!
- Ethan Meyer – GPS Technician
- Dan Keis – Shop Foreman
- Trent Bolin – Sr. PM/E
- Brandon Larson - Western Region Manager
- Taylor Terpstra - Fargo Area Manager
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Park Branded Apparel For Sale
Contact Kelly Elness (HR) for product options, costs, and size availability.
Email: kelness@parkconstructionco.com
Office: 763-717-6200
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Mike Nottestad Retires After 24½ Years of Leadership and Legacy
This May, we celebrate the retirement of one of Park Construction’s most enduring and impactful leaders — Mike Nottestad, Vice President of the Western Group. After 24½ years of service, Mike will officially retire on May 31, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of grit, growth, and just the right amount of dry humor.
Mike’s road to Park was anything but traditional. A North Dakota native who spent time in Southern California and Colorado before settling on a family farm near Minnewaukan, ND, Mike entered adulthood through carpentry and a brief (and admittedly short-lived) stint in architectural drafting. When academia clashed with social priorities, a “kind old judge” gave Mike the nudge he needed — straight into the U.S. Air Force. That leap became a 23-year career in the military, where he specialized in the highly technical work of replacing guidance sets on Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles.
When Mike retired from the military in 2000, his plan was to relax and pursue a master’s degree — until he stumbled across a newspaper ad for a “construction office manager” at a company called Park Construction. Armed with Excel skills, scheduling know-how, and a dash of curiosity, Mike applied. Larry Sikkila took a chance on him, and the rest is history.
In the two decades that followed, Mike became instrumental in Park’s expansion westward. He helped establish the Grand Forks office, led the way for our Fargo expansion, and forged a key partnership with Harvey Sand & Gravel (HSG Park JV2). He also served as the lead on Park’s Railroad Services, managing complex, time-sensitive projects — like the 2010 BNSF embankment project in Devils Lake, ND, where a collapsing rail grade gave him a front-row seat to crisis management and a very memorable moment involving a senior BNSF executive shouting into the wind.
Mike often said his favorite part of the job was working with crews in the field, especially during emergency railroad work. “This type of work brings out the best in everyone,” he shared, “and forces both the owner and the contractor to work as a team.” His commitment to learning, leading, and building trust across every level of the organization is what made him not just a VP, but a mentor and a friend to many.
Though Mike once joked he couldn’t tell the difference between a “blue top and a Pop Tart” when he started, few have left such a lasting impact on Park’s culture and operations. As he heads into retirement, we hope he finds time to enjoy family, fishing, and maybe another master’s degree after all.
Please join us in thanking Mike for his tremendous service and wishing him all the best in his next chapter!
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Training Opportunities
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.
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Video Spotlight: Fleet Manager Dewey Kimmes
Our fleet is more than just equipment—it’s the backbone of the work we do. With over 220 pieces of yellow iron, 80 on-road trucks, and 80 pickup trucks, our team relies on precision and reliability to get the job done.
In this video, Fleet Manager Duane "Dewey" Kimmes shares insights into:
- How GPS telematics and grade control streamline operations.
- The features of our state-of-the-art shop, which is nearly three times the size of our old facility and designed to handle even the most complex repairs on large equipment.
Every piece of equipment, every innovation, and every upgrade in our fleet ensures we’re always ready to deliver excellence on every project.
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Safety Message: What Does Safety Really Mean?
As we begin the 2025 construction season, it’s important we recommit to the basics of safety—because how we start the year sets the tone for everything that follows.
Commit to starting the year off strong by shifting your perspective of what “safety” really means. As human beings, we are natural risk takers; hardwired to push forward, solve problems on the fly, and find the quickest path to get the job done. Especially in construction, our instinct often leans toward how to finish faster, stay under budget, and meet tight schedules. And while those are critical goals, this “production first” mindset can become the only perspective if we’re not careful. When that happens, exposures are often overlooked until an incident occurs or the risk is staring you in the face. That’s too late.
We must continually remind ourselves to slow down so you can pause, scan, identify, and act on the exposures present before the work begins. That’s the discipline that sets great crews apart and it’s the mindset that makes safety part of who we are and what we stand for, not just something we respond to.
Want to see production increase? Shift your perspective toward safety. When we mitigate or prevent injuries, damages, utility strikes, and inefficiencies, we build momentum. Over time, this long-term focus strengthens employee engagement, culture, self-worth, and crew cohesiveness, all of which lead to a more efficient and productive work environment.
Take a step back and look at the job a little differently. Before starting a task and even while you are conducting it, continually look to identify the exposures and risks tied to the work. That’s the mindset that keeps people safe and it can be built through simple habits:
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Pause and scan: Take 30 seconds before each task to look for what could go wrong.
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Ask “what if?”: Think through potential hazards before starting.
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Treat near misses like gold: Talk about them, learn from them, and report them.
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Reprioritize in the moment: Safety is a value—production is a priority.
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Conduct micro-inspections: Whether it’s a hand tool, attachment, or excavator, inspect it before use.
These small shifts in thinking lead to big gains in safety performance. They help us see more than just the task in front of us, they help us see the risk behind it.
Park Construction leadership is proud of the work you do and how you show up each day. We’re thankful for your commitment and have full confidence that you’ll continue making Park a safe, successful, and respected employer of choice.
Let’s keep each other sharp. Let’s keep each other safe. And let’s make this our strongest year yet.
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Employees moving from Apprentice to Journeymen
Park Construction Company would like to recognize the following employee on moving from Apprentice to Journeymen in your union. Park congratulates you on completing this milestone and looks forward to seeing you continue to develop your craft.
- Ethan Meyer – Operator
- Max Stoppelman – Laborer
- Raymond Virnig – Laborer
- Brett Eliason - Laborer
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Recent Wins
Here are some of the projects we recently won bids on:
- USACE Southern Embankment Reach Pipe Work - Fargo, ND
- 2025 County Road 83 Reconstruction - Big Lake, MN
- Dakota County CP 26-67 CSAH 26 - Eagan, MN
- Argental Trail Reconstruction - Eagan/Inver Grove Heights, MN
- NDDOT Job 23860 (16th ST SW) - Ward County, ND
- ISD 834 Lake Elmo Elementary School
- ISD 834 Lake Elmo Elementary School – Road Improvements
- POET ZAN-01 Concrete & Plumbing - Big Stone, SD
- Enterprise Substation – Davenport, IA
- POET FOS-10 Concrete & Sitework – Fostoria, OH
- POET POR-11 Concrete & Sitework – Portland, IN
- POET ALE-10 Concrete & Sitework – Alexandria, IN
- ORMAT Cove Fort Upgrades – Cove Fort, UT
- IP Machine Slits
- Hutchinson Substation – Concrete & Sitework
- Eagan Water Replacement – St. Paul, MN
- 5MW Oppidan Data Center – Eagan, MN
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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:
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It Pays To Have Friends!
Remember our Referral Bonus Program for next season! 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
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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.
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