Execs buy construction firm

Execs buy construction firm
Aaron Jonker, left, and Curt Mulder. <strong>Courtesy Wolverine Building Group</strong>

A local construction firm has new owners.

Grand Rapids-based Wolverine Building Group said today that long-time employees Aaron Jonker and Curt Mulder purchased the firm from the previous owners, Mike Kelly and Dick VanderZyden, making them the company’s fifth owners.

The leadership change has been in progress for the past 18 months.

Jonker and Mulder most recently served as co-presidents of the firm.

Curt Mulder

Mulder has been with Wolverine for 20 years, entering as an intern while attending Calvin College. He became a project manager in 2000, was promoted to VP in 2010 and co-president in 2016.

His experience spans the industrial, office, health care, education and multi-unit residential markets, locally and nationally. 

“Over the past 18 months, we have worked hard to make sure the transition for our employees, clients and business partners has been as smooth as possible,” Mulder said.

Aaron Jonker

Jonker joined Wolverine in 2007 as a project manager, was appointed to VP in 2010 and became co-president in 2016.

He specializes in ground-up multi-unit construction involving both state and federal historic tax credit compliance and low-income housing tax credit funding.

Jonker has overseen some of Wolverine’s most complex historic renovation projects, many of which have received the Michigan Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation.

“We are fortunate to have had time to work through this transition with Mike and Dick,” Jonker said. “It has allowed us to position our company for future growth."

Recent appointments

The ownership change followed several other recent executive appointments at the firm.

Last October, Wolverine promoted Jamerson Ries, Troy Redman and Bill Pursifull to VP roles, with Ries and Pursifull leading multi-family residential and Redman leading construction management.

Wolverine also hired Kim McLaughlin as VP of marketing and community engagement last November.

Wolverine Building Group

Wolverine Building Group, founded in 1939, has built several landmarks in downtown Grand Rapids, including Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Spectrum Health Meijer Heart Center, the Hauenstein Center at Mercy Health and Riverhouse Condominiums.

In 2017, the firm opened an office in Detroit to meet growing construction demands.

Wolverine has 141 employees and has done work in 49 states.