Above: Tom Kalishman (left) and Jerry Shaw. Below: Bob Affholder.
Management Team Blends Deep
Experience, Family Business Values
SAK's founding business partners—Tom Kalishman, Jerry Shaw and Bob Affholder—agree that the firm's success stems from a collaborative team effort, built upon a dedicated network of employees, in offices and in the field, and talented managers who possess some of the best skills, experience and knowledge in the industry. Kalishman, raised in a family with roots in the construction industry, says SAK's business culture is the unique combination of a "family business with professional management, underscoring family business values combined with first-class management." Although the business partners offer different skill sets and business backgrounds, they understand and pull together their individual strengths for a shared outlook that drives the business forward.
In addition to SAK's technical know-how, Kalishman says employees understand what it takes to earn a client's trust and build a lasting relationship. "While we take great pride in our expertise in trenchless technologies and our extensive tunneling experience, we recognize that technology by itself cannot provide the effective solutions that clients need in critical situations," he says. "That's why our entire team—from key management to on-site supervisors and workers—focuses on providing excellent client service, education and communication at all stages of every project we undertake."
AMONG SAK'S KEY PERSONNEL
SAK Construction's key personnel are among the most experienced and well-known
individuals in America's underground construction industry.
Tom Kalishman, chairman and chief executive officer, brings years of experience from his time at Insituform Mid-America as an operations manager, general manager and regional director, before serving on the board of directors of Insituform Technologies Inc. from 1998 to 2005. His experience in these roles and in other successful business ventures has helped to direct the focus of SAK on client satisfaction and relationships built on excellent communication and service.
Jerry Shaw, president, has a vast wealth of underground contracting experience, serving as a tunneling project manager for Affholder Inc. from 1983 to 1987, and leading the day-to-day tunneling operations of Affholder from a $25 million business to a $125 million business from 1987 to 2005. Jerry leads SAK's day-to-day operations, sharing Bob's and Tom's great pride and satisfaction in building an organization of competent, talented people who want to solve problems and meet client needs.
Bob Affholder, vice chairman, built both Affholder Inc. and Insituform Mid-America into leaders in the pipeline rehabilitation and tunneling markets. The common theme with any of the successful business ventures Bob has been a part of, is the delight he takes in seeing the people working in those organizations become successful.
Boyd Hirtz, vice president and general manager, CIPP division
Steve Hirtz, vice president, rehabilitation operations
Charlie Kuhnmuench, vice president, business development
Roger Archibald, chief financial officer
Steve Stulce, corporate controller
James Byrd, senior project manager, tunneling
Jack Lynch, safety director
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