Southern Illinois Builders Association Celebrates 75 Years of Growth, Support & Improvements for the Region

When a small group of contractors decided in 1945 to band together to improve their industry’s working conditions and to stimulate development throughout the region, they could not have forecast what has become a long record of growth and service to Southern Illinois businesses and workers.

The Southern Illinois Builders Association recently recognized three companies for their 50 years of active membership. Association Board President Hank Rohwedder, left, of Belleville, presented the award to Pete Korte of Korte & Luitjohan Contractors in Highland. Association Chief Executive Officer Donna Richter is at the right.

Now observing its 75th anniversary of service to the region, the Southern Illinois Builders Association has grown from 10 member companies in two counties doing business locally to today’s 450 active, affiliate and associate members in 39 counties doing business in several states.

More importantly, according to Donna Richter, the group’s Chief Executive Officer, the work of the Association has resulted in a vastly improved labor-management partnership, in a widely recognized and outstanding worker safety program, and on-line digital plans rooms giving members access to plans specifications and addenda to about 2,000 commercial projects bid annually.

As one element of marking the 75th Anniversary, the organization recognized three of its members for more than 50 years of active membership: Korte & Luitjohan Contractors of Highland, Guarantee Electrical Construction Company of Granite City and Effingham Builders Supply of Effingham.

The Builders Association has marked progress annually with a banquet, but because of recommended safety steps for dealing with COVID-19, the Board of Directors has decided against such an event this 75th Anniversary year and is planning a celebration in 2021.

“The region’s growth and economic development of the last several years would not have happened without the results-oriented committee work of many builder-members,” Richter said, “but of course there’s much yet to accomplish before we celebrate the 100th year.”

Current Board President is Hank Rohwedder of Hank’s Excavating & Landscaping, Belleville; First Vice President is Jeff Limbaugh of Limbaugh Construction Co., Granite City; Second Vice President is Scott Plocher of Plocher Construction Co., Highland, and Secretary/Treasurer is Richard Boyer of Boyer Fire Protection, St. Louis.

The Southern Illinois Builders Association is based in O’Fallon and offers members digital plans rooms in Marion and O’Fallon. More information about the Association is at www.siba-agc.org.