TAMMY KRENZ DIRECTOR OF PROJECT ADMINISTRATION, ASSOCIATE
BERGHAMMER CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS, Tammy Krenz, director of project administration and associate at Butler-based Berghammer Construction Corporation, has taken on several roles and responsibilities within the organization. Krenz was the first female associate in Berghammer’s 91year history, and she earned that recognition through years of dedicated service, said Matt Iwanski, senior vice president and principal of Berghammer. Today, she is responsible for guiding company-wide adherence to proper documentation standards and is responsible for the functionality of Berghammer’s project management software. Krenz leads the introduction and training of new staff and her mentoring efforts extend beyond her own duties, Iwanski said. Last December, Krenz tasked herself with empowering female staff at the company. She has rallied several women to attend community events organized by the Professional Women’s Development Network and WCREW. “The best companies owe much of their success to having employees that operate with the best interest of the company in mind,” said Iwanski. “These employees consistently support the organization through all that they do behind the scenes to provide clear and timely support for the crews and managers in the field – they are the ‘unsung heroes’ of the construction industry that keep the engine running without making headlines. Tammy Krenz is the epitome of this employee.”
DAJEN “DIANE” BOHACEK
JEAN MARIE THIEL
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
PRESIDENT
PLUMBING, MECHANICAL AND SHEET METAL CONTRACTORS’ ALLIANCE
BELONGER CORPORATION
DAJEN “DIANE” BOHACEK has served the plumbing, mechanical and sheet metal contractors in southeastern Wisconsin for 15 years in a variety of capacities. She is a labor relations expert with experience in negotiating new collectively bargained agreements on behalf of contractors with labor partners from Local 75 (plumbers), Local 601 (pipe fitters) and Local 18 (sheet metal). Bohacek manages the workforce development arm of the Alliance and manages the Youth Apprenticeship Program, matching high school students with an interest in the mechanical construction trades with interested contractors. “She also directs the marketing and outreach for the Alliance and its members, including having co-created and managed the Choose Bigger digital recruiting platform for apprentices in the local pipe fitting and sheet metal apprentice training programs,” said Jonathan Kowalski, executive director of the Plumbing, Mechanical and Sheet Metal Contractors’ Alliance. “She is passionate about the role her contractors play in the construction economy in our market and has invested tremendous amounts of time working with apprentice candidates as they explore the union construction industry.” Bohacek also participates in the national Women in the Mechanical Industry initiative and the local National Association of Women in Construction chapter.
JEAN MARIE THEIL, president of West Bend-based Belonger Corporation started in the world of contracting by offering business support services while putting herself through college. In 1999, she shifted her plans and set on the road to opening her own company. She founded Belonger Corporation in March 2000 in the basement of her home with only one employee and four customers. Today, the company is Wisconsin’s only woman-owned and American Indian-owned mechanical contracting firm. A focus on diversity and flexibility has allowed Belonger to become a national presence in the industry. The company currently employs more than 30 people between the office and field crews. Unprecedented growth has been the hallmark of the company since the beginning. Under Thiel’s leadership, the company has worked with several notable clients on mechanical projects including Lambeau Field, the Harley-Davidson Museum, Oak Creek power plant, Northwestern Mutual Tower & Commons, the Milwaukee streetcar, and the Milwaukee County Zoo Elephant Exhibit. Thiel currently holds several DBE/MBE/WBE certifications, and serves as the president of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association. She also serves on the Executive Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Procurement Institute and is chair of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce executive board.
CONGRATULATIONS TO PMSMCA’S DAJEN BOHACEK AND BELONGER’S JEAN THIEL!
Dajen Bohacek pmsmca.com
44 / BizTimes Milwaukee MAY 25, 2020
Jean Thiel belonger.net