Ralph F. Korte

In 1958, Ralph Korte's neighbor approached him about building a milking parlor. Ralph had already gained a reputation for being a tireless worker around his hometown, and he was always in demand for side projects. After some discussion, Ralph started a company and helped his neighbor. A couple of weeks later, he created an innovative state-of-the-art structure that's still being used today. In the following decades, The Korte Company's reputation as a committed, innovative builder grew well beyond the towns of the Midwest. With the completion of the Helvetia Nursing Home, they were one of the first companies to use Design-Build, twenty years before it was recognized by the rest of the industry as the most cost-effective method of project delivery. They were also the pioneer of other new building methods, specifically Tilt-Up and Design-Build-Furnish. And They were one of the first builders to use the computer to improve and simplify the building process. In a nutshell, you would be hard-pressed to find another building company that has had such an impact on the industry for so long.