Niekamp retiring after 47 years

MINSTER — H.A. Dorsten, a commercial construction company in Minster, announced the retirement of General Superintendent Gary Niekamp after 46 years of service.

Niekamp joined H.A. Dorsten in 1975 as a laborer and carpenter. He ran his first job in 1981, in New Castle, and worked his way up into the General Superintendent’s position, where he oversees crews and keeps projects moving.

“Gary is very hands-on, very detail-oriented” said Sean Dorsten, president of H.A. Dorsten. “It’s made him a great superintendent over the years.”

Niekamp’s decades of experience have been a huge asset to the company.

“My greatest contribution is probably my knowledge of how a project has got to go together and the steps to get a project from paper to dedication,” said Niekamp. “That’s something you can’t teach in school. Every job is built differently.”

His advice to colleagues is to be aware of and moderate their responses while interacting with owners, contractors, inspectors, coworkers and others.

“If there’s a (negative) event or an episode, how you react can magnify the situation,” said Niekamp. “And after you have a negative reaction or explosion, it takes a long time to mend that relationship. I tell my guys that every day.”

Niekamp says that what kept him at H.A. Dorsten so long was simple.

“These are good people — un

derstanding and cooperative,” he said. “If they weren’t good people, I wouldn’t have stayed. I don’t think anybody would.”

Niekamp plans to spend more time with his family, including his grandson and granddaughter. He enjoys taking out his grandson — his “little buddy” — on his boat, where he acts as second-in-command to Grandpa’s captain.

During Gary’s transition into retirement, he mentored, Jerry “Bear” Schlarman, who has been promoted to general superintendent of the company.

H.A. Dorsten wishes Gary and his family the very best in his retirement.

For more information about long-term career opportunities at H.A. Dorsten, contact info@hadorsteninc.com.

About H.A. Dorsten

H.A. Dorsten is a commercial construction company serving organizations within a 100-mile radius from its Minster headquarters.

Our Vision: To turn visions into realities for our employees, customers, and the communities we serve.

Our Mission: To exceed expectations as your construction contractor of choice through quality construction, transparent communication, and the safe and timely completion of your project.