So much is changing in the construction industry, but some values never quite lose their luster. Notions like family, community, and charity, for example, are as prevalent today as they were in 1945 when Egan Company was founded.
For the past 70 years, Egan has been actively involved in the community by rallying employees to support generous causes, and the first half of 2015 was no different as employees collaborated with Twin Cities-based Hearts & Hammers for the thirteenth time and participated once again in a local food-packing competition through the non-profit, Matter.
New Life to an Old Home
“Remodel” is a word that gets thrown around a lot at Egan. Usually, it pertains to a commercial project. But last May, Egan employees partnered with Hearts & Hammers for a different kind of remodel; one that would transform the house of an elderly Minneapolis resident.
There were more than 40 Egan employees in attendance, including Egan Leaders, and field and office personnel. We spent the morning and afternoon fixing up and repainting the house. The house had survived years of wear-and-tear, including a fire on the front porch years ago.
“This year was one of the first that we’ve had an all-Egan team, so it was great to see everyone participate and work together to help out someone in need,” said Jim Malecha, Egan Company President & CEO.
A fresh coat of paint took off years from the house and garage’s façade, and the backyard is now transformed with an all-new walking path, a reinforced deck, and a neat little sitting area inside a newly refurbished garden.
“I’ve been here 47 years and I just can’t believe it’s my house,” said Katherine, homeowner.
Packing Meals for Healthy Competition
A food-packing competition was held through Matter, a local nonprofit, to support local children and families in need of nutritious meals.
Eight teams of Egan employees raced to pack meals, and the competition was fierce, with teams rushing to arrange and seal boxes as quickly as possible within a time limit. When the final tallies were counted, the winning team came out on top after packing 81 total boxes.
“This event was for a good cause to help provide food for kids in food deserts in the Twin Cities,” said Nick Ravetto, Egan Company Safety Coordinator. “It also brought together people at Egan for a great team-building event.”
Ninety-five Egan employees attended the event and packed 695 boxes, which amounted to 3,475 meals. Quenton Marty, President of Matter, said the boxes Egan packed would provide over a week and half of meals to students in local free lunch programs.
The group (and individual) efforts of Egan volunteers have been a lasting source of pride throughout all seventy years of the company’s existence. Each day brings more opportunities, and each day we hope to continue our rich tradition of supporting the local community.
The side-effects of the deluge of rain we received this last spring are still being felt today. On top of flooding and lake closures, there was a direct impact on construction projects that had to push back start dates because of wet soil.
New building construction for the Lakes International Language Academy (LILA) adopted an aggressive new timeline to combat this obstacle. The K-6 charter school looked to build upon the success of its tuition-free immersion program (Spanish or Chinese) that follows an accredited International Baccalaureate Primary Years curriculum in the form of a new facility.
The rain, while good for flowers, turned the work site into a challenge. The foundation’s soil turned to soft clay, making for a less-than-ideal work environment. In fact, a concrete composite had to be mixed into areas where soil integrity was most vulnerable, effectively turning the school’s new parking lot into a great big cinder block.
Egan’s Electrical, Mechanical, and Building Systems & Services groups partnered with general contractor Kraus-Anderson to find a way to get the job done on time.
Collaboration between Egan and Kraus-Anderson’s Project Manager Jake Boerboon and Superintendent Jesse Fiskewold were essential to project success. Even closer coordination was required than is customary for a project like this. Potentials for lost-time or further delays were addressed and resolved before the fact, creating an extremely well-organized work model.
Design/Build was also a huge factor in facilitating the accelerated timeline. Thanks to Egan doing the design and construction, many issues were resolved before they could reach the field. Without this, on-site problem solving would be a necessity and could have delayed the project further.
The construction team benefited greatly from prefabrication on this project. Circuits and feeders were crafted in-house and pre-assembly of the duct helped reduce installation time in the field. Close coordination between mechanical and electrical also minimized penetrations in the precast and allowed coordination of hanger systems, nearly cutting the initial estimate time in half.
Egan also supplied the academy’s building automation system. The weather delay shortened the installation timeframe significantly, requiring work to be completed in about a week.
The project finished on time, giving the school about two weeks to furnish and organize the building to be student-ready for the Fall.
The Lakes International Language Academy Project is a newly constructed, 43,000 square foot, two-story facility that included two parking lots and a gymnasium. The building’s automation system included integrating seven Lennox RTUs, installing controls on VAV boxes, and interlocking the kitchen make up unit with miscellaneous exhaust fans.
Core project team: LILA Building Co. and Kraus-Anderson Construction Company
Egan services performed: Design Build of Mechanical, Plumbing, Electrical Systems, and Building Automation Systems
Every summer, Egan Company’s Building Systems & Services (BSS) group upgrades or installs new building automation or fire systems in schools across Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Egan completed work this summer in over eight school districts, including St. Paul Public Schools, Eden Prairie Schools, Anoka-Hennepin School District, School District of Clear Lake, and St. Michael-Albertville School District. All of this work is compressed into a three-month timeframe and equates to over 20,000 hours of manpower.
The building automation system controls everything from air handling units to VAV boxes to pool converters to lighting. Many schools also incorporate energy efficient systems to produce lower utility bills. The fire systems in the schools provide smoke management systems, advance detection, voice evacuation and exit technology, and sprinkler system monitoring.
The installation of these two systems can prove challenging, especially in such a short timeframe; however, Egan simplifies the project process by providing system engineering, design, installation, and start-up and commissioning to finish the job quickly.
All systems were updated before school started this Fall. Year round, Egan also provides maintenance to these–and other–school districts.
“Every summer we roll up our sleeves for various schools,” said Tom Addabbo, Egan Account Manager. “It’s always a challenge to help bring these schools back online before the school year starts. Fortunately, our field team does it year after year and knows what it takes to meet these tight timelines.”
Summer 2014 Numbers At-a-Glance
4,505 hours of building automation system setup, engineering, graphics, and drafting
11,290 hours of building automation field installs
Jim Nonn, Egan Company’s Chief Information Officer hadn’t planned for this. As he watched the antenna wave in the -20 degree wind chill, he thought, “This isn’t going to work.”
The antenna was part of a new “air-fiber” connection that sends/receives data from Egan’s corporate headquarters to Egan’s Industrial Controls group about a mile away at speeds of 1.4 Gigabytes/second. The connection consisted of two antennae on top of each building that needed direct, uninterrupted line-of-sight to each other.
Minnesota’s December weather had other plans. Not only was the antenna failing to stay put in the freezing wind, but it was also too short. Line-of-sight to Industrial Controls was cut off by another building. If these antennae failed to work, the Industrial Controls employees may as well have not shown up to work next Monday.
With the help of Egan pipefitters and low-voltage electrical employees, a team was formed to find a solution.
A taller, sturdier tower was fabricated in Egan’s pipe shop, customized electrical wiring was rigged to it, and a bucket truck and crane were procured to safely install the new equipment. All of this was completed same-day.
“It’s one of those times when I’m really glad I work at Egan, not just because of our construction capabilities, but the fact that people are willing to drop everything and help when you need it most,” Nonn said.
Both antennae have needed minimal maintenance since that icy December day, and connection speeds between Egan locations have been consistently superior.
On a Tuesday afternoon, Egan Company was tasked with a project: Daktronics, a scoreboard and electronic display company, needed help to safely raise 3,000 pounds of cable dangling 150 feet from the Xcel Energy Center ceiling. And it had to be done in 72 hours.
The scoreboard had been lowered, taken apart, and left in the middle of the Xcel with wires dangling from the ceiling. In three days, the Xcel needed to be set up for a Rod Stewart concert. Xcel thought the wires could be raised and set on the catwalks high above the floor; however, the catwalks could not support the weight of the cables.
Further situation analysis by Egan’s Electrical Foreman, Project Manager, and Safety Director led to a concern with safety.
They concluded that a millwright needed to be involved to ensure the cables were lifted and installed safely. Egan Certified Millwright Marc Beltz met the team at the Xcel to determine a safe solution.
Egan’s millwright team is safe, efficient, and thorough. They understand what is needed to make the project work and that the needs of the client are to be met.
Since 1999, Egan Company has offered millwright services to customers. Millwrights specialize in safely moving heavy equipment and the precise alignment of machines. Essentially, a millwright is an industrial mechanic.
Beltz and the electrical team partnered with Braun Intertec to develop a plan to raise the cables. Braun Intertec engineered rigging that met Egan’s objective to safely lift the heavy cables. The design was completed by early afternoon on Wednesday and the steel rig was fabricated on site by the Egan millwright team the next day.
Egan’s millwright team understands that all procedures, design, and construction need to meet certain standards and requirements before the work can be completed,
said Jason Hanlon, Associate Principal/Senior Structural Engineer at Braun Intertec.
It takes more than just muscle to complete a job like this. Egan millwrights work with a high degree of precision and certainty to ensure proper installation of heavy materials. Once a precise and safe installation procedure was established on Thursday, the cables was lifted and installed in the ceiling in time for fans to enjoy the Rod Stewart concert.
Beltz attributes the success of this job to the great collaboration between groups at Egan.
We have the opportunity to work with every group at Egan and also collaborate with engineering firms,
Beltz said. “We’re proud to offer millwright services to customers.”
Beyond precisely moving heavy equipment, Egan millwright services also include welding, machinery installation, rigging, preventative maintenance for mechanical equipment, optical and laser alignment, and custom fabrication.
Primarily, Egan millwrights work in the power plant, foundry, food production, and manufacturing industries.
“We provide specialized services that you can’t get from anyone else but a millwright,” Beltz said. “If it moves, you need a millwright.”
Historically, the “mill” in millwright comes from building and maintaining flour mills, paper mills, and sawmills powered by wind and water. Though the trade has evolved since then, the basic idea is the same: to provide customers with necessary services to keep industries producing.
The people, processes, and culture at Egan will forever have benefitted thanks to the investment and work put in by Mark Broadwater, Vice President of Automation, Technology, and Service and Brian Harren, Vice President of Electrical Solutions and Prefabrication. With a combined 58years of industry experience, and 23 combined years at Egan, Broadwater and Harren are hanging up their hats and preparing for retirement in January 2026.
Putting People First: Mark Broadwater Growth by way of relationships and people has led Mark Broadwater through his career; having humbly taken on any role necessary to support the companies where he’s worked, he has a strong appreciation for the team around him and what they need to be successful. Before he started his career as a limited energy installer at All Systems Company in Rochester, Minn., he was a people-oriented, athletic student who struggled in school due to dyslexia. While realizing academics were not a strength, his ability to influence a room and put himself out there when the time called for it came naturally.
Broadwater entered the industry when data and technology were booming, and he recognized the opportunity in front of him. He sought new opportunities to say “yes” to different roles, stepping in and stepping up when called upon. When All Systems was acquired, Broadwater took a contractual 18-month sabbatical. The day it expired, the then-CEO of Egan, Duane Hendricks, called Broadwater to offer him a position and help revive the culture within a quickly-growing business unit. “I remember telling Duane that what I’m good at is people. Not data or numbers or anything like that,” said Broadwater. “Every place has good people.” Thus, Broadwater’s tenure at Egan began.
By taking a look at the structure and processes in place in this business, Broadwater sought to reignite the team. It was around this time that Egan repositioned its internal groups, placing Industrial Controls into its own operating group while Automation, Technology, and Service (ATS) stayed together. As the ATS business continued to grow and thrive, Broadwater turned his attention to the team; his goal was to grow the business and industry through its people. In his time at Egan, he saw a shift in culture, increased trust and camaraderie among employees, and a focus on families and life outside of the office. These efforts were exemplified during Egan’s first-ever Introduction to the Trades Day in 2025, hosting 30 elementary school children of Egan employees. “For something to be a passion of mine and then see it on our strategic plan, have my colleagues support it, and a wonderful team come together to create it has been one of the highlights in my career and my time at Egan,” said Broadwater. Reflecting on his career at Egan and beyond, Broadwater said humbly, “any success I’ve had is on the shoulders of others.”
Pay Attention to Everything: Brian Harren Growing up with a persistent interest in electronics and how things worked, Brian Harren knew the kind of career he wanted to pursue. He enlisted in the Army after high school where he worked on missiles for three years. After that, he received a technology degree from Northwestern Electronics Institute (now Dunwoody College of Technology) and went to work doing production and installation for a material testing company. When he later made a career move to the water/wastewater industry, he found the opportunity to take on an engineering management role and expand his knowledge.
It was in this field that Harren started to adopt the mindset he’d take with him for the rest of his career: “I learned to pay attention to everything” Harren said. He sought to absorb everything, engaging with those around him, and making a difference wherever he could. “Everyone has strengths,” he said. “Leaning on the team to help solve problems is what makes an organization successful.” Harren began to take on a new approach to his work as he began to step into leadership roles: “Never lose sight of the vision,” he explained. “When someone comes to you with a problem, an idea, anything, dissect it to find the root of it! Being able to cut through noise and find ways to establish consistency, predictability, and better ways of doing things will lead your team to their goals.” Harren continued to pay attention to those around him, discovering opportunities to make adjustments and improvements in his teams, as well as within himself.
When Harren found his way to Egan in 2011 as the Industrial Controls Engineering Manager, he had a big challenge ahead of him. “It was a huge shift from working in a singular industry to multiple industries that Egan serves.” Once again, Harren found himself immersing himself in Egan’s industrial controls engineering group, learning and making connections, setting the vision and sticking to it, making necessary adjustments along the way. With what he describes as “the good people all around him,” Harren was asked to take on a leadership role within Egan’s Electrical Solutions and Prefabrication team, carrying over the “pay attention to everything” mentality, continuing to guide the people who make it all possible. In this role, Harren has helped reinvigorate Egan’s electrical prefabrication team, bolstered the engineering and virtual design/BIM technologies, and has guided the organization toward the future of electrical construction. Today, this operating group consists of 45 employees, including many in Egan’s Electrical Prefabrication shop in Kasson, Minn. The team continues to find efficiencies, integrate new technologies, and improve the way many processes are run.
Proud of the Past. Hopeful for the Future. Broadwater’s and Harren’s legacies are ones where impacts will be felt for years to come. They each have had a hand in some of Egan’s most impactful projects, including Boston Scientific Project Black Bear in Maple Grove, the FedEx Distribution Center in Rosemount, Egan’s Electrical Prefabrication facility in Kasson, as well as numerous facility upgrades for General Mills, Cargill, and other major manufacturers in Minnesota. Internally, they both contributed to growing their respective teams, establishing processes, and building up the people around them.
Each noted how the culture shift during their time at Egan was significant, and for the better. The people-first culture helped bring the company into the future, making way for innovation, collaboration, and safety. Both have their own personal mottos that have guided them in their careers, exemplifying Egan’s focus on the people: “Know People, or No People,” says Harren. “Knowing the people you work with and understanding their strengths and weaknesses allows you to effectively work with them. When you are aware of their strong points, you can let them work independently and thrive in those areas. When they need to stretch into an area of weakness, you can provide the support they need to succeed. Without knowing this, you are both eventually destined to fail.” Investing in each other, sharing ideas, and promoting the success of those around him were key to his own career and the success of the company. Broadwater’s outlook can be summed up in three short sentences: “Love first. Pursue people and relationships. Seek joy in everything.” By establishing trust among teams, creating cohesive business practices, and putting proper support and resources in place, Broadwater firmly believes that Egan has the greatest staff in the industry.
As for their personal futures, Broadwater is looking forward to his daughter’s upcoming wedding, traveling and hiking with his wife, being present with his parents, and spending time in the mountains out west. Harren intends to spend time with his family, including his five grandchildren, as well as golf, fish, volunteer, and simply enjoy retirement.
Each is confident that Egan is in good hands. “Someone will pick up the torch and carry it,” said Harren. The work they have both put in, not only in their time at Egan but over their entire careers, will leave a legacy that will be carried out by the next generation of industry leaders. Reflecting on the past, both Broadwater and Harren are humbly proud, as well as eager to take the next step into their futures.
New Life to an Old Home
Packing Meals for Healthy Competition
The side-effects of the deluge of rain we received this last spring are still being felt today. On top of flooding and lake closures, there was a direct impact on construction projects that had to push back start dates because of wet soil.
Egan’s Electrical, Mechanical, and Building Systems & Services groups partnered with general contractor Kraus-Anderson to find a way to get the job done on time.
Every summer, Egan Company’s Building Systems & Services (BSS) group upgrades or installs new building automation or fire systems in schools across Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Jim Nonn, Egan Company’s Chief Information Officer hadn’t planned for this. As he watched the antenna wave in the -20 degree wind chill, he thought, “This isn’t going to work.”
