WOLVERINE BUILDING GROUP

80 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE


Headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Wolverine Building Group is one of West Michigan’s most trusted and experienced construction companies. With over 150 employees, Wolverine Building Group has grown to become a national leader in the construction industry.

Wolverine is committed to seeking the balance of simultaneously “doing good” in our community and contributing in meaningful ways, while also “doing well” in our business and delivering a high-quality product to our clients.

We strive for our team to be proud of our company and the work that we do. We want this pride to come from our commitment to our community, the integrity by which we conduct our business, and the quality of our work. We believe this pride will directly contribute to the growth and prosperity of Wolverine, which will allow us to share our success generously with the people and places that we touch.

SAFETY

The safety of our team members is our highest priority. We believe there is excellence in not only producing quality work, but taking responsibility for the safety of all involved.

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Our Purpose

Positively impacting people and communities

Our Niche

Construction Leadership

OUR CORE VALUES
1

Do the right thing

2

Be passionate and relentless, strive for greatness

3

Seek possibilities, find solutions

4

Step up and step in, fill the void

Leadership Team

Curt Mulder

President

As one of our leaders at Wolverine, Curt is known for his creative problem solving and motivating our team to be our best selves. On the weekends Curt can be found at home in Lowell, where he and his family live on a farm that raises Texas Longhorn cattle.

Tim Gabrielse

Chief Financial Officer

Under Tim’s leadership, our accounting and finance department operates like a well-oiled machine. Tim has been with Wolverine since 1990 and has worked with 3 generations of owners. Tim loves to spend time with his family, woodworking, and reading.

 

Larry Zeiser

Vice President of Field Operations

Larry began his career in the construction industry 30 years ago. He is responsible for our entire field team including our Superintendents, General Trades, and Steel Crews. Larry has built, owned and managed various businesses throughout the years, focused on growing people. Larry enjoys travelling with his wife and racing sailboats on the Great Lakes.

Kim McLaughlin

Vice President of Organizational Development and Engagement

Kim is responsible for our overall marketing strategy and finding meaningful and impactful ways that Wolverine can engage and make a difference in our community. Kim and her husband enjoy outdoor activities and traveling that involves hiking, but not camping.

 

Jamerson M. Ries, PE

Vice President of Operations

An engineer by education, Jamerson currently oversees our Directors of Construction Team. Jamerson enjoys challenging conventional thinking and coming up with creative solutions. On the weekends, he can be found riding bikes with his wife and 3 kids or relaxing somewhere close to water in the summer.

Jodi Ross

Director of Human Resources

Connecting with people with purpose, Jodi guides the Human Resources team at Wolverine. Her experience in strategic leadership is enhanced by her ability to balance employer and employees’ interests.  When she’s not building teams, she will be found anywhere there is water, woods or live music.

Derek Hunderman

Chief Operations Officer

Derek lays out the systems by which Wolverine leads. Through alignment and clarity, each team can push together to advance our construction leadership. Derek enjoys backpacking, but you likely won’t see him on the trail, he prefers exploring off the beaten path.

OUR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IS OUR PEOPLE

Our team sets us apart. Our people have a genuine curiosity to understand how your project is going to create more jobs, increase productivity, help a patient heal quicker, or be a safe and stable place to live. To us, it's more than just a building.

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OUR HISTORY


Since its founding in 1939, Wolverine has evolved into one of the region’s most trusted, stable, and respected building and construction management firms. Success and expansion has led Wolverine to develop four distinct specialty divisions—Wolverine Building, Wolverine Construction Management, Wolverine Multi-Family, and Wolverine North America.

Responding to our clients’ demand for a collaborative approach to construction services, Wolverine illustrated its unity by marketing under the Wolverine Building Group name and logo.

Wolverine Building Group will continue to offer the service, quality workmanship, and specialized expertise that has made all of its divisions trusted and successful in regional, state-wide, and national markets.

1939 – Founded in 1939 by Peter Bouwman, Wolverine Building Group began as Wolverine Tile Company, a small family-owned subcontracting company specializing in tile installation and gas station construction. Through the years, we have grown into a nationally recognized general contractor, construction manager, and design/builder with over 140 full-time employees.

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1945 – Fryling Construction was founded in 1945 specializing in the construction of enclosed shopping malls.

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1953 – Jim Bouwman followed in his father’s footsteps by taking ownership and leadership of the company.

1957 – Wolverine Tile Company became known as Wolverine Building Products, Inc.

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1970’s – Wolverine Building Group became the nation’s largest builder of Butler buildings, the leading brand for pre-engineered metal buildings.

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1980’s – Stan Cheff and Jeff Ridings took ownership and leadership of the company.

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1993 – Wolverine Construction Management was formed in 1993 as a separate division of Wolverine Building Group. The division provides construction management services in West and Central Michigan and specializes in the quality construction of healthcare and educational facilities.

1994 – Wolverine Building Group constructed Old Kent Park, now known as Fifth Third Ballpark, which is the home of the West Michigan Whitecaps.

1995 – Wolverine Building Group acquired Fryling construction. Mike Kelly and Dick VanderZyden took ownership and leadership of the company.

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2004 – Wolverine Building Group constructed the Spectrum Health Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center.

2006 – Wolverine North America was founded in 2006 as a separate division of Wolverine Building Group offering full-service program management and construction services for projects throughout the nation.

2007 – Wolverine Building Group constructed Icon on Bond, a 10-story, 120 unit condominium building located just north of downtown Grand Rapids.

2008 – Wolverine Building Group constructed River House Condominiums, the tallest building in downtown Grand Rapids standing at 412 feet high.

2009 – Wolverine Building Group constructed the Hauenstein Neuroscience Center and Houseman Construction joined Wolverine Building Group.

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2010 – Wolverine Building Group constructed the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, a state-of-the-art 14-story healthcare facility dedicated to pediatric care.

2014 – Wolverine Building Group completed the rebuild of the Fifth Third Ballpark after a fire destroyed a large portion of the stadium.

2018 – Aaron Jonker and Curt Mulder took ownership and leadership of the company.

2019 – Wolverine Building Group celebrates 80 years of business.

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Recent News

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"It's a Match Made in Heaven"

By Faith Green Timmons Originally Published in Michigan Conference Communications for The United Methodist Church A timely Christmas card, open hearts, and creative minds worked a miracle for Wyoming Park United Methodist Church in West Michigan. The situation was not dire, but decisions needed to be made. Finance… Read More

Wolverine Building Group Completes Construction of Custom-Designed Facility for Tooling Systems Group

Originally Published in Michigan Contractor & Builder WALKER, MI — Tooling Systems Group (TSG), an advanced manufacturing company, has recently completed the construction of a custom-designed facility in collaboration with Ada-based developer Honeycrisp Ventures. TSG’s journey began with their commitment to the project in December 2022, and achieving occupancy… Read More

Wolverine Building Group Promotes Project Managers to Advanced Roles

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Wolverine Building Group, a leading commercial construction firm headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, announced today the promotions of Daniel Zilzer and Daniel Escobar-Bercini. “Both of these men have been essential to the elevated profile of Wolverine,“ said Curt Mulder, president of Wolverine Building Group. “Each has… Read More