Ben Ganther is a fourth-generation general contractor and the CEO of Ganther Construction | Architecture, Inc. He began his career in construction as a laborer during the summer of his sophomore year in high school and went on to complete a carpenter’s apprenticeship after several years of college. Over the next decade, he built hands-on experience in the field before moving into estimating and project management, eventually rising to vice president, president in 1992, and now CEO.

Ben’s leadership philosophy is simple: construction is about more than buildings; it is about relationships. He considers his greatest professional achievement not a single project, but the strong team of construction and design professionals he has helped build and the lasting client relationships that team continues to earn. That commitment to trust, collaboration, and service is reflected in the fact that many of the firm’s clients return again and again.

Outside of work, Ben is a proud father of four grown children and a grandfather with a seventh grandchild on the way. In the winter, he enjoys teaching his grandchildren to ski. When the weather is good, he can often be found on a 30-mile bike ride through the rural roads west of the office.

Kelly Schleif is President of Ganther Construction | Architecture, Inc., and is involved in every stage of a project, from the earliest conceptual design through the grand opening and beyond. He has always been fascinated by how things are put together, which made the construction industry an easy choice.

To help pay for college at the University of Wisconsin–Stout, Kelly worked summers as a mason tender and rough carpenter. After graduating, he joined an ENR Top 400 design/build firm in St. Louis, where he worked on a number of hospital and hotel projects. Wanting to bring his wife and children back to Wisconsin, he was recruited by a design/build firm in Appleton and went on to deliver numerous school facilities across the state.

In an odd twist, the same person who hired him in Appleton later reached out and brought him to Ganther, an opportunity Kelly describes as a true answer to his prayers. For the past 20 years he has worked alongside some of the best and brightest construction managers, superintendents, architects, and support staff, most of whom he counts as friends, and he credits Ben Ganther with working tirelessly to keep the whole team focused on the best possible solution for every project.

“The people at Ganther truly care about our clients and our projects,” Kelly says. “It’s an honor to work alongside these fine individuals.”

Chase Hildebrand is Executive Vice President at Ganther Construction | Architecture, Inc. He’s involved in nearly every corner of the business, but what he enjoys most is working alongside project teams throughout the construction life cycle, ensuring every customer’s expectations are met and exceeded from initial concept through completion.

Chase grew up around construction and has always been driven to understand how things work and how they can be done better. That curiosity, paired with his broad experience across many types of construction, gives him a practical, level-headed approach to every project he’s involved in. He’s a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and a lifelong learner, always ready to dig into whatever sparks his interest.

Chase lives in Oshkosh with his wife and four sons, and finds comfort in nature and enjoying God’s creation with friends and family.

Andrew Iverson is Vice President of Architectural Operations at Ganther Construction | Architecture, Inc. He’s involved across the architectural side of the business, but what he enjoys most is the early work: sitting down with a client whose aspirations are still just ideas and finding the path that makes them real.

Andrew has spent more than 30 years planning and designing for school, civic, and institutional clients, including new buildings, additions, renovations, and adaptive reuse alike. That range has made him adaptable by habit: he starts with what the client actually needs rather than a preferred answer, and raises code, accessibility, and life-safety questions early, while they can still shape a decision rather than derail one. He’s a graduate of Iowa State University, has worked on projects across Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, and Iowa, and holds NCARB certification for licensure wherever a project leads. Andrew approaches leadership as the work of defining, managing, and implementing change, and develops team members who can step into greater roles, which is what he credits for projects that exceed expectations.

Outside of the office, Andrew and his family enjoy time at their lakeside cabin in the Wisconsin northwoods, where they catch bluegills, crappies, and bass.

Ken Koziczkowski leads Senior Living Design at Ganther Construction | Architecture, Inc. He has been an architect for more than 30 years and has spent the last half of that time focused on creating living environments for seniors. Ken is well versed in building codes across multiple states, construction methods, and the design needs of resident-centered care environments. Combining his design and construction experience contributes to cost-effective and functional design.

Ken started in construction as a carpenter’s helper, graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee School of Architecture, and has held positions as Designer, Construction Project Manager, Office Administrator, and Director of Architectural Services before finding his passion in designing for the aging. As we all get older, we should all be able to age and live with dignity and comfort.

In his free time, you will most likely find Ken on the pitch coaching youth soccer.