about us

The Original Contractor

Our story began in 1891. Four young engineers in Grand Rapids, Michigan had a vision to build a great city. Their resumés were written in the lines of their hardened, calloused hands.

Group photo of Michigan team.
WE VALUE: Teamwork, Integrity, Accountability, Flexibility, and Community
O‑A‑K logos throughout the years.
O‑A‑K builds the Federal Office Building in Grand Rapids, circa 1970.
O‑A‑K working on Hotel Morton in 1922.
The 1940s O‑A‑K crew.

our history

Over 125 Years of Experience

Our founders cared about people, first and foremost, and established an employee-owned construction company that eventually became Owen‑Ames‑Kimball Co. (or O‑A‑K, as we call ourselves). Industry trends came and went, marketplace demands evolved, and O‑A‑K continually transformed. We believe the most successful companies are constantly adjusting to what they’ve learned. We’ve done a lot of adjusting since 1891.

Today, we manage the building process, not just the construction itself. We have carried out that vision to build a great city in Grand Rapids, and have expanded into Kalamazoo, Michigan and Fort Myers, Florida. At our core, we are culturally humble and driven. We imagine if we met those four young engineers today – 130 years later – they would tip their hats.

our values

A Lot Has Changed Since 1891, but Our Values Remain the Same.

Teamwork

We listen to each other. We understand that working separately doesn’t mean working apart. Harry Truman put it best, “There is no limit to what can be accomplished if it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.”

meet the o-a-k-team
Community

We encourage each other to engage organizations and events that align with things we're passionate about.

Learn More
Flexibility

We follow our established processes and systems but are always willing to embrace and adapt to new ideas.
Accountability

We take responsibility for our actions, and we honor our commitments.
Integrity

We are transparent and truthful in our interactions. We value doing the "right thing" over the "easy thing" every time.

our values

A Lot Has Changed Since 1891, but Our Values Remain the Same.

We listen to each other. We understand that working separately doesn’t mean working apart. Harry Truman put it best, “There is no limit to what can be accomplished if it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.”

meet the o-a-k-team

We encourage each other to engage organizations and events that align with things we're passionate about.

Learn More

We follow our established processes and systems but are always willing to embrace and adapt to new ideas.

We take responsibility for our actions, and we honor our commitments.

We are transparent and truthful in our interactions. We value doing the "right thing" over the "easy thing" every time.

firm structure

Employee-Owned

Our employees are personally vested in the success of every project.

employee-ownership

Being an employee-owned company, we take ownership of each and every project and we treat it like our own, from all levels of the company.

Frank Stanek
CEO, Owen‑Ames‑Kimball Co.