Owen‑Ames‑Kimball expands Collier County operations, relocates Naples office

Last week, O-A-K team members, community leaders, and project partners gathered in Kalamazoo to break ground on our new Kalamazoo office. The building gives our Southwest Michigan team a permanent home designed around the way they work, collaborate, and serve clients across the region.

O-A-K first opened a Kalamazoo office in November 2013, starting with a small team in the historic Haymarket Building downtown. In 2024, we celebrated 10 years in the community. This new office is an investment in our employee-owners, our future in Southwest Michigan, and the community we are proud to call home.

Design partner Ghafari has helped shape a space that reflects who we are as a company and gives our team room to grow. Ghafari and O-A-K have a long history together, including our work on Ghafari’s own office in Grand Rapids.

Thank you to Ghafari, Western Michigan University (WMU), and Southwest Michigan First for their partnership and support, and to the leadership, project teams, and community representatives who joined us to celebrate.

On Monday, October 19, the City of Walker and Kent District Library (KDL) officially opened the new Walker Library. Hundreds of community members gathered on the City Hall campus for a 9:30 a.m. ribbon cutting, and the doors opened to the public as soon as the ribbon was cut.

Mayor Gary Carey and KDL Executive Director Lance Werner kicked off the morning with remarks. Werner shared that the new library had been a topic of conversation for his entire 15-plus years with KDL. Pat Callahan of StudioGC and Josh Szymanski, PE, Chief Strategy Officer at O-A-K, also spoke, and the ceremony included a special thank-you to Meijer for its $1 million gift.

Opening day was also a homecoming for library staff, who spent 19 months serving patrons from a temporary location during construction. The celebration now carries on throughout the week, giving the public a chance to explore the new library, grab a bite to eat at one of the food trucks, and participate in activities like crafting and scavenger hunts.‍

Thank you to the City of Walker, KDL, StudioGC, Mathison | Mathison Architects (MMA), Meijer, and everyone who came out to celebrate opening day.

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Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. (O-A-K) has completed construction of a 31,000-square-foot expansion of Cape Coral Technical College, marking the first major addition to the campus since it opened in 1993.

Students, faculty, community leaders and industry partners gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the expansion at the college, located at 360Santa Barbara Blvd. N. in Cape Coral.

The expansionsignificantly increases the college’s capacity to provide hands-on educationand industry-recognized credentials for careers in high-demand skilled trades. At full capacity, Cape Coral Technical College will serve up to 500 studentsannually, helping create a pipeline of trained workers for industries facingcritical workforce shortages throughout Southwest Florida.

“The completion of the Cape Coral Technical College expansion represents a significant investment inthe future workforce of Southwest Florida,” said Jim Hopper, Florida DivisionPresident of Owen-Ames-Kimball. “Projects like this create real opportunity,giving students access to hands-on training that leads directly to meaningfulcareers while helping local industries meet the growing demand for skilledprofessionals. Owen-Ames-Kimball is proud to partner with the School Districtof Lee County on a project that will have a lasting impact on students,businesses and the economic future of our region.”

The expanded campus allows Cape Coral Technical College to offer programs across three high-demandsectors: transportation, manufacturing, and architecture and construction. Newskilled-trades training includes construction trades, welding, HVAC, automotiverepair and service, marine service technology and additionalconstruction-industry programs.

“The programs in this building were designed hand in hand with local employers, which means ourstudents train on the same equipment and to the same standards they will findon the job,” said Dr. Denise Carlin, superintendent of Lee County Schools.

The expansion will allow more than 150 additional students each year to pursue tradecertifications. Many programs follow a “Career in a Year” model, allowingstudents to earn industry-recognized credentials and enter the workforcequickly. The college also offers dual-enrollment opportunities for high school students, as well as programs for veterans and individuals age 16 and older.

During theribbon-cutting ceremony, Cape Coral Technical College Director Charlie Pease also announced Nor-Tech Hi-Performance Boats as the college’s first FoundingIndustry Partner. Nor-Tech Chief Operating Officer Henrik Margard presented aninitial $20,000 donation to the college.

“At Nor-Tech, we believe that investing in education is an investment in our community’sfuture,” Margard said.

“Nor-Tech’s commitment gives our Marine Academy students access to the technology and expertise that will set them apart in the workforce,” Pease said.

Cape Coral Technical College currently offers 19 programs designed to prepare students for employment in growing industries. Partnerships with local businesses provide work-based learning opportunities while allowing industry professionals to help shape curriculum based on current workforce needs.

The expansion comes as Cape Coral and Southwest Florida continue to experience strong population and economic growth, increasing demand for skilled workers in construction, marine service, HVAC, automotive technology and other trades.

For more information about Cape Coral Technical College, visit capecoraltech.edu or call (239)574-4440.

Owen-Ames-Kimball is a nationally recognized construction management firm with offices serving Collier and Lee counties for more than four decades. With headquarters in Florida, Michigan, and Colorado, O-A-K delivers unmatched construction management expertise, leading complexprojects through strong partnerships and proven project leadership. Learn more about O-A-K at www.owen-ames-kimball.com or call (239) 561-4141.