Chuck Binkowski, President and COO Barton Malow

0:00Jerry, just sharing notes with my photographer friend because I love photography and I used to do it a lot and I'm going to try to get back into it. I'm a big fan of the family that has been running this business for over 100 years. We were there. We broadcast from their home office in Michigan. I'm talking about Ben and Ryan Maibach and the Maibach family controlling Barton Mallow for over 100 years and the guy in charge, the president and COO. Ben with the company just 45 years. Just a youngster there. Chuck Binkowski, the president and COO. Chuck, I can't believe you've been there 45 years. How great is that? I'll tell you, it's still hard for me to hear that. It's been a great run. It's been a great career and I've been fortunate to be with the Maibach. Like you mentioned for that whole time and to still be doing what I'm doing.

1:00Well, it's a great company and you are to be applauded for your work keeping it a great company. Certainly Ben and Ryan too. What are some, would you say, Chuck, some of the big emerging construction markets that Barton Mallow is involved in now? Paul, when I think about that question, I'm always cautious because we always talk about the uncertainty that is happening in and around us on a constant basis. But I got to tell you, there's multiple markets that are still producing capital programs and improvements just to mention a few. You can't go anywhere without hearing about some of this mission critical facilities that are throughout the country. The surprising one, you know, Barton Mallow is a major sports and entertainment builder and that area, whether it's professional or collegiate, just seems to be on the move, which I don't know if I would have predicted a few years ago that people would be gathering back at large arenas for events, but that is really, really doing well.

2:09But I think most recently, I'm most not most excited, but another area is the energy sector. Whether it was renewables for a while, but we all know some of the power where the industry is going, where energy is needed. It's exciting to see some of the opportunities coming up in both renewable and thermal programs. I'm thinking going back to sports and entertainment for a moment to Chuck Binkowski, president, CEO of Barton Mallow and they've built many a stadia, is that the plural stadia? Stadia, I believe. Stadia, I don't think that's right either. But anyway, you build a lot of stadiums and I don't think anybody would have ever guessed, certainly 45 years ago when you started with a company, maybe 20 years ago, maybe even just 10 years ago. That's where all the money seems to be. There's so much money in sports and entertainment. I'm not surprised they're building, you know, what's that thing in Las Vegas called the sphere.

3:10And then how much did that cost? That was a lot. And then all the stadiums and all of that and there's, I don't see any end in sight. Yeah, we're very fortunate to be right in the middle of the Jags right now, down in Florida. I mean, I could go through a list of opportunities not only coming, but currently. And what really, what really seems to be there, whether it's a new build or as important, some of the sizes of these retrofits or these upgrades, it's all about that fan experience. It's all about, you know, what can they do to have that fan experience at another level? And it's very competitive, but it's exciting. And again, I don't know how many different venues you've been to. I've been very fortunate because you build them. You get to go to a few. It's always amazing what somebody is coming up with for that fan experience. Well, you know, it's also amazing. You know, I've discussed this before Chuck Offair. And that is as one of the largest employers of trade labor in all of Michigan, you've described to me how these, these hardworking men and women deliver value to Barton Mallow and your projects. And you say that with great pride.

4:26Yeah, I do. Paul, and you know, because we've talked many times, you know that my first 25 years with Barton Mallow was in the trades in the union. And I pride myself in that opportunity to not only do that with Barton Mallow, but to do that here in the city Detroit, where I do believe some of the best craft men and women come from. And I'm telling you, we build projects across the country, but the way out of here, the way they are trained, the way the work ethic, the do I say blue collar approach to everything we do. And a lot of ways makes them very special. And I see it across the country. And that's, you know, hats off. I got to give credit to a lot of that's probably driven by the automotive industry. I mean, we are the motor city. And a lot of regards in what, you know, what that training and that that approach has done to the building trade. So I'm proud to be part of that, but on a regular basis, they bring that skill, safety, expertise across the board to major programs.

5:27I mean, I don't know last time you drove down the lodge Paul, but you see that steel coming out of there at Henry Ford Health there. That is just when I see stuff like that. And I see the precision and the destination grand there. I'm speaking of to see that coming out of the ground. It's, I don't care how many more years it is for me. That excites me. Well, what Bob Reini is doing in leadership there. He spent his entire career there at Henry Ford Health and this destination grand. We are finally going to have a facility for detritors and the whole surrounding area to go to where the facility matches the great doctors that we've had for a very long time. Yes. And that's important because we still have had people who have in their minds believed they had to leave town to go get that kind of service. They will not have to anymore. Yeah, not that they may be ever had to, but they won't have to anymore. That's for sure. Any projects Chuck Binkowski president CEO of Barton Mallor any projects or recent successes that maybe you want to highlight. I know that's kind of a revolving thing, but anything.

6:34Yeah, you know, hey, we mentioned Henry Ford Health. It just just a real highlight. We could cover a lot of areas just in that job in particular. You mentioned there's a lot of firsts out there. There was some first through the construction. There's some major steel components that are the first in the country. There's some automation and areas happening there. There's just a lot you can unpack, but you know, we talk about that a lot. I'll bring a little tension to we're also performing this Kalamazoo event center. You know, it's ongoing project right now. We have a partner there to the CSM group. We're in a joint venture, but this event center is going to be the new home of Western Michigan hockey. So yeah, I think that's exciting and basketball. And then I believe the Kalamazoo wings minor league team place there. So so Paul, I get opportunities to build some really cool. How much fun is that then you get to go and see all the people enjoying the facility. I bet you get a good seat too when you go.

7:39You know where the best seat in the house is, don't you? You get a little inside look. Thanks to you, Chuck, for the great job you're doing 45 years at Barton, Malla, now president and COO. Please give Ben and Ryan my back and the family my best. Ryan, I know his work in his family off. I hope Ben is taking a kind of easy now. You know what? I don't know if Ben can take it easy. I just adore that man for everything that he's done. The last year we we tipped our hat to 60 years with him being active in the business and what he did there and just talked to him earlier today. I know he is down south, hopefully enjoying a little bit of a break recently, but we still talk on a regular basis. Very blessed. Chuck Binkowski, president, COO of a great Detroit business for over 100 years, Barton, Malla. Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Paul. It's a pleasure. Always my pleasure. Keep up the good work. 1228, 760, WJR.