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Chris Kirch named President of Kitchell Contractors

Chris Kirch was recently named President of Kitchell Contractors Inc., taking the reins of one of the oldest commercial building contractors in the Southwest as it moves into a new era of leadership.

“We are experiencing unprecedented innovation and growth as it relates to how and what we build,” said Kitchell President & CEO Wendy Cohen. “As someone who has lived this industry since he started as a laborer on one of our hospital projects, Chris understands firsthand how to meet the challenges of increasingly complex projects while mobilizing teams to perform at the highest levels. I look forward to working alongside him as we chart a future that builds on our long legacy and uses innovation to bring our clients’ visions to life.”

Kirch has been with Kitchell since 2003 and since 2010 has been with the company’s Texas region, helping to grow the company’s footprint in the Austin and Houston markets. He began his journey with Kitchell as an intern while working toward his Construction Management degree from Northern Arizona University, moving through an entry-level Project Engineer position in Las Vegas to Operations Manager in Texas, where he most recently served as Texas Market Sector Executive. He is known as an accessible, supportive leader who is unwavering in his dedication to Kitchell’s projects, clients and employees. Chris is a founding board member of the Lean Institute of Houston and Vice President of Cyclist for a Cause, benefiting MS research.

Kirch is the second leadership appointment at Kitchell in recent weeks, following the appointment of Don Haase as the new President of Sacramento-based Kitchell CEM. The leadership changes are part of a strategic succession effort at the diverse company, which consists of four distinct operating companies: Kitchell Contractors Inc., Kitchell Capital Expenditure Managers (CEM), Kitchell Development Company and American Refrigeration Supplies. Through these companies, Kitchell provides a wide array of building services ranging from real estate development and program management and construction management to general contracting and facility management, as well as wholesale refrigeration and HVAC supplies.

Hear from our Kitchell interns on National Intern Day

What’s a Kitchell internship like?

 

For most students, it begins in the summer with an on-campus immersion at either our Phoenix or Sacramento offices. There, the students hear from our Kitchell employee-owners from a wide range of areas and learn about the many facets of our work, including project estimating, virtual design/construction, project management, engineering studies, facilities conditions assessments and close-out processes. Our interns are then assigned to project teams, jobsites and offices where they apply their educational experience in a practical, real-world environment.

And the unprecedented heat in our Arizona, California and Texas markets hasn’t deterred them.

“The single most important thing I’ve learned since I’ve been with Kitchell is to be proactive and not reactive. Make sure you are looking ahead at the next sequence of construction or task and be planning how to get to that next activity successfully!” – Audey Yarbrough, Northern Arizona University

“It’s nice to find certain spots that are now unrecognizable because of how they’ve developed since I’ve gotten here. I think the most important thing I’ve learned is how involved the process to building parts of a project are and how amazing it is when everything connects, even if it’s just for a few walls or columns.” – Ronaldo Mendoza, UC Davis

“I am extremely blessed to be part this team. With the million questions I’ve had they are always more than happy to help me with anything. I have been able to witness what true teamwork is. Here I have learned how important it is to be honest, communicate and how to take responsibility. Before this I questioned if I were truly able to be in this business and now my confidence has boosted to a whole different level, and I give all the credit to this Austin Kitchell Team. They are super helpful and knowledgeable.” – Antonio Ponce, Texas State University

“Highlights throughout my internship would have to be watching the first/last structural beam placed on my project, seeing the pour of a concrete slab and conducting a tour for my fellow interns. Although it was just a simple tour, I surprised myself with the amount of knowledge I learned throughout the summer, and it gave me more confidence and reassurance that I will do great in this field even though I didn’t grow up in construction.” – Jessica Roth, Northern Arizona University

“I have learned so much about the nuances of construction that I could never have received in school. Construction is an interdisciplinary field – a project can only be completed through all its internal roles functioning as a composite unit.” – Jacob Risko, University of Arizona

“The highlight has been working on-site and seeing pre-development sites I’ve been working on. I’ve learned how in-depth and coordinated facilities conditions assessments are and how a project schedule is laid out.” – Jack Evans, Cal Poly SLO

“I’ve enjoyed being able to work on various jobsites and earning about the process and discussions that happen at the various stages of construction.” – Kyle Lee,  CSU Sacramento

“One of the biggest highlights of my internship is the trust I have received from my team, building my confidence and specifically how to professionally interact with client and trade partners in the field and office” – Morgan Donnelly, Northern Arizona University

“The highlight that stands out the most for me is testing the controlled burn features at the Hayward Fire Training Center. Purposely setting things on fire – in a safe way – is always a blast. I’ve also learned that this is about managing people as well.” – Daniel Cervantes, San Jose State University

These are just a few of the 40 interns spending time at Kitchell jobsites and offices this summer. Some of our students are with us year-round, but the majority soak up as much as they can during their two- to three-month assignment. We are fortunate to have several former Kitchell interns among our corps of employee-owners today, including many in leadership roles!