Owen-Ames-Kimball Co.

What Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. does

Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. (O-A-K) is a private, employee-owned commercial construction management and general contracting firm founded in 1891 and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The company delivers projects through three methods — Construction Management, General Contracting, and Construction Manager at Risk — across seven verticals: K-12 Education, Higher Education, Commercial, Non-Profit, Government, Healthcare, and Aviation. As of 2026 it operates from six offices across Colorado (Castle Rock), Florida (Fort Myers, Naples), and Michigan (Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Traverse City), and reports 70 employee-owners plus additional staff totaling 101–250 employees, with average tenure of 12 years. Its wholly owned subsidiary Owen-Ames-Kimball Engineering Inc. provides integrated design-build delivery.

The business model is project-based professional services: revenue is generated through construction management fees structured as percentages of construction cost or fixed-price contracts, with each project individually bid. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales — no intermediaries — targeting public-sector clients (school districts, airports, departments of transportation), higher education institutions, healthcare providers, non-profits, and commercial customers. Named engagements include a $123M LaBelle High School campus for Hendry County School District, the Meijer Sports Complex expansion, work for the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, the Colorado Department of Transportation, Frederik Meijer Gardens, Florida Gulf Coast University, and Family Health Centers of SWFL. Marketing relies on detailed project showcases, social media, community events, and earned media rather than paid acquisition.

The firm's competitive positioning rests on its 134-year employee-ownership model, multi-state regional footprint, deep vertical expertise (particularly K-12 and aviation), and an unusually stable workforce. Recent strategic activity — new geographic offices, a corporate HQ purchase, and senior leadership hires including a first Chief People Officer and a Senior Director of Strategy & Finance from the CRE and hospitality sectors — signals a professionalization phase rather than a pivot. O-A-K has no proprietary software products, APIs, or disclosed AI/ML capabilities; its offering is a traditional services business where differentiation is operational and relational rather than technological.

Name

Owen-Ames-Kimball Co.

Legal name

Owen-Ames-Kimball

Website

https://owen-ames-kimball.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1891

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. is a 134-year-old, employee-owned commercial construction management firm headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, delivering construction management, general contracting, and design-build services across K-12, higher education, government, healthcare, aviation, commercial, and non-profit sectors from offices in Colorado, Florida, and Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Construction Services

NAICS

Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (23622), Nonresidential Building Construction (2362)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)

akta.pro primary industry

Design-Build / EPC General Contracting (IMAFAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction Management (Agency/Owner’s Rep) (IMAFAAAC), Construction Program Management (Multi-site/Portfolio) (IMAFAAAF)

Keywords

• Commercial construction management
• General contracting services
• Design-build construction
• K-12 school construction
• Government building construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Construction Management Services: Full-service construction management company providing commercial construction services across Colorado, Florida, and Michigan. Revenue is generated through construction project fees, typically based on construction cost percentages or fixed-price contracts depending on project delivery method (Construction Management, General Contracting, or Construction Manager at Risk).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. (O-A-K) provides commercial construction management and general contracting services across Colorado, Florida, and Michigan. The firm delivers projects through Construction Management, General Contracting, and Construction Manager at Risk methods across seven sectors: K12 Education, Higher Education, Commercial, Non-Profit, Government, Healthcare, and Aviation.

Product overview

Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. (O-A-K) is a commercial construction management company founded in 1891, offering a unified set of construction services delivered across seven distinct industry sectors: K12 Education, Higher Education, Commercial, Non-Profit, Government, Healthcare, and Aviation. The company operates through its headquarters in Grand Rapids, Michigan with regional offices in Colorado, Florida, and Michigan. Services include construction management, general contracting, and design-build delivery methods. The company's integrated service model is supported by its subsidiary Owen-Ames-Kimball Engineering Inc. for design-build projects. Projects range from school buildings and airport terminals to churches and corporate offices, with typical project values ranging from thousands to over $100 million.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Construction Management Services Full-service construction management including preconstruction, general contracting, and construction management at risk for commercial projects across K12 Education, Higher Education, Commercial, Non-Profit, Government, Healthcare, and Aviation sectors.
• K12 Education Construction Construction services for K-12 schools including elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, early childhood centers, and athletic facilities.
• Higher Education Construction Construction services for colleges and universities including academic buildings, residence halls, athletic facilities, and campus infrastructure.
• Commercial Construction Commercial building construction including office buildings, retail spaces, hotels, and mixed-use developments.
• Government Construction Public sector construction including government buildings, courthouses, correctional facilities, and municipal infrastructure.
• Healthcare Construction Healthcare facility construction including hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and medical office buildings.
• Aviation Construction Airport and aviation facility construction including terminals, hangars, runways, air traffic control facilities, and support buildings.
• Non-Profit Construction Non-profit organization construction including churches, community centers, museums, and social service facilities.
• Design-Build Services Integrated design-build project delivery through Owen-Ames-Kimball Engineering Inc., combining architectural design with construction management.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12 years average employee tenure demonstrates workforce stability and expertise retention
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Grace Design Studios, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Architecture/design partner for LaBelle High School project. Collaborative team delivering campus designed to support both academic excellence and workforce readiness.
• Rock Enterprises, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2026Construction partner for LaBelle High School project working alongside O-A-K to deliver the $123 million campus project.
• Thomas Marine ConstructioncoreOthersO-A-K purchased Thomas Marine Construction, a bridge builder, in Fort Myers, FL. This acquisition expanded O-A-K's marine construction capabilities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Barton Malow Company: Michigan-based employee-owned commercial construction manager and general contractor operating across K12, Higher Education, Healthcare, and Government — directly comparable in ownership structure, regional base, and vertical mix to O-A-K.
• Granger Construction: Lansing-based commercial construction manager serving K12, Higher Education, Healthcare, and Government clients in Michigan — overlapping regional footprint, vertical specialization, and project delivery methods.
• The Christman Company: Michigan-headquartered construction management and general contracting firm serving K12, Higher Education, Healthcare, Government, and Commercial clients across the Midwest and Southeast — comparable in scale and vertical mix.

Broad incumbents

• Clark Construction Group: National commercial construction management giant with deep public-sector and institutional practice — competes for larger institutional, education, and government projects in O-A-K's geographies.
• Gilbane Building Company: Major privately-held national CM firm with strong K12, Higher Education, and Healthcare practices — competes on the same institutional and education verticals at larger scale.
• Skanska USA: Global construction and development firm with significant U.S. presence in commercial, education, and infrastructure — broader portfolio but overlapping institutional client base.
• McCarthy Building Companies: Large national employee-owned commercial contractor with strong healthcare, education, and aviation practices — closest large-scale analog to O-A-K's employee-owned culture and vertical mix.
• JE Dunn Construction: Top-tier national general contractor with significant education, healthcare, and government work — competes for institutional projects in the same verticals as O-A-K.
• Walsh Construction: Family-owned national contractor serving education, healthcare, commercial, and government markets — comparable employee-centric culture and institutional client mix.
• Hensel Phelps: Employee-owned national CM firm with deep aviation, education, and government practices — overlapping employee-ownership model and key verticals including aviation and government.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/owenameskimballco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/owen-ames-kimball-co
• Instagraminstagram.com/owenameskimball
• Xx.com/builder1891

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Owen-Ames-Kimball Co.