Cardinal Construction

What Cardinal Construction does

Cardinal Construction is an employee-owned general construction and construction management firm headquartered in Waterloo, Iowa, operating continuously since 1895. The company serves clients across Iowa in five primary verticals: senior living, K-12 and higher education, healthcare, commercial, and industrial. Its project portfolio includes multi-phase hospital additions and renovations for UnityPoint Health and Grundy County Memorial Hospital, senior living communities for Western Home Communities, K-12 and higher education facilities for the University of Iowa and Wartburg College, industrial expansions such as Schumacher Elevator, and community projects including Boys & Girls Clubs of the Cedar Valley.

Cardinal delivers work through four integrated service lines: pre-construction services (feasibility analysis, conceptual cost estimating, constructability review, scheduling); construction management in both Agency and Construction Manager at Risk delivery; traditional general construction with self-performed capabilities in excavation, concrete, carpentry, steel erection, and millwright work; and design-build under a single contract. Revenue is generated primarily through competitive bids for general construction work and negotiated professional fees for construction management, with pricing custom-quoted per project via detailed cost estimates and, for at-risk engagements, Guaranteed Maximum Price commitments. Distribution is direct, with no resellers; projects are sourced through competitive bidding coordinated by clients' architects, negotiated early-stage construction management engagements, and a prequalified subcontractor network.

Operationally, the company differentiates through long-tenured field leadership, employee ownership that aligns incentives with project outcomes, a Master Builders of Iowa WorkSafe-certified safety program, and the ability to perform occupied-building construction across multiple phases. Leadership transitioned in May 2024 when Brandon Schoborg, an 18-year Cardinal veteran, succeeded Katy Susong as President and CEO. The firm operates exclusively within Iowa, with offices, vendors, and clients concentrated in the Cedar Valley region and surrounding communities.

Name

Cardinal Construction

Legal name

Cardinal Construction

Website

https://cardinalconst.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cardinal Construction is an employee-owned Iowa general contractor and construction manager serving senior living, education, healthcare, commercial, and industrial clients since 1895 from its Waterloo headquarters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Construction Services

NAICS

Commercial and Institutional Building Construction (23622)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540)

akta.pro primary industry

Commercial General Contracting (New Build) (IMAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Office & Corporate Building Construction (IMAFACAA), New School Construction (Greenfield Builds) (EDAEABAA), Government & Civic Building Construction (Courthouses, City Halls, Public Safety) (IMAFACAF)

Keywords

• General construction services
• Construction management
• Design-build services
• Pre-construction planning
• Commercial construction

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. General Construction Services: As a general contractor, Cardinal Construction provides day-to-day management and coordination of construction projects, employing field employees that perform a portion of the work while utilizing trusted subcontractors for specialized trades. Revenue is generated through competitive bid amounts and negotiated contracts.
2. Construction Management Services: Construction managers are engaged earlier in the process and work on behalf of the Owner, providing professional fees based on the total cost of the project. Construction Manager at Risk delivers a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) commitment.
3. Design-Build Services: Design-build delivery method where Cardinal Construction undertakes responsibility for the entire project including design, engineering, materials and construction under a single contract.
4. Pre-Construction Services: Pre-construction services including feasibility analysis, site selection, conceptual cost estimating, constructability review, and project scheduling provided as part of the overall project engagement.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cardinal Construction is a general construction and construction management firm that delivers commercial building projects across Iowa in the senior living, education, healthcare, commercial, and industrial sectors. The company offers four integrated service lines—Pre-Construction Services, Construction Management, General Construction, and Design-Build—self-performing select trades and coordinating qualified subcontractors for specialized work.

Product overview

Cardinal Construction offers a comprehensive suite of construction services delivered through four integrated service lines: Pre-Construction Services (feasibility analysis, cost estimating, scheduling), Construction Management (agency and at-risk delivery methods), General Construction (traditional contractor services with self-performance capabilities), and Design-Build (single-contract integrated delivery). The company operates across multiple sectors including senior living, education (K-12 and higher education), commercial, industrial, and healthcare. Projects range from small renovations to complex additions and new construction, with the company serving clients throughout Iowa from its Waterloo headquarters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pre-Construction Services

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Russell Construction Company: Iowa-based general contractor with a comparable regional footprint and similar mix of healthcare, education, senior living, and commercial work. Closest direct competitor to Cardinal in size, vertical mix, and service offerings across eastern Iowa.
• Henkel Construction Company: Mason City, Iowa-based general contractor providing construction management, design-build, and general construction across commercial, healthcare, education, and industrial sectors. Directly comparable in scale and delivery methods to Cardinal.
• Garling Construction: Cedar Rapids/Waterloo-based regional general contractor serving commercial, healthcare, senior living, and industrial clients in eastern Iowa. Overlaps directly with Cardinal's geographic footprint and vertical mix.
• Portzen Construction: Dubuque, Iowa-based general contractor providing construction management, design-build, and general construction across commercial, healthcare, education, and industrial sectors. Comparable regional Iowa peer with similar delivery offerings.

Broad incumbents

• The Weitz Company: Des Moines-headquartered, employee-owned general contractor with significantly larger national scale and a broader portfolio spanning commercial, healthcare, industrial, and mission-critical. Serves as the dominant Iowa-headquartered incumbent that Cardinal competes against on larger projects.
• Mortenson Construction: National, family-owned general contractor with strong healthcare and higher education practices actively pursuing Iowa-based work. Comparable in delivery methods (CM-at-Risk, design-build) and customer types, but operates at substantially greater scale.
• McCarthy Building Companies: National employee-owned general contractor with a leading healthcare and education practice, including active Midwest hospital and university work. Comparable in employee-ownership structure and target verticals, but at materially larger scale than Cardinal.
• Gilbane Building Company: Large national family-owned general contractor with dedicated healthcare, education, and public-sector practices. Competes with Cardinal on institutional work in the Midwest and shares a relationship-driven, multi-delivery approach.
• Walsh Construction: Chicago-based national general contractor with significant Midwest healthcare, education, and commercial work. Overlaps with Cardinal in target sectors and CM-at-Risk delivery, though operating at substantially greater scale and geographic reach.

Regional players

• Kraus-Anderson: Minneapolis-based Midwest regional general contractor with comparable healthcare, education, and senior living portfolio. Comparable in delivery methods and vertical mix, though focused primarily on Minnesota and the Upper Midwest rather than Iowa.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cardinal_ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Cardinal Construction