Chairman and CEO
Walbec Group | Pewaukee
Kurt Bechthold is chairman and chief executive officer of the Walbec Group, a family of six construction companies with 2,000 employees and a footprint across the Midwest. Bechthold represents the third generation of family leadership for the Pewaukee-based company. Bechthold serves on the boards of Froedtert ThedaCare Health, Sunrock Group, Siebert Lutheran Foundation, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Lake Express and the National Asphalt Pavement Association. He is also a member of the Greater Milwaukee Committee.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Madison; MBA, Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management
The future of your industry: “The infrastructure and transportation industry will keep evolving alongside technological advancements. If self-driving cars become more prevalent, we’ll see a significant shift in road designs to accommodate and optimize this new reality.”
Favorite part of the workday: “Collaborating with team members across our family of companies to explore new ideas and continuously enhance the way we serve our customers.”
Buzzword you never want to hear again: “Deck, as in the slideshow deck. I remember when a physical set of slides used to be in the projector’s carousel.”
Favorite movie: “I’m a fan of comedies, as we all need a good laugh. My favorites include ‘Fletch,’ ‘Happy Gilmore’ and ‘Caddyshack.’”
2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile
Real Estate and Development | Construction
Chairman and CEO
Walbec Group | Pewaukee
Kurt Bechthold leads Walbec Group, representing the third generation of family leadership for the Pewaukee-based company. Founded by his grandfather, Walter Bechthold, and later led by his father, Ned Bechthold, Walbec today includes construction firms Payne and Dolan, Northeast Asphalt, Zenith Tech, Parisi, Premier Concrete and Construction Resources Management. The group has about 1,500 employees across the Midwest.
The company frequently works on projects for the federal, state and municipal governments, such as the East-West Bus Rapid Transit project in Milwaukee County and the city of Beloit’s 450-foot pedestrian bridge over the Rock River. Its commercial projects have included work for the developer of the 7Seventy7 apartment tower in downtown Milwaukee, Erin Hills golf course and a go-kart track project at Road America.
Earlier this year, Walbec acquired Verona-based public works and transportation infrastructure contractor Parisi Construction for an undisclosed amount. Last year, the growing company expanded its headquarters campus by acquiring a neighboring building previously occupied by AT&T.
Bechthold has served on the boards of Froedtert Health, Siebert Lutheran Foundation, Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, Lake Express, Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, and the National Asphalt Pavement Association. He is also a member of the Greater Milwaukee Committee.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of Wisconsin-Madison; MBA, Northwestern University
