Chairman of the Board
The Boldt Co. | Appleton
Tom Boldt recently became chairman of the board of The Boldt Co. after serving as CEO of the Appleton-based construction firm since 1998. The company operates 18 offices across the U.S. and serves the health care, power, industrial, education, automotive and commercial markets. Tom Boldt represents the fourth generation of family leadership at the firm. He serves on the board of The Nature Conservancy – Wisconsin Chapter, Ascendium Education Group, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, WMC Foundation, among other civic organizations.
Education: Bachelor’s, St. Olaf College
Highlights from the past 12 months: “On a project level, our most significant success this past year was the completion of a substantial industrial project for a major paper and tissue manufacturing company. We exceeded all project benchmarks, including safety, time, cost and quality.”
Advice for first-time leaders: “Leadership can be lonely, so don’t be afraid to seek the advice of others – peers and employees alike – before making decisions. Within that, encourage others to be candid with you and not to simply say what they think you want to hear.”
Favorite Wisconsin destination: “There are many places we’ve gotten to know and love in Wisconsin, but if I must choose one, it would be northern Door County.”
Playlist for commute/run: “I’ve gotten into podcasts, including a French daily news broadcast, three World War I podcasts and several golf podcasts.”
2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile
Real Estate and Development | Construction
CEO
The Boldt Co. | Appleton
Tom Boldt has been CEO of The Boldt Co. since 1998, representing the fourth generation of family leadership at the Appleton-based firm. The Boldt Co. is one of the largest in the state and has 17 offices nationwide. Among its prominent recent projects, Boldt provided construction management on the Craig Yabuki Tower on Children’s Wisconsin’s Wauwatosa hospital campus, Advocate Aurora’s new health center in Pleasant Prairie, and Ascendium Education Group’s new corporate headquarters in Madison. Last year, The Boldt Co. launched a peer suicide prevention program to combat high suicide rates among construction workers. Credited as an early supporter of green construction in the state, Boldt serves on the board of directors of the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative, among other organizations.
Education: Bachelor’s, St. Olaf College
First job: “Picking strawberries. I was terrible at it. I learned I didn’t want to pick strawberries.”
Biggest recent success: “Completing the ESOP transition.”
What has you most excited for the future: “Working with committed, smart people to continue to grow the business.”
Career advice: “The encouragement from my dad to be myself and listen and learn.”
