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PCCA Journal|1

st

Quarter 2015

20

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Continued from page 19

The company expanded its work areas beyond east-central

Missouri, and employment grew to roughly 25 employees.

In addition to the company growth, Bob and Dixie now had

three children, Steve, Heath, and Joy.

The services Sellenriek Construction could provide grew in

1991 when it purchased its first horizontal directional boring

machine. In 1998, the corporation purchased Cable Plow,

Inc., in Lewistown, Mo., allowing them to better serve its

growing list of clients. In 1998, Steve began working fulltime

for the company, followed by Heath a year later.

In 2002, Sellenriek Construction opened its third office,

located in Columbia, Mo. The company’s services expanded

yet again to include electrical distribution and directional

boring of large-diameter pipe. In 2003, Joy’s future husband,

Joe Oden, started working for the company and was followed

by Joy in 2004.

During 2009, Sellenriek Construction’s 30th year in busi-

ness, major changes took place. The company opened a con-

struction yard in Warrensburg and a fifth location in Jefferson

City, Mo. Sellenriek Construction currently has more than 100

dedicated employees throughout the state of Missouri.

Over the last couple of years, Sellenriek Construction has

started working for electric coops, installing fiber-to-the-

home systems and being introduced to a different type of cli-

ent. “The coops are very enjoyable to work for,” Steve said.

“There’s a more intimate feel with the coops. The people

involved have part ownership in it; they care about it. For

many of them, it’s their first telecom job, and they don’t have

preconceived notions. They’re open to new ideas.”

Sellenriek Construction remains a family owned and oper-

ated company. Bob is president of the corporation and is still

very active in the company. Besides being officers, Steve,

Heath, and Joy are actively involved in the company’s day-to-

day operations.

From its humble beginning through today, Sellenriek

Construction has done business with a simple motto: Do

what is right for the customer. Proof of this is the fact that

the company has many of the same clients for more than 35

years, and the Sellenrieks plan to work for these same clients

and more for the next 35.

Joining the Business

Being a family-owned business, Steve got a taste of the

construction industry fairly early. He started helping on the

job in 1991 at age 12. “Growing up, we worked all summer,

and in the winter we worked in the shop,” Steve said. “Dad

taught us every part of the business as kids--operating the

equipment, estimating, insurance, dealing with people, what-

ever there was to be done.”

After high school, Steve went to Linn State Technical

College, where he got a degree as a

truck and heavy equipment techni-

cian. Right out of Linn, he worked at

Mid Missouri Concrete for about 18

months, “turning wrenches, driving a

truck, and batching concrete.”

Steve said that time was very impor-

tant because he learned a lot of differ-

ent skills and had to answer to bosses

that weren’t part of the family. “It

was one of the better things I did,” he

said. “It was good to see how another

operation worked and see how other

people handled different situations.”

In 1998, Steve went back to work at

Sellenriek Construction as an operator.

Sellenriek Construction Founder Bob Sellenriek