Fitchburg, WI – Tri-North Builders, Inc, was just awarded two 2016 BUILD Wisconsin Awards by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Wisconsin.

“We are honored be selected by AGC as BUILD Wisconsin award recipients again this year,” said Tom Thayer, President & CEO of Tri-North. “I am extremely proud of our team’s hard work and the partnerships we have strengthened across the state this year,” he added.

Tri-North will be recognized at the AGC Build Wisconsin Awards ceremony on Thursday, October 13, 2016 at Sentryworld in Stevens Point, WI for the following:

• UW Health—Cottage Grove Clinic (Cottage Grove, WI) in the “General Contractor – Commercial Projects – New Construction” category
• Robert Thayer, Tri-North’s Vice President, Marketing, for the Horizon Award

About UW Health—Cottage Grove Clinic

Tri-North partnered with Flad Architects to provide design-build services for this new ground-up clinic which significantly expands the space and services provided from the previous clinic. The state-of-the-art new facility’s patient-centric design separates the front of the clinic from the back which allows the team to work in closer proximity and in private spaces, thereby promoting better team communications and efficiency. The primary care clinic features 15 dual-access exam rooms, two treatment rooms, an x-ray room, and a lab.

The separation of the front of the clinic from the back is a new operational model that supports Lean and efficient operations in addition to a distinctively collaborative team environment for staff and enhanced patient privacy. The solution of dual-access exam rooms with patient entry from the public corridor and caregiver entry from the collaborative team space allows privacy and autonomy for both spaces. In this way, caregivers are able to collaborate efficiently in a team environment without disrupting the patient or the patient’s privacy. Simultaneously, patients have a comfortable environment separate from the clinical space.

In addition to the design of the building, another innovative tactic that our team was proud to utilize on this project was an original panelized wall system on both the exterior and interior of the clinic that brought costs down while meeting project objectives. Working closely with Wisconsin Building Supply, the project team developed a custom wall panel solution that was specifically manufactured in the shop for this clinic.

About Robert Thayer

In his ten years in the industry, Robert Thayer has made it his mission to promote the construction industry, build industry relationships, promote future positive contributions to the industry, and enhance the image of the industry. In particular, Robert is passionate about leveraging technology and online media to connect with the community clients, prospects, and partners. His early integration of drone technology three years ago has kept Tri-North on the cutting edge of new developments as one of the first construction companies in Wisconsin to be 100% compliant with FAA regulations.

Over the last few years, Robert has concentrated heavily on proactive strategies to combat the significant labor shortage in the construction industry throughout Wisconsin. To that end, he was part of the team that originally conceived of the idea behind Kids Building Wisconsin (KBW). KBW is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to getting kids interested in the construction industry through a free annual community event and associated outreach. Robert has been an active board member and the logistical coordinator for the event since the organization’s founding.

At the annual event, kids are able to experience firsthand numerous exciting careers in the industry by participating in dozens of hands-on exhibits run by local trades and industry professionals. Though his involvement in KBW over the last three years has been one of the highlights of his career, which incorporates several of his passions (event planning and promotion, community-building, education, advertising, graphic design, videography, and social media), Robert said, “the best part of the event is simply watching the kids having fun, exploring, and getting interested in our amazing industry every year.”

For more information on Kids Building Wisconsin, visit http://www.kidsbuildingwi.org/.