“Ralph changed the way people thought about building,” says Todd Imming, chief marketing officer for Korte.  “At a time when construction was often fragmented and inefficient, he embraced the idea of bringing design and construction under one roof. He championed design-build before it was widely accepted, proving that collaboration, accountability and innovation could deliver better projects and stronger client relationships.”

Korte was one of 14 children raised on a family farm in Highland, Ill., near St. Louis. His knack for construction was recognized in his teens when he helped other farmers in his community with their projects. He enjoyed swinging a hammer so much, that, according to the company, he once said, “I’d rather drive nails than eat.”

Korte enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 18 where he gained a high school equivalency degree before serving in Korea. Returning home, he purchased a $79 electric saw and started Ralph Korte Construction Co., which followed the formula of “Don’t charge too much, and work hard.”

The company expanded into commercial construction and thrived, as Korte also developed his business acumen by taking college classes at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. In 1977, the company launched Ralph Korte Planning and Management, an internal design-build division. It also adopted tilt-up construction, which entails lifting or tilting large concrete walls into a vertical position with a crane. Once in place, panels are braced until they are permanently secured to the foundation, roof and other structural elements.

In addition to design-build, The Korte Co. offers services that include architectural design, construction management, general contracting, historic building restoration, interior design and surveying. From hospitals and factories to distribution centers and schools, the company reports it has completed more than 4,000 projects across the U.S. since 1958. The Korte Co. ranks at No. 225 on the ENR Top 400 Contractors list.

Korte served on the boards of many local non-profits such as the Missouri Botanical Gardens. He donated $1 million to fund a construction program at his alma mater and $1 million to build the Ralph Korte Recreation Facility in his hometown of Highland, Ill. 

Korte retired in 2008, selling the company to his children and stakeholders. 

“As his son, I admired the way he lived his values every single day,” says Todd Korte, now executive chairman of The Korte Co. “He never asked anyone to do something he wouldn’t do himself. He could walk a muddy job site in the morning and hold a room’s attention in the afternoon—and he treated everyone with the same respect.”

Todd Korte adds that his father “loved talking with people, listening to them and making them feel important." He says the elder Korte "built buildings, yes, but he also built people and as a son who grew up in this industry because of him, that’s what I’ll always carry with me.”