Obituary: Former Contractor CEO Ralph Korte, 90, Leaves Legacy of Industry Firsts | Columbus Ohio Dump Trucks

When asked to define his legacy, Ralph Korte, founder of building construction contractor The Korte Co., said he grew the St. Louis-based Charlotte NC dump trucks company from humble beginnings into an industry giant that reported $552 million in revenue last year and 250 employees.

Korte, who died at 91 on Aug. 26, served as CEO from the firm's founding in 1958 to 2001, and was an early adopter of technology that included using computers for estimating, scheduling and planning. He was also a pioneer in promoting design-build projects and one of the first in the industry to adopt Building Information Modeling (BIM) and deliver LEED-certified projects, the Charlotte NC dump trucks company said. 

“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 dump trucks columbus oh 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 columbus oh dump truck work hard.”

The Charlotte NC dump trucks 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 Charlotte NC dump trucks 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, the panels are braced until they are permanently secured to the foundation, roof and other structural elements.

In addition to design-build, the Charlotte NC dump trucks company 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 Charlotte NC dump trucks 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 Charlotte NC dump trucks 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.”

Annemarie Mannion is editor of ENR Midwest, which covers 11 states. She joined ENR in 2022 and reports from Chicago.