Kyle Witwer, the founder of Witwer Construction, decided to go to Purdue University after many years of interest in construction. He applied for a student loan & once getting it, applied for a Construction Management degree with a minor in Civil Engineering at Purdue. 

 

At the time of applying, college was paid by the semester not the credit hour, Kyle accelerated the number of classes he took per semester thus graduating Purdue University with two degrees, Construction Management & Civil Engineering. 

 

After graduating, he worked briefly with a local residential contractor who was interested in entering the commercial construction market. This is when Kyle met Jim Kelley from Kelley Buick and started to remodel their facilities. 

 

About a year & a half of working with this company, Jim Kelley called Kyle into his office & told him he should be in business by himself. Kyle explained that it was a great idea, but he didn’t have the money, office space or equipment to do so. Jim explained he would give Kyle enough work for 3 years, pay promptly and introduce Kyle to his banker, accountant & attorney.

 

After contemplating this proposal, he borrowed $20,000 on a life insurance policy his parents had for him and opened his own business in 1985 at the age of 24. He rented a small building on Clay & Wayne Street that was from one of Jim’s friends, hired 2 employees and bought 3 pickup trucks. About 6 months in the business he decided to hire his mother, who had the experience of working with another contractor for a number of years, as the company’s bookkeeper. 

 

With handwork, determination and the gracious help of Jim Kelley, Kyle has built Witwer Construction to be one of the prominent merit shop general construction companies in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Witwer Construction, Inc. specializes in Design-Build and has developed and owns commercial buildings which include Medical, Automotive Retail, Industrial and Office facilities in a 60-mile radius of Fort Wayne.