Growing up on the farm, Craig Nelson learned at a young age the value and benefits of hard work. He believes the best and fastest way to finish a job is to simply roll up your sleeves and get to it.
That knowledge and work ethic have taken him far in life. From working the family farm to running a business.
Today, Craig is the President of Conco Construction in Wichita, Kansas. Conco has a longstanding presence in Wichita. Their legacy of success lives on with each building they add to the city’s landscape. But it’s a legacy that hasn’t come easy, or without great obstacles. Thankfully, Craig learned diligence early on.
He took his first job in junior high as a part-time janitor for the Methodist church. Beyond cleaning, the pastor wanted the sidewalks swept before every service. For Craig, that meant arriving early before the congregation, completely clearing all pathways, climbing the bell tower to ring the Sunday School bell, running home to change clothes and make it back in time for the service. Today, you see that same tenacity in the way he runs Conco.
“There is no such thing as a perfect building, but the relationship can be perfect.”
– Craig Nelson
For Craig, and Conco, the obvious driver of success has been to build buildings that last. But more importantly, Craig says, they aim to build lasting relationships with their customer - the key to his company’s growth.
And if there’s any doubt in the relationship, that trust can fall through the floor along with the project. But when you work as hard at building lasting customer relationships as you do on completing a project, that trust manifests as future business.
Another important piece to Conco’s success is their desire to never sit on the sidelines. Construction is a tough job, but at the end of the day it’s a job that needs to be done.
Craig has always embraced this mindset. Get out there, roll your sleeves up and get to work. As a company, they live and die by pressure. They’re under pressure to earn new business, to finish projects on time and on budget. When you deal with that daily, sitting on the sidelines and hoping something happens won’t cut it.
“We’ll continue to see growth in Wichita. We’re driving forward.”
– Craig Nelson
For Craig and his team, hard work is engrained in them from years of experience. Their tireless commitment to excellence is a significant factor in their business growth over recent years, growth they don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
Craig Nelson and Conco Construction continually work to advance as a company. As they progress, so does the city of Wichita, a fact that makes us proud to call them partners.