Regional construction company campus showcasing tilt-up construction and modern facilities.
St. Louis, Missouri, August 29, 2025
Ralph Korte, founder of a prominent Midwestern construction company and an early proponent of the design‑build method, has died. He built the firm from residential beginnings into a multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar regional contractor known for early technology adoption, BIM, tilt‑up construction and LEED projects. The company reports roughly $552–$553.3 million in revenue, about 250 employees and more than 4,000 completed projects. Korte led the business from its founding in 1958 until retirement, later transferring ownership to family and stakeholders. His philanthropy and local investments include a namesake recreation complex and community programs.
The man who started a small construction business that grew into a multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar firm has died. Ralph Korte, founder of The Korte Co., passed away on Aug. 26. Reports differ on his exact age at death, with some accounts listing him as 91 and others indicating he was 90 and born in 1934. Regardless of the discrepancy, Korte’s influence on the construction industry was long lasting.
Korte launched the business in 1958 and led it as chief executive until 2001. He later served as chairman emeritus. Under his leadership the firm grew from local residential work into a regional and national builder that completed more than 4,000 projects since its start. The company reports having built hospitals, factories, distribution centers and schools, among other types of work.
The company has been reported to bring in roughly $552 million to $553.3 million in revenue in the most recent year and is staffed by about 250 employees. The firm today is based in the St. Louis area while keeping a presence in the founder’s hometown, where it began.
Korte was an early adopter of technology and new ways of working. He pushed the company to use computers for estimating, scheduling and planning at a time when many contractors still relied on paper. He championed the design‑build approach that puts design and construction under one contract, promoting closer collaboration and shared accountability between designers and builders.
The firm also embraced Building Information Modeling (BIM) early on and delivered projects meeting green building standards, including LEED certification. Tilt‑up construction became one of the methods the company used, raising large concrete wall panels into place with cranes to speed up building of warehouses and similar structures.
Raised on a farm as one of 14 children in Highland, Illinois, Korte began helping neighbors with building tasks in his teens. After serving in the U.S. Army and earning his high school equivalency, he returned home and started the business with a modest electric saw. Accounts vary on the exact start investment, with one figure given as $79 and another as $179. The company began with residential work and shifted into commercial construction in the early 1960s.
He studied at Southern Illinois University‑Edwardsville while building the company and established an internal design‑build division in 1977 to integrate planning and construction services. The firm’s services later expanded to include architectural design, construction management, general contracting, historic restoration, interior design and surveying.
Korte retired from day‑to‑day work and sold the company to his children and stakeholders in 2008. His son now serves as executive chairman. Family leadership has remained involved in the company while the founder kept an active role as chairman emeritus until his death.
Beyond business, he served on boards of local nonprofits and funded programs in education and community recreation, giving significant gifts to support construction education and a recreation facility in his hometown.
Colleagues and current company leaders credited him with changing how people think about building. They noted that bringing design and construction together, focusing on collaboration and accountability, and adopting new tools helped the firm win bigger projects and strengthen client relationships.
The firm continues to rank among national contractors and design‑build firms. It lists a long record of completed projects and a steady workforce. As an industry figure, Korte is remembered for a mix of practical skills learned on the farm and an openness to new processes and technologies that helped the construction business evolve.
Ralph Korte was the founder of The Korte Co., a construction firm started in 1958 that grew into a national design‑build builder and delivered thousands of projects.
He died on Aug. 26. Reports list his age as either 90 or 91, reflecting inconsistent details in public accounts.
The company is a multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar firm with recent revenue reported at about $552 million to $553.3 million and roughly 250 employees.
He promoted design‑build contracting, early use of computers for project planning, adoption of Building Information Modeling, and tilt‑up concrete construction. The firm also completed LEED‑certified projects.
Yes. He served on nonprofit boards and made significant donations to support construction education and a recreation facility in his hometown.
Leadership passed to family members and stakeholders. A family member currently serves as executive chairman and the company continues operations from the St. Louis area with ties to its original hometown.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founder | Ralph Korte |
| Founded | 1958 |
| Early investment | Reported as $79 or $179 for an electric saw (conflicting accounts) |
| CEO years | 1958–2001 |
| Later role | Chairman emeritus until death |
| Recent revenue | About $552M to $553.3M |
| Employees | About 250 |
| Projects completed | More than 4,000 since 1958 |
| Services | Design, construction management, general contracting, restoration, interior design, surveying |
| Noted innovations | Design‑build promotion, early computer use, BIM adoption, tilt‑up construction, LEED projects |
| Headquarters | St. Louis area with roots in Highland, Illinois |
| Succession | Sold to children and stakeholders; family leadership continues |
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