After decades of dedication, innovation and leadership at Miller Electric, longtime Project Manager Ron Kohlmeier is retiring. Known for his technical expertise, work ethic and unyielding commitment to excellence, Ron leaves behind a legacy that has touched countless projects and colleagues.
A Legacy of Excellence
Throughout his career, Ron has been instrumental in shaping Miller Electric’s success, particularly on projects like TD Ameritrade, Blue Cross, the FBI building and Meta. “I have worked with Ron for over 23 years now. He has been a consistent contributor to the success of the company and someone I have always enjoyed working with,” says Miller President, Jason Tagge. “Over the past several years, Ron handled several different duties on the build out of the Meta campus and was a great resource for the staff. As the build out of the campus came to a pause, Ron came back to the office and helped out on many things around the office, with some duties being project specific and others being company specific. In the past several months, the build out of the Meta campus started back up and, in true Ron fashion, he agreed to spend a few days on site to pass on as much knowledge as he could to the new team and to ensure the project got off to a great start.”
These ventures demanded not only technical prowess but also careful navigation of complex contractual elements. Ron’s ability to tackle these challenges with precision and determination set him apart. “Ron’s greatest contribution to Miller Electric was his strategic engineering approach to projects. He was extremely creative when it came providing our customers a great product for great value when there were challenges to overcome,” says Senior VP Craig Langfeldt.
“Ron provided a great deal of knowledge and technical detail to any project he was part of,” shares Roger Knobbe, Executive VP for Miller Electric. “He’ll always be remembered as someone who never said no to a request or shied away from a challenge of any size. His example of hard work and dedication will resonate with those who worked alongside him and those who follow in his footsteps.”
Jason agreed, “Ron was always willing to lend a helping hand, and despite being a self-described introvert, he did a really nice job working with both his co-workers and his customers. We continually received positive feedback from those who worked around Ron.”
Alex Allemang, Senior Project Manager for Miller Electric, weighed in saying, “Ron has demonstrated incredible consistency as a leader in our company who was always willing to fill any role regardless of rank or title. While he’s a vice president with decades of experience under his belt, no task or project was ever too menial or beneath him. Ron was always willing to roll up his sleeves and get to work on any problem or project.”
Ron’s meticulous attention to detail and his ability to maximize value on every project have left a lasting impression. Knobbe notes, “His level of detail and ability to squeeze that last dollar out of every project is something we’ll all remember.”
Alex also shared, “Ron brought a unique blend of analytical engineering to our job as PMs. His approach to problem solving is very data-driven and not typically biased with emotion. He trained and developed many young APMs and PMs to understand how engineers evaluate design issues and how a PM can influence a desirable outcome from our owner/engineer counterparts. I also feel like Ron is known for doing things the right way — not necessarily the easiest. He doesn’t take shortcuts and always made sure to have his i’s dotted and t’s crossed.”
His technical expertise wasn’t just a personal strength; it became a benchmark for the company. Ron’s dedication to teaching and mentoring others elevated the entire team’s skill level and left an enduring impact on Miller Electric’s culture of excellence.
“I’m thankful to have worked with Ron. I arrived at Miller as a 26-year-old trying to figure things out and he was always available to help me. He’s one of the smartest people that I have ever met and always a great resource when I needed something. He will be missed greatly.” – Senior VP Craig Langfeldt.
The Culture Keeper
For Ron, the most rewarding aspect of his time at Miller Electric has been the company culture. “It’s the glue that holds us together and makes us the highly successful company that we are,” Ron said. “Miller Electric treats their employees very well —showing respect, being fair-minded, promoting advancement through hard work and sticking to our core values. It’s the kind of culture that makes you thankful to be a part of this family.”
This strong sense of community and shared purpose is what Ron says he will miss most. “I’ll miss the everyday camaraderie with my fellow employees and the personal satisfaction of meeting our goals at the end of a challenging project.”
Colleagues agree that Ron exemplified the company’s culture in every way. His ability to foster teamwork, maintain open communication and navigate even the most difficult situations with grace and professionalism helped create a stronger, more cohesive team.
Looking Ahead
In retirement, Ron is eager to embrace new opportunities and spend time on long-delayed projects and hobbies. “The first thing I plan to do is work on several tasks around the house that I’ve had to postpone,” he said. “I’m also planning to do some traveling.”
Beyond these immediate plans, Ron looks forward to spending more time on his passions, which include organic gardening, canning fruits and vegetables, and cooking dishes from around the world. And best of all, he’ll be doing it with his new bride; Ron got married in July, a joyous event he says, “wasn’t widely publicized.”
Ron’s colleagues say they aren’t surprised by his varied interests and his determination to tackle retirement with the same energy and focus he brought to his work. “Whatever Ron sets his mind to, he’ll do with incredible attention to detail,” Knobbe said.
A Fond Farewell
As Ron steps into this new chapter, the entire Miller Electric crew expresses deep gratitude for his contributions. Most of all, we’ll miss his knowledge, humor, quality and consistent dedication to Miller Electric and its customers.
Ron’s animated encounters with general contractors and his unwavering pursuit of excellence will be missed. However, his legacy of hard work, meticulous attention to detail and commitment to Miller Electric’s values will continue to inspire.