Winter 2018 Newsletter

The Job of a Lifetime - Larry Minter and Karl Whitaker Retire After Decades of Stellar Service

Larry Minter was a fresh-faced 20-year-old in 1970 when he started his career at The Hamstra Group. Karl Whitaker was a mere 17 when he was hired as a backhoe operator in 1969. Both of them were deemed old enough to work hard, but not yet eligible to vote (until passage of the 26th Amendment in 1971, the U.S. voting age was 21).

Now both men—elder statesmen at The Hamstra Group with decades of accomplishments under their tool belts—are retiring from the only company that’s claimed their allegiance and benefited from their years of dedicated service.

“Larry and Karl helped build this company,” says Greg Hamstra, president and CEO. “These guys started at the bottom, learned everything there was to know, and mastered the art and science of construction like pros. They helped us build millions and millions of dollars’ worth of commercial, industrial, and governmental buildings and facilities. We’re going to miss them.” ….