Hammer, hard hat, heritage
The Solis family shows what a tradition in hard work can do.
For three generations, they’ve proudly served to The Korte Company’s mission of building better, smarter, safer construction around our nation.
Their legacy is seen in the buildings they helped to create, whether it was through the strength of their backs or keenness of minds.
It’s not hard to see why we’re happy the Solis men are members of The Korte Company family.
Jerry Solis: An iron foundation
It all started with Jerry Solis, who grew up in the small town of Beckemeyer, Illinois.
He began his career in 1967 as an apprentice ironworker. A lifelong union man, his work came through the local Hall. One day, Jerry was dispatched on a job to fill in for someone at The Korte Company. Little did he know it would turn into a legacy spanning hundreds of projects, including his son and grandson.
Jerry worked his way from apprentice to superintendent, eventually running ironworking operations. He never came on to the company full time, still proudly visiting the Union Hall for much of his work. That worked out well for everyone, because Jerry often used his connections at The Hall to bring in the best crews onto Korte Company projects.
He also helped introduce new capabilities. Jerry was trusted to purchase The Korte Company’s first ironworking truck: a green, 1967 Ford half ton. His young son, Jeff, watched as a painter added the company decals by hand, right there in their driveway.
Jeff Solis: The next chapter, on new terms
Jeff remembers the truck well. It was just another part of growing up in a family of ironworkers. He regularly heard stories from his dad and uncles about the job’s extreme heat and bitter cold. He knew early on that he wanted to be a part of it, but with a somewhat different experience. Jeff was drawn to the management side of things.
“I thought I might want to be the guy that’s in the trailer,” Jeff said. “If I get too cold, I’ll go in the trailer, and if I get too hot outside, I’ll go back to the trailer and sit in the air conditioning.”
Instead of steelwork, Jeff studied construction management technology at Belleville Area College. His father encouraged him to follow through with college, even though he knew The Korte Company would hire Jeff with or without a degree.
Jeff was sure to remain connected with the company. During college, he interned under Gerry Deininger, one of his earliest and most influential mentors.
“Gerry Deininger was a key person in my career with Korte,” Jeff said. “He took me under his wing. He liked me for whatever reason.”
Once Jeff earned his degree, he signed on full time, following The Korte Company as it expanded nationally. It was an exciting time in the young man’s life, giving him the chance to leave his small town and see more of the country.
Going national and getting spiritual
Jeff took full advantage of the opportunity. From Key West to Boise to San Francisco, he worked across the U.S., gaining skills and perspective on each job site.
One of the most memorable moments came in San Francisco. While excavating a site, the team uncovered bones. Authorities learned that they’d accidentally uncovered a Native American gravesite. The remains were returned to the tribe while Jeff worked with his then-girlfriend (now wife), who is of Native American heritage. They arranged a shaman to conduct a cleansing ceremony over the site before the project continued.
That experience, along with many others on the road, shaped Jeff not just as a builder but as a person. He met his wife during a job in South Carolina, raised a family while working a national schedule, and eventually returned home to take on the role of general superintendent. And he hopes to stay there until retirement. Now, he’s leaving the road warrior lifestyle to his son.
Nick Solis: The third generation picks up the torch
Like his father, Nick grew up learning from older relatives like his grandfather. Nick was raised in Carlyle, Illinois after being born in New Jersey, while Jeff was on assignment. From a young age, he had tools in hand and his eyes on a future in construction.
He remembers visiting job sites with his dad, sitting in trailers and asking questions. “I remember sitting there in the job trailer and guys coming in asking Dad questions,” Nick said. “At the time I had no idea what they were even asking about…Now I get it.”
In high school, he took on jobs like fiberglass pools installations and building houses in high school through a building trades class. After graduation, he earned a degree in construction management technology from Southwestern Illinois College.
Today, he’s a traveling carpenter at The Korte Company. He started full time in January, after a year-long internship. Nick already has worked on major jobs across the country, including an Amazon facility in Dallas — the largest of its kind in the U.S. — and USPS facilities in Kansas City.
Nick loved watching the facilities transform over the course of the projects. “I have pictures on my phone of the before and the after. You wouldn’t even think this is the same place,” he said.
And he’s also excited to see how The Korte Company will transform his career. “Right now, I’m happy where I’m at,” Nick said. “One day, I’d like to be the superintendent on a job.”
A legacy in motion
The Solis family makes of three generations with one company and a whole lot of steel, sweat and stories between them. These days, there aren’t many people who can say the same.
Jerry is now retired and is proud to see the name he built still shaping the world around him. Jeff is still at it, focused on finishing strong as general superintendent. And Nick is just getting started.
For the Solis family, it’s not just about work. It’s about what that work represents: grit, growth, and the bond between men who build not only buildings, but better lives for their families and others.
As Jerry put it: “It’s been a good run.”
