History
In The Beginning
Like so many great American companies, WIELAND’s success is rooted in the hard work and vision of its founder, Don A. Wieland
In 1958 Don Wieland founded The Don A. Wieland Company in Kawkawlin, MI. Wieland designed, fabricated and erected metal buildings for its clients in Mid-Michigan and the Midwest. At its peak, it had over 100 employees in Bay City, MI.
In 1964, Don Wieland’s first cousin and key business partner – Dave Wieland – was tragically killed by a drunk driver. In honor of him, Don changed the name to The Wieland-Davco Corporation, a moniker it would maintain for over 60 years.
1960s-1990s
The Wieland-Davco Corporation experienced phenomenal growth in the 1960s, serving key repeat clients throughout Michigan and elsewhere in the United States.
Surviving the economic collapse of the 1970s, Wieland-Davco strategically bounced back in the 1980s with a philosophy to be a professional construction management firm, and no longer manufacture its own buildings nor self-perform its own work.
Sadly, Don Wieland lost a valiant battle with Crohn’s Disease in 1990, but had paved the way for his two sons (Craig and Scott) and son-in-law (Curt Heimer) to take over the company. The company’s corporate headquarters was moved from Bay City to Lansing during this transition, and Wieland-Davco continued to grow and diversify its client base.
2000-2020
By 2000, Wieland-Davco was poised to experience new highs, and began a managed growth plan by opening several regional offices, exceeding $200M in sales for the first time in the new Millennia. Wieland-Davco began to diversify its ownership structure, adding key, non-family employees to its management team. Today, there are eight shareholders who are all active in the day-to-day operation of the company.
In January 2016, Wieland-Davco simplified its name, unveiling a new brand image, streamlining the company name simply to “WIELAND.”
“WIELAND is a modern structure built on a historic foundation,” stated former President Craig Wieland upon the rebranding in 2016.
“The WIELAND name has been consistent in the various iterations of our company, and today we still hold to the values that my father instilled in us when it all started.”
2020 Onward
After decades of growth and success under Scott and Craig Wieland’s leadership through the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s, WIELAND entered a new chapter following both brother’s retirement. In 2021, seven employees completed a buyout of Craig Wieland, who retired several years after Scott. In 2023, the Shareholder team appointed Ed Lorenz as the company’s Chief Executive Officer, tasked with leading WIELAND’s strategic vision into the next decade.
Today, WIELAND’s ownership team includes five executives: Ed Lorenz, Gunnar VanDeberg, Ryan Roberts, Matt Getchell, and Kevin Shaw. Under their leadership, WIELAND has implemented new initiatives to strengthen the company’s foundation for the future, including the opening of a new office in Grand Rapids to better serve Michigan’s west side.
“There is no doubt the invaluable impact Don, Craig, and Scott had on WIELAND and its growth,” said Ed Lorenz, CEO.
“As we step into the next stage of WIELAND’s history, we continue to honor their legacy by pursuing new markets and sectors that will shape WIELAND’s history for the next 70 years.”
