Meet the Team: Matt Wellenkotter

Your name: Matt Wellenkotter

How long have you worked at Iconica: 17 years. My current role is Director of Field Operations. I have also been an assistant PM, estimator, and was a superintendent for ten years.

You run our carpentry force. Why do you like having your own crew?
I like the fact we have control over our quality and timeframe. I was initially worried about how to keep all of the staff busy. Now we have a lot of work for everyone and I am more worried about how to get it all done. In two years we have grown from 5 carpenters to around 20.

Were you into building things as a child?
My siblings, the neighbor kids, and I built and remodeled my tree house constantly. We would come up with new ideas, new materials, and over the years it changed many times. My parents let me use the jig saw when I was 6. It may have been the “safest” machine my parents allowed me to use compared to the others I wanted to. My mother often bought me a pound of nails, which would occupy me for hours. My grandpa ran the hardware store and I was frequently gifted a variety of nails, screws, and other items to play with. I knew I was destined for construction.

What do you like about working at Iconica?
I like to know how to do everything, so our work environment works well for me. I can get my fingers into all kinds of things and can talk to anyone ranging from an estimator, an engineer, an architect, and so forth. For people who like to ask a lot of questions, or want to know how things go together, this is the right place for you. I am also very social, so I love to connect with everyone. I am a doer, and I learn from that knowledge, which makes me better at my job and able to anticipate different scenarios.

What type of music do you play in the car? Satellite radio; 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s folk rock.

What does a workday look like for you?
I am usually on the road by 6 AM driving into the office or to a job site. I might have a variety of meetings; some are often unpredictable based on the day’s happenings. I also have my list of things I want to accomplish that day. I may meet with my staff, visit job sites, check over our warehouse for materials, or have an owner’s meeting on site.

If you could have any other profession, what would it be?
I would live in Colorado. I’d be a snowmobile guide in the winter and a back-country guide in the summer.

What are some of your favorite projects you have worked on:
KeyLime Cove and the Kalahari Waterparks- the experience of such an immensely large-scale project was amazing; many details and moving pieces went into the waterpark projects.

Sauk Trails Plaza II- I loved the ground-up design and build on this. The interior and exterior are beautiful and it’s a Class A workspace. The final tenant moves in this summer and it has been great to see how each company has made their space their own. I enjoy driving by the building and seeing our work.

Bishops Bay Country Club- the quality of our work on the remodel is superior, from the design to the construction. I enjoyed seeing our carpenters flourishing at their work; they loved how detailed the woodwork was. The historic remodel had many challenges, but it’s amongst the carpentry crew’s favorites.

What would you say to someone thinking about hiring Iconica?
We take the stress out of growing your physical space because we have experts to guide you through every aspect.