Dick Platt's lifelong dream was to play professional football. While playing for the Marine Corps, he was given an opportunity to try out for the San Diego Chargers and won an offer to play for them. Just after, while playing for the Marine Corps, Dick was tackled and taken down from the side at the knees. It wasn't pretty-and it was the end of Dick's pro football dreams. Unable to play and badly injured, he was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps.

                                                Arriving back home in Wisconsin, Dick was unsure of his next move. While recovering, he had

                                                an early childhood memory of helping his father by pushing a wheelbarrow at a job site. He

                                                also knew he wanted to work for himself. Inspired, he took the Kenosha phone book and called

                                                everyone in the city of Kenosha, asking if they wanted their concrete replaced. Like so many

                                                American stories, his industrialism was rewarded.

                                                In 1972, Dick was a one-man concrete operation, taking the full responsibility of estimating,

                                                demolition, setting forms, and pouring. He stamped his work with the name PLATT. His

                                                   office was in his home and his equipment was stored in his garage. Before long he had a

                                                   family helping in the office. When he learned of the SBA's 8A program, he applied for and

                                                   received the certification. This allowed Platt Construction to bid government and state

                                                   projects and ultimately prompted Dick to move his business to Milwaukee, opening opportunities for other larger projects. Platt became a solid provider for projects in which DBE or MBE involvement was stipulated.

Over four decades and more that 2,000 jobs into its history, Platt Construction continues to enjoy the rewards of homespun grit and American industrialism. Operating in eight states and performing work ranging from general contracting to specialized underground structures, the company enjoys an untarnished record of project completion and extremely high marks for quality and safety. But what is responsible for the long-term excellence? Dick's gift for construction has always been a vision for solutions. Value creation and problem solving require the creative push of understanding minds who see the big picture.

"This vision runs in the family, and Dick is pleased that the second generation of Platt Construction will carry on the tradition of the first as he moves forward with his children."