Built to Build Better: 20 Years of WDS
A Reflection from Founder and President Ben Westra
For Ben Westra, 2005 was the start of something brand new. Launching WDS wasn’t a polished plan; it was a leap of faith — fueled by legacy, anchored in relationships, and driven by a quiet but relentless passion to build something meaningful. Not just buildings. But families. Communities. A culture where people care.
WDS was born with more than a hammer and blueprint — it started with a conviction: that construction done right could create something bigger than structures. It could create connection and purpose.
What Were You Doing 20 Years Ago?
“In 2005, I moved back to Wisconsin from Pennsylvania, where I had been working as an estimator and project manager at a satellite office of my family’s construction company. My wife was prepar
ing for the bar exam, and we were trying to start a family. And soon after the first WDS project launched, I found out I would become a father.”
The Road to 2005: A Legacy of Builders
Construction was in Ben’s DNA. His great-grandfather William and grandfather Dewey were masons, working in a farming community in the 1940s. What began as building simple milk houses for local farmers quickly turned into something more. Demand grew, and the family had a decision to make: continue farming or pursue construction full time. They chose to build. Ben grew up absorbing the work, from job site visits on Saturdays to summer labor jobs during school.
“To be a good leader, my dad told me I had to do every job in the company at least once.”
Ben always envisioned working at the main office after graduating from college. His father had other plans: he sent Ben to a satellite office in Pennsylvania to learn and lead away from the comfort zone of Wisconsin. It turned out to be a great decision on his part.
“I learned how to lead: not just from an office, but from the ground up. That lesson shaped how I’ve led ever since — and how we lead at WDS today.”
The Moment WDS was Born
In 2005, Ben found himself at a crossroads — full of experience, rooted in relationships, and ready for something of his own. It wasn’t a long-term plan or a polished vision. It was a simple idea backed by trust: that if he stayed true to his values, the work would follow. One client, Tim from Petco, responded to Ben’s note letting people know about his next chapter: “Wherever you go, we will give you the work.”
That single sentence became the spark that launched WDS Construction.
“I had no office, no overhead, and no guarantees — just a handful of relationships and a lot of faith.”
Ben started WDS from his mother’s sewing room. His sister, father, and a trusted superintendent helped get things off the ground. From the very beginning, it was a family effort — fitting for a company whose name honors three generations: William, Dewey, and Steve.
“Family is literally in the name — and it’s in the culture we’ve built.”
The first projects? Two Petcos, starting in Middleburg Heights, OH. By 2008, WDS had built a relationship with DICK’s Sporting Goods. That year, one project alone in Carbondale, IL earned more than the entire previous year combined. But that same year, WDS hit a roadblock: a client couldn’t pay. They could’ve folded. Instead, the team doubled down — and picked up several jobs that summer. Momentum picked up.
“From day one, I ran every job like it might be our last. That mindset came from gratitude and a deep respect for the people who trusted us. I didn’t have a big resume or a sales pitch — we had heart. And I surrounded myself with people who shared that.”
From Family to Team
Many early WDS hires weren’t strangers — they were trusted partners from the early days. Hungry. Humble. Loyal.
Key early hires included:
- Rhonda Harder, Accounting
- Carl Jansma, Superintendent
- Rick Schaalma, Chief Estimator
- Denita Schreier, Executive Vice President (served 8 years on the board before joining full-time)
Partners like Glenn Westra and Sam Vander Galien helped secure WDS’s first line of credit when Ben was just 28. He avoided drawing from it unless necessary. Within 2-3 years, the business was thriving independently.
The Power of Passion
Clients followed WDS because they cared. That’s what “building better” means to us. It’s not just about walls and schedules. It’s about showing up — with hunger, humility, and loyalty. That’s the WDS way.
That mindset built a company culture focused on caring deeply, acting decisively, and exceeding expectations.
WDS Works and Giving Back
We’ve always believed that when you take care of people — your team, your clients, your community — everything else follows. That’s why we created WDS Works in 2018: to support nonprofits that don’t have the resources for the construction they need.
From day one, servant leadership has been part of WDS’s DNA. The company gives back because it’s the right thing to do. We’ve built transitional housing, food pantries, community spaces, churches — places where hope lives.
Looking Back, and Building Forward
One of Ben’s favorite memories from the early days: holding baby Jack on his lap while answer
ing calls from the sewing room office. There was no roadmap, just a purpose. Today, WDS has a headquarters in Beaver Dam, a national team, and has built in 47 states. But Ben says the true purpose hasn’t changed:
“It’s always been about faith, family, passion, and community. If you have those, everything else falls into place.”
If he could give 2005 Ben some advice?
“Don’t try to do it all yourself. Trust your people. There are A-players out there who will elevate your vision.”
