Category: In the News

Keen Project Solutions celebrates a decade of growth and announces a key leadership transition.  Dustin Waters has been named President of Keen Project Solutions.  Waters, a founder of Keen, formerly led operations for the business from the start.

Waters’ deep understanding of Keen’s business, systems, his tireless work ethic, and daily engagement with team members has clearly prepared him for this role. He leads by example; listening, supporting, and staying closely connected to the needs of the customers and team members. Externally, Dustin has established himself in the industries served by Keen and throughout the Midwest business community.  This change is natural and sets the business up for success in the future.

Matt Frandsen, who served as President since 2014, is focusing his efforts as Executive Vice President of Business Development on building relationships with our customers, industry partners and the communities we serve. Cory Larson has assumed the position of Executive Vice President of Project Development delivering exceptional front-end services to our customers and growing our commercial business unit. As owners, Frandsen and Larson both remain active in the business and serve on the Board of Directors.

“After nearly 20 years working together, watching Dustin grow throughout his career in a number of positions, I am extremely excited to see him take on this new challenge and the opportunity to lead our business into the future.” commented Matt Frandsen. Frandsen also stated: “At Keen, we believe milestones matter. This transition marks an important milestone for Keen Project Solutions and highlights the strong foundation we as owners have created together. Future opportunities to grow and retain workforce, navigate the use of AI, and accommodate advances in engineering and construction will require sound leadership.  With Dustin leading the way, we’re confident Keen is ready for its next phase of growth and opportunity in the years ahead.”

“Dustin is highly disciplined in his approach to managing both people and processes. He has a unique ability to bring people together and build strong, effective teams. We’re fortunate and I’m truly thrilled to have him transition into the role of President” stated Cory Larson.

Dustin expressed his deep appreciation for this opportunity, stating, “I am honored to accept the President position at Keen Project Solutions. I am truly honored that these two individuals have put their trust in me.”  Waters is grateful for the dedication and hard work of each member of this team. As he put it best, “We (the owners) are not Keen. You (the team) are Keen.”

Founded in Ames by Cory Larson, Dustin Waters, and Matt Frandsen in 2014, Keen has grown from 3 employees to 180 strong today.  Keen is an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) company serving Agricultural, Commercial, and Industrial customers. With offices in Ankeny, Kansas City and plans for expansion, Keen serves project sites across North America and provides engineering and procurement services internationally.

Media Contact:

Saundra Longhenry

Sales & Marketing Coordinator

515-233-1244

slonghenry@keenprojectsolutions.com

thinkdifferentthinkkeen.com

We’re delighted to call the heart of America our new home. Keen Project Solutions, LLC is excited to establish a presence in this dynamic city, expanding our reach and fostering new partnerships. Let’s make great things happen, KC!

Thursday January 23^rd, Keen Project Solutions held an anniversary open house at the FFA Enrichment center hosting customers, partners, vendors, community members, and team members alike. We had a great turnout with fun had by all. Keen showcased 10 years of project and company history, highlighting projects we have worked on along the way as well as the people they have had the pleasure of working with. The biggest thank you goes out to all those customers that continue to partner with Keen to build on the next 10-year milestone. We can’t wait to see where it takes us.

Caterers: Great Caterers of Iowa

Flowers: The English Rose

Balloons: Joy Pop

Marquee Letters: Joanne’s Rentals

ABOVE: Commercial team members Greg Schulte, Seth Elgin and Matthew J. Frandsen review project plans.

Celebrating a decade of excellence and innovation, Keen Project Solutions sets the standard in modern engineering and construction. Milestones matter to us. As we reflect on ten years of serving our customers, we celebrate the significant milestones achieved with our team, our customers, and within the industries we serve. Our dedication to building high-performing teams and fulfilling our promises ensures our customers achieve their desired outcomes.

We Deliver on Our Promises

At Keen, we serve diverse sectors, including agriculture, industrial, commercial, and manufacturing customers globally. We listen closely to our customers, understanding their unique needs and challenges. Our commitment to adaptability and evolution drives results, allowing us to provide tailored solutions for each customer’s specific requirements.

Technology is Our Catalyst for Innovation

We hire smart and capable engineers, unleashing their creativity to deliver exceptional work. Harnessing the power of technology, we transform engineering through geospatial capturing of existing conditions and rigorous engineering practices. Our use of virtual and augmented reality optimizes design and project outcomes, aligning with customers’ business goals from the outset. Every project milestone is a testament to our technological prowess and commitment to excellence.

Proactive Design for Optimal Outcomes

Our diverse engineering and design teams are dedicated to understanding what drives success for our customers. By proactively identifying potential issues before construction begins, we save both time and money while ensuring projects meet the highest standards. Each milestone in our design process marks a step closer to delivering exceptional results.

Our People are Our Power

As a modern firm, we are committed to merging great engineering with quality craftsmanship. Our greatest asset is our people, and we prioritize their continuous learning to keep them at the forefront of industry advancements. Through our Keen U program, we prepare our professionals with a comprehensive curriculum and applied learning experiences. Safety and well-being are central to our values, underscored by our unique merit shop millwright apprenticeship program—the first of its kind in Iowa. This initiative fosters professional craftsmanship and high-quality engineering, reflecting our dedication to excellence. The milestones our people achieve drive our collective success.

Relationships are the Foundation of Our Success

Our success stems from building and nurturing relationships. We cultivate a team of professionals that customers want to work with and colleagues enjoy collaborating alongside. Our partners value the opportunity to work with our high-performing teams, who consistently deliver exceptional results. The trust and collaboration we share with our worldclass customers have led to award-winning projects. Each project milestone reflects the strength of these relationships. Looking ahead, Keen remains dedicated to excellence, innovation, and the core values that will continue to guide us into the future.

Join Us in Shaping the Future

Partner with Keen Project Solutions to experience cutting-edge engineering and construction solutions. Visit www.thinkdifferentthinkkeen.com to learn more about our services and innovative approach.

Ankeny, Iowa, September 28, 2023 – Keen Project Solutions, a leading full-service engineering and construction firm, proudly announces its recognition as a recipient of Procore’s esteemed 2023 Groundbreaker Awards in the category of Excellence in Safety. Procore Technologies, Inc., a global leader in construction management software, annually acknowledges outstanding companies, projects, and individuals who epitomize excellence within the construction industry.

In a highly competitive category, Keen has been singled out as the company that best exemplifies the pinnacle of safety performance in the international construction sector. This prestigious accolade underscores Keen’s unwavering commitment to safety, occupational health management, and risk control.

This noteworthy recognition further cements Keen’s status as the industry leader in the construction realm. Operating across North America, New Zealand, Australia, and Latin America, Keen delivers design, build, and EPC solutions while prioritizing safety at every phase of its projects. Keen consistently surpasses industry safety standards, distinguished by its deeply ingrained safety-first culture and the comprehensive Keen Project Delivery System™. This innovative eight-step approach ensures project safety through advanced technology, rigorous subcontractor prequalification, ongoing education, and comprehensive construction management. This award is a crowning achievement for the Keen Team, capping an impressive year of accolades, including the Master Builders of Iowa Outstanding Company Safety Achievement Award.

“Keen takes immense pride in prioritizing the safety of our clients, partners, and team members every day. To receive recognition at this exceptional level for something so fundamental to our business is an honor beyond words, said Dustin Waters, Senior Vice President, and Co-owner. “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Procore and renew our commitment to setting our industry’s gold standard for safety.”

Procore meticulously selected 27 global finalists for their groundbreaking accomplishments. The winners of the Groundbreaker Awards were unveiled during the in-person festivities at Groundbreak, Procore’s annual user conference. Kassy Morris, head of Procore Construction Learning, presented awards across nine categories, joined by prominent business leaders throughout the ceremonies.

Tooey Courtemanche, President, Founder, and CEO of Procore, lauded the honorees, stating, “The Groundbreaker Awards celebrate our esteemed customers who tirelessly shape and elevate our industry day by day. Congratulations to Keen for their exceptional contributions, paving the way for innovation, progress, and a brighter future in our field.”

To explore more about the 2023 Groundbreaker Awards finalists and winners, please visit Procore’s official Groundbreaker Awards page.

About Keen Project Solutions: Founded in 2014, Keen offers design, build, and EPC solutions across 28 U.S. states, three Canadian provinces, New Zealand, Australia, and in Latin America. From design and engineering to construction management, general contracting, millwright services, and maintenance, Keen is a comprehensive solution provider serving clients in the agriculture, industrial, and commercial markets. Discover more about Keen at https://www.thinkdifferentthinkkeen.com.

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Keen’s President Matt Frandsen got the chance to check out what Handtmann Inc. is doing with HVISION and augmented reality at the IPPE annual tradeshow.

Is anyone else still catching their breath from last week? We sure are! We brought all Keen team members together for a week of safety and operations training. It’s a big undertaking and a considerable investment in our people. But, investing in your people is always the right decision!

Shout out to the Training Keen Team that helped make this a successful effort!

Keen loves to celebrate graduates each and every spring, and this year was no exception. In June 2021, We had a wonderful time celebrating the most recent grads at a ceremony hosted by ABC of Iowa. Congratulations to Frank McBrayer, Robbie Guthrie, Servando Perez-Garcia and (not pictured) Chris Bruce!