Bret Chumbley was running his own successful construction company when his father called in a favor.
He needed someone to manage the office at his concrete construction business for a few weeks while recovering from surgery. Although Bret was more accustomed to working in the field, he agreed to step in and assist with bidding and estimating.
During his time in the office, Bret scored several new clients. And by the time his father returned, the business had grown beyond what he could manage alone. He asked Bret to stay on permanently – and Bret agreed.
The move marked the start of a new era at Anderson Commercial Concrete, one that brought refined processes, an expanded fleet and larger projects for local schools, hospitals and manufacturers.
“I don’t think my dad ever really envisioned it getting as big as we are today,” Bret says.
Kevin, Bret’s son, grew up around the business and joined full-time in 2017, following trade school, college and a few stints with other contractors. His perspective allowed ACC to expand even further by introducing new technology, from connected software in the office to new paving methods in the field.
Today, ACC has up to 50 employees during peak season, performing commercial and industrial concrete foundations and floors, paving and concrete demolition. The company has become a preferred contractor for a major manufacturer in the Quad Cities area – a responsibility that requires stringent safety standards and top-quality personnel.
The leadership team is also heavily involved in the community and industry associations, taking part in mentorship programs, school outreach, sponsorships, scholarships and other volunteer activities.
“We’re learning more and more everyday how to do different things with the total station and the grade control,” says Kevin. “It’s almost constantly we have to teach something new to our team.”
“We also learn by fire with certain things that we do and try, and it’s worked out for us,” he adds with a grin.
ACC maintains a fleet of six skid loaders, three mini excavators, two large excavators, two dozers, a concrete paver, an asphalt paver and a motor grader. Two dedicated employees perform preventative maintenance and basic repairs, with any large repairs handled by the local dealer.
Notably, ACC was also the first contractor in the Quad Cities area to offer roller compacted concrete (RCC).
RCC has been around for 50 years but remains underused in the industry. Skeptics dismiss it, calling it “squish concrete,” but Kevin wasn’t afraid to take a chance. “It was something that nobody was doing in our area. We saw a market that we could try it.”
Since adopting the method four years ago, Anderson has laid nearly 2 million square feet of RCC, allowing the company to get jobs done faster with fewer workers – and without sacrificing the strength of the final product.
RCC uses the same ingredients as conventional concrete but with a stiffer, no slump mix consistency. The process, however, is finicky, with Kevin noting that an ounce too much or too little of water can jeopardize the results.
Unlike traditional concrete paving, RCC does not require forms, hand finishing or rebar reinforcement. It is placed with an asphalt paver, then compacted with vibratory rollers.
Kevin says even his dealer had doubts, but he pushed forward, investing in technology, including a UTS total station to guide the paver, and admixtures that enhance the surface texture.
“We’re still perfecting it,” he says. “We have some good days, and we have some bad days with it.Every project, every day, we're learning something new.”
The results have been impressive. Compressive tests have reached up to 10,000 psi, and the pavement can handle car traffic within days and semi-trucks within a week.
Clients have taken notice, with one saying, “Kevin Chumbley has pioneered the adoption of new technology in the concrete industry in our region.”
Another added, “ACC demonstrates a willingness to change and have great vision to keep moving their own business forward.”
Since our initial interview with ACC, Bret has retired, and Kevin is in the process of buying out his shares of the business. In addition to Kevin transitioning into the role of president this year, the company is preparing for workforce changes as several long-tenured employees approach retirement.
ACC uses the union to source talent but says, often, the best recruiter is current employees. “That’s been most successful, getting a friend of a friend to get into the trades,” says Kevin. “They have that passion because they know somebody that’s part of it and they want to work hard for it.”
Despite technology making the job less physically demanding than 20 years ago, ACC, like many, still struggles finding young people with “that desire,” Bret noted.
“Some of the younger guys have stepped up, but we need to find more people that want to step into that foreman role and the second tier that wants to help that foreman and learn and be that next generation.”
To encourage interest in the trades, the company regularly participates in career days with Associated General Contractors, local high schools and technical colleges. Kevin has also joined a mentorship program through the American Society of Concrete Contractors to guide his own leadership.
“When you’re an owner of a business, you don’t really have anyone to hold you accountable for certain things. It’s easy to keep saying, ‘I’ll do that next week.’ We all need a mentor. You’ve got to keep moving and evolving with everything.”
While ACC leans on the union for some training, they also regularly conduct test pours in-house to ensure the field crew understands the process and the architect and owner approve the product before the project starts.
Bret and now Kevin encourage employee ownership when it comes to quality and performance on site. Reflecting on a recent paving job with zero punch list items, Kevin said, “We can push, but we also care about what we put down.”
“The guys get really involved,” adds Bret. “They came up with some genius little way that they could set a saw up on a track to cut perfectly straight lines. They get into it, they enjoy it, and they’re proud of what they do.”
Looking Ahead
With Kevin at the helm, additional changes are sure to come with technology and organizational structure, but in terms of size, he says, ACC has found its sweet spot.
“I like the growth that we’re at. I don’t want to get too big where everyone feels like they’re a number,” he says. “I never want to be so big that we don’t have that feel anymore.”
Helping his team succeed personally and professionally is Kevin’s greatest motivation.
“My team is my driving force – to keep everyone going, to see their progress, to get everyone home safe and make sure we all enjoy our lives," he says.
“We get put into a lot of situations where there are some tough jobs that we’ve got to do, and we know we can lean on each other to take care of it. We’ve got a great crew of guys and gals that have helped us grow along the way. We just keep moving forward.”
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