OUR DESIGN BUILD TEAM

Ben Hutton was swinging a hammer as soon as he could lift it. By age 12, he was working job sites. He studied construction management at Kansas State University and started at Hutton as a project manager. Soon after, he was leading the company’s business development efforts. In 2010, he became president. In 2016, CEO. Since then, the company’s capabilities have expanded and the number of employees more than tripled.

Andy is no stranger to designing or building. He earned a civil engineering degree from K-State and worked several years in Wichita as a design engineer, leading the construction of ethanol plants across the U.S. After working as a project manager and later as a team leader at Hutton, he was promoted to the role of president in 2016.

Jim's interest in construction started early. He earned a degree in construction management from K-State then built an impressive resume: From on-site labor, estimating and conceptual estimating, project engineer, superintendent, project manager and now operations officer, Jim encompasses more than 25 years of experience in everything that is construction.

Josh's path to Hutton started in high school, in drafting class, where he designed his first house. That sparked an interest that led to a degree in architecture from K-State, then to working for some of the top firms in Wichita, becoming a licensed architect in Kansas, and certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. He now oversees the company's architecture, BIM and marketing teams.

Sheila has been crunching numbers at Hutton for 11 years. Always trying to get better, she recently completed her master's in business administration. She stays involved with the National Association of Women MBAs and the Construction Financial Managers Association. In 2017, she was selected to participate in Leadership Wichita, where she learned new skills while meeting some of the area's top leaders.

Monotony's never been Jim's strong suit. He's always liked to mix it up, and he started early. His high school carpentry class built an entire house – framing, siding, roofing, drywall, plumbing and electrical. Much more hands-on apprenticeship of this type was followed by college and a short stint as a welder. Jim loves that the job at Hutton is never the same twice – always new people, new problems, new solutions.

As far back as he can remember, Jeff has loved construction. He remembers watching houses being built in his neighborhood. In high school, he worked part-time for a homebuilder. By 18 he was already working on a commercial construction site. Jeff had his first internship with Hutton in 2000 and was back the next four summers until he graduated and started at Hutton full-time, a dream job fulfilled.

Spencer grew up helping with the family business, including pouring concrete, installing grain bins, running combines during harvest and working cattle during the winter. He attended K-State and played football under coach Bill Snyder, where he learned discipline, accountability and the true concept of a team. With a true passion for his craft, Spencer embodies the Hutton way.

Ryan grew up on a farm where he was always building or working on something. The work came naturally, and so did his construction science and management studies at K-State. Today, he can't imagine doing anything else. He enjoys making the project come together, watching client companies succeed and grow, and seeing hard work rewarded.

Luke has been building things his entire life. His mom still tells the story of how he put his own tricycle together, and he continued building things for family and friends until he was old enough to get a job working for a local construction company. He enjoys construction because he gets to create solutions to challenges by implementing a plan and watching it succeed.

Andy is “a nuts and bolts kind of guy.” He grew up learning to love woodworking and remodeling projects with his father. He later pursued this interest in bringing beauty and order to raw materials by studying construction science at K-State. Andy knows how to collect the right little pieces and make something bigger and better.

Jimmie started at Hutton straight out of high school. He turned his first full-time job – his first experience with construction – into a career. He loves the variety in construction service work and takes pride watching things come together, and stay together, helping the owner maintain their building for years to come.

Arnold learned carpentry at the knee of his father, who was in the trade. He cites a high school shop teacher as a source of inspiration, too. He earned his degree from Wichita State University. At Hutton, he continues the tradition, getting the most joy out of his job when he is working side by side with team members, teaching and learning at the same time.

Whether someone is new to the Hutton family or has been here for years, Laura is the face our people see upon being hired, for benefit changes or organizational development. Drawn to the industry because she appreciates the construction process, Laura loves the down-to-earth nature of the people who make it happen.

Always up for a good conversation over coffee or lunch, Joel builds lasting relationships. Since his time is best spent outside the office, you’re more likely to see him volunteering at Wichita Riverfest, or supporting airmen at McConnell Air Force Base where he holds a Golden Eagle merit. You’ve got ideas, Joel loves to listen.

Having always enjoyed the learning process that comes from figuring out how to put things together, Ray pursued a degree in architecture from K-State. This has led to a career at Hutton where he gets to do what he loves most: working with clients to develop their concepts into physical reality.

It started with Lincoln Logs, Legos and an imagination. Matt built whatever he could dream up. In high school, he started to dream more elaborately, drawing and designing buildings that were not toys but towers. He followed his vision to K-State, earning a degree in architecture, and then to Hutton, where every day his job is about designing and dreaming and turning ideas into reality.

With a passion for people and a love for design, Gracie has found her niche on our design team. She knew early on that majoring in creativity was for her and graduated with an interior design degree. When not helping clients create their space, you can find her curating our finish library or according to her, being hilarious.