We care about quality work done right the first time, so we self-perform and hire dependable partners. We care about supporting the communities we work in, so our time, resources, and profits are donated without hesitation. We care about the skilled labor shortage, so we spearhead professional development initiatives through apprenticeship programs.
Values & Culture
The Foundation of Our Success
Each day, our mission is to deliver innovative commercial construction solutions that build trust, earn respect, and create value for our clients.
How do we ensure we’re accomplishing our mission? Our values. These values allow us to hire the right employees, train these employees with a purpose, and retain quality workers that put forth incredible effort and service. These values are:
How Do We Live Out Our Mission?
Delivering innovative construction solutions
In 2020, we launched our off-site construction division to offer our clients an even greater level of quality while streamlining our construction processes. Our prefabrication and modular construction procedures are focused on safety, quality, schedule improvement and precision/accuracy. Our team has learned how often problems are resolved in the field, which can cause potential issues in the future. Everything created here is exactly as it was designed.
Build Trust
Integrity is the focal point of every decision we make. Success is proven by various metrics, but to us it is repeat business from clients. Fifty years ago, we built a factory for Urschel Laboratories and over the years constructed 28 additions. When Urschel, the global leader in food cutting technology, wanted a new world headquarters, it again turned to our team, who not only designed and built the 400,000 square-foot structure, but managed the massive logistics effort of moving every piece of equipment without losing a single day of production. This is merely one relationship of many we’ve managed to nurture for decades. If you spend an afternoon in our office, you’re bound to hear stories of our project teams springing into action during unexpected emergencies for our clients and going the extra mile to make sure they look like the hero for their company. We truly do whatever it takes to make our clients happy.
PNW Pathway Program–Developing Future Construction Leaders
Before the labor shortage became headline news, Tonn and Blank was proactive in creating a solution to this dilemma. In 2020, it spearheaded a professional development initiative, collaborating with Purdue University Northwest (PNW), to create the PNW Pathway Program. PNW recognizes associate degrees earned from Ivy Tech Community College through its apprenticeship programs and applies those credits towards a Purdue degree. Students who complete the Pathway Program not only earn a bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership and Supervision, but also elevate their abilities by gaining a competitive career advantage. In addition to this program, Tonn and Blank firmly believes that its move into off-site construction is opening doors to new, exciting opportunities that will attract more talent to the industry.
Officially launching in January 2021, we’re proud to say that we have 16 team members in their second semester of the PNW Pathway Program. Our goal is to roll out this initiative at all of our office locations to provide career development opportunities for leadership roles within our organization.
Award – Winning work
American Concrete Institute
Engineering News Record
Construction Advancement Foundation
Michiana Builders Association
Northwest Indiana Business Roundtable
Indiana Subcontractors Association
Innovation Award
The CAF presented its Excellence in Professional Development award to honor companies or individuals that take a proactive role in activities like training, workforce development, or education. Jon Gilmore, president and CEO of Tonn and Blank Construction, earned the award for his efforts in securing new degree pathways for construction program graduates.
In 2019, Gilmore spearhead talks with Purdue University Northwest (PNW) to create a bachelor’s degree pathway for journey-level construction tradespeople who have successfully completed their apprenticeship program and earned their associates degree in Applied Science from Ivy Tech Community College. The new degree pathway with PNW is in Project Leadership and was developed under the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership & Supervision program.
This degree will help skilled trade workers develop their skills so that they can seamlessly transition into field leadership positions.
