Kenneth’s son Fred joined the family business, which was incorporated as Hawkins Construction Company in 1960. By the turn of the decade, Hawkins had grossed over $20 million in revenue. Our substantial growth continued throughout the 1970’s as we developed well-known public and privately owned buildings in the heart of Omaha.
Through the 1980’s and 1990’s, Hawkins ascended as one of the Midwest’s largest and most successful highway and bridge contractors after completing high-profile civil projects across the region. Construction of wastewater and water treatment plants further solidified Hawkins’s reputation as a versatile contractor with endless capabilities.
At the turn of the century, Hawkins was awarded the most prominent and critical Nebraska State projects. Notable builds included the Nebraska State Correctional Facility in Tecumseh, Nebraska; the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Durham Research Center; the widening of I-80 to six lanes from Omaha to the Platte River; and Omaha’s elevated West Dodge Expressway.
In 2016, Kim and Fred Jr. followed in their father’s footsteps as they were inducted into the Omaha Business Hall of Fame in honor of the company’s longstanding reputation. Today, Hawkins continues to build upon our legacy by staying true to our founding values while innovating for tomorrow. Hawkins remains a family company, owned-and-operated by Fred, Kim, and Chris Hawkins. We proudly hold the vanguard in some of the area’s largest construction programs, including Omaha’s combined sewage control plan; the Council Bluffs Interstate System; the Nebraska expressway system; Boys Town’s research campus; the Florence water treatment plants; and ongoing improvements at Eppley Airfield. The result: over $200 million in annual gross revenue and a company built to last.
Hawkins employees, subcontractors and clients receive our undivided time, attention and support.
We are builders. Our wide range of capabilities and deep industry knowledge helps us capitalize on opportunities for innovation and execute solutions.
We operate with a high sense of urgency, without compromising quality. With Hawkins, you get the very best, on time and on budget.
We live our values. Hawkins employees are held accountable for results, as well as their team’s performance along the way – from safety and speed to quality and cost-effectiveness.
There are no surprises when working with Hawkins. We identify problems up front, which helps us plan for a smooth workflow on each and every job.
We forge long-term relationships with honesty and integrity. We step up when times get tough. Most importantly, we create value – the true test of a meaningful partner.
Our current EMR is 0.55. Not only does our impressive EMR enable lower insurance costs with our savings passed on to clients, but it also demonstrates our commitment to the safety of anyone and everyone who steps onsite with us.
Experience Modification Rate (EMR) is the construction industry’s standard for measuring a company’s safety performance track record. EMR evaluates payroll data and Workers’ Compensation claims to provide a representation of construction safety records. Simply put, 1.0 is the industry average; anything lower is above average and anything higher is below average.
Randall D. Peters, P.E.
NDOR Director - State Engineer, 2012 -2015
Associate Professor of Practice - UNL Department of Civil Engineering
