CCEE Hall of Fame

Leadership in commercial and institutional construction in Iowa and the nation

Inducted: 2014

Construction has been a lifelong passion for Glenn DeStigter. A native of Sioux Center, Iowa, he grew up with both his father and grandfather as general building contractors.  Beginning in eighth grade, he spent summers, Saturdays and school vacations working on construction projects.  He loved the building process and learned to work with many people.  He learned that every project requires leadership, planning, teamwork and respect for your fellow workers. He received his bachelor’s in civil engineering in 1966.

As CEO of The Weitz Company, Glenn led the company in exponential growth—from $225 million in 1993 to $1.6 billion in 2008.  The company achieved its strong position in the industry as a full-service general contractor and later, under employee ownership, branched into profitable joint ventures, such as Hy-Vee Weitz Construction. For several consecutive years, the company outpaced the industry in growth and was ranked 25th among domestic building contractors during 2002, according to Engineering News Record.

Glenn DeStigter’s contributions have been recognized at the highest levels.  In 2002, he received the Ernst & Young Construction Entrepreneur of the Year for both Iowa and Nebraska.  Governor Chet Culver inducted him into the 2008 Iowa Business Hall of Fame.

Glenn and his wife Vi have made significant contributions to Iowa State University and its Construction Engineering Program.  Glenn was a member of the Construction Engineering Industry Advisory Council.  As Chair, he started a tradition of donor support among members that continues to benefit the program.  Other donations have supported endowments, faculty professional development, building projects and Cyclone Athletics. In addition, Glenn has provided in-kind support by lecturing and developing a construction-site learning lab, where students completed special projects.