For three-quarters of a century, Milo Meyer Construction has been a part of the Wayne community. As of April 1, the business is being sold and will no longer be under ownership of the Meyer family.
As the business transitions to new owners, Mike, Theresa and Kevin Kay and Andy Johnson (who has been with the company for approximately 13 years), the name will remain the same and a number of the pieces of equipment will remain with the business.
Current President Steve Meyer will continue to help with the bidding of jobs for a period of time. All the current employees will remain with the business.
In 1951 Milo Meyer purchased his first motor grader for $10,000 and the construction business began doing custom work in the immediate area.
The following year Milo married Betty Schmitt from Atkinson (who was attending Wayne State College at the time). The couple had four sons, Steve, Mark, Terry and Bryan (Bud). All the boys worked for their father when they were old enough.
In 1966 Milo built a small shop on South Centennial Road and the business remained there until 2009 when a building and property were purchased on Industrial Road.
Betty kept the books for the business for many years.
Steve began working full-time for the company in 1974 and Mark became full time with the company in 1983.
Steve said his favorite piece of equipment to operate is a motor grader and said the major change to the business through the years is "technology has allowed us to get four or fives times as much work done as before."
Milo and Betty sold the business to sons Terry, Steve and Mark. Terry's share was purchased by his brothers in March of 2004.
In 2010 the firm was awarded the Contractor of the Year Award by the Nebraska Chapter of the National Land Improvement Contractor Association (NLICA). At that time, owners Steve and Mark Meyer accepted the award and shared the history of the business.
From that original motor grader in 1951, the business has grown to include approximately 20 additional pieces that include excavators, scrapers, motor graders, bull dozer, loader, dump trucks, side-dumps and compaction equipment.
While the business works with up to 300 customers each year, Steve said, "we rarely go farther than 50 miles from Wayne. We have done a tremendous amount of work in the area.
Steve noted that this has included work with the Wayne State College, Bomgaars, the Vintage Hill First Addition, the back nine for the Wayne Country Club and numerous football, softball and baseball fields. He said that early in the firm's history his father helped level the ground for St. Mary's School and later they assisted with ground work before the current church was built.
Through the years Milo Meyer Construction has supported many organizations in the community including Pheasants Forever, the American Legion, Wayne State College, the Wayne Country Club and St. Mary's Catholic Church.
According to the Meyers, "Milo Meyer Construction has survived because of the hard work and commitment to excellence."
