Ron Devine has a clear preference when it comes to communicating with clients—face-to-face “I want to talk with them. I want them to see me. I want to look at them, to shake their hand.” This approach, refined over 28 years as Riemco’s construction manager, shapes how he builds the relationships that sustain custom home construction.
Ron’s path to construction management was purposeful. While studying Construction Management in college he worked in landscaping. Then he joined his father-in-law’s renovation company after graduation, working on job sites and learning more about the trade. It was during this time that he met Bob and Rob Riemenschneider, on a job site. Their presence made an impression—enough that when they later approached him about joining Riemco, he recognized them as people he could work for.
I was in my twenties, young, impressionable,” he recalls. “And there was something about them — I just really felt like that’s somebody I could work for.”
In December 1997, Ron started at Riemco. At the time, there wasn’t a management position available so he worked on job sites as a carpenter. “They told me they were building their business and opportunities were going to open up relatively soon, no particular timeline,” he says. “So I started doing rough and finished carpentry.”
After two years of field work, Riemco established a construction manager position in 2000, a role for Ron to step into, and he’s managed all of the company’s projects for 25 years since.
Foundation of Trust
His leadership style is quiet and deliberate, focused on relationships as the foundation of every successful build and every interaction. On Riemco job sites, the respect is mutual with crews, trade partners, and clients who all know he’s thinking three steps ahead. When issues arise, he’s the one who listens first, then finds a way forward.
“I couldn’t do what I do if I didn’t build relationships with everyone who steps onto the job site,” Ron explains. Construction management requires building and maintaining trust with clients, trade partners (some for over 25 years), and team members.
Catherine and Brandon, whose custom home was recently completed, remembered how Ron handled the unexpected. They would stop by the job site after work, occasionally notice something concerning. Every time, Ron had already seen it and addressed it the next morning. When challenges came up, as they inevitably do in construction, he presented options, not problems. They never felt left to figure things out alone.
“I have to build a client’s trust—that’s the first thing,” Ron says. “The sooner I gain their trust, the better I feel. Then I need to maintain it and keep it.”
Loyalty Earned and Returned
The 2008-2010 recession challenged the construction industry. As projects dried up, many companies laid off staff. Riemco kept Ron on during those years despite significant financial pressure.
“The company was in a tough spot. Many companies closed. Bob and Rob stayed loyal to me and kept me on when they probably couldn’t afford to keep me on. They paid me every week, and something in me said if these people can do that for me, I can do the same for them; they can lean on me, they can trust me. They know that in the field, the work’s going to get done. I’m not going anywhere. There was a galvanization of loyalty there that kind of went unsaid, but you know, I’ll never forget that. That was a tough stretch.”
The Work Behind the Work
Ron is known for having ‘perfected scheduling management’. In practice, this means troubleshooting, problem-solving, and multitasking effectively. His natural organizational skills, combined with decades of experience and building strong relationships, enable the transparency and coordination required when managing complex projects.
The work has evolved significantly since 1997. Riemco began primarily building custom homes, which Ron particularly enjoys, and then expanded into renovations after the recession. “Renovation always has different challenges and unknowns,” he notes. “They require more concentrated on-site management. It’s just so consolidated, so to run a fair and responsible schedule, it’s very rapid fire.”
Construction technology and products have also advanced considerably. “Instead of having three things to choose from, now you have 40. Our planning and design team has to guide them through, so clients don’t get lost or overwhelmed. Improvements in technology and products are always a good thing, but it comes with challenges,” says Ron.
Building codes are continuously being rewritten to reflect an emphasis on improvements in sustainability and energy efficiency, which “takes education and understanding, and takes experience to learn that and to learn the code and the nuances of implementing,” says Ron. “Riemco also has a set of standards we’re going to instill in every project.”
Describing himself as “a little old school”, Ron values traditional methods when they’re effective while remaining open to better solutions. He won’t compromise on human interaction. Technology serves its purpose, but building client relationships requires presence, direct communication, and handshakes.
Layers of Legacy
The same principles Ron applies to client relationships—building trust, maintaining consistency, looking ahead—mirror how Riemco develops its team. Ron’s son Drake came to Riemco for his first summer job doing entry-level labor on job sites. “If you want to work for us, try it out for a summer,” Ron told him. “You’re going to be doing grunt work, you’re going to be learning.” Drake enjoyed the work and stayed for a year and a half as a field team laborer, learning construction from the ground up.
Then an opportunity came to work as an electrical apprentice with another company. As much as he enjoyed the work, after a year, it didn’t feel like the right fit, so Drake approached his father.
“So just curious what it might look like for me to come back to Riemco,” Drake asked.
Ron had been careful not to pressure his son. “I wanted to let him choose his path without me influencing,” he explains. But he could see a good opportunity for both Drake and Riemco. “I need a field supervisor. I need somebody to assist me, to be my right-hand man.”
Similar to when Ron first started, there wasn’t a clearly defined role, but a learning process with opportunities. Drake returned as a field supervisor. He’s forward-thinking, thoughtful, and clients respond well to working with him.
“How cool is it that we’re working together, how well we work together, and carrying on the legacy,” Ron says. “I’ve been a big part of this company from almost its roots. Now I’m kind of doing that same thing with the next generation, at least at this stage.”
A few months ago, Drake’s responsibilities expanded significantly. “That was a nice step for him and for us. There’s been a nice maturation process,” Ron says with a little pride.
The homes Riemco builds are meant to last for generations. The relationships that make those builds possible operate on the same principle.
Culture That Takes Time
“I love our culture,” Ron says. From early in his Riemco tenure, when the company was small, the core values were clear. Bob and Rob’s vision resonated with everyone, creating a common bond that endures.
What keeps Ron at Riemco after 28 years? His genuine passion for the work and alignment with Rob and Maria’s vision. Ron’s goals align naturally with Rob and Maria’s vision for the company. “I feel like we’re rowing in the same direction,” he says. Mutual respect between leadership and team creates the foundation for sustainable commitment.
What Sustains
Ron is clear about priorities: “We’re in business, so we need to make money, but the client comes first, and that feeling grounds me.” This guides his work. Every client represents a significant investment, and for many, the home they’re building will be where they live for the rest of their lives.
“I need to be proud, or how can the client be proud?”
After nearly three decades, Ron still loves coming to work every day. He has no interest in working elsewhere. The combination of freedom and responsibility creates an increasingly rare fit.
Through evolution in technology, project types, and building methods, Ron’s approach remains grounded in fundamentals: relationships sustain the work. Trust builds through consistency, transparency, and genuine care about outcomes. Show up. Follow through. Shake hands and look people in the eye.
Twenty-eight years later, that handshake still matters.
