A Man and a Dream...
CORE Construction traces its roots back to 1925, when a young German immigrant named Otto Baum arrived in this country. Like many new Americans of that era, he arrived with only a dream of a better life. In exchange for sponsorship of his trip, Otto worked for a farmer in central Illinois for two years. After fulfilling his obligation, Otto set out to build a reputation for himself as a bricklayer with the help and support of his devoted wife, Mary. Hard work, dedication, and a strong Christian faith brought him through the Depression and led him to start his own masonry company in Morton, Illinois, in 1937. Otto never gave up on the pursuit of his dream and he gave full credit to God for his success.

Otto instilled the same values in his four sons. They learned the construction business by working as laborers, apprentices, and journeyman. Under the leadership of Otto's sons, grandsons, and members of their management team, the company today has expanded into all areas of the construction industry and in addition to Illinois, has offices in Arizona, Florida, Texas, and Nevada.

In German, the last name of our founder, Otto Baum, means tree. Each tree has a core—its center and strength. As the tree grows, rings radiate out from the core. Likewise, as you explore the history of CORE Construction, you will see we've added many "rings" to our core—new locations, new projects, new services, and new people. Together, they represent the level of experience, expertise, and capabilities you need to make your project a success.

In working with us, you will find the same Christian principles and family values that Otto and Mary founded the business on at the core of everything we do.