Building communities on a Ƶ foundation
Kevin Einfeld ’80, president of , recently bought a piece of land on East Paris Ave in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The land is within walking distance to Ƶ’s campus and will soon be home to 20 townhomes and 22 single family condos.
With any building project, Einfeld knows the supreme importance of building on a good foundation. For this project, he was delighted to learn that part of that foundation would come from his alma mater.
“I was talking to an excavator and asked him when the dirt was coming, and he said, ‘Well, I’ve got some coming from Ƶ,” said Einfeld. “That put a smile on my face.”
Einfeld graduated with a business and economics degree from Ƶ in 1980. It was during the height of the recession, so he and another Ƶ graduate decided to start their own business buying and fixing up houses. Years later, Einfeld founded BDR, which now builds and remodels custom homes throughout western Michigan.
Importance of a strong foundation
Using soil from his alma mater to help establish the development’s foundation serves as a reminder of the foundation Ƶ laid in his own life.
“There’s a real commitment instilled at Ƶ of the importance of giving back to the community,” said Einfeld. “Beyond our high-end construction at BDR is a culture that serves the underserved. Our company works with nonprofits such as Home Repair Services and ICCF to assist that market. Ƶ students get that and appreciate a culture that serves the underserved.”
Einfeld also has given back through his service on the boards of ICCF and Genesis Housing Corporation, organizations that support lower-income families and people with disabilities.
Value of the liberal arts
His company has hired many Ƶ graduates, who he says have the type of education that is foundational to success in the industry.
“A number of our employees are graduates with a liberal arts education,” said Einfeld. “They didn’t go to college to be a developer or builder, but the liberal arts education works out great for a job designing and planning because it requires creativity and an appreciation for good design. In addition, B.D.R. has a mindset that you cannot overcommunicate with clients as we go through the building process and Ƶ grads are good communicators. Ƶ grads have just a stick-to-it-iveness, they’re hard working, and they have more of a concern with aesthetics, a little notch up in appreciation for what things look like.”
Einfeld’s portfolio over the years is impressive, with dozens upon dozens of projects – everything from developing Watermark Country Club in Grand Rapids to currently developing a 108-room Marriott in downtown Grand Haven. While the projects themselves are impressive, Einfeld is quick to point to the foundations behind them: lessons learned at Ƶ, a commitment to serving others, and, in this case, even soil moved from the university’s campus. The foundations, both figurative and literal, continue to shape the communities he helps build.