Service Award

Croysdale makes industry his top priority

By Janine Anderson

Donald Croysdale President and owner of Croysdale & Co. Inc., Milwaukee

For Donald Croysdale, service is a way of life.

As president and owner of Croysdale & Co. Inc. in Milwaukee, he provides executive management services for associations including the American Subcontractors Association of Greater Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Painting Contractors Association and the Southeastern Wisconsin Drywall and Plastering Contractors Association.

His efforts earned him the ASA Outstanding Chapter Executive Award in 1992 for his work on the Subcontractors Rights Act. In 2002, the ASA of Greater Milwaukee received national recognition for achievements in government and industry relations.

Cheryl Honeck of J.F. Cook Co. Inc., Oak Creek, is a past president and board member of ASA of Greater Milwaukee. She and Croysdale joined the organization at about the same time more than 15 years ago. When she joined, she said, there were only a few dozen members in the association. But under Croysdale’s leadership, ASA grew to more than 100 members.

“He’s worked tirelessly to build the organization to what it is today,” she said. “There are many things offered that weren’t over the years, and it’s still evolving, still changing.”

She credited Croysdale with using the ASA to strengthen the relationship between subcontractors and general contractors and making each ASA meeting a true learning experience.

“He’s extremely knowledgeable on subcontractor issues,” she said.

And he likes to pass that knowledge on to others in the industry.

“Every month you walk away with information you wouldn’t have had,” she said. “It’s a forum for getting everyone together, working for a common goal, building better buildings and doing it fairly.”

When Croysdale isn’t working directly with associations, he is often focused on Madison, where he lobbies for better subcontractor legislation. Brian Mitchell of Mitchell Government Relations, Brookfield, said Croysdale is an effective advocate for the construction industry.

“Don is, I would say, a very eloquent voice for the people in the construction industry,” Mitchell said.

The two first worked together about 15 years ago when the state was interested in extending the prompt-pay requirement to local governmental units as well as state agencies. Since then, the two have tackled bond issues and retainage.

“He’s always been very tenacious and very focused on his issues,” Mitchell said.

While Croysdale focuses on subcontractors, Mitchell said, he understands the need to work with others and is always open to forming coalitions to get the job done.

“Don has understood the necessity of broadening the appeal of legislative items and worked effectively in coalitions,” Mitchell said. “I think Don, even though he isn’t in Madison three or four days a week, still manages to stay informed on issues and what’s going to affect construction. That’s another thing he’s done very well.”

By combining the things he has learned working in Madison with those he learns by working with subcontractors through the organizations he is involved with, Croysdale is able to be effective in both arenas.

“I’m not sure what kind of an association it would have been without Don,” Honeck said.