ABOUT
Our Story
After 20+ years of shared experience working in the construction and pavement industry, we saw an opportunity to fill a void and support our customers in paving maintenance, reconstruction, and new construction work. The concept is to bring “intelligently simple” scope development and project execution to the paving industry. We felt there was a pain point for property owners and managers in getting cost-effective and reliable scope development, project planning, and project execution for their exterior infrastructure.
Prior to starting the company, Casey spent six years Active Duty in the United States Air Force and four years working as a private contractor for the Department of Defense. Kevan was back home in Chicago working with Mike Murphy to grow Murphy Sealcoating, Murphy Paving, and eventually Murphy Construction Services, LLC; the parent company to Wheatberry Construction.
Casey worked in the Air Force Civil Engineer Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, learning construction surveying, drafting, project management, and eventually program management when he ran the Energy Project Program for the remote radar mission in Alaska and the Pacific. Kevan studied construction management, interned in Washington D.C., and worked as a legal assistant at a Construction Law Firm before working in the field with Murphy Construction in 2014. He briefly left and completed an MBA, before coming back and applying his knowledge and skillset in helping Mike build the vision for Murphy Construction. Casey returned home to Chicago in 2020 amidst the pandemic and to be back near family. He spent a year as an estimator and project manager with Murphy Construction to learn the industry before officially launching Wheatberry Construction in 2023.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Breaking bread and building better is our operational philosophy. It captures our belief that effective project management is rooted in trusting relationships, shared values, and technical expertise. “Breaking bread” is the relationship building, whereby we take the time to get to know you, your team, and your organization to ensure we understand your values, operational and investment strategies, needs, and objectives. We field all questions with openness and honesty to find our shared values and ensure you are confident in our ability to reach your desired outcomes. This process sets a firm foundation to our working relationship and, as our relationship builds, we improve our ability to collaborate in project development and in managing operational complexities specific to your properties.
This is how breaking bread leads to building better.
OUR VALUES
WHO WE ARE
Casey Carpenter
president / owner
Casey is a United States Air Force veteran who proudly served his country while stationed in Texas, Missouri, Germany, Alaska, Hawaii, and throughout the Pacific. Casey holds an AS in Construction Technology, a BA in Philosophy, an MSc in International Affairs, and an MA in Liberal Studies. In his free time he enjoys reading, writing, baking bread, growing food, traveling, and going on hikes with his spouse, Lisa, and their amazing pup, Huxley.
Mike murphy
owner
Mike started Wheatberry’s parent company, Murphy Construction Services, LLC, as Murphy Sealcoating in 1993 as a freshman at the University of Iowa. In the 30 years since that humble beginning, Mike has grown from a company of 2 to a company of close to 100 employees during the construction season. Mike takes great pride in being able to provide good pay and rewarding work to all his employees and he values all of them. When Mike can take his mind off business he enjoys traveling with his wife, Colleen, golfing, skiing, fishing, and coaching his 4 children in their various athletic endeavors.
Kevan Carpenter
Chief Operations Officer
Kevan is, above all else, a proud father and loving husband. Kevan holds a BS in Construction Management and an MBA with a focus on Business Development. Outside of work, Kevan supports his wife in hosting the Midwest Harp Festival and spends a considerable amount of time chasing around his two little ones, Kyla and Eddie. In his rare moments of free time, Kevan enjoys cooking, running, and watching the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bears, who continue to disappoint him year in and year out.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
As a core value in business and life, we believe in taking care of and supporting our community. Wheatberry Construction currently helps support the Midwest Harp Festival, the Chicago Poetry Center, Camp Fire AK, Storyworks AK, AVA Gallery and Art Center, New Moms, the Hartford Restorative Justice Center, and the Chicago Beyond philanthropy organization. Through his own organization, Our Common Thread, and in support of fellow veterans, Casey runs the “From Service to Scholar” program at Dartmouth College where he works with incoming veteran students to help them understand how their experiences in service now inform what they are choosing to study. We are always interested in finding new ways to support the community, so please contact us with any opportunities to be of service.