​Oliphant, Oliphant, and Cramer:

• Del Cramer graduated Iowa State in 1950 where he received a B.S. degree in Agricultural Engineering and went to work for the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT) as an inspector

• Del and another inspector, Harold Oliphant, and Sock Oliphant decided construction didn’t look too difficult and started their own company. They formed Oliphant, Oliphant, and Cramer

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​Cramer-Bayse:

• An Oliphant brother dies and Del joined a new partner, Russell Bayse to form Cramer-Bayse Construction (1953)

• Built three overpasses along I-35 south of Des Moines

Cramer-Bayse:

• Del’s father, who everyone called Pop, and three of Del’s brothers, Dale, George and Don joined the company

• Built eleven bridges in Kansas City, Missouri

• Built several of the Des Moines I-235 overpasses including 6th Avenue, 19th Street, Cottage Grove and Harding Road

• Cramer-Bayse dissolved in 1963

Cramer Brothers, Inc.

• Del and his brothers, Dale, George and Don, began a partnership called Des Moines Bridge and incorporated under the name Cramer Brothers, Inc. in 1965

• Cramer Brothers, Inc. expanded across the state of Iowa​​​

Cramer Brothers, Inc.

• Built several bridges in Council Bluffs and put the decks on three river bridges: I-80, I-480, and I-680

• Joint ventured with Jensen Construction to build the “5-in-1” in Cedar Rapids across the river consisting of a double deck bridge, twin bridges and a dam on the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids

• Helped the DOT develop a high-density, low-slump bridge deck overlay and is also known as “The Iowa Method”

Cramer and Associates, Inc.

• Incorporated in 1978 as an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and merit shop (non-union)

Cramer and Associates, Inc.

• Transitioned away from new construction and towards rehabilitating and overlaying bridges

• Moved half the company to Topeka, Kansas for a two-year job of widening and overlaying bridges on I-70 and followed up with a similar two-year project in Wichita, Kansas

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Cramer and Associates, Inc.

• Widened and overlayed several bridges on I-80 in Des Moines

• Built many new flood walls, gates and pump stations to protect the low parts of the city after the floods of 1993 in Des Moines​

• Richard Schoene, Jerry Marker, Dan Cramer and Robert Cramer joined the Board (1991)

Cramer and Associates, Inc.

• Replaced the MacVicar Freeway, I-235 in Des Moines

  • 77 bridges were replaced or rehabilitated from the year 2000 to 2007

  • Cramer completed about 1/3 of these bridges

• Lead manager of joint venture at I-235 and E. University Ave in 2005 at $43 million

• Led a joint venture downtown project, a $93 million freeway replacement including grading, pcc paving, bridges, MSE walls, storm sewers and other utilities, lighting, and signing

• Del and George retired from daily operations in 2000

• Board leadership transitioned with Dan and Robert Cramer becoming Co-Presidents

• Del passed away in 2002

• Steve Tuttle joined the Board

Cramer and Associates, Inc.

• Teamed up with Hawkins Construction of Omaha and United Contractors of Johnston for the first major DOT project in Council Bluffs I80 and I29

• Lead manager on $103 million, $40 million and  $104 million projects

• Marty Jorgenson and Mark Leusink join the Board (2015)

• Lisa Croyle and Brian Jacob join the Board (2018)

Cramer and Associates, Inc.

• Work in Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, South Dakota and Kansas, has grown Cramer and Associates, Inc. to a company employing over 150 people.  

• Cramer Land Development begins

• Joint venture in Iowa City project with United at $200+ million was largest dollar value job that the IDOT managed to date

• Robert Cramer transitions from Co-President to VP of Land Development (2023)

• Dan Cramer retires and transitions from President to Co-Chair of the Board (2024)

• Mark Leusink transitions into President role (2025)