Ben Kossow, LEED AP President

Ben started with Riley Construction in 2000 as a Project Engineer and served in multiple operations and management roles before his appointment as President in 2022. Ben is a former Daily Reporter Project Manager of the Year, and a longtime board member and past president of the Wisconsin AGC. He holds a B.S. in architectural engineering, with an emphasis in structural engineering, from the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE).

Ben was born and raised in Pewaukee, WI, where he still lives today. “I always had a curiosity of how things went together, which lead me to attend MSOE,” Ben said. “That curiosity continues to burn within me every day at Riley. The definition of construction management is figuring out how a building goes together before you build it for real. Our InSTEPĀ® process allows me to be part of a planning system that is transparent and visual. In addition to our operations, Riley’s people keep my fire burning. Each new intern or project engineer reignite that fire with their curiosity; each client through their excitement to build something; and each tradesperson through their artistic craftsmanship.”

Ben is married to his college love, Erin. They have four boys and a chocolate lab named Chip. When he’s not working, Ben enjoys outdoor activities like hunting and fishing, and spending time with his boys coaching and playing baseball, basketball, soccer, fishing, kayaking, or just playing a board game at home.

Fun Fact? “Every time I smell or taste cinnamon, I think back to a night in college where I drank enough ‘After Shock’ [liqueur] that I thought it was a good idea to chip the crystals out of the bottle and eat them too.”

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