by Amy Self | May 7, 2025 | Ancon News, ANCON News
Ancon Construction Recognized with Fairbanks Award for Beautification Efforts in Elkhart County
Ancon Construction is proud to announce that they are the recipient of the Fairbanks Award from the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes the company’s contribution to the beautification of Elkhart County through its newly completed corporate office at 2121 West Wilden Avenue in Goshen, Indiana.
Presented quarterly by the Chamber’s Beautification Council, the Fairbanks Award honors businesses and not-for-profit organizations that enhance the community through new construction, renovations, and/or landscaping. Ancon was selected for its transformation of the former Furnitureland building into a modern, 24,000-square-foot headquarters — demonstrating the company’s commitment to revitalizing existing structures with thoughtful design and long-term community impact.
Kathy Cardwell, Chief Administrative Officer with the Greater Elkhart Chamber, shares, “Ancon Construction was chosen by the Greater Elkhart Chamber’s Business Recognition Council to be the Fairbanks Quarterly award recipient for their beautiful, new facility that has helped to beautify our Elkhart County Community.”
“We are honored to receive the Fairbanks Award,” said Doug VonGunten, President of Ancon Construction. “Having been part of this community for 50 years, we take pride in creating spaces that not only serve our clients but also enrich our communities. This new headquarters is especially meaningful to me — it’s a project I’ve dreamed about for years. It represents much more than just renovating a building; it reflects who we are as Employee-Owners and showcases Ancon’s Integrated Design-Build™.”
“Whether transforming our own space or revitalizing buildings, our team enjoys breathing new life into existing structures. These projects reflect the core of our day-to-day work and our belief in reinvesting in the communities we call home. They also embody our design philosophy and set a high standard for adaptive reuse in commercial construction. We’re proud to create spaces where people can come together and thrive.”
This recognition highlights Ancon’s Integrated Design-Build™ project delivery method. Our in-house architect and design team approach every project with a process and people flow mindset. Our new office is a testament to how relationship-driven design can create modern, engaging workspaces that increase employee retention and create the type of environment that attracts top talent.
As a 100% Employee-Owned company, we are personally invested in every step, championing your vision to deliver buildings that inspire, perform, and endure.
About The Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce
The mission of the Chamber is to be the leading resource for making connections that foster collaboration, which serves and promotes efforts to strengthen the Greater Elkhart business community.
www.elkhart.org
About the Fairbanks Award
The Greater Elkhart Chamber’s Business Recognition Council presents the Fairbanks Award annually to four businesses who exemplify innovative and extraordinary beautification efforts to enhance our community. This award recognizes businesses and not-for-profit entities making outstanding beautification efforts, either through new construction or renovations, in our community. This could be beautification of existing property, structure, or landscaping, or remodeling to enhance the overall appearance of the property.
About Ancon Construction:
Ancon Construction is a leading commercial design-build contractor offering services such as planning, architectural design, construction, remodeling, and maintenance. Headquartered in Goshen, Indiana, the company is 100% employee-owned and has been a cornerstone of the Michiana community’s construction and architectural landscape since 1975.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact Amy Self, Ancon Construction’s Marketing Manager, at 574.533.9561, aself@anconconstruction.com, or visit anconconstruction.com.
by Ryan Kring | Mar 13, 2018 | Ancon News
With over 25 years of experience in the construction industry, Doug VonGunten is one of Ancon Construction’s many valuable project managers. Doug’s responsibilities as a project manager begin long before construction actually starts, leading the design-build team in programming, design, budgeting, and cost estimating. The project manager continues his leadership role throughout the construction process until the project has been completed and handed-off to the customer. Doug has managed a wide variety of projects including industrial projects, manufacturing facilities, streetscapes and infrastructure, zoo animal exhibits, ice skating parks, educational facilities, and more.
Some of Doug’s accomplishments include awards for Excellence in Merit Shop Construction for a new TLCU Financial building and a multi-purpose center at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. Additionally, Doug’s Eddy Street Commons Streetscape project won an Associated Builders and Contractors Merit Shop Image award and the North American River Otter Exhibit project he managed at the Potawatomi Zoo earned an ABC Award of Honor. Through all of the projects that Doug has managed, he is most proud of making a client’s ideas and dreams about their project a reality.
Onsite Making Sure Projects Run Smooth
Aside from his work at Ancon, Doug finds many ways to serve and give back to the community. He is a member and Past President of Goshen Noon Kiwanis, serves on the Apprenticeship Committee for the local chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors apprenticeship program, and is an active member of his church, Walnut Hill Mennonite in Goshen. Doug also serves on the Board of Directors for Ryan’s Place, a not-for-profit organization that provides grief support to children, teens, and families who have experienced the death of a family member or loved one. Most recently, Doug has been serving on a committee with the Goshen Parks Department that is designing a playground for children of all ability levels.
Doug lives just North of Goshen with his wife of 21 years, Jolene, and their three children: Jack (16), Garrett (13), and Molly (9). In his free time, Doug enjoys attending his kids’ sporting events and music programs and being active outdoors, including cycling, running, camping, and hiking. Doug and his family also enjoy spending time at the beach in North Carolina with their extended family.
Doug says about his work, “I really enjoy the construction industry and the challenges that it brings. There are new challenges every day and no two projects are ever the same.” Doug is an invaluable part of the Ancon team. Both Ancon and its customers greatly benefit from his vast experience and tireless work.
by Ryan Kring | Jan 29, 2018 | Ancon News
Goshen, IN-Don Carrico serves as the Operations Manager and Safety Director at Ancon Construction. Don spends countless hours making sure that all of Ancon’s jobs are adequately staffed and running smoothly – ensuring the best overall product for our customers in the shortest time possible. He also helps ensure the safety of Ancon’s field employees by monitoring job sites and conducting safety training when necessary. Don holds OSHA 10-hour certification relating to scaffolding, forklifts, scissor lifts, trenching & shoring, confined spaces, and many other areas of construction. During Don’s 20 years with Ancon Construction he moved from sweeping floors to working as a journeyman steel worker and foreman, eventually taking on his current role of Operations Manager and Safety Director. Don takes great pride in completing a job on time and under budget, knowing that the finished product is second to none.
Don Preparing a Safety Program for an Upcoming Project
Even outside of his work at Ancon, Don is active in our community. He works part time as an on-call fire fighter for Southwest Central Territory in South Bend, filling in when full-time employees take time for vacation and when the department is short on manpower. When he isn’t working, Don also enjoys riding ATVs and his Harley touring bike, camping, and spending time working around the yard and house.
Don has two children. His son, Don Jr., is a junior at Mishawaka High School and his daughter, Taylor, is a Purdue grad who lives and works in Chicago. Don and his wife, Shauna, have been together for 12 years and married for 5. They live in South Bend. Don looks forward to the next 20 years and retiring to a warm climate!
Don is a huge asset to Ancon, its customers, and the community and we are glad to have him as part of our team.
by Ryan Kring | Jan 16, 2018 | Ancon News
South Bend, New Carlisle, Mishawaka, Plymouth, Goshen, Elkhart, Bristol, Middlebury, Bremen, Niles, Nappanee
Matt VanSoest serves as designer for Ancon Construction. Matt is a Ball State grad where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture in 2008 and his MA Architecture in 2010 with a concentration in Educational Architecture and Urban Design.
As a designer for Ancon Construction Matt prides himself on listening to the owner’s specific needs to develop early concept building concepts and unique design ideas. Matt uses the latest CAD software to prepare renderings including site feasibility plans, site plans, floor plans, elevations, details and utilizes 3D computer modeling to help our customers visualize their project. Matt works in partnership with our project managers and estimators during the pricing phase to provide alternative details and value engineering to keep the project on budget and reduce change orders. Another part of Matt’s job that is seldom mentioned but plays a crucial role in the success of a project is performing building code reviews. By starting a project knowing the requirements it makes the project much smoother through final construction documents and state/local permit submittal processes. Matt has over 12 years of experience in the construction industry and has been with Ancon since 2006. In 2008 Matt was able to implement many design principles from his participation in a three year research initiative at Ball State into a state-of-the art charter school project in South Bend, IN. Other notable projects include a 100,000 square foot lean designed trailer manufacturing company, Inovateus Solar, multiple church projects and a large regional science center with an added children’s museum component. The picture to the left shows Matt engaged in some 3D modeling for a client and the pic on the right shows some of the foam board models Matt builds by hand to help clients better visualize their project.
Matt is married with one child and a second on the way. When not in design mode Matt is active in our community serving with YPN (Young Professionals Network) of Elkhart County, Chamber of Commerce, Bremen Kwanis Club and member of the Indiana Redevelopment Commission (Bremen). Outside of work and service Matt enjoys spending time with family at their lake house and cheering on Notre Dame and Ball State
We are proud to have Matt on our team.
