Crane biz lifer logged 34 years at helm; 45 years total with company
The new year will bring big changes to Dawes Rigging & Crane Rental, a member of the ALL Family of Companies, as it will be the first time in more than three decades that Steve Freckmann isn’t its general manager. Freckmann is retiring at the end of 2023 after 34 years as GM and 45 total years with Dawes.
Freckmann is a crane business lifer, starting out part-time in the shop and yard as a pre-teen. In fact, it was Freckmann’s father, Thomas, who was a part owner of Dawes before selling to the ALL Family in the late 1970s. Steve Freckmann succeeded his dad as general manager in 1989.
Steve Freckmann has been active and highly visible in the local and national business communities. “I’m proud of my involvement serving on the board of directors of the Association of General Contractors of Greater Milwaukee as well as various committees,” said Freckmann. “Also, I’m grateful for the time I’ve spent serving on the various committees of the Specialized Carriers & Rigging Association.”
Freckmann is a longtime believer in the value of SC&RA, including a decade and a half serving on various committees, with a chairmanship on the Crane & Rigging Group, and a three-year term on the board of directors. He currently serves on the Crane & Rigging Group Labor Committee.
“Even though I’ll be departing my formal service in SC&RA, I’m pleased that ALL is still represented through the participation of Rick Mikut, ALL’s crawler crane division manager, and Derek Baumgartner, our director of risk management and counsel,” said Freckmann.
“The Freckmann name is legendary within the ALL Family,” said Michael L. Liptak, CEO and president of ALL. “Steve’s leadership has helped make Dawes synonymous with quality performance, integrity, and service. We wish him all the best as his decades with us come to a close.”
So, what does a man do after devoting his life to cranes? For Freckmann, it will mean more time to bike, hike, and travel with his wife. There will even be some time in the winter months chasing great cross-country skiing weather in northern Wisconsin.
Continuing ALL’s legacy of promoting from within, Ryan Harrison, current branch manager of the Madison, Wis., Dawes branch and a 24-year ALL veteran, will succeed Freckmann as general manager.
