Forward With Kriete - A. W. Oakes & Son

A. W. Oakes & Son | Mack Trucks

“I was born a Mack Trucks guy. The first truck I ever drove—all the way up through the ’70s and ’80s, and even when we started in hauling and garbage, it was all Mack,” says Dan Oakes, CEO of A.W. Oakes & Son.

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A.W. Oakes & Son has been in the construction industry since the early 1930s, starting with Arnold William (A.W.) Oakes, who began by digging basements. In the 1940s, he founded A.W. Oakes & Son, which incorporated in 1959. Initially focused on grading projects and asphalt, the company grew and paved the first parking lot at Six Flags Great America.

The second generation led by Glenn Oakes, from the late 1960s through the early 1980s, expanded into landfill development, asphalt paving, and mass excavation. When Glenn retired, Dan Oakes, the third generation, took over.

Under Dan’s leadership, A.W. Oakes & Son has become a full-service civil contractor in southeast Wisconsin, employing more than 200 people and relying on a top-tier fleet to deliver quality results.

“We deal with all the municipalities, villages, landfills, quarries and pits. Most of our employees are here because we're 45 minutes from any job.”

– Dan Oakes,
CEO of A.W. Oakes & Son

PRODUCTS THAT DRIVE SUCCESS

“Providing our employees with higher quality trucks, equipment, and service all across the board. It’s going to grow our culture with our employees that want to stick around,” says Max Oakes, company president. With his father’s mentorship, the company has prioritized partnerships with Kriete Truck Centers, to provide products that drive growth and align with their core values.

One major solution has been equipping their fleet with Mack trucks that meet their specific needs. Dan explains, “We started buying Macks and they were competitive. Instead of going to a third party for our boxes, purchasing it together makes it uniform. That makes it a win-win for all of us.”

The Mack Granite, Pinnacle, and Anthem models not only support A.W. Oakes’ work across landfill development, asphalt paving, and mass excavation, but they also enhance driver satisfaction. “If you keep a driver comfortable and safe, they’re more productive,” says Kevin Hokanson, vice president of operations.

“This next generation wants to be home at night. They want to see their kids and have a little bit of family time,” Dan says. “We build on that. We take care of the people here and they take care of us.”

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