As promised, our Employee Spotlight series puts the focus on the people behind the work at ATMI Precast. This month, we’re excited to introduce Tony Rothermel, who is celebrating his 25-year anniversary with ATMI Precast!
Getting to Know Tony
What’s your current role at ATMI Precast?
I am ATMI’s Senior Project Manager.
How long have you been with ATMI Precast?
I started in August 2001 and I’ve been with ATMI Precast for 25 years.
How did you get started in the precast industry?
I got my start in the construction industry by working summers throughout college as a surveyor and equipment operator. Those hands-on experiences gave me an appreciation for how projects come together and sparked my interest in pursuing a career in construction.
After graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) with a degree in Engineering and Construction Management, I submitted my resume to ATMI Precast. I was fortunate to join the team, and I’ve been here ever since.
What do you enjoy most about being part of the ATMI team?
What I enjoy most about being part of the ATMI team is the people and the company culture. ATMI is a family-owned business, and everyone is treated with respect and made to feel like a valued part of the team. There is a strong sense of teamwork, and people are always willing to help one another when challenges come up. Every new challenge is an opportunity to continue to learn and grow professionally.
Who has influenced or mentored you in your career?
I would have to say the person who has influenced me the most is Ken Graef (now retired). I had the opportunity to work closely with him and learned a tremendous amount from his knowledge, experience, and approach to problem-solving. Whether it was listening to work-related conversations, watching how he approached challenges, or seeing him routinely pace back and forth while talking on the phone, I was always learning. He had a unique ability to analyze situations, think through challenges, and find solutions. The lessons I learned from him have had a lasting impact on how I approach my own work today.
What do you like to do outside of work?
When I’m not at work, I enjoy spending time with my family. Recently, my triplets received their driving permits, and we purchased their first car. It’s an older vehicle, which has given us the opportunity to work on it together while I teach them the basic maintenance and repairs needed to keep it running. It has been rewarding to pass along those skills that were passed down to me by my father while also spending quality time with them. I also enjoy getting out on the road with them as they gain confidence and experience behind the wheel.
What’s your favorite saying, quote, or piece of advice you live by?
One piece of advice that has always stuck with me is a quote from Edgar Allan Poe: “Believe nothing that you hear, and only half of what you see.”
This advice was passed down to me through my family—first from my grandfather to my father, and then from my father to me when I left for college. To me, it means taking the time to think critically, ask questions, and form your own conclusions rather than simply accepting things at face value. Understanding this principle and applying it throughout life will help you make better decisions, continue learning, and ultimately find success.
What’s your idea of a perfect Saturday?
My idea of a perfect Saturday is simply relaxing and enjoying sports with my kids. Whether we’re watching a game together or out playing sports ourselves, those simple moments are what make a Saturday perfect.
Tell us about a time where ATMI delivered on “As Promised”.
One project that stands out to me is the CyrusOne Almond project, which we delivered starting in April 2025. This Aurora data center presented a unique challenge with a complex schedule and multiple phases that required careful coordination and execution.
As a team, we successfully managed the engineering, production, and erection schedules while maintaining the quality and standards our customers expect from ATMI. Through strong communication, collaboration, and commitment from everyone involved, we delivered a beautiful architectural precast building that truly represents what “As Promised” means to our company.
As promised, our Employee Spotlight series puts the focus on the people behind the work at ATMI Precast. This month, we’re excited to introduce James Sapp.
Getting to Know James
What’s your current role at ATMI Precast?
I am ATMI’s Engineering Manager.
How long have you been with ATMI Precast?
I have been with ATMI for 12 years.
How did you get started in the precast industry?
I fell into precast by a bit of luck. ATMI Precast’s VP of Engineering at the time had gotten my resume from a consultant engineer who was hiring for a job I had applied for. When I got the initial phone call, I was a little hesitant about if precast was something I wanted to do. I had gone to grad school wanting to design skyscrapers and, at that time, all I knew of precast was sound walls along the highway. Obviously, over the last 12 years I have gotten to be part of some real cool projects and I can look back on my initial views of the industry and chuckle at how limited it was at 23.
What’s your favorite part about working with precast?
My favorite part about working with precast is the challenge of solving a design problem with so many constraints. I often relate a lot of my day-to-day life to a clip from the movie Apollo 13 where the engineers are tasked with fitting a square filter into a round hole using only what was aboard the spacecraft. Anything someone can dream up can, in theory, be built. I feel the challenge in precast is building it given the production, logistical, erection, and cost constraints. Precast is about finding the way to do something; not just drawing it on a sheet of paper.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in precast?
I have found that embracing the opportunities put before you and focusing on solving problems, even if they aren’t necessarily your responsibility, is the best way to grow and progress. Most of my greatest successes were not from solving design equations that fit neatly within my engineering specialty but working to solve problems from a holistic point of view that a project or ATMI or a client was facing. Engineering is a tool to solve problems but, especially in precast, it is not an end in and of itself.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from working at ATMI?
Working at ATMI has taught me to be adaptable and agile in dealing with change. Whether it is a production schedule change, a client driven design change, or a market shift, at the end of the day work still needs to get into the plant to keep our production team working and to meet our commitments. While changes can be disruptive and uncomfortable, they happen. I have learned that keeping composure and rolling with the punches is the best way to keep moving forward.
What do you like to do outside of work?
As of mid-June, I am a father of three so time outside of work is typically devoted to chauffeuring, cooking, cleaning, changing diapers, or trying to figure out why the kitchen floor is constantly sticky. When I am not doing those things, I enjoy reading, training in mixed martial arts, and being outdoors (whether that is working, parenting, or relaxing).
What’s your favorite saying, quote, or piece of advice you live by?
A piece of advice that has been passed down in my family is to never let your schooling interfere with your education. In my formative years, it was a reminder to experience the full range of what life had to offer instead of focusing too rigidly on studying. Now, as I am moving further away from my formal education, it is a reminder to keep learning and growing.
What’s your idea of a perfect Saturday?
A perfect Saturday would be out camping with my family; hiking, enjoying a book in my hammock, and sitting around the campfire roasting marshmallows.
Tell us about a time where ATMI delivered on “As Promised”.
From 2017 to 2020, I was fortunate to work on product development for ATMI Precast. In that time, I focused on creating a new insulated sandwich panel that was more uniform, thermally efficient, and required less material and labor. This was an internally driven initiative that, to me, reflects our commitment to deliver on a quality product, As Promised.
As promised, our Employee Spotlight series puts the focus on the people behind the work at ATMI Precast. This month, we’re excited to introduce Enrique Valenzuela-Herrera.
Getting to Know Enrique
What’s your current role at ATMI Precast?
I am the Production Manager.
How long have you been with ATMI Precast?
I have been with ATMI Precast for 15 years.
How did you get started in the precast industry?
I started working for ATMI Dynacore in 2009. There’s a saying: “If you do good work, the industry will find you.” I was fortunate to meet John B. Armbruster (RIP) early in my career, and he became one of my first mentors in the industry.
What’s one project you’re especially proud to have worked on? Why?
One project I’m especially proud of was the 2011 NIU Residence Halls project. It was a large architectural project consisting of approximately 150,000 square feet of brick panels. It was the first major quality control project assigned to me, and I was responsible for supervising the overall green dotting of the panels. It was a great learning experience and an important milestone in my career.
What do you enjoy most about being part of the ATMI team?
What I enjoy most is the daily interaction with individuals across the entire organization. I appreciate the opportunity to work closely not only with my own team, but also with engineering and upper management. I also value the company’s culture of inclusion and diversity.
Who has influenced or mentored you in your career?
All my leaders, both past and present, have had a significant impact on my growth. The Armbruster family, Sudhir Singamsethi, Joe Rossi, Joe Pozzi, Mike Walsh, just to name a few, have all been influential in my professional development and personal journey. I truly value the guidance I’ve received and continue to apply their advice as I strive to improve both personally and professionally. Additionally, all of my family and the people close to me have also always influenced and guided me since I joined the company.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I enjoy spending time outdoors and staying active outside of work. I’m also a big sports fan, especially soccer, which is my favorite sport. Most importantly, I enjoy spending time with my family. I also love traveling to seaside destinations. So far, I’ve visited Mexico, Dominic Republic, Colombia, and Brazil, and I hope to eventually explore all of South America.
What’s your favorite saying, quote, or piece of advice you live by?
“Work hard and keep the faith.”
What’s your idea of a perfect Saturday?
A perfect Saturday for me is barbecuing, enjoying a cold beer, and watching an exciting soccer match or sporting event with family and friends.
Tell us about a time where ATMI delivered on “As Promised”.
In the spring of 2025, we had six special, not easy, projects running on the OB production tables. Five of those projects involved approved architectural mixes with sandblasted finishes. During that time, we consistently produced between 22 and 25 architectural panels per day. Despite the demanding schedule and complexity of the work, we never missed a pour and successfully delivered all projects on schedule.
As promised, our Employee Spotlight series puts the focus on the people behind the work at ATMI Precast. This month, we’re excited to introduce Justin Foote.
Getting to Know Justin
What’s your current role at ATMI Precast?
I am the Director of Estimating.
How long have you been with ATMI Precast?
I started my career with ATMI Dynacore, where I worked from 1998 to 2005. I then worked with Walsh Construction from 2005 to 2008 before returning to ATMI Precast in 2008.
How did you get started in the precast industry?
After receiving my associate’s degree in construction management from Purdue, I responded to classified ads in the Chicago Tribune. At the time, Jim Armbruster had recently acquired ATMI Dynacore from J.W. Peters & Sons in 1998. They were hiring both an Engineering Manager and an Estimator. Ray Groth was hired as the Engineering Manager, and I was hired as the Estimator. We both started on the same day—June 1, 1998.
ATMI’s office was still located on the second floor of Old Second National Bank on Downer Place, and I still remember picking up our Gateway desktop computers in the cow-print boxes they used to come in.
What’s your favorite part about working with precast?
I particularly enjoy working with precast because it’s a unique material in a unique and continually evolving market. Many people are familiar with more conventional construction materials like cast-in-place concrete, steel, and masonry. Precast shares similarities with each of them, but it also stands in a class of its own.
What’s one project you’re especially proud to have worked on? Why?
There have been many projects I’ve enjoyed working on. On the hollow-core plank side, I particularly enjoyed The Glen project at the former Glenview Naval Base. Now known as The Vi at The Glen, it included some unique precast balcony slabs in addition to hollow-core plank. It was a large project at the time for us and it was a beautiful campus.
More broadly, the variety of projects we work on at ATMI Precast is what keeps the job exciting. From parking garages to data centers, from multi-family residential systems to industrial warehouses, and from athletic complexes to auto malls—the work is never boring.
What do you enjoy most about being part of the ATMI team?
I enjoy the fast-paced nature of the business and the opportunity to collaborate with other departments. Working together to develop comprehensive solutions for complex projects is one of the most rewarding parts of the job.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in precast?
First, be eager to learn. Listen, observe, and absorb as much as possible. There are many aspects to precast—engineering, fabrication, transportation, and logistics. Over time, developing a strong understanding of each area is key.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from working at ATMI?
Many of the lessons I’ve learned at work are similar to life lessons in general. Mistakes will happen, but it’s important to keep them small and avoid major blunders. Do what you say you will do and always try to maintain integrity.
Who has influenced or mentored you in your career?
Two of my earliest mentors were Mike Zeier and George Guenther at ATMI Dynacore. I also learned from Ray Groth on the engineering side, who studied under Ming King at PEC.
What makes the people here different from other teams you’ve worked with?
From my perspective, each department brings a unique viewpoint to the business. Everyone works toward the greater good of the company rather than focusing solely on individual departmental success. I think that speaks volumes about the culture at ATMI.
What do you like to do outside of work?
My hobbies include boating, taking walks, working out, and traveling when I can.
What’s your idea of a perfect Saturday?
It would definitely involve the boat. After a cruise, I’d anchor off the Indiana Dunes near Mount Baldy—75 degrees, sunny, waves at one foot or less—with a mocktail in hand, good music playing, and the sound of family talking and laughing.
Do you have any secret talents?
I can juggle!
Tell us about a time where ATMI delivered on “As Promised”.
For me, this wouldn’t be that interesting. Delivering on deadlines and doing what we say we will do is part of our day to day operation.
As promised, our Employee Spotlight series puts the focus on the people behind the work at ATMI Precast. This month, we’re excited to introduce Steve Granato.
Getting to Know Steve
What’s your current role at ATMI Precast?
I am a “Senior Project Coordinator” which involves coordinating with the internal team. Modeler (who is responsible for creating the shop drawings), Design Engineer (who is responsible for connection and panel design) and the Piece Part Drafter (who is responsible for creating the drawings used for panel production). I guide the team through the approval and production process; all the while working with the external team (GC, AOR, EOR). I am also responsible for coordinating with the production and erection teams (as well as performing QC along the way).
I have been a good resource for Production to call with issues early in the morning or when a job’s Project Coordinator is unavailable.
Periodically, I have been tasked with training Modelers, Piece Part Drafters, and future Project Coordinators.
How long have you been with ATMI Precast?
I’ve been here with ATMI Precast for 10 years.
What is one project you’re especially proud to have worked on? Why?
There are two projects I am proud to have worked on: V-Tec and Orchestra Hall.
V-Tech was a project that was never built, but several precast panels were produced. Vertical and horizontal panels were shaped like canoes. The process of figuring out how to present this information to the Mold Maker was very challenging and rewarding.
During extensive renovations of the Orchestra Hall, existing terra-cotta cornices at parapet needed to be removed and reinstalled by embedding into precast and hung from reconstructed facade. The collaboration required between GC, AOR, EOR, Precaster, and Erector was quite the learning experience.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from working at ATMI?
Listen to, learn from, collaborate with, and trust ALL the “teams” at ATMI (Engineering, Production, Erection, Project Management, etc…)
Who has influenced or mentored you in your career?
I have been doing this for nearly 50 years and have many mentors. The top three are as follows:
Fred Hakimian- Architect
I worked for Fred for 25 years, learning how to detail precast and communicate to architects, engineers, production and erection crews through well-prepared shop drawings.
Erhard Garni- owner of Advanced Cast Stone.
I was fortunate to have prepared erection and production drawings for this experienced Precaster. He was always willing to share his knowledge.
Tom Blazek- VP of Engineering, Gate Precast-Monvoeville
Extremely good Precast Engineer, well versed in production and erection concerns. He placed a good deal of trust in me and I gained much confidence as a result.
How would you describe the culture of ATMI Precast to someone new?
The culture at ATMI Precast is definitely one of teamwork. Most every person in every department is willing to extend their knowledge and experience in the advancement of a successful project/coworker!
What do you like to do outside of work?
Exercise, cooking, and reading. My first grandchild will be born in April, and I plan for her to replace one of the above!
What’s one word your teammates would use to describe you?
Resource.
What’s your favorite saying, quote, or piece of advice you live by?
“Speed kills.”
Tell us about a time where ATMI delivered on “As Promised”.
Quite honestly, every project that I have worked on in my 10 years at ATMI, “As Promised” was ATMI’s mantra long before it became their slogan.
As promised, our Employee Spotlight series puts the focus on the people behind the work at ATMI Precast. This month, we’re excited to introduce Abbie Armbruster.
Getting to Know Abbie
What’s your current role at ATMI Precast?
My current role is Business and Employee Development.
How long have you been with ATMI Precast?
I’ve been here for a little over five years, officially.
How did you get started in the precast industry?
I was born into the industry. My dad started ATMI Precast so I have been around precast since I can remember.
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in precast?
I would say that 99% of people who join our team do not come into the industry with precast experience. So do not let that intimidate you from getting into the industry or joining the ATMI Precast team because there is no precast school out there. Everything is just hands-on. So as long as you’re someone who is open to learning and open to new ideas, you will be successful.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from working at ATMI?
Precast moves so quickly. So, I think the main thing that I have learned is you cannot over-communicate between the different departments, especially because there’s so much going on. We’re all kind of in our own worlds in each of our departments, but if you learn something and another department isn’t aware, that could affect so many other things down the road. So over-communicating is one of the key things I have learned in my time here.
What’s one word your teammates would use to describe you?
Positive. Because it’s such a fast-paced environment that we’re working in and your stress levels can be high with a never ending to do list, I try to always have a smile on my face when I’m greeting my colleagues and just stay positive to help keep others positive around me.
What’s your idea of a perfect Saturday?
A perfect Saturday is waking up at my house, having a leisurely start to my day, maybe a trip to Costco with my daughter, and probably watching some sporting event on TV and hanging out and relaxing with my family.
Do you have any secret talents or hobbies?
I really enjoy reading outside of work. I enjoy reading historical fiction with a little bit of real history but has that story element incorporated into it. I’m currently reading The Briar Club by Kate Quinn. It’s a standalone book that features a murder mystery. I’m very curious to find out what the historical piece of the story is that’s true. I’m really enjoying it and don’t want to put it down.