Former DeWitt construction president dies

Jerry Hackleman

Former DeWitt & Associates Inc. President Jerry Hackleman, 66, died Jan. 31, according to an e-newsletter issued by the Springfield Contractors Association.

A 20-year employee at DeWitt & Associates, Hackleman was most recently president emeritus and chief estimator at the company, according to his obituary posted at GormanScharpf.com.

A cause of death was not cited in the obituary, but memorial contributions were asked to be made to The Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, specifically for “leiomyosarcoma cancer research and/or the National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation.” While SCA Executive Director Megan Short said no cause of death has been released, she said Hackleman was diagnosed with cancer in recent years.

Hackleman also was a past president of the SCA and a 25-year member of the American Society of Professional Estimators, among other associations, according to his obituary.

When he was president, in 2008, DeWitt & Associates ranked seventh on Springfield Business Journal’s class of Dynamic Dozen with prior-year revenue of $82.6 million. DeWitt & Associates finished 2017 with an estimated $80 million in revenue, as well as a backlog of $65 million and 120 employees, according to SBJ reporting.

SBJ archives and LinkedIn profiles indicate Hackleman was succeeded as president by Randy Ganz in 2009. Kevin Wagner, now with The Vecino Group, was president for nearly three years, and G.R. Stovall took over the position late last year, according to the online records. Short said Hackleman was still involved with DeWitt & Associates.

A call to DeWitt & Associates to clarify was transferred to Chief Operating Officer Bruce Colony, who was unavailable for comment. Hackleman is not listed on the staff page at DeWitt-Associates.com.