CAS Constructors | Building the Hidden Backbone of Midwest Communities

By CORINN GUEMMER

When Travis Stryker walks through a water treatment facility, he sees more than just pipes, concrete and machinery. He sees a family legacy that spans four decades of building water and wastewater infrastructure across the state of Kansas.

“It’s a humbling experience to carry on the legacy my father built,” said Travis, now president of CAS Constructors, a Kansas-based water infrastructure company.

His father, Charlie A. Stryker, was a professional engineer who founded CAS to offer customers technical expertise with a professional touch.

“He focused on building partnerships with local engineering firms where trust and transparency were key,” Travis said. “This allowed us to sit at the table with Kansas communities and their engineering partners during the early planning stages of their water projects, where we provided input on constructability, cost and scheduling.”

Water and wastewater infrastructure can seem invisible, existing largely underground and behind fence lines. Because most of the work CAS does occurs behind the scenes, it can be easy to forget the value of these complex but necessary systems that deliver clean water and safely process waste. Their impact on a community’s quality of life, Travis said, should not be overlooked.

“Our work is not in the public view, but it’s for the public,” he added. “Every community needs drinking water and wastewater services to thrive.”

Travis said the company builds sustainable infrastructure that aims to reduce energy consumption and harmful discharge while also supporting water conservation.

“When it comes to wastewater treatment facilities, many Kansas communities now realize these are really nutrient recovery facilities,” he said. “By using biological treatment systems, the nutrients can be recovered for future use while keeping them from re-entering our local water ways. Cities are also finding ways to reuse the effluent from their wastewater plants for things like irrigation on golf courses, which reduces the need to use drinking water. Our goal is to create a healthier environment for future generations through the use of energy efficient technology and biological, rather than chemical, treatment systems.”

Travis was influenced by his father’s strong work ethic, as well as his dedication to the engineering profession, the company’s employees and their communities served.

When he decided to join CAS full time in 2006, he took what he called a “thoughtful approach to doing business,” learning every aspect of the company’s operations before stepping into a leadership role as president.

“My dad made sure that everyone in the company knew how their work made a positive impact on the community,” he said.

While the company has modernized over its 40-year history, their core principles haven’t changed.

“Investments in digital technology, construction equipment and tools have made us more efficient,” Travis said. “However, our approach to building relationships over the years has gone unchanged. The only way to truly build a relationship is by doing so in person.

Technology has made it easier to bring people together from various locations all at once, but we pride ourselves in taking the time to be present with our engineering partners and clients. That’s how we ensure their projects are successful.”

Their people-first business approach has proven valuable during challenging projects, such as the City of Wichita’s first aquifer storage and recovery project. With only 180 days to meet their deadline, the stakes were high.

“Partnering closely with the design team, we simultaneously procured process equipment and performed constructability reviews as the design evolved,” Travis said. “Our integrated approach ensured that we could deliver a project of this magnitude successfully. It’s a testament to our people’s hard work and our commitment to delivering excellence.”

The company’s growth has included significant changes in safety practices, often driven by employee input. One of the most notable changes was their adoption of concrete grinders with vacuum attachments to collect silica dust — a mineral that can damage the lungs if inhaled — during cutting and grinding operations.

The idea, which came from a CAS team member more than 15 years ago, was implemented long before OSHA’s silica standards went into effect.

“Recognizing the immense value of this idea to create a safer work environment for our employees, we quickly invested in the equipment and made it a standard practice across all our projects,” he said. “The safety culture at our company is one of care. Frequent project visits and open communication allow me to get honest input from our employees when it comes to safety.”

Today, CAS offers several safety and technical training classes. Their “#3 program,” which Travis said is among their most successful, asks employees to think about three personal reasons why working safely is important to them.

Next, they’re asked to identify three risks they might encounter during their workday and create a plan for mitigating those risks.

Finally, employees are asked to stop working three times a day to reassess safety conditions. If anything has changed, they revisit their safety plan.

“I’ve enjoyed hearing from multiple employees that tell me how they have used our #3 program in their personal lives when doing projects around their homes,” Travis said.

In 2012, CAS partnered with Alberici, a national leader in water and wastewater infrastructure. Leveraging the resources and capabilities of one of the largest contractors in North America has helped them tackle large-scale projects while still delivering exceptional results, Travis said.

“Alberici brings unparalleled resources, technical expertise and a century-long legacy of delivering critical infrastructure,” he said. “Together, we’re able to meet client needs with excellence and provide solutions that build trust and strengthen communities.”

Travis remains devoted to the values that built his father’s company.

“I hope that when people hear the name CAS Constructors, they think of our expertise in water and wastewater treatment, our commitment to giving back to the communities we serve and our focus on being an employee-centered company that values work-life balance,” he said.

Success, he added, comes down to working closely with local leaders to ensure each project aligns with the needs of the community.

“We look at several key indicators when evaluating the community impact of our projects,” Travis explains. “This includes water quality, environmental impact, economic stability and long-term benefits.”

Of course, every city is different and has unique needs, which Travis said is why CAS starts collaborating with stakeholders as early in the process as possible.

“We want to make sure the projects we complete not only meet the immediate needs but also provide long-term value for the community,” he said.

While much has changed since Charlie founded the company, his business philosophy still anchors the company.

“My father believed that our employees are more than individuals,” Travis said. “They represent families and loved ones who rely on the company’s success.”