Underground Infrastructure - November 2023 - 5

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Mike Klumb: Over 40 years in the Underground
Construction Industry and still going strong
From Arby Construction, KS Energy Services, and now
Fivestar Energy Services, Mike Klumb has been a driving force
in the underground utility industry for over 40 years
It all began in the late 1970's when Mike started working for his father
and grandfather's company Arby Construction, based out of New Berlin
Wisconsin. Arby was a leader in the area for natural gas utility construction
working primarily for Wisconsin gas (now WE Energies). Fast forward 15 years,
Mike and his brothers eventually bought into Arby and catapulted the growth
eventually selling the company to Quanta Services in 1998.
After about six years with Quanta, Mike's entrepreneurial fire got the best of
him, as he spotted a small local utility company for sale in his hometown. This
was a spark that pushed Mike, his brothers, father, and business partner to
leave Arby Construction, and take the leap of faith to buy the small company
and converting it to KS Energy Services in 2005.
KS Energy quickly grew into a powerful force in the industry. Mike was one
of the integral pieces in growth and expansion as he was responsible not only
for estimating, winning work, and driving workload, but also seeing that each
new area grew safely, quickly, and efficiently.
Mike has one passion: Scaling companies. KS quickly went from startup to
$300+ million in revenue and went through numerous private equity buyouts
from 2010-2018. Mike than retired in 2018 and built a chain of carwashes with
his wife Beth Klumb, to which they quickly scaled and sold only three years
later and continued to build their commercial real estate portfolio.
In 2020 the fire came back, Mike, his brother Shawn Klumb, and partner
Scott Zeitler started Five Star Energy Services, and due to non-compete
language had to start in an industry outside of the gas utility space, so they
started in the municipal water arena.
This was a much different space than the group was used to, but they
quickly exceled, even with the barriers of starting the same time the
pandemic hit. Once their new customer group saw the way they conducted
business, the work started flooding in, and they started rapidly scaling.
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The apple doesn't fall far from the tree: Meanwhile Mike's son Grant Klumb,
and daughter-in-law Katie Klumb had a rapidly growing telecommunications
company that the couple started in 2019, and with the quick success of both
companies that famous word came back up: Scaling. The group decided to
merge in 2021 and created rapid growth between multiple sectors.
The company is now a leading provider of infrastructure services
throughout the country, expanding through 10 states and employing over
400 union employees, Fivestar is on pace to dwarf the aforementioned
construction companies in a much shorter time period.
Mike has a unique blend of field experience and executive experience
that he was able to amass over the past 40 years in the industry and is truly a
pioneer in the underground construction world. UI
A letter to Dad:
Your entrepreneurial spirit and constant teachings were extremely
formative into who I am today. Not knowing it at the time, growing up
your constant conversations about life, business, and work ethic, gave me
a master class in business with an emphasis on underground construction,
and I greatly appreciate it. Although, it may not always seem like your
motivational talks are being listened to or appreciated, they have inspired
me more than you know. It has not always been about business, seeing
you and mom give back to multiple charities anonymously, flying under
the radar going into under privileged areas and donating, your work has
always been watched by us and you have been a great father, father-inlaw,
and grandfather, to which we know you carry those titles with honor.
Love,
Grant, Katie, Presley, and Ford
UndergroundInfrastructure.com | NOVEMBER 2023 5
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Underground Infrastructure - November 2023

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