Matt Tadisch has over 20 years of experience in the Greater Milwaukee area real estate and construction industry. Throughout his career, his strong community commitment, entrepreneurial mindset, and work ethic have been laser-focused on identifying opportunities to have a profound impact and create value for others throughout Southeastern Wisconsin.
This is exemplified in the mission that Tadisch established for Selzer-Ornst Construction Company once he acquired the company in 2017, which is much more than constructing buildings. Selzer-Ornst’s mission is to enhance “people’s lives through the spaces we create and the people we serve and develop.”
The opportunity to own an established, well-respected firm with a rich history within the community became a reality due to Tadisch’s longstanding working relationship with the third generation of the Ornst family and the company’s leadership team.
At the time, Selzer-Ornst was a 13-employee, $17 million organization that was heavily focused on retail and interior office renovations. Since the acquisition, Tadisch has grown the firm to over 65 employees and over $110 million in revenue in just seven short years.
Under Tadisch’s leadership, the firm made a series of strategic acquisitions, including ABCO, a specialty manufacturing, healthcare and industrial general contractor; Wisconsin Redevelopment, a real estate firm focused on mixed-use development; and Captivate Exhibits, a premier tradeshow and exhibits firm.
Leading by example by celebrating team successes while having fun is a priority for Tadisch. “One of my mentors, Bill Nash, used to say, ‘remember to act your shoe size every once in a while’ and ‘smile a bunch,’” said Tadisch. “In the hustle of the day-to-day, it’s easy to forget that we should be having fun, too.”
Professionally and personally, Tadisch is actively involved in the community and serves on the board of directors for the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Greater Milwaukee, Real Estate Alliance for Charity (REACH), and Revitalize Milwaukee. He was named 40 under 40 by the Milwaukee Business Journal and BizTimes Milwaukee notable alumni. He is also committed to preparing the next generation and teaches as an adjunct professor at Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), Marquette University and Concordia University of Wisconsin.
“I’ve been fortunate to spend a number of years teaching as well as serving in leadership roles,” said Tadisch. “To me, there is nothing more energizing than reflecting on the growth of the people you’ve been able to teach or the people you’ve been able to help grow and develop.”