Bruno A. Henke, Eng '60
Distinguished Alumnus of the Year AwardCollege of Engineering
Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award
Bruno A. Henke, Eng '60
Marquette's College of Engineering saved Bruno Henke from a life "spent all day inside, behind a desk," he says. Through an industry adopt a program, he now gives back by providing the resources to help future Marquette graduates follow in his footsteps.
"Before college, I thought that I wanted to be an accountant because mathematics came easy to me," Bruno says. "But Marquette, through its Co-op Program, got me involved in industry for the first time, from manufacturing to purchasing and finally engineering. This set my feet on the path I would take for the next 50 years."
Instead of totaling up debits and credits, Bruno has spent his life building stuff — something every boy dreams of, and plays at, from the time he gets his first set of blocks. And he has never lost a sense of wonder about the job.
"Seeing a building grow from a set of drawings to its final reality is a marvelous experience," he says.
Construction Supply and Erection, the company Bruno founded in 1980, regularly employs more than 100 workers and has an annual revenue of approximately $30 million. Based in Germantown, Wis., CSE has built extensively throughout southeast Wisconsin. Signature projects include Miller Park, the Al McGuire Center and work for Harley-Davidson.
Bruno's sons, Tom and Mike, now run the company, though Bruno remains chairman of the board. In addition to passing along the family business, he says, "I hope I have imparted to my children some of the wisdom I have acquired in my life."
Fun facts about Bruno
Favorite quote: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” — Edmund Burke
