MSOE alumnus Matthew Tadisch ’06 always knew what he wanted to do with his life. Tadisch, owner of the Wauwatosa-based construction company Selzer-Ornst Co., spent his early childhood knee-deep in Legos and Lincoln Logs. “There is nothing more exciting to me than seeing a building take shape,” he said.
His passion for engineering and construction led him to MSOE, where he double-majored in architectural engineering and construction management.

“MSOE is located in the heart of a growing city with significant opportunities to tie both education and real-world experiences,” he said. “MSOE also offers small class sizes, you are able to dive into your major right away, and classes are taught by actual professors with industry experience – not teaching assistants.”

While a student at MSOE, Tadisch made the most of every opportunity– including multiple internships and involvement in the student chapter of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). In 2005, he was on the MSOE Design-Build team that took first place in the national construction management competition sponsored by Associated General Contractors (AGC) and Associated Schools of Construction (ASC).

After graduation, Tadisch went on to work in construction for more than 14 years in various roles including project engineer, project manager, owner’s representative and project executive. He worked as a business development manager/account executive for Riley Construction and was manager of construction for Kohl’s Department stores, overseeing retail and non-retail construction across the country. Most recently, he was one of the youngest executives at Gilbane Building Company, where he worked for seven years. He also earned an MBA from Marquette University.

“It’s not a surprise that Matt has been so successful in his career,” said Dr. Blake Wentz, chair of the Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department at MSOE. “It was pretty easy to see he was highly motivated and a hard worker.”

Now Tadisch brings his real-world experience into the classroom at MSOE as an adjunct faculty member. He offers students the following advice:

“Create goals and work hard toward those goals, be active and involved beyond the classroom in student organizations, competitions, and internship opportunities; ask questions, and network. Your knowledge will take you far, but it is important to meet new people, create new relationships and learn from those experiences. Enjoy college as a life experience and have fun.”