M+K Cycling Team Rides in MS Fundraiser

M+K’s mantra is Work Hard. Play Harder. Give Back. These six words sum up our work ethic, our culture, and our dedication to a greater purpose.

There is perhaps no better example of our commitment to this philosophy than the cycling team we formed this year to participate in the MS City to Shore fundraiser. Debuting in 1980, this annual ride starts in Philadelphia and finishes in Ocean City, NJ. Its sole intent is to raise funds to increase awareness and benefit medical research for Multiple Sclerosis, an unpredictable disease of the central nervous system that renders different symptoms for each person affected.

Once we decided to put a team together, we had to make it official and design a cycling jersey. That in turn required that we come up with a unique name. We did a lot of research and came across the French cycling term ‘Rouleur’ which refers to a cyclist who excels at riding on flat or rolling terrain. This definition exactly matches the topography of the MS City to Shore ride. Thus, the name ‘Renegade Rouleurs’ was born!

What a GREAT day it was! Under a sunny blue sky, the feeling of camaraderie on our team of 8 riders as well as the energy among the other 4,000 riders out on the course was fantastic! The heartfelt support from volunteers, police, and civil servants along the route and at the finish line was truly inspiring. And what really made the training and participation in the event worthwhile was knowing that the funds raised will help a great cause…namely, finding a cure for MS.

As a team, we’re thrilled to have raised over $6500 – contributing to the impressive total amount raised of $3.4M and counting! We’re looking forward to recruiting more riders and raising more funds for next year’s team…the M+K Renegade Rouleurs will definitely ride again!

M+K Judges Multiple Regions of Timber-Strong Design Build Competition

We were honored to once again serve as judges for various regions of the Timber Strong Design Build Competition [TSDB]. This competition tasks each team of university engineering students to design and build an artistically creative 2-story wood light-framed building that is sustainable, aesthetically pleasing and structurally durable. The students operate as a design/build firm and develop skills with wood design, BIM modeling, structural calculations, and hands-on actual construction of their structures at the competition.

Our representatives included Ricky Zabel who helped judge the Pacific Southwest Regional competition [hosted by University of California San Diego – UCSD], and Jared Hudson who judged at the Gulf Coast Region [hosted by Auburn University].

Per Ricky Zabel: “It was great to help judge the TSDB Competition, both for the reports and the in-person build. The combination of the technical design and hands-on building process are an invaluable opportunity for students to gain real life structural engineering experience. The confidence and understanding exhibited by the students really makes me excited about the next generation of engineers in the wood-framing industry!”

The Timber Strong Design Build Competition is sponsored by: Simpson Strong-Tie, APA [The Engineered Wood Association], AWC [American Wood Council], and ASCE [American Society of Civil Engineers].

M+K Celebrates its 20-Year Anniversary

Wow! Just, wow! On December 3rd, our employees and their spouses / significant others from all of our offices came together at Philadelphia’s iconic Franklin Institute to celebrate our 20-year anniversary. It’s hard to put into words how much fun we all had!

mulhern-kulp-20th-anniversary

The Black-Tie event began with photos on the red carpet and cocktails & hors d’oeuvres in “The Brain” exhibit. We then transitioned to the rotunda to have dinner in the presence of the larger-than-life Benjamin Franklin statue. Throughout the evening several employees took time to look back and speak about their experiences at M+K. They painted a fun, informative and heartfelt picture of our first 20 years in business. The formal event closed with Mike and Joe presenting an inspiring vision of the future for the firm. With most employees spending the night at the 5-star Logan Hotel nearby on Franklin Square, we hosted a catered after-party there which provided a wonderful opportunity to continue the momentum!

mulhern-and-kulp-20th-anniversary

It was such a joy bringing everyone together. This will be warmly remembered for years to come and will certainly have a home in the annals of M+K lore.

mulhern-kulp-20th-anniversary

It is with a combination of pride and humility that we reflect on this achievement and look forward to the next 20 years. We’re grateful beyond words for the wonderful relationships we have built and the trust that both our employees and clients have placed us over the years. Going forward, we’re looking forward to continuing to earn that trust – and hope that we all continue to grow and succeed together.

mulhern-kulp-20th-anniversary-group

M+K Hits The Slopes

M+K’s award-winning culture is a big part of our continued success. We work hard because we love what we do. We play hard because…well, because it’s a blast! Every year we sponsor lots of great company events. Here are a few of our team members hitting the slopes at Blue Mountain in the Poconos.