Windmiller Tradesman Grant

 

The Windmiller Tradesman Fund

Craig and Jan Windmiller, and Ryan and Dawn Windmiller have created the Fund to be awarded to a qualified Senior by the Pleasant Valley Schools Educational Foundation for the purpose of helping students who wish to go directly into the trades as a career path.

 

The Windmiller Design Build and Aspen Homes LLC Story.

Craig Windmiller started Windmiller Design and Development Company in 1984 for the purpose of developing land and designing and building custom homes.  Prior to that he spent four years in the Navy, attended Iowa State University and graduated from Southern Illinois University with a B.S. degree in Design and Commercial Construction.  In 1984 Craig purchased a tract of wooded land in Bettendorf and developed it into 34 custom homesites.  This started a long career of building one of a kind custom homes.  Over the years the company has developed fifteen residential, two townhouse, two villa, and three commercial neighborhoods.

Ryan Windmiller grew up looking at new homes with Craig, picking up around the jobsites, working for subcontractors in the summer.  After graduating from Pleasant Valley High School in 1996, Iowa State University in 2001 with a B.S. degrees in Marketing and Management Entrepreneurship, Ryan started Aspen Homes, LLC. building modest sized and priced homes. 

As both companies grew, the development company also grew to keep up with the demand of the unique building sites.  Around 2010 Craig turned the building portion of Windmiller Design and Development over to Ryan and changed the name to Windmiller Design Build LLC.  The development side was changed to Windmiller Development which Craig manages with his other son, Reed Windmiller.  Reed is a 2002 PVHS graduate and went on to receive a degree in Robotic Engineering.  After graduating and working in that field he decided to return to the family  business in 2014 to work with Craig in building custom homes and land development.

Over the years the Windmillers have worked with many trades and built long lifelong partnerships helping each other’s businesses grow.  They see a shortage of building tradesmen creating a huge opportunity for young adults wanting to get into some facet of the trades.

Criteria to Apply:

• Student must be entering the building trades as a career path, with preference for residential building trades.
• Student must have completed course work at Pleasant Valley High School within the Industrial Technology program.
• Student must demonstrate a strong work ethic in academics, work experience or extra-curricular involvement

Reimbursement is conditioned upon proof of employment in the desired building trade.

Grant Personal Statement/Essay:

• In less than 250 words (1700 characters), please tell us why you've chosen your field of study.
• In less than 250 words (1700 characters), please tell us what your plans are after your post-secondary education is complete.
• In less than 250 words (1700 characters), please tell us about one of the following: your ability to problem solve, work with others, and/or your dedication to the community.
• In less than 250 words (1700 characters), please tell us how you've overcome an obstacle.
• In less than 250 words (1700 characters), please tell us anything else about yourself you think the selection committee would like to know.

Past Grant Recipients