When John F. Wick founded Wick Buildings in late 1954, he likely couldn’t have imagined what it would become: a thriving post-frame construction company with a 13-state reach and over 80,000 buildings constructed under his name.
On January 15, 2025, John passed away at the age of 98. While we mourn his loss, we also celebrate all that he was—an intrepid entrepreneur, a caring company leader, a devoted family man, and a pillar of his community. His sharp instincts, deep-rooted values, and infectious joy for life touched countless people across the Midwest and beyond.
In this brief retrospective, we reflect on the genesis of Wick Buildings and the legacy John leaves behind.
Hear directly from founder John F. Wick on the origins of Wick Buildings and the key to the company’s continued success.
The Pole Barn Turning Point
Raised on a farm near Superior, Wisconsin, John’s entrepreneurial spirit took root early. “When I was 15 years old, I had decided I wanted to become a contractor,” he recalled in a 2023 interview. “I’m not talking about working for a contractor, I was going into business on my own.”
Although John knew he wanted to run his own business some day, he first set out to gain the practical skills to make it happen. After graduating high school, he enrolled in civil engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. But after three years, he realized that technical expertise alone wouldn’t be enough to achieve his ambitions.
“I didn’t need more engineering,” John said. “I needed accounting, finance, and marketing.”
So, he switched his focus and graduated with a degree from the university’s School of Business. Although he went on to earn an advanced degree in finance and accounting and even began doctoral studies, the vision that first took hold at age 15 never faded.
Then in the summer of 1954, a fortuitous visit to the Minnesota State Fair changed everything. While walking the fairgrounds, John encountered an exhibit from a pole barn company and struck up a conversation with the owner. Fascinated by the post-frame construction method, he took a job with the company on the spot, eager to learn more.
By December of that same year, John returned to the Madison area to start his own pole barn company. In January 1955, he built the first Wick building for dairy farmer Mel Bickford, a friend from college. Positive word of John’s buildings spread and by the end of that year the company had completed $62,000 worth of construction—a modest but promising start for a new business then.
Building a Business, Building a Family
While John was growing Wick Buildings in those early years, he was also building a family. He and his wife, Helen, raised their four young children in what would come to be affectionately known as “the Stone House” in Mazomanie, Wis., a home they initially rented for $90 a month.
John ran the business from the basement, with as many as four people working alongside him, not including the kids. “The boys and the girls were right there watching the business as it grew,” he said.
By 1958, the company had outgrown its humble headquarters and was expanding to include multiple salespeople and building crews. Meanwhile, John’s hands-on approach—often selling buildings, drafting plans, and overseeing construction himself—set the standard for what Wick Buildings would become.
By the 1970s, Wick Buildings had established itself as a leader in post-frame construction, with projects stretching across multiple states. As the company continued to grow, John’s role evolved to focus more on the company’s long-term success and less on the day-to-day operations. He and the leadership team he built around himself continued to push the frontiers for post-frame construction—adapting new technologies to improve the building process and the final product.
When John stepped down from Chairman of the Board in 2009, Wick Buildings was providing customers low-maintenance, high-performance structures ideal not only for the farm but also everything from store fronts, event centers, and workshops to year-round homes.
“The Stone House” in Mazomanie, Wisc., where John Wick and his wife raised their four children. In the early days of Wick Buildings, the basement of this home also served as company headquarters.
Quality Buildings, Local Builders: The Unique Wick Model
John often emphasized a lesson that became increasingly clear to him over time: “Satisfying our customers with our designs, engineering, pricing, and service brings multiple buildings from the same customer again.”
In fact, repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals became the backbone of Wick Buildings’ growth. But just as critical was John’s unique approach to construction—one that put trusted local builders at the center of the process and came to be the hallmark of the Wick Buildings way.
By integrating independent builders into the Wick business model, customers could work conveniently with certified Wick builders right in their own communities. This not only helped to create a more seamless customer experience; it strengthened long-term relationships between builders and customers—connections that often continued across generations.
Tim Wick, John’s grandson and a third-generation Wick employee, put it this way: “We don’t just sell buildings. We’re a collection of trusted independent builders, based in the communities where our customers live. That’s why our legacy is more than physical structures. It’s also the partnerships we form with our customers.”
Four generations of the Wick family in 2021, including founder John F. Wick, standing in front of a 1955 Wick building—still in use. See this article for more details.
Carrying the Wick Name Forward
John F. Wick didn’t seek recognition—he focused on doing good work. He founded Wick Buildings with an unwavering commitment to quality, knowing that satisfied customers and lasting partnerships would be the true measure of success.
That philosophy continues today. And it’s a big reason why Wick Buildings continues to grow, most recently breaking ground on a new production and office complex.
As we look to a bright future for Wick Buildings, we honor the man who set it all in motion. John’s influence endures, and his belief in craftsmanship, integrity, and meaningful relationships remains at the heart of what we do.
