As the grandson of a retired firefighter and inspector, Mike Kramer was always intrigued by fire protection. He didn’t anticipate getting into the industry, but after studying business management at the University of Toledo, he joined a firm in Lansing, MI as a sprinkler fitter.
“I was hooked early on, and the back of my apprentice textbook was a career roadmap that I ended up following for the next 15 years,” Mike said. “I went from apprentice to foreman, to sprinkler and fire alarm designer, and finally to project manager. Now I’m excited to be part of engineering”.
Mike came on board as one of HGI’s newest fire protection technicians in September. With broad field experience, he looks forward to sharing his knowledge with recent graduates who haven’t yet spent much time on job sites. He’s also eager to learn from his colleagues and broaden his own expertise.
“As a contractor, it’s simple. You follow specs and code and get the job done ASAP,” he said. “I’m now learning more of the engineering thought process, which is more technical, as you need to know what works best outside of the codebook to create those specs for contractors.”
When the weather is warm, Mike and his family love exploring beaches around Michigan and relaxing on the water. In the colder months, their outdoor activities shift to skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating.