The UP Companies (UPCO) proudly announces the promotion of Chris Blanchette to General Manager of its Kansas City metro office in Lenexa, Kansas.
As General Manager, Blanchette will use his 28 years of experience in building, carpentry and project management to oversee operations at UPCO’s offices in the Kansas City metro area and St. Louis. Headquartered in St. Louis, The UP Companies is one of the largest full-service, minority-owned contracting companies in the region for commercial, institutional, healthcare, K-12, warehouse and other project types.
“We are pleased to announce the promotion of Chris Blanchette to General Manager of our Kansas City metro office,” said UPCO President Brian Arnold. “Chris’s experience, dedication to operational excellence and customer service are differentiators in the marketplace and will underpin our commitment to growth and expanded services in the Kansas City metro area.”
UPCO began pursuing work in the Kansas City area in 2016 as a service to its general contractor clients before opening a physical office and warehouse in 2020. UPCO is signatory to the St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council and is actively expanding its workforce to serve general contractors, owners and facility management customers within a few hours of its office. Between both its Kansas City and St. Louis offices, UPCO provides project capabilities and support from Kansas to Illinois and from Iowa to Arkansas.
Blanchette joined UPCO’s Kansas City office in 2023 as a Senior Estimator for Square UP, UPCO’s full-service carpentry division. Prior to Square UP, he was an Estimator/Project Manager for Nebel Construction Services and Allied Construction Services, both located in Kansas City. A highly skilled carpenter, Blanchette has certifications in Construction Communications and Construction Leadership.
“I am so excited to be promoted within this dynamic and growing company,” said Blanchette. “As General Manager, I will work to continue expanding UPCO’s market presence as a quality electrical and carpentry contractor dedicated to technical excellence, collaboration and diversity.”
Blanchette resides in Oak Grove, Missouri, with his wife Lacy and has three sons: Anthony, Benjamin and Jackson. When not working, he enjoys spending quality time with family, exploring the great outdoors and tackling home improvement projects.