Power Profile: Tony Kreutz, SCI Engineering, Inc.

He is executive vice president and senior partner of his company, but rising to the top ranks did not always seem like a sure bet for Tony Kreutz.

Kreutz humbly grew up in the small town of Moselle, Missouri, but says he listened to people who gave him good advice about success in life and in business.

“I’ve been an extremely fortunate person. My life started out with a little bit of struggle, like many have, and I figured out that education and dedication were the keys to success,” he says. “I’ve been very fortunate.”

Now, not only an officer, but also as one of the majority owners of SCI, he is doing well and finding ways to give back.

As part of the Make a Wish Foundation governing board, he is proud to have been part of a team that makes wishes come true for children with life-threatening illnesses. He was on the Make a Wish Missouri board for six years and was chairman of the board for the last two years.

He’s also been involved with several other charities. He was on the Mercy Hospital Foundation board for the last eight years and is now on its board of trustees. As a member of the East Central College executive foundation board, he helped raise money for scholarships to help kids get through college.

He’s on a smaller, but no less impactful, charity board called One Curve at a Time (KMA), which seeks ways to make roads safer, for youths, and prevent distracted driving.

He calls his foundation and charity work a part of his fulfillment of success. “You do those things because you want to make an impact in some way,” said Kreutz.

As if his civic work is not enough, Kreutz says he’s most proud of his marriage of almost 30 years and his two kids, who are now in college.

Kreutz has been with SCI Engineering for 28 years, and as his career has grown, the company has grown along with it. He started in low-level management and has worked his way up overseeing the efforts of corporate customer service and business development, including strategic planning and acquisitions expansion.

"Trying to figure out how to help grow the business has been the most exciting and fulfilling part of my career," he said. "I have been very blessed to have six caring and devoted partners."

When Kreutz started with the company in 1991, it had approximately 30 employees, and today it has about 160. From the home office in St. Charles, Missouri, SCI has expanded to Denver, San Antonio, and Austin.

He is a POWERforward member and was active in contacting legislators when legislation leading to the Smart Energy Plan was up for a vote last year. “When somebody speaks of one billion dollars of investment over five years that certainly impacts a lot of different companies,” said Kreutz.

Kreutz credits Ameren Missouri with being a part of his company’s growth over the years. "They've been a very supportive partner contributing in our growth and success," he said.