“It’s time someone found a better way to manage capital expenditure programs. Someone has…”

With those words, Kitchell introduced a bold new idea to the public sector in the late 70s—Capital Expenditure Managers (CEM). The tagline, paired with a crisp green logo and a no-nonsense brochure, captured the spirit of a company ready to rethink how complex building programs were delivered.

At the time, construction management was still a young concept, gaining traction among public agencies looking for relief from spiraling costs, delays, and fragmented accountability. Kitchell had already built a reputation for innovation in private-sector work, but the team saw an opening—and a responsibility—to bring that same discipline to public projects.

Their first opportunity came with the Amphitheater School District in Tucson, Arizona, which was embarking on a massive facilities program encompassing 15 school sites, seven architects, and eight contractors. As the team prepared to submit its proposal, a last-minute curveball arose: because Kitchell was technically a contractor, the district’s attorney said they couldn’t be considered.

Vern Lindstrom, one of Kitchell’s senior leaders, thought fast. “Give me half an hour,” he said. The team rushed to swap every flip-chart title to “Kitchell Corporation” and submitted the proposal under Vern’s professional engineer registration—the only time he ever used it in Arizona.

That quick thinking paid off. Kitchell not only landed the project but delivered it so successfully that Superintendent Thomas E. Neal later told the Tucson Citizen:

“The service works because it provides a cohesive element: someone who has up-to-date construction expertise and represents the owner right from the start.”

From that milestone, Kitchell CEM was born, its name—Capital Expenditure Managers—reflecting both a pragmatic purpose and an ambitious vision. The team’s green logo hinted at a distinct identity, yet its ethos remained unmistakably Kitchell: resourceful, client-driven, and unafraid to take on new challenges.

Nearly five decades later, that founding spirit still defines Kitchell CEM—proof that finding a better way never goes out of style.