In 1944, Amie L. Mathy traveled to La Crosse, Wisconsin, with a team of contractors to construct government projects in support of the Second World War. Rather than returning to his hometown after wartime projects ceased, Amie settled in La Crosse and established a construction company in response to the growing needs of the area. In the following years, the company grew quickly beyond its modest beginnings and began to specialize in the laying of hot mix asphalt.