Webster, NY – February 16, 2026 – Boulter Industrial Contractors, Inc., a 130+ year-old specialty industrial contractor headquartered in Webster, NY, is proud to announce the hire of Syracuse-based Project Manager Chris Opanhoske. This strategic addition supports Boulter’s continued growth across Central New York and strengthens its ability to serve manufacturers, general contractors, and specialty contractors throughout the region.
Chris brings decades of hands-on industry experience to the role. His career began in motorsports, building race engines for Formula Ford, Formula 2000, and Toyota Atlantic cars at Quicksilver Race Engines, widely regarded as a premier engine shop in those divisions. After his time in motorsports, Chris joined Oswego’s Millwrights Local 747, working extensively in nuclear plants, cogeneration facilities, and aluminum foundries.
His experience spans major industrial projects, including work at Solvay Paperboard’s Paper Mill 3 and installation of annealing mills at Novelis Aluminum. For the past 18 years, Chris has worked in power generation, traveling the East Coast supervising craft labor crews rebuilding and upgrading GE gas turbines, steam turbines, and generators.
“Syracuse is facing a significant shortage of maintenance personnel,” said Opanhoske. “Manufacturers are also looking for contractor partners who can deliver quality work and support projects from start to finish. There is a real opportunity to provide millwright support locally and to serve as a contractor that can handle storage, transport, installation, and ongoing support.”
In his new role, Chris will focus on promoting Boulter’s labor loan and outsourced maintenance services, solutions designed to help manufacturers address skilled labor shortages without taking on the long-term burden of hiring and training full-time staff. He will also work closely with general, mechanical, and electrical contractors, as well as manufacturers directly, to support production line installations, shutdowns, large rigging projects, ongoing maintenance initiatives, and crating and packaging solutions.
“Chris’s background in the millwrights and his extensive maintenance experience make him a strong fit for this market,” said Brittany Bachman, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Boulter Industrial Contractors. “We are excited to begin building deeper relationships in Syracuse and the surrounding communities. Having a dedicated local project manager allows us to better support customers with the full scope of what we offer.”
Boulter provides comprehensive industrial solutions, including warehousing, crating and packaging, heavy hauling, rigging, full-line equipment installations, OEM/supplier rigging partnerships, and preventative maintenance services. The company’s bundled approach allows manufacturers to rely on one contractor to receive machinery, store it, transport it to the jobsite, install it, and support it until it is fully operational.
“Syracuse-based companies may not yet recognize the Boulter name,” said Opanhoske. “I want them to understand what Boulter provides. We offer one-stop support backed by skilled millwrights, experienced drivers, and strong logistical coordination. That level of support brings peace of mind.”
Chris is passionate about seeing projects through from start to finish, building strong relationships with both customers and crews, and achieving success in safety, quality, and schedule performance.
Outside of work, Chris enjoys spending time with his wife and four children. His family enjoys glamping trips in the Adirondacks, particularly in Old Forge and Inlet. In his spare time, he continues his passion for motors and racing, building engines and maintaining a fleet of muscle cars that he enjoys racing and cruising.
With Chris leading efforts locally, Boulter Industrial Contractors looks forward to expanding its presence in the Syracuse market and supporting the region’s growing manufacturing and industrial sectors.
