FERNDALE - After 34 years as company president, Frank Imhof has decided to take a step away from the day-to-day operations of IMCO General Construction.

Imhof's son-in-law, Tyler Kimberley, will take over as president. Imhof will remain with the company as CEO, allowing him time to concentrate on long-term business plans and strategies, according to a company news release.

As president, Kimberley will handle company operations and personnel. He began with IMCO as a summer laborer, received a degree in construction management from the University of Washington and then went to work full time for Frank Coluccio Construction in Seattle, eventually managing two large tunneling projects on Oahu and Maui. He returned to IMCO in 2007 and was most recently vice president of operations. IMCO's Tony Anderson was promoted to vice president of operations.

Kimberley is married to Imhof's daughter Ashley Kimberley, who handles marketing and communications for the company.

Frank and Patti Imhof started IMCO in 1978, focusing on heavy civil construction, including energy, industrial and marine infrastructure projects. Last year the company's workforce was around 200 during the peak season.

The Imhofs were committed to passing the business to the next generation, having studied family business succession practices through a Harvard Business School program in 2010. Frank and Patti will be on a company advisory board, while their eldest daughter, Courtney Imhof, remains a part of the company's leadership group. Heather Cashman, daughter of Frank and Patti, is also on the company's advisory board.

The company had a busy 2012 after a soft 2011, according to the news release. Last month the company was awarded a couple of water pipeline projects north of Seattle valued at more than $8.5 million.

"We are very excited about IMCO's direction heading into 2013," Tyler Kimberley said in an email. "Our management team just completed two days of planning to improve the way we satisfy clients, take care of our employees and deliver strong financial results. We have high expectations for our team this year but don't see significant growth for our industry, so we are prepared to be nimble and take on the opportunities this economy provides."

Reach Business Editor Dave Gallagher at 360-715-2269 or dave.gallagher@bellinghamherald.com. Read his business blog at blogs.bellinghamherald.com/business or follow him on Twitter at @bhamheraldbiz.