Growing up in a family of 10 children in West St. Paul, Peter Nasvik got the message from his mother: Education is important. After high school, he headed for the University of Minnesota, with a summer job in concrete construction to put himself through school.
Nasvik did not have a focused career goal, so he looked for classes that he would enjoy.
“Speech classes became fun and led to theater courses,” he remembers. “I discovered a passion for set building . . . I didn’t see that as a career, but looking back, it became the central theme of everything that followed.”
Nasvik graduated from the University’s General College in 1965 and continued to work full-time in concrete construction. Since 1971, he has organized and operated family-owned companies.
It was one of Nasvik’s sisters, living in Denver, who spotted a magazine article describing a new decorative concrete paving system, which became the platform for launching a series of concrete products and techniques created by Nasvik and his staff. Innovations in concrete initially met with a lot of resistance from the construction industry.
“’That will never work!’ was the standard reaction to most everything we have tried to do,” says Nasvik. “That advice has always motivated me to get to the next level and the next project.”
The results include a long list of product innovations for Nasvik’s companies: First developer of plastic imprinting tools used to texture colored concrete paving. First to use glass fiber-reinforced concrete (GFRC) in the production of simulated rocks, trees, and a variety of other molded concrete products. Creator of a molding system to simulate stone and brick in concrete bridge abutments, retaining walls, and barrier walls for highway construction, now used throughout the United States. Inventor of a soft, durable, and slip-resistant foam tile for pool and wet-deck surfaces. First to develop, market, and sell themed play features now used in kids’ playgrounds across the nation.
“At this point, we believe that almost anything can be fashioned in concrete,” says Nasvik. “It is durable, moldable, sculptable, colorable, and generally affordable. I have pushed the limits within the concrete and theming industry, and the best could well be yet to come.”
For all of it, Nasvik gives credit to his family and staff.
“It is all about people, no matter what you do, and I have had the honor to work for and with incredibly talented and visionary individuals throughout the 40-plus years I have been self-employed,” he says. “With creative minds and talents, we have been stretching the limits of decorative concrete in a host of ways.”
Nasvik found more than his calling at the University. He and his wife and soulmate, Margaret, met while cheering for the Gopher football team in the Rose Bowl years of the early ’60s. The Nasviks celebrated their fiftieth anniversary recently with their three children, spouses, and nine grandchildren.
Their growing family is Nasvik’s focus now. His sons and daughter are continuing his work through Themed Concepts LLC, where he serves in a consulting role. And he always has time for church and community volunteer efforts such as the school board and YMCA. He has served on the White Bear Township Park Board for 16 years.
“All of us can and should attempt to make a positive difference in the lives of those around us,” says Nasvik. “Start with your family, and the world will be a better place. I hope that I have had a positive influence and left a positive mark in the world around me.”
Nasvik doesn’t consider himself an artisan as much as an entrepreneur and collaborator. Being second-oldest among 10 siblings, he has always been highly focused on children, and they top his list of priorities.
“Children are the future,” he says. “I believe that their basic needs for adult compassion, encouragement, support, and wholesome activities have never been greater. My wife and I are devoted to our grandchildren and share the concerns of so many regarding the growing challenges ahead.
“Strong leadership comes from strong children,” he adds, “and the University of Minnesota can and does play a strong role in the developmental process of those that go there. Without question, the U had a positive influence in my life.”
Peter Nasvik was recognized with a Distinguished Alumni Award by the College of Education and Human Development. Learn more about CEHD undergraduate programs and the Department of Postsecondary Teaching and Learning, which carry on the legacy of General College.
Story by Gayla Marty | Photo by Dawn Villella | June 2014
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