Our Team

Prairie Construction, LLC is dedicated to crafting homes that seamlessly complement your lifestyle, offering distinctive designs and customizable features tailored to your preferences. Under the leadership of Derek Claassen and his team, we provide a home-building journey characterized by ease, enjoyment, and utmost satisfaction.

Operating in Wichita and neighboring areas such as Andover, Bel Aire, Derby, Newton, Maize, and Valley Center, we specialize in integrating homes with their natural surroundings, ensuring a harmonious blend of architecture and landscape. Our commitment extends beyond construction; we strive to create residences that meet the evolving needs of homeowners, fostering enduring relationships through personalized attention.

Each home by Prairie Construction exemplifies superior craftsmanship, utilizing premium materials and meticulous attention to detail to ensure timely project completion. With over 25 years of industry expertise, our family-centric and forward-thinking approach guarantees that each homeowner makes the optimal choice for their custom residence.

Meet The Team

Josh is a dedicated superintendent and project manager with a deep-rooted passion for construction. His career foundation was built through early experiences, including woodworking classes, summer work with a general contractor, and mission trips focused on building projects. These hands-on experiences were further enriched by college maintenance work and extensive home remodeling over the past 11 years.

Josh’s professional journey began at Drywall Systems Inc., where he advanced from basic tasks to a role in the warranty department. A pivotal moment came when he connected with Derek Claassen at Prairie Construction, leading to a role in quality control and eventually his current position.

Today, Josh oversees projects from inception to completion, ensuring effective communication and exceptional service. He takes great pride in bringing homeowners’ visions to life and forging meaningful connections with the families he works with.

Josh Schneider
Superintendent & Project Manager

Parrish is a skilled designer, combining her passion for design with her extensive experience in residential and multi-family projects. After graduating from Liberty University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism & a minor in Advertising/Marketing, Parrish chose to prioritize her family & began honing her design skills through redecorating her own home and assisting friends and family with various projects.

Her journey with Prairie Construction began five years ago when she and her husband commissioned Derek to build their dream home in the country. Their positive experience and the beautiful outcome led to Parrish joining the Prairie Construction team as a designer.

In her current role, she works closely with clients throughout the building process, ensuring timely decisions on interior elements such as doors, cabinets, countertops, lighting, and paint colors. Her ability to understand client needs and deliver cohesive, unique designs has been a cornerstone of her approach.

Parrish finds great satisfaction in helping her clients’ visions come to life and enjoys the entire building process. Her commitment to creating beautiful, personalized spaces makes her an invaluable member of the Prairie Construction team.

Parrish Smith
Designer

Kyle is an experienced superintendent with a deep-rooted passion for home-building. He graduated from Wichita State University with a bachelor’s degree in Finance and began working in construction at the age of 13, spending eight summers with a plumbing a remodeling company in his hometown. This early exposure to various aspects of home building and repair laid a strong foundation for his career.

After college, Kyle worked at Spirit AeroSystems, while dedicating his evenings and weekends to building his own home. Upon completing his time at Spirit, Kyle reached out to local builders recommended by his neighbor and was impressed by Derek’s reputation. This led him to join the Prairie Construction team.

As a superintendent and project manager at Prairie Construction, Kyle manages home builds in Andover and North Wichita, ensuring projects run smoothly and meet high-quality standards. He works closely with homeowners, helping them personalize their homes and guiding them through each step of the process. Kyle’s favorite part of the job is seeing the completed home and the joy it brings to the homeowners. His extensive experience and commitment to quality make him an essential part of the Prairie Construction team.

Kyle Troxler
Superintendent & Project Manager

Emily brings new perspectives to the construction industry and Prairie Construction with her business marketing degree from John Brown University. Since joining Prairie Construction, Emily has eagerly embraced learning a new industry and Prairie Construction.

As the Marketing Director, Emily spearheads marketing and social media efforts, creating engaging content and designing print materials for events. She excels on transforming concepts into tangible results and takes pride in highlighting our distinctive projects. Emily’s favorite part of the building process is watching each home come together, showcasing its unique character.

Emily Sinclair
Marketing Director

Jeff brings over 20 years of experience in residential building, having learned the craft from his father at a young age. His expertise spans all aspects of construction, including concrete work, framing, roofing, siding, and cabinetry.

A retired Master Sergeant from the Kansas Air National Guard, Jeff also holds a bachelor’s degree in General Studies from Wichita State University. He joined Prairie Construction to transition into a more administrative role, leveraging his extensive field experience.

In his current position, Jeff estimates costs, manages subcontractor bids, sets up projects in Buildbook, and develops customized house plans. He also creates blueprints in CAD, assembles spec packets, and serves as a liaison between homeowners and sales representatives. Jeff’s favorite aspect of his role is converting clients’ ideas into detailed, custom blueprints.

Jeff Zuercher
Estimator

Raul has been in the construction industry for over 25 years. He grew his interest in the trades from when he was young growing up in Texas working on projects for family & friends.  In his spare time he enjoys working on cars, going to car shows and getting in a good workout.  He also enjoys seeing extended family with his wife Chelle in Texas when they have time to travel.

Raul Martinez
Detailing

Our Culture