Lauren Sustek (nee Bartkowski) founded Bartkowski Life Safety in 2010 after working with a General Contractor for several years prior. She brought a new vision to the life safety industry that focused on customer tailored solutions. Lauren has assembled a team of like-minded individuals, and together they have grown Bartkowski into an industry leader.  When Lauren is not working, or strategizing her next venture, she lives to spend time with her husband, her two lovely daughters, and their beautiful son. She enjoys attending sports games, concerts, and any event that is craft, art, food or wine related. 

Kris joined the Bartkowski team in 2013. Prior to that he worked as a Stationary Engineer for 15 years and remains a member of Operating Engineers Local 399 to this day. Kris earned his Associate's in Engineering from Tritan College and is an important asset to the Bartkowski Team.  As our Executive Estimator, he leads our Estimating Team to develop precise bids and budgets.   When Kris is not working with Bartkowski he enjoys spending time with his wife, two daughters and son, attending sports games (Go Sox!), camping, working’ on his cottage in Door County, and attending concerts.

Lori rejoined our Operations team in 2023 as Assistant Project Manager and most recently, Estimator. In construction since 2011, Lori’s leadership is an asset to our team. She is skilled in customer relations and accepts challenges head-on, having implemented many of our long-standing programs and processes.  Lori lives in Portage, Indiana, with her husband and two Rhodesian Ridgeback babies, Savi and Cici. In her free time, she loves to read and relax with her family.

Marty joined Bartkowski in 2025 but has been involved in the construction industry for years, with most of his focus being on the Property Preservation arena while directing crews in 7 states. He is skilled in vendor and project management and is looking to always build long-term effective relationships. When not at work, he likes to play golf with his kids, watch a good concert or movie with his family, and cheer on his Florida Gators and Chicago Bears!

Mike joined us in 2023, bringing 40 years of construction experience, specializing in firestopping for 30. His experience includes roles in distribution, firestopping, territory management, healthcare management for STI Firestop, and manufacturing representation for 3M.

As our leader of Business Development, Mike's wealth of knowledge is an immense asset to our team. He collaborates with hospitals across our region to implement life safety programs and is a natural mentor for our team.

Brigitte is an exciting, self-motivated Sales Associate who brings an elevated passion to our industry.  She actively generates new leads and opportunities in all our firestopping sectors, while maintaining strong relationships with our existing and prospective clients. When Brigitte isn’t representing Bartkowski at industry conferences, trade shows and networking events, she enjoys spending time with her two boys and husband. 

Deanne is our in-house Accounting Expert Extraordinaire. She has been involved in the industry for over 20 years and always brings her investigative eye to every situation. Deanne oversees our Admin. Team and all AR/AP functions for the entire company to ensure that everything stays on track. When Deanne is not thinking about numbers, she enjoys working out, spending time with her family, dogs and cats, or unwinding with a glass of sparkling wine.

Jinjer joined the Bartkowski team in July 2019. After 30 years of working for a local grocery chain, she decided on a change and landed at BLSC. Her responsibilities have evolved at Bartkowski from Office Manager to Estimating Admin, A/P.  She has thorough knowledge and understanding of process flow to ensure information released to estimators and project management is complete, accurate and well organized.  She is a skilled administrator for our company’s needs with a focus on payment processing, statement reconciliation and problem solving.

Lisa joined our team in December of 2024.  Prior to joining Bartkowski, Lisa worked for an MBE GC for 20 years as a Marketing Coordinator.  At Bartkowski, she holds the role of Contract Administrator and General Administration Assistant and ensures that our certifications are up to date.  When she is not working, she enjoys Football (Go Bears!), outdoor activities, dining, concerts and spending time with her cat/kitten rescues.

Bill Nelson (aka the Firestop Remediation Guru) has 21 years of Firestop experience. Bill has been involved with and led projects that range from high-end residential, to healthcare, to industrial, and everything in between. Bill is the true example of professionalism and continues to mentor up-and-coming technicians. Bill's constant keen eye for detail and unwavering support of BLSC's overall vision positions him as a key asset in our day-to-day operations. Bill's spotlight project includes the 250,000 sq ft renovation of the University of Chicago Medicine Center for Care and Discover.

Mr. Schumate has been in the trades for 27 years and at Bartkowski for 3 years.  He is an individual with a positive attitude, someone who approaches his work with a proactive mindset, and makes the most of every situation.  He is resilient, determined, and confident, allowing him to approach challenges with a can-do attitude. When not at work, Brian loves boxing, loves to cook (attended culinary school) and loves good restaurants. “Be happy every day, remember to smile and laugh.”

Mike Flemming is a valued member of our Firestop Team.  With over 25 years of experience in the firestop industry, Mike is dedicated to delivering high-quality, precise results for our clients at Bartkowski. His strong communication skills ensure seamless collaboration between our office and clients, reinforcing our commitment to excellence. Outside of work, Mike enjoys spending time with his friends and family, camping and fishing.  Recently he welcomed his first granddaughter into the world, adding to the joy in his life. We appreciate Mike’s dedication and look forward to many successful years ahead.