Awards & Recognition
Alabama
Construction
Hall of Fame
The late Benjamin Hogan Craig, Jr., founder of B.H. Craig Construction in Florence; William W. Herrin, co-founder of Jones and Herrin Architects in Huntsville; the late J.V. Rives, Jr., former president of Rives Construction Co. in Birmingham; Charles H. Sain of Sain Associates in Birmingham, and Norman Walton, Jr., president of J.S. Walton Construction in Mobile are scheduled to be honored with induction into the Alabama Construction Hall of Fame.
The Alabama AGC established the Alabama Construction Hall of Fame to honor and recognize outstanding individuals in the construction industry. These individuals are held in esteem by their peers and have demonstrated their professionalism through active support of the industry through their civic and community involvement. In short, only those who have literally changed the landscape of our state and nation will be enshrined in the Alabama Construction Hall of Fame.
This year’s inductees certainly rise to that standard.
The late J.V. Rives, Jr. – Rives Construction Company
Mr. Rives was born in Birmingham in 1921, entered the University of Alabama on a track scholarship in 1939, earned his B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1943 and served as a captain in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He joined the family business in 1946 and led the company into the commercial construction market, creating one of Birmingham’s top construction firms. He was Alabama AGC President in 1957, was a member of the Alabama AGC Board of Directors from 1947-1984 and was an AGC of America Lifetime Director. He was instrumental in establishing two lasting AGC programs – CompTrustAGC and the Construction Advancement Program – and served as chairman of both. While building the business, Mr. Rives dedicated much time over many years to helping improve his industry and community.
William W. Herrin, Jr. – Jones and Herrin
Mr. Herrin is a graduate of Auburn University and former partner in the architectural firm of Jones and Herrin in Huntsville. Mr. Herrin formed the firm in 1967 and retired from architecture in 2002. He and his partner grew the firm from two people to a multi-discipline corporation of 35 professionals. During his leadership, the firm produced more than 4,000 projects and won 50 design awards. His philosophy was that you can create good architecture and make a good living if you have a good plan and good discipline.
Charles H. Sain – Sain Associates, Inc.
After graduating with highest honors from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, Charles “Hack” Sain began his engineering career in World War II as an Instructor conducting engineering training for infantryman preparing for overseas deployment. Later, he served as an Engineer officer in the Third U.S. Army, from the invasion of Europe in 1944 to the surrender of Germany. Since his World War II days, Hack has become one of the most successful engineers in the Southeast. In 1969, Hack started his own consulting engineering firm to fill a void of non-communication between the Engineer – Architect and Contractor. Charles H. Sain Associates which is known today as Sain Associates, Inc., is one of the largest engineering firms in Birmingham.
Norman J. Walton – J.S. Walton & Co., Inc.
Mr. Walton is the third generation to lead J.S. Walton, one of the state’s oldest heavy, highway and industrial contractors. The company was founded in Kentucky in 1919 and moved to Mobile in the 1920s. Mr. Walton has helped continue the company’s tradition of excellence and safety and has been deeply involved in the industry and the community. Mr. Walton also has served as Alabama AGC President and chairman of the national Heavy and Highway division. J.S. Walton Construction actively supports the Alabama AGC, the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission, the Mobile Area Boy Scouts of America and the Delchamps Senior Bowl. Mr. Walton has been instrumental in building the Alabama AGC into one of the most respected chapters in the country.
The late Benjamin Hogan Craig, Jr. – B.H. Craig Construction Co., Inc.
Mr. Craig graduated from Auburn University in 1942 with a B.S. in chemical engineering. He then joined the Army where he flew B 24s in the 5th Air Corp in the Pacific Theater. After the war he earned a B.S. in industrial management from MIT and founded B.H. Craig Construction Co., Inc., in 1951. As one of the oldest continuously operating construction firms in North Alabama, Craig Construction has built an impressive and diverse number or projects throughout the Southeast. Mr. Craig served as mayor of Florence as chairman of the Florence-Lauderdale Industrial Expansion Committee, president of the Alabama AGC, founded a scholarship to the Auburn Building Science Department and created an endowment to the University of North Alabama History and Geography Department.
Mr. Craig, Mr. Herrin, Mr. Rives, Mr. Sain and Mr. Walton join these other hall of fame inductees:
2007 -- Bill Caton, Sr., founder and former president of Sequoia Construction Co., Bill Harbert Sr., co-founder of Harbert Construction Co. and former chairman and CEO of B.L. Harbert Construction, and W. Ken Upchurch, Jr., former president of W.K. Upchurch Construction
2006 -- The late Houston A. Brice Sr., founder of Brice Building Co., the late R. Hugh Daniel, co-founder of Daniel Construction, and the late John M. Harbert III, co-founder of Harbert Construction Co.
2005 – John Caddell, founder and chairman of the board of Caddell Construction Co.
2004 – M. Miller Gorrie, founder and CEO of Brasfield & Gorrie
2003 – the late Winton “Red” Blount, founder of Blount International
2002 – George Edwards, former owner of Richardson Construction
2001 -- the late D.W. “Bill” Ellard, Ellard Contracting Co., Inc.; Paul B. Krebs, Paul B. Krebs & Associates; Nicholas H. Holmes Jr., Holmes & Holmes Architects.
The Alabama Construction Hall of Fame – through its recognition of the great personalities of the state’s construction industry – also serves to highlight the accomplishments and importance of the industry the inductees worked so hard to improve. The AGC, with its 85-year history in Alabama, is uniquely qualified to sponsor the hall. Members and staff of the Alabama AGC are honored to have the responsibility of founding and maintaining the Alabama Construction Hall of Fame.
There were 21 nominees this year for the Alabama Construction Hall of Fame. The nominees represented contractors large and small in our state as well as the design community.
“Just being nominated for the hall of fame is a great honor,” said Bill Caton, director of workforce development and public relations. “We have certainly had some very deserving nominees this year.”