Bill Caldwell Promoted to President of Spartanburg-Based Waldrop, Inc.
December 29, 2009
Benny Waldrop, Founder/Owner, Moves into Chairman’s Role
SPARTANBURG, SC – December 29, 2009 – Spartanburg-based Waldrop Inc. announces changes in its leadership team with Bill Caldwell assuming the role of President and founder/owner Benny Waldrop moving into the role of Chairman of the firm he established in 1970. Waldrop, Inc., the holding company for Waldrop Mechanical Services and Waldrop Heating & Air Conditioning, is a full service mechanical contracting firm serving the commercial, institutional, industrial, health care, and residential markets primarily in Upstate South Carolina.
“Bill’s promotion to President is the first step in implementation of the company’s management and ownership succession plan,” said Waldrop. Caldwell, who has served as Waldrop’s Vice President of Operations since 2004, added, “Because of the current volatile economic climate, and its negative impact on our industry, we feel it is important at this time for our shareholders, clients, vendors, service providers, and most importantly — our employees — to know that we are committed to long-term growth along with remaining a viable, closely owned, privately held contracting business.”
A 33-year veteran of the construction industry, Caldwell has held various executive operations and sales management positions in both the general contracting and mechanical subcontracting fields. His career history includes more than 20 years with Fluor Daniel, followed by several years with a Columbia-based specialty contracting firm prior to joining Waldrop’s management team five years ago. He is a 1974 graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (Accounting).
Caldwell has served on the board of directors for the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of the Carolinas for the past two years. He was recently elected to serve as the 2010 Vice Chairman for that organization, and is slated to move into the role of Chairman for 2011. Locally, Caldwell just completed a year-long term as Chairman of ABC of the Carolinas’ Upstate (SC) Council. In addition, he is actively involved in the Mechanical Contractors Association of South Carolina (MCASC), having served as a board member at the state level as well as a past President of the Piedmont Chapter.
About Waldrop, Inc.
From the company’s beginning in the residential marketplace in 1970 as Waldrop Heating & Air Conditioning, the name and organization of the company was changed in 2007 to Waldrop, Inc. to accommodate the establishment of two separate operating divisions, Waldrop Mechanical Services and Waldrop Heating & Air Conditioning.
In September 2009, Waldrop opened an office in Greenville to support its plans for growth into the Greenville metropolitan area. Waldrop will mark its 40th anniversary in 2010 with a variety of residential customer appreciation specials and promotions throughout the year. Waldrop’s geographic expansion is part of the firm’s strategic plan to further accelerate its status as one of the Upstate’s – and the state’s – most successful mechanical contracting businesses by leveraging its full range of services in a dynamic market. Waldrop is one of only a select few South Carolina HVAC/mechanical contractors featured on the 2009 list of Top Specialty Contractors recently published by Southeast Construction magazine.
