Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Honors Waldrop President and CEO Bill Caldwell with Prestigious Kirby Award at Carolinas Construction Conference in Charleston, S.C.

CHARLESTON, SC – The Associated Builders and Contractors of the Carolinas (ABC Carolinas) has recognized and honored Bill Caldwell, president and CEO of Spartanburg-based Waldrop, Inc., with what the association describes as the chapter’s most prestigious regional award — the ABC Kirby Award. Caldwell was recognized last month by ABC’s Board of Directors at the association’s 2014 Carolinas Construction Conference in Charleston, South Carolina.

“We are proud to recognize Bill for his years of supporting the construction industry,” said Doug Carlson, ABC Carolinas president and CEO. “Education, training, advocacy and getting young people interested in our industry have been a passion for his entire career. Bill is Mr. Construction in our industry. He often speaks to industry and collegiate groups about the construction industry and is a proponent of workforce development, focusing on bridging the gap between the construction and the educational community.”

Waldrop Mechanical Services is a longtime member of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of the Carolinas and Caldwell has been actively involved in the chapter’s Upstate Council over the past decade.

 

Award Presentation – Bill Caldwell (center), president and CEO of Waldrop, Inc.

 

ABC’s Kirby Award is named for Tom Kirby, retired from Austin Industrial, a key founding member of the ABC of the Carolinas Chapter. For Caldwell, the award has special meaning beyond the humbling recognition. “Tom was passionate about his work and clearly communicated his business acumen and vision to his employees through his leadership”, recalled Caldwell. “I learned an awful lot about what was important about the construction business by working in his organization.” Also, Kirby took a chance on hiring Caldwell, upon his graduation, from college 40 years ago.  “Tom took a big chance on me by bringing me into his organization with absolutely no experience during a tough economic time. He could have transferred others from the company to that project but he chose otherwise. I am very grateful for the opportunity he gave me, and have always tried to emulate his principles of business leadership throughout my career.”

With a construction industry career spanning 40 years, Caldwell has held various executive operations and sales management positions in both the general contracting and mechanical subcontracting fields. Caldwell assumed the role of President & CEO of Waldrop, Inc. in December 2009 following five years as Waldrop’s Vice President of Operations. Under Caldwell’s leadership, Waldrop became the first mechanical contractor in South Carolina to implement a registered apprenticeship program for its employees. The company also celebrated an impressive safety milestone, achieving 1.7 million safe man-hours without a lost-time accident. Caldwell’s 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. He is a 1974 graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration (Accounting).

 

Bill Caldwell and his wife Theresa are residents of Easley.

 

ABC’s Kirby Award resolution states:

 

The Associated Builders and Contractors of the Carolinas Hereby Resolves

Whereas, Bill Caldwell for his many years of service and dedication to the construction industry and

Whereas, he has held the industry and ABC to a high standard of expertise; and

Whereas, he has promoted the core principles of ABC, the Merit Shop Philosophy and the pursuit of Free Enterprise; and

Whereas, he has given not only of his time, energy and resources, but of his heart; and

Whereas, Bill Caldwell has upheld the vision set forth by Tom Kirby for whom this award is named;

Now therefore, be it resolved that the ABC of the Carolinas Board of Directors commend Bill Caldwell with the ABC Kirby Award for his outstanding service and commitment, this the 8th of August, 2014.

 

 

About Waldrop — Founded in 1970, Waldrop has offices in Spartanburg, Greenville and Clemson. Waldrop has three operating divisions: Waldrop Mechanical Services focuses on the commercial, institutional, industrial and healthcare sectors; Waldrop Heating & Air Conditioning focuses on the residential market; and Waldrop Solar Solutions supports both the commercial and residential business units. Waldrop Mechanical Services is one of only a select few South Carolina HVAC/mechanical contractors consistently featured on the prestigious list of the Southeast’s Top 100 Specialty Contractors published annually by Engineering News-Record magazine.