“You know, boys,” said Meredith, as told in the meeting minutes, “the life of the association depends upon its hired Secretary. He is the one whose shoulders will bear all the load.”
With that in mind, ICI hired its first Executive Secretary, William M. Holland. Holland went on to serve for 41 years, helping transform the Hoosier transportation infrastructure industry. He would be followed by James G. Newland (20 years), Harvey C. Simms, Jr. (four years), Charles V. Kahl (27 years), and the current President, Richard H. Hedgecock, CAE (eight years and counting).
But ICI’s paid executive has worked on behalf of a strong board of directors and elected Presidents (or Chairs in later years). These leaders guided the industry through the Great Depression when work was scarce, to World War II, when workers were scarce. In fact, ICI carried over the presidency of one of its volunteers, U.S. Navy Lt. Commander Robert H. King, for four years while he was stationed at Mare Island Naval Base in San Francisco.
ICI Presidents ushered in the industry’s efforts to build the interstate highway system, helped shape contractor response to new federal regulations, and led the charge at the Indiana Statehouse and on Capitol Hill for adequate, dedicated, sustainable road funding. They set the association’s priorities in the areas of safety, labor relations, and workforce development. They developed partnerships with the Indiana Department of Transportation and other statewide construction associations.
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2024 Centennial Chair David B. Heyde grew up in the industry and has served on ICI’s board of directors longer than anyone — a total of 16 years.
“What really sets this industry apart is the relationships you build along the way. ICI plays a pivotal role in creating a sense of community,” said Heyde about his involvement in the association.
ICI salutes its leaders over the past 100 years and looks forward to building its community for the next 100.
- 1924: Paul J. Meredith, Meredith Highway Construction Co.
- 1925: Maurice Pat' O'Connor, J.C. O'Connor & Sons, Inc.
- 1926: Albert A. Rieth, Rieth-Riley Construction Company, Inc.
- 1927-28: William M. Wilmore, Wabash Construction Co.
- 1929-30: Fred Cunningham, Cunningham Construction Co.
- 1931-32: Estil A. Gast, Gast Construction Co.
- 1933-34: Edgar Traylor, Traylor Bros., Inc.
- 1935: John J. Quinn, Quinn Construction Co.
- 1936-37: Robert E. O'Connor, J.C. O'Connor & Sons, Inc.
- 1938-39: Edward F. Smith, Edward F. Smith
- 1940-41: Guy R. Barr, Indiana Road Paving Co.
- 1942-45: Robert H. King, Robert H. King Contractor
- 1946-47: John Dehner, John Dehner, Inc.
- 1948-49: Blair Rieth, Rieth-Riley Construction Company, Inc.
- 1950-51: Ray L. Schutt, R.L. Schutt Co., Inc.
- 1952-53: Mike Ryan, Ryan Construction Corporation
- 1954-55: Robert C. Moellering, Moellering Construction Company
- 1956: Robert P. Gast, Gast Construction Co.
- 1957: John E. Berns, Berns Construction Co.
- 1958: Paul H. Sawyers, Smith & Johnson, Inc.
- 1959: Richard W. Kelly, John F. Kelly
- 1960: Robert F. Berns, McMahan Construction Co.
- 1961: A.D. Blackburn, J.C. O'Connor & Sons, Inc.
- 1962: K.M. Winslow, Winslow Construction Company
- 1963: Carl Verplank, Calumet Paving Company
- 1964: John R. Feigel, Feigel Construction Corporation
- 1965: Jerry Dehner, John Dehner, Inc.
- 1966: John S. Bender, DeBolt Construction Co., Inc.
- 1967: George E. Hughes, Edgar H. Hughes Co., Inc.
- 1968: Philip E. Berns, Berns Construction Co.
- 1969: Don R. King, J.C. O'Connor & Sons, Inc.
- 1970: Walter C. Land, Walter Land, Inc.
- 1971: William R. Kelly, Bituminous Materials Company, Inc.
- 1972: Vernon D. Mann, Hoosier Fence Co., Inc.
- 1973: Carl F. Ingwalson, Rieth-Riley Construction Company, Inc.
- 1974: William R. Davis, Russell F. Davis, Inc.
- 1975: Roger R. Schutt, R.L. Schutt Co., Inc.
- 1976: Max Olinger, Olinger Construction Company
- 1977: Robert W. Gast, Gast Construction Co.
- 1978: John L. Baas, Tousley-Bixler Construction Co., Inc.
- 1979: Warren D. Bartlett, J.L. Wilson Co., Inc.
- 1980: Robert A. Winslow, Winslow Construction Company
- 1981: C. Wes Kemp, Wabash Valley Asphalt Co., Inc.
- 1982: Louis Leroy Reitmeyer, G. H. Allen, Inc.
- 1983: Robert H. Corey, Tousley-Bixler Construction Co., Inc.
- 1984: Richard A. Sieboldt, Weddle Bros. Construction Co., Inc.
- 1985: Thomas Joseph McNelis, Hunt Paving Company, Inc.
- 1986: Leon Beaty, Beaty Construction, Inc.
- 1987: George E. Hughes, Jr., Mid State Paving, Inc.
- 1988: Charles V. Kahl, C.A. Kahl, Inc.
- 1989 and 2009: Thomas E. Dapp, Gradex, Inc.
- 1990: John S. Spangler, Contractors United, Inc.
- 1991: Dale C. Capon, Rieth-Riley Construction Co., Inc.
- 1992: Carl W. Moellering, Moellering Construction Co. Inc.
- 1993: Lee Carmichael, Weddle Bros. Construction Co., Inc.
- 1994: William V. Drew, James H. Drew Corporation
- 1995: Steven R. Crider, Crider & Crider
- 1996: Dan C. Keys, Berns Construction Co., Inc.
- 1997: Terry L. Morgan, Sr., Milestone Contractors, L.P.
- 1998 and 2008: Thomas D. Harmon, Harmon Steel, Inc.
- 1999: Patrick H. Cahill, Wabash Valley Asphalt Co., Inc.
- 2000: Cheryl P. (Englehart) Melancon, The Hoosier Company, Inc.
- 2001: John Eller, E & B Paving, Inc.
- 2002: Kevin J. Kelly, Walsh & Kelly, Inc.
- 2003: John A. Crone, Berns Construction Co., Inc.
- 2004: Ted Brunner, Milestone Contractors, L.P.
- 2005: Scott Sieboldt, Weddle Bros. Construction Co., Inc.
- 2006: James P. Hughes, Hughes Group, Inc.
- 2007: Ronald G. Pope, Rieth-Riley Construction Co., Inc.
- 2010: Harold Force, Force Construction Co., Inc.
- 2011: Ted Lucas, Milestone Contractors, L.P.
- 2012: Bruce Wylam, Hunt Construction Group
- 2013: Todd Fredrick, Primco, Inc.
- 2014: Michael T. McCann, Pepper Construction Co. of Indiana, LLC
- 2015-16: Terry L. Morgan, Sr., HIS Constructors, Inc.
- 2017: Mark Thompson, Milestone Contractors, L.P.
- 2018 and 2024: David B. Heyde, E & B Paving, Inc.
- 2019: Daniel F. Brown, Phend & Brown, Inc.
- 2020: Don Adamson, Fox Contractors Corp.
- 2021: Keith A. Rose, Rieth-Riley Construction Co., Inc.
- 2022: Andrew F. Brooks, Brooks Construction Co. Inc.
- 2023: Jim Nordhoff, The Hoosier Company, Inc.
