Bruce McFadden was just 32 years old when he formed the company back in 1970. Despite his age, he already had a wealth of professional experience under his belt, which gave him the courage to set out on his own.
McFadden was born on April 6, 1938 in Hickory Ridge, Arkansas. His parents and grandparents were farmers who remembered well the hardships of the Great Depression and encouraged their son to excel in academics. He finished at the top of his high school class and earned a scholarship to Arkansas State College for pre-engineering. He earned his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering in August 1960.
After four years with the U.S. Corps of Engineers, with two spent at Arkansas’s Beaver Dam, McFadden decided to accept an Albert Sloan Fellowship at Stanford University. There he earned a master’s degree in civil engineering and construction, graduating in June 1965.
McFadden returned to Arkansas and began working as a superintendent for Gordon and Randy McNulty at their highway construction company in Pine Bluff. The McNultys were excellent teachers and ardent supporters of McFadden’s career.
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Bolstered by his education and experience, he formed Improved Construction Methods. ICM has locations in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama, but provides specialized rentals and sales all over the United States.
McFadden is widely credited with bringing rounded storm drain inlets to Arkansas after he encountered them on a trip to Florida. They remain in use across the state today. While the last 50 years have had their highs and lows, ICM has held strong as a leader in the construction industry with a focus on customer service and a desire to provide innovative products and solutions.
McFadden has held many positions within the community and industry, including President of Associated General Contractors of Arkansas, President of the Arkansas Association of Equipment Distributors, President of University of Arkansas Civil Engineering Academy, President of the Jacksonville Rotary, and President of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce.
He was inducted in the Construction Hall of Fame in 2016. He is a recipient of the Associated General Contractors of Arkansas Distinguished Service, and both he and his wife, Anita, were named Paul Harris Fellows by the Rotary Foundation for their furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations between peoples of the world.
McFadden has been married to his high school sweetheart and business partner, Anita, for 62 years. The couple has four sons, Greg, Mark, Chris, and Clay, as well as 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
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Improved Construction Methods Inc. provides construction contractors or municipalities with construction tools, equipment, and methods of construction. The company offers rehab service on old manholes, wet wells, sewer, and water treatment plant structures along with concrete and earthen dams. This service consists of stopping leaks and coating walls with cementitious and or epoxy coatings to add years of life to old underground structures.
