By: Laura Bellows
C ONOCO P HILLIPS C OMPANY
On October 15, 2007, my life changed
It was a thrill handling a shovel at the groundbreaking ceremony for
completely with the devastating loss of my
the Texas Children’s Maternity Center, as well as watching the topping-
extraordinary husband, Tom. Suddenly I was a
out tree be put in place atop the St. Luke’s Patient Care Tower II in
widow, a single mother and majority owner of a
the Woodlands. I especially enjoy going to our jobsites and visiting
construction company. My personal journey has been
with our superintendents and field personnel to learn about their
difficult, but undergirded by my strong faith and the support of family
newest accomplishments and challenges. Meeting with owners and
and friends, I am moving forward. I choose to cherish the 27 years I
subcontractors also adds to my growing perspective of the industry.
did have with Tom, and to honor him by continuing the Bellows family
Tom would laugh at the way the back seat of my car reflects my new
legacy at our company as the fourth generation climbs aboard.
lifestyle. My hardhat, high heels, tennis visor and construction boots all await their turn depending on the event of the moment.
As Executive Vice President, I am supporting CEO Jim Stevenson, our management team and all of our loyal employees who have
W. S. Bellows Construction placed second out of 400 applicants for a
built Bellows Construction. They join me in my commitment to
national Safety Award given by the Associated General Contractors,
exceptional client service. As Tom said, “Our people, many of whom
and I had the honor of joining Jim Stevenson and Tommy Lee to
have spent their entire careers at Bellows, are the backbone of this
accept the award at the AGC Annual Meeting in Las Vegas in March. In
company. They are the reason clients will always find we do the
January, I attended the local American Subcontractors Association’s
right thing and stand behind our work.”
awards gala in Houston with two tables of Bellows personnel. Jim and I proudly accepted an award for “Project of the Year Under $5 Million”
Sadly, we don’t have Tom with us, but the support and encouragement
for the Burdette Keeland Design Exploration Center at the University of
of the fine people I have been bragging about for years have
Houston. I also loved going to the AGC Fair and Cook-Off held in west
confirmed my confidence in Bellows. I also thank Warren Bellows III,
Houston in March, where field and management personnel worked
who serves as Chairman of the Board, for his wisdom, input
together for long hours and were rewarded by winning the singular
and support.
Hospitality Award.
I’m finding my work in the office and in the field to be very
I am learning firsthand that Bellows Construction is more than a team.
fulfilling. What I didn’t expect was to enjoy my new role so much!
We are a family that supports one another as we dedicate ourselves to
As a Business and Fine Arts double major, I enjoyed studying
getting the job done as promised, and to looking out for our clients’
modern architecture most of all. Now, architects, engineers and
best interest as well as our own.
superintendents are my teachers as I attend management meetings, design meetings and go to multiple industry events. Our regular
Just as a good foundation is essential to a building, so it is with
safety meetings, conducted by Safety Director Tommy Lee, have
companies. The foundation that Tom and the Bellows family have
been interesting and a good opportunity for me to address our
laid is solid. We stand on their strong shoulders as we look to our
field personnel.
best years ahead.
Owner ConocoPhillips Company Design Architect Pickard Chilton Architects Architect Kendall/Heaton Associates Interior Architect PDR MEP Engineer and Fire Protection Engineering Consultant I.A. Naman + Associates Structural Engineer Haynes Whaley Associates Curtain Wall Consultant CDC Curtain Wall Design & Consultant Building Controls Consultant HMA Consulting Acoustical HFP Acoustical Consultants Landscape Architecture Planning The Office of James Burnett Civil Engineering Consultant and Traffic Consultant Walter P. Moore & Associates Geotechnical Engineering Consultant Ulrich Engineering
Subcontractors & Suppliers Academics Specialties Texas Ad Display Sign Systems Air Clic All Star Striping American Stone Company of Texas AYG Construction Baker Concrete Construction Bauer Sport Floors Berger Iron Works Big City Access Brochsteins Buell Sales & Service Company Buffalo Cabinet Shop C.W. Henderson Electric Chamberlain Houston Cherry Demolition Comm Fit Commercial Access Controls Construction EcoServices CSC Steel Services Custom Sports Surfacing Door Pro Systems Drake Interiors El Centro Painting & Wallcovering Foster Fence Gibson’s Landscape Contractors Glaze and Associates Griesenbeck Architectural Products H.V.W. Sales Houston Builders Hardware Houston Curb Company J.R. Jones Roofing JMP & Associates Katy Steel Company Kronberg’s Flags and Flagpoles L.S. Decker Legacy Lockers Life Fitness
W.S. Bellows Construction Corporation P.O. Box 2132 • Houston, Texas 77252-2132 (713) 680-2132 • Fax: (713) 680-2614 email: wsbcc@wsbellows.com www.wsbellows.com
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BELLOWS BYLINE W.S. BELLOWS CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION
Spring 2008