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Past Presidents: Where are They Now? Tom Eckinger By Jennifer Danquist Kilgore, Director of Business Development & Marketing/Project Manager Assistant, Marco Contractors, Inc. When it comes to the RCA, we would not be here without our Past Presidents, who have guided this association, built it up, and watched it continue to grow. For this we are all grateful. In an effort to recognize these "founding fathers," remember our beginnings, and review our history, each edition features a RCA past president and gives some insight into their time at the helm as well as talks about what they're doing now. The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious. And why shouldn't it be? — it is the same the angels breathe. — Mark Twain, Roughing It, Chapter XXII, 1886 In the early 1920's, Walter Eckinger, Sr. was working in the coal mines when he started doing small construction projects for neighbors and friends to help ends meet. In 1923, he started Eckinger Construction Company as a home builder. After World War II ended, Walter Eckinger, Jr. returned home and joined his father in the business. The company primarily built custom homes into the early 1960's, when it began to do commercial work locally. In 1969, the company began traveling for a regional retailer doing tenant build outs and new stores. Today, Eckinger Construction is a national contractor providing general contracting services to retailers and food service companies through the U.S. and Canada. Tom Eckinger's first job in the construction industry was working as a carpenter in Laporte, IN, on a shoe store the day after high school graduation. When Eckinger is asked what he would be doing if he weren't in construction, he said, "All I ever wanted to be growing up was a carpenter. I worked all through high school saving up and buying tools as I had the money to do so. When I graduated, I had a full set of tools! So I could never see myself outside of construction." Eckinger was elected President of Eckinger Construction in 1987, the third generation of Eckingers to oversee the company. It's a true family business: Eckinger's brother Rick is Vice President, sister Janice Holdsworth is CFO, wife Nancy is Payroll Manager, and sons Phil and Jeremy are Project Managers. The transition to the fourth generation of Eckinger's has begun, with both Phil and Jeremy taking on active roles in running the company. "My father, Walt Eckinger, Jr., is my mentor and hero," Eckinger said. "Aside from the personal values he instilled in me as a parent, he was also the person Shames, Eckinger and Olivieri in Hawaii, Spring 2012 6 that taught me carpentry skills as well as business skills. He taught me by example and was a wonderful man." Eckinger's tenure with the RCA has been a lengthy one. He served on the Board of Directors for eight years, was chairman of Tom Eckinger the scholarship committee for six years, and chairman of the education committee for two years. He served as Secretary/Treasurer, Vice President, and President (from 2002 to 2003). "The RCA is one of the greatest networking opportunities I've had available to Continued on page 7