A Conversation With ... Leonard Hill

Hill Brothers Construction started in 1985, and it is run by my sons, Garry and James Hill. I had three sons – Garry had a twin, Terry, but he passed away. I work for (my sons) now, but they used to work for me. We average between 60 and 100 employees.

What’s your history in the construction industry?

I had a teacher who told me, ‘Son, you’d be better off to find a trade.’ I left school in the eighth grade. I started out when I was 15 years old – and that was 58 years ago – working first on the old Betty Gaye building downtown. Then I went to work building the Heer’s building, and that’s where I got my apprenticeship started. We built the wing on the north end and added the mezzanine. We also put in the escalator, and I think it was the first one in Springfield. I worked for Mr. Red Dugger of Dugger Plastering Co. We also went to St. John’s and helped build it, and that’s where I was when I got my journeyman’s card.

Sometimes, I think that I should have stayed in school, but construction has been good to me, and it has been good to my family. My grandsons are the fifth generation of my family to work in construction.

What other projects have you worked on?

There’s probably not a building in Springfield that I haven’t worked on at some time. In the mid-1960s, I worked on the old Sears Building and the Shrine Mosque. With Mr. Dugger, we might have been working on projects in 10 states at a time. It got to where I actually got a private pilot’s license to go back and forth.

Your work installing the façade on Heer’s earned you the first Craftsmanship Award from the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects. What did you think when the orange façade was removed?

It was disappointing to me. It never had (regular) maintenance, but it was in good repair, and I thought it could stay.

Do you still fly?

I don’t do any piloting any more, but I don’t need to – there are plenty of projects right here in southwest Missouri.

What do you think will be the biggest challenge for redeveloping Heer’s?

I think it will be the exterior. I don’t know if the plans are to take it back to its original appearance, but there was a lot of terra cotta, and I think it would be hard to replace that.

What is the biggest challenge facing the construction industry today?

We could use more people. That’s what it comes down to in construction, when it’s time to bid. We have to ask, ‘Do we have enough people, or can we get enough help to build it?’

Do you still get out and work hands-on with your crews?

I go out and supervise, but I quit using my tools two years ago. Now I just watch others as they work with the tools.

Tell us about your family, and what you do for fun.

My wife of 41 years – Shirley – died of cancer. I’ve been married to Judy for 11 years. She works for Greene County. I’ve been blessed to have two wonderful women in my life. In addition to my sons and my nephew, Alan Manning, there are three grandsons working for us. I like to garden and plant trees. I lost a lot of trees in the ice storm, so I’m replanting.

Interview by Features Editor Maria Hoover. You can e-mail her with suggestions for future installments of this feature at mhoover@sbj.net.[[In-content Ad]]