Ozarks Profile: Ron Bell

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What is your job?|ret||ret||tab|

Owner and president, Bell Building Systems Inc., 2840 E. Chestnut Expwy.|ret||ret||tab|

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Tell us about your organization.|ret||ret||tab|

Bell Building Systems Inc. is a design-build general contracting firm that was established in Springfield in 1976 by Bell, his parents and his brother-in-law. The company had $9.6 million in 1999 billings and has a current backlog of $4.5 million. Bell Building Systems specializes in combining Butler Manufacturing Company pre-engineered building systems with conventional materials. Butler named Bell Building Systems its No. 1 volume dealer this year. To assure quality control, Bell said, Bell Building Systems maintains a complete staff of full-time field personnel to do its own concrete work, steel erection, insulating, carpentry, interior finish work and comprehensive project management. Bell Building Systems was listed among the top 100 metal builders this year by Metal Construction News, which also ranked the company as one of the largest steel purchasers in the United States. Bell Building Systems has 30 full-time employees. |bold_on||bold_on||ret||ret||tab|

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What is your educational background?|ret||ret||tab|

Bell graduated from Glendale High School. He began his career in the construction industry at age 15 as an apprentice carpenter with Springfield Metal Building Company. |bold_on||bold_on||ret||ret||tab|

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What jobs led you to your current one?|ret||ret||tab|

After his apprenticeship with Springfield Metal, Bell worked his way up to become a project superintendent with the company and served in that position 1972-1975. A year later, he co-founded Bell Building Systems. Bell became president of Bell Building Systems in 1984 and purchased the remaining 75 percent of the company in 1989.|ret||ret||tab|

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What is the best part of your job?|ret||ret||tab|

"Watching our clients' ideas and dreams grow from a vacant piece of property into a thriving and successful business entity."|ret||ret||tab|

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Name a project of which you are especially proud.|ret||ret||tab|

Bell said his favorite recent project is the Dennis Hanks Chevrolet-Oldsmobile building in Ozark. |bold_on||bold_on||ret||ret||tab|

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Give us some personal information.|ret||ret||tab|

Bell is 47 and is married to Marcia, who is the controller for Bell Building Systems. They have two daughters, Codi, 22, and Emile, 9. Bell grew up in Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky and Washington, and moved to Springfield in 1969. He is a past advisory council member for Butler Manufacturing Company, past president of Greater Ozarks Building Systems Association and a past board member of the Springfield Contractors Association. Bell is active in Abou Ben Adhem Shrine and enjoys playing golf, fishing and spending time on his house boat on Table Rock Lake. |ret||ret||tab|

by Melissa Wilson |ret||ret||tab|

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