On Oct. 18, the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management inducted Harley Miller, Tom Miller and Karl Watson, Sr. into the Construction Hall of Fame. The Rinker School established the Construction Hall of Fame Award in 1980 to recognize the accomplishments of those distinguished leaders who have made a difference in our industry, the community and the University of Florida throughout their careers in construction. The inductees’ names will be displayed on the “Hall of Fame” wall at the Rinker School.
Tom Miller and Harley Miller
Brother
s, Tom Miller, BCN 1965, and Harley Miller, BCN 1969, established Miller Construction Company in 1973 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. They have completed nearly 500 projects for private clients in the industrial, commercial, healthcare, education, manufacturing, multifamily, hospitality and mission critical sectors throughout South Florida totaling over 7 million square feet and valued at more than $1.2 billion. Today, Miller Construction is one of South Florida’s most prestigious supporters of non-profit, community focused organizations. The craftsmen working on Miller Construction Company projects have received an unprecedented 359 quality Craftsmanship Awards from the Construction Association of South Florida, almost twice as many as any other contractor.
The Miller brothers have served proudly as Advisory Council Members of the UF’s M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management. Harley is an Emeritus Member and received the school’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2005. In addition to their service on the Council, they have supported the school financially through a Lead Off donation in the campaign to fund for construction of Rinker Hall as well as a donation for furnishing and equipping the completed building.
Tom and Harley continue their support and engagement with the school and college through their sponsorship of the Dean’s reception in Broward County and recruiting at the school’s career fairs. Miller Construction Company currently employs 11 University of Florida graduates.
Karl Watson, Sr.
Karl Watso
n, Sr. was the President of Rinker Materials Corporation when the School was named in honor of Marshall E. “Doc” Rinker and he was the Founding Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Advisory Council for the Rinker School. Watson retired in 2006 as the president and chief operating officer of Rinker Group Inc., a NYSE listed company. He had worked for Rinker Materials since 1965 and advanced through a series of positions culminating in becoming president of the company at the age of 42. Rinker Materials was one of the world’s top 10 international construction materials companies supplying aggregate, cement, concrete, concrete block, asphalt, concrete pipe and other construction materials to more than 34,000 customers. Rinker Materials was purchased by CSR, a leading building materials company in Australia, in 1988. Watson remained with CSR until its demerger and the creation of Rinker Group, Inc. Rinker Group, Inc. was purchased in 2007 by CEMEX.
Born in Pahokee Fla., Watson was educated at Georgia Military Academy and later, Palm Beach Community College and Stanford University. He was an American Free Enterprise Metal recipient in 2007.
Within the construction materials industry, Watson has served as chairman of Florida Concrete & Products Association, and served as a board member of both the National Ready Mix Concrete Association and the Florida Transportation Builders Association.
As a father, Watson instilled the same values in his son, Karl Watson, Jr, who has also served on the Executive Committee of the Advisory Council of the Rinker School and is now President of CEMEX, USA.