John Caddell, the beloved founder of Montgomery-based Caddell Construction, died Tuesday, his family said. He was 93.

“There just aren’t enough words to describe the influence John Caddell had on the construction industry as a whole,” said Caddell Construction CEO Eddie Stewart. “He was an absolute icon, and someone we should all aspire to be like. His influence over Caddell Construction is evident every single day, and his guidance in my own life is impossible to overstate. I will truly miss him more than words can say.”

Caddell co-founded his eponymous construction company with his wife, Joyce, in 1983. The couple were married for 66 years until Joyce’s death in 2017.

Born in Montgomery on March 13, 1930, to Ed and Sara Caddell, John Caddell worked with his father in the family floor refinishing business when he developed an interest in construction.

After graduating from Lanier High School and Georgia Tech with a degree in building construction in 1953, the lifelong Montgomery resident went to work for Blount Brothers in Montgomery when founder Red Blount became his mentor.

Caddell quickly rose through the ranks at Blount Brothers, becoming CEO and president in 1969.

He led Blount through the company’s greatest growth and profitability — from $67 million to $600 million in annual revenue.

Caddell left Blount in 1983, when Red Blount asked him to retire.

Within weeks, Caddell and his wife formed Caddell Construction, initially working out of their home.

Just months after founding the company, Caddell landed the firm’s first big contract. By 1985, after having multiple work trailers outside his home, he built a “real” office and moved the company to Lagoon Park in northern Montgomery.

In 1994, Caddell Construction absorbed all remaining construction operations from John’s former company, Blount. Over the coming decades, the office at Lagoon Park was upgraded, remodeled and expanded time and time again as the company successfully won and completed project after project.

As their business success grew, John and Joyce Caddell became involved with philanthropy.

They were active in a host of civic and charitable roles including establishing scholarships at multiple universities and, more recently, the John and Joyce Sculpture Garden at The Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts. The John & Joyce Caddell Building at his alma mater, Georgia Tech, was another example of his deep gift of generosity.

Caddell Construction expanded again in 2017, diversifying the company’s portfolio to include more commercial opportunities that have proven to be successful. Complex construction challenges that the company was known for translated easily into capabilities and opportunities in new markets. To support the steady, continued growth from these new markets, the company opened three additional corporate offices, including Bentonville, Arkansas; Woodstock, Georgia; and Jacksonville, Florida.

In 2018, a multi-year transition from family-owned Caddell Construction, Inc. to employee-owned Caddell Construction, LLC was completed. John Caddell wanted the company he built to belong to the employees who helped him build it.

In 2020, the company had again outgrown its space and moved the corporate headquarters from Lagoon Park to downtown Montgomery.

“The work we’ve done over 40 years is mind-boggling,” said Stewart. “When I think about the sacrifices John and Joyce made to get this company up and going…and the continued sacrifice all along the way, I just can’t process that level of passion, talent and commitment. It is truly inspiring.”

Mac Caddell, the company’s chief operating officer and Caddell’s grandson, said the “Caddell Way” — the tenets outlined in the company’s culture statement — are a reflection of the DNA of the company, first embodied by his grandfather and now a living legacy to the way he did business.

“It’s more than a set of words on a page. ‘The Caddell Way’ culture is paramount to our success and at the forefront of all we do,” Mac Caddell said. “It is the chief way we keep my grandfather’s legacy alive and what sets us apart from our competition.”

The Caddell Way reads: “I am accountable for my actions, respectful and compassionate to others, unmatched in my work ethic, and a positive ambassador for Caddell. I am an important member of the Caddell team, committed to working toward Caddell’s mission by focusing on collective success, and embracing a culture of continuous improvement.”

Mac Caddell said his grandfather personified the company’s ethos.

“He didn’t just inspire The Caddell Way, he truly lived it out. I am committed to seeing that legacy continue through the company that my grandparents —and so many others—worked so sacrificially to build,” he said. “His legacy will far outlive his 93 years on earth.”