2023 Hall of Fame/Hall of Fame Legacy Award Winners 

August 9, 2023

Hall of Fame Legacy Awards

Taylor Abbitt Loving, T.A. Loving Company

Taylor Abbit Loving (T.A.) was born in Culpeper Virginia in 1899. At just 10 years old, the 1910 census listed his occupation as “laborer” on his family’s farm; at 19 he listed “farming” as his occupation on his WWI draft registration card. Needless to say, hard work was in T.A’s blood. Early on, T.A. worked his way south by building houses and barns, which led him to Goldsboro, NC, where in his mid-20’s he started T.A. Loving & Company. Building bridges for railroads and small crossings across rural North Carolina, T.A.’s projects were scattered across three states. Unfortunately, his life was cut short in 1947—just after his 48th birthday—by a bone marrow disorder. His legacy is the company that bears his name, one that has endured for nearly 100 years and continues to have a positive impact on the millions of people who call North Carolina and South Carolina “home.”

John Shadrach Loving, T.A. Loving Company

John Shadrach Loving, T.A.’s younger brother, was born in 1907 and joined his brother in business at the age of 19. A natural when it came to geometry and physics, bridge building would become John’s specialty which he focused his time and energy on until this retirement from the company in 1969 as Vice President. John was widely known throughout the industry as an expert in his field, and during his 50-year career he was responsible for the procurement and execution of numerous major crossings in the Southeast. In the early days of his career, John was so dedicated to his profession that he would literally move with the work, bringing his family along with him from town to town. John passed away in 1992 at the age of 85. 

Hall of Fame Awards

Ron Brown, State Utility Contractors, Inc.

Ron Brown of State Utility in Monroe, NC, came from humble beginnings, growing up on a farm in rural Virginia. As the first in his family to earn a college degree, Ron graduated from UNC Charlotte in 1986 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology. He began his career with State Utility that same year as an assistant superintendent. Taking on various rolls over the years, Ron became President of State Utility in 2016. Under his leadership, the company has grown to over 200 employees, and received the Union County 2022 “Excellence in Business Award.” Ron has graciously served Carolinas AGC and its members for over 30 years on several committees such as NC PAC Governing Committee, NC Legislative Committee, Board of Trustees, and he served as the CAGC Board of Directors Chair in 2019 after being on the Board since 2008. Outside of his work with State Utility, Ron’s involvement in so many other initiatives earned him the 2022 Union County Man of the Year. Ron and his wife Caroline have two children (son Seth who is a safety coordinator at State Utility, and a daughter Tori Anne Pendergrass who is a counselor in Belmont), and a young grandson, Lucas. In Ron’s limited spare time, he enjoys playing golf, hunting, and reading.

Bob Burchette, Johnston, Allison & Hord, PA

Robert Lewis Burchette (Bob) began his practice of law in 1976 after receiving his degree from Wake Forest School of Law. For more than 47 years he has counseled clients on a wide variety of projects, including bridges on interstates, skyscrapers, schools, hospitals, and many more. Clients say his hallmarks include his leadership, his abilities as a breakthrough strategist, his keen knowledge of the law—and above all, his focus on doing the right thing for all parties involved. Bob, who is also known for his incredible sense of humor, genuinely cares about achieving the right outcomes for the companies and the people he represents, and he goes the extra mile to invest extraordinary time and effort to achieve the best results. Bob has been active in Carolinas AGC for years and has served on the NC Bar Association/CAGC Joint Committee for over 20 years, and he received a 2022 CAGC Committee Chair of the Year award. Bob is married to his wonderful wife Emmy Lou, and they have a son, Carl (also a lawyer), a daughter-in-law, Katie, and a sweet granddaughter, Clara Avery.

Richard Jackson, C.R. Jackson, Inc.

Upon graduating from the University of Tennessee in 1966, Richard Jackson was commissioned as an Officer in the US Marine Corps. In 1972, he moved to Columbia, SC where he began his landscaping and light grading company. Initially focusing on clearing, grading, and utility work, in 1989 Richard purchased an asphalt plant, and then went on to acquire Satterfield Construction and the South Carolina assets of APAC. Richard grew his company, C.R. Jackson, Inc., into the largest asphalt producer in South Carolina with 12 plants across the state. Richard shares his time and knowledge by involvement in the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, University of Tennessee Alumni Association, South Carolina Asphalt Pavement Association, South Carolina Trucking Association, Lexington County Development Committee, Providence Hospital Foundation, Carolinas AGC, and has made it a priority to be involved with South Carolina legislative issues. Richard and his wife Melba have two grown children and four grandchildren. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, attending church, hunting, boating, reading, and augmenting his vintage automobile collection. 

Drew Johnson, Branch Civil, Inc.

Drew Johnson began his career with the North Carolina Department of Transportation in 1982. Mr. Johnson moved into the construction industry by joining Barnhill Contracting in1988 as a Project Manager/Estimator and later became the Vice President of the Highway-Heavy Division. In 2016, Drew moved to Zachary Construction as the Area Operations Manager until going to Branch Civil in 2020, where he serves as the Director of Operations. Lewis Cuthrell, a Senior Project Manager with Branch Civil said this about Drew in his nomination, “Corporate America strives to search for mangers that employees will respect, stand behind, and follow. Drew is that person.” Drew has dedicated more 30 years of service to his industry and Carolinas AGC. From joining the CAGC Roadway Subcommittee in 1989, then serving on the NCDOT/CAGC Joint Committee and chairing the Highway-Heavy Division, Drew eventually came to serve on the Carolinas AGC Board of Directors. Drew and his wife Charlene have five children and seven grandchildren. In his spare time, Drew and Charlene enjoy traveling—especially to Germany where some of their grandchildren live.

Paul Mashburn, Mashburn Construction Co., Inc.

Paul Mashburn is the Chief Executive Officer of Mashburn Construction, a company founded by his father Harry Mashburn who also is a CAGC Hall of Fame inductee. With over three decades of experience and commitment, Paul provides strategic vision for the company’s long and short-term goals and ensures that its culture of integrity, teamwork, quality, and creativity is built upon and disseminated throughout the organization. Richard Kinard, Executive Vice President with Mashburn Construction, said “the success of Mashburn Construction is a direct result of Paul’s continued focus on caring for every Mashburn employee and creating a family-centric culture.” Paul received a Bachelor of Science and Construction Management from Clemson University and was recently honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University. In addition to serving on numerous CAGC committees, he chaired the CAGC Board of Directors Chair in 2018 and is a past chair of the Industry Liaison Committee of the Building Division Leadership of AGC of American. Paul is also involved with multiple organizations throughout South Carolina. He and his wife Alicia reside in Mount Pleasant, SC, and have three children and a beloved French Bulldog named Guinness.

Previous Hall of Fame/Hall of Fame Legacy Award Winners