Davis retiring as Harrison Construction president
By Robert Norrisof The Daily Times Staff
Originally published: February 26. 2009 3:01AM
Last modified: February 25. 2009 11:24PM
Mike Davis is retiring as president of Harrison Construction Co. of Alcoa and will be succeeded by Todd Quigg, vice president of business development, effective April 1.
Davis has been president since April 1, 2005, when he filled the post held by Gordon Denton and Harrison was a division of APAC-Tennessee Inc.
Harrison Construction is now a division of Oldcastle Materials Inc., which acquired APAC in 2006 and is the nation's largest producer of asphalt paving products, the third largest producer of crushed stone and the sixth largest producer of ready-mix concrete.
Davis, who has worked full time for Harrison for 40 years, began with the company part time while a student at Maryville High School in 1966.
In 1969, he started full time after earning a degree in business administration from the University of Tennessee. At Harrison, he had various responsibilities, rising from the position of quality-control technician when the company was acquired by APAC in 1972. He also served as vice president of asphalt and concrete plants, executive vice president and operations manager.
Davis and Quigg have been working together for several months in preparation for the changeover at the company that has had only seven presidents since 1928. After stepping down, Davis will work part time for Harrison Construction on a temporary basis.
"We hope to make this transition just as smooth and seamless as it could be, and I think we will. Todd has the respect of the people here," Davis said.
Quigg said he will take advantage of Davis' assistance.
"It's a very unique opportunity that we can keep 40 years of experience and knowledge, because our industry is experience-based. Having Mike to lean on is paramount to what I'm getting ready to embark upon."
Quigg is a 1996 graduate of Guilford College, Greensboro, N.C., where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science with a minor in management. He is a Gulf War veteran, serving in the U.S. Army from 1998-2001. He also served as a drill sergeant in the Army Reserve.
Carle Davis, father of the outgoing president, served as president of the Harrison Division from 1972-1979, when Denton became president. The senior Davis and Denton were part owners of the division prior to the acquisition by APAC.
Harrison Construction operates in East and Middle Tennessee and Western North Carolina. The firm has 20 asphalt plants, eight quarries and 11 ready-mix concrete plants. Under Oldcastle, Harrison grew quickly. In 2008, the division acquired two quarries, a concrete company and Renfro Construction Co., a Knoxville asphalt paving firm.
Quigg was employed by the Thompson Arthur Paving and Construction Division of Oldcastle in Greensboro, N.C., from 1996-2005. He served as a management trainee, estimator, branch manager and area/operations manager before being transferred to Harrison Construction as operations manager in 2005.
From September 2005-2007, he was president of the Charlotte (N.C.) Division before returning to the Harrison Division as vice president of business development. He graduated from the APAC Leadership Institute in 2004 and from the Oldcastle Management Development Program in 2007.
Davis is past chairman of the Blount County Chamber of Commerce and served as campaign chairman for the United Way and on the board of the North Carolina Aggregates Association. He also served as vice president of the Blount Memorial Hospital Board of Directors and chairman of the Maryville region board of First Tennessee Bank.
Davis' wife, Ibby, son and daughter-in-law Whitney and grandson Price reside in Maryville; son Chris and daughter-in-law Lucy and grandchildren Emma and Miles live in Charleston, S.C.
Quigg and his wife, Wendy, have three children, Taylor, Nicholas and Zachary. They reside in Maryville.
This story was edited for presentation on the Web. Additional information and details are available for subscribers only. If you want every word of Blount County's best news and information source you can get home delivery and e-edition subscriptions here. Nobody knows Blount better than The Daily Times, your hometown newspaper for 125 years and counting.