Tom Heeger Dies: Legendary Supporter of Construction Industry DEI

Date Posted: May 28, 2024

Posted In: Organizations, People,

by Tom Finan, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Construction Forum

Our industry lost a legendary believer in an equal place at the starting line for everyone Saturday. Tom Heeger, 77, the founder of Acme Constructors, a supporter of the industry in many ways, and a dedicated volunteer and devout Catholic, left us on Saturday, May 25th.

I have a lot of good memories of Tom Heeger as a consummate gentleman and an advocate for equal opportunity. But the one that will stick with me most and brings a smile to my face involved Tom, who was a big guy, engaging in a volatile exchange.

Scott Wilson of S. M. Wilson & Co. had convened a group of leaders from the construction industry and leaders from the black community. It was February 2015, six months after Michael Brown was killed. At one point Bob Fritz of Clayco spoke about company-wide (versus project-specific) inclusion goals and Eddie Hasan, longtime activist in the African American community and former head of MOKAN, voiced support for Fritz’s suggestion.

At that juncture African American activist Anthony Shahid interjected. Shahid, who had a long history as a provocateur and was frequently seen on news coverage of Ferguson wearing a cartoonish police hat and a noose and stuffed toy dogs around his neck, told the group that the DEI activity of the industry was all “just talk.”

Using a string of epithet-laced invective, he accused the local construction industry leaders of “dogging” (abusing; promising and then reneging) St. Louis African Americans, a frequent theme for Shahid.

Tom was at that time, besides being the semi-retired CEO of Acme, a representative on the carpenters and ironworkers training groups. More important, he was a longtime champion of DEI. He silenced Shahid’s diatribe in short order.

Tom Heeger made it abundantly clear to Shahid that he knew the same words that Shahid did. Then Tom calmly delivered the message that, while he couldn’t speak for the industry, those in the room were doing their best to bring about change.

After the meeting Anthony Shahid and Tom Heeger could be seen off to one side, shaking hands, smiling, and talking.

Fully Employee-Owned

Acme Constructors was founded in 1947, starting as the installation arm of an overhead crane manufacturer. Tom Heeger bought the company in 1995 and made it a full-service industrial contractor. By 2011, under his leadership, the company was entirely employee owned.

Besides his work on joint apprenticeship boards for both the Carpenters and Ironworkers he was active in industry organizations and lobbying for industry issues. He received the Al Fleischer Management Award from the St. Louis Construction Cooperative (SLCC) in 2015. He also served as co-chair of the SLCC. Tom Heeger, was awarded an AGCMO Honorary Membership in 2016.

He continued to give back to the community in his retirement with involvements ranging from the Ronald McDonald House to Kenrick-Glennon (Catholic) Seminary where he served on the board of directors.

The announcement of Tom Heeger’s death was made on Facebook over the Memorial Day holiday by his daughter, Amy Heeger-King. She continues the Heeger tradition of service to the industry as president of AME Constructors, a full-service carpentry contractor.

Visitation for Tom Heeger will be Thursday, June 6, from 4PM-8PM at the Schrader Funeral home, 14960 Manchester Rd. in Ballwin, MO.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis, 4431 Lindell Blvd. in the City of St. Louis.

We will share more information as it becomes available.