The Harmon Group

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The Harmon Group History

William Harmon

Tom, William and Bill
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The Plain Dealer

In 1955 William D. Harmon and his wife Thelma moved their family from Washington, IN to North Vernon to take a position with the B & O as their first Afro-American car inspector. Working second shift enabled Bill to work days as a self-employed contractor and he started Bill Harmon Construction as a part time venture. The closure of B & O Railroad’s North Vernon operation, in 1968, offered Bill the opportunity of moving to another location for the railroad. Bill resigned from the railroad after 25 years of service and started operating Bill Harmon Construction on a full time basis. Never advertising, Bill built the company on the premise of “Total Customer Service” and relied on his work and reputation to speak for itself. The company rapidly expanded from primarily offering general labor to an array of services from construction management to design and build.

Bill and Tom with their Father
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In 1980, Bill was joined by his youngest son Billy. William A. Harmon (Billy) had attended the University of Louisville on a basketball scholarship. Upon graduation, he worked two years for a major construction firm before joining Bill Harmon Construction. In1985, Thomas D. Harmon (Tom) joined the company. Tom received his BS degree from Indiana University and his MBA from the University of Louisville. He spent eight years working for Cummins Inc. Together they incorporated Harmon Construction Inc. (HCI) in 1984.

Bill and Tom expanded The Harmon Group by establishing Harmon Steel, Inc. (HSI) in 1988. Today HSI is a full service steel erection company with a management staff that has more than 125 years of experience. HSI takes pride in our ability to provide a safe work environment for our customers and employees, while completing a quality cost efficient project.

Taylor Bros. Construction Co., Inc. was originally established in 1932 as a family run business. In 1993, The Harmon Group purchased controlling interest in Taylor Bros. Together, this alliance brought substantial heavy concrete, steel erection and steel reinforcement experience, which elevated Taylor Bros. to new heights in the construction marketplace.

Tom, Willie and Bill

The combined experience and rich history of The Harmon Group has qualified us to complete major industrial projects including Indianapolis new International Airport Terminal, United Services Hub, UPS World Hub, Eli Lilly Establishments, Clarian Health Partners’ Hospitals, Targets across the midwest, and many more. The Harmon Group led by Billy and Tom, and now joined by Billy’s son Willie, will continue to meet the construction needs of Indiana for the third generation.