BSCI Alum Inducted into Alabama Construction Hall of Fame

However, Nevins didn’t take his first steps into the professional world after graduation, but as a co-operative education (co-op) student in what was then known as the Department of Building Science. In 1973, Nevins started with Brice Building Company in Birmingham, working his way from an entry-level position to the company’s president, overseeing projects like the Ritz Carlton Rose Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

“The combination of classroom learning and real industry work experience prepared me to immediately take on more responsibilities after graduation,” Nevins said, explaining that his thesis project grew out of his co-op tasks. “The Building Science program courses were tailored to what I needed to know for my work experience and proved to be invaluable to my overall learning.”

In 2012, Nevins retired from Brice, but he soon undertook a second career as the Senior Vice President of BL Harbert International’s Commercial and Healthcare Division, extending his tenure in the industry with projects like the Highlands College Residence Hall III, which is currently under construction.

“At Auburn, I learned the value of teamwork and the importance of working with other disciplines required to make building projects successful,” he said. “I learned that nothing can replace hard work and dedication to learning the tools of the trade in the construction industry.”

Nevins has paid that foundational knowledge back to BSCI through continued support of the Ben and Barbara Nevins Endowed Scholarship, internship recruitment efforts, service on both the College of Architecture, Design and Construction (CADC) Executive Board and the BSCI Industry Executive Board and contributions to the Construction Industry Fund.

In addition to his commitment to Auburn, he has also served as the 2001 President of Alabama Associated General Contractors and is a Lifetime Governor on the Board of AGC of America.

Nevins said he is honored and humbled to be recognized by the Alabama AGC Hall of Fame, alongside other construction professionals who have mentored him throughout his career.

“I’m also grateful for the many wonderful clients and the relationships built over five decades,” Nevins said in his acceptance speech at the induction ceremony in March. “Construction is about more than buildings—it’s about people, trust and partnerships.”

Nevins was inducted alongside Jeff Stone, who graduated from Auburn’s Civil Engineering program in 1979.