Distinguished Alumni
Charles L. Beckner
Awarded 2014
Charles “Chuck” Beckner, ‘71, took his business education from the “college on the hill” to even greater heights—structures up to 72 stories high, to be exact. Chuck has been building high rises and other heavy and complex steel structures for over 40 years, striking out on his own after less than a decade working in the steel construction industry.
His vision, business acumen, leadership and partnering with others have been instrumental to building successful and well-respected companies over the years. In 1987 Beckner and a partner engineered the acquisition of American Bridge Company (AB) from United States Steel Group, which at the time AB was the largest steel construction firm in the USA. In 1992, Chuck initiated a merger between Peterson Brothers and Regional Contracting Corporation which became Peterson Beckner Industries headquartered in Houston. Since 2005 he has served as Chairman of Unamsco, the parent company of PBI and National Steel City, a heavy industrial contracting firm with offices in Michigan and Alabama.
The next time you drive by downtown Houston or see an image of the skyline, know a fellow bearkat had a significant hand in shaping the city’s topography. Peterson Beckner built many of the high- and low-rise buildings that comprise the business and entertainment epicenter of the fourth largest city in the nation. Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, JPMorgan Chase Tower, and Pennzoil Place are just a few of the notable projects, now landmarks, that Peterson Beckner has built.
Many other construction projects in which he has been involved include: Nokia Center, Dallas; Toyota Center for the Houston Rockets, Houston; Gaylord Texan Resort, Grapevine; Infomart USA, Dallas; University of Miami Basketball Arena, Miami; Century Link Center, Bossier City; Flour Enterprises Complex, Sugar Land; and numerous power plants, refineries, manufacturing plants and bridges throughout North America.
Beckner is respected by those who know him for his admirable character, determination, strong work ethic, and honorable reputation. Felton S. Dengler III, ’71, summed it up best with his comment: “Chuck, his wife Wanda, and their two sons, Austin and Lance, continue to be an inspiration to all of us. His genuine, honest, hard-working approach to business and life is an example of what the university, state and country should base their success on.”