John Holliman was recognized as a pioneer upon his recent induction into the Home Builders Association of Mississippi Hall of Fame.
That’s quite an honor, especially for someone who never lived outside his native Lowndes County.
“It’s quite an honor,” said Holliman, 69, who is in his third term as a Lowndes County supervisor and has worked in the building industry for 45 years.
Holliman, who grew up in the Rural Hills and Steens area, began his career in construction as an apprentice carpenter.
He formed his own company at age 24.
“It was three carpenters and a helper,” Holliman said. “I was swinging a hammer just like the rest of them.”
From that humble start, Holliman built his business. At its peak, he employed as many as 12 building crews, and while his business was based primarily in Lowndes County, he built homes as far away as Collierville, Tennessee.
“I focused mainly on homes, very little commercial buildings,” said Holliman, who joined the Home Builders Association the same year he opened his own company.
But the induction into the association’s hall of fame was not merely a matter of longevity, said HDAM President Kenneth Estes.
“John has been longtime advocate for the association and our entire industry,” Estes said. “We always appreciate the opportunity to recognize the housing industry’s protectors and pioneers.”
Indeed, when Holliman first entered the business, it was sort of a “Wild West” field.
“Back then, anybody who had a level and a pickup truck could call himself a contractor,” Holliman recalls. “It wasn’t only a bad deal for customers, but poor workmanship put all of the contractors in a bad light. We needed some standards.”
Holliman was instrumental in establishing a building inspection department in the county, as well as helping promote a state licensing requirement for contractors.
“It was something that was really overdue,” Holliman said. “We had to put together some standards, not only for buildings, but for contractors. Our credibility was at stake.”
Holliman considers himself semi-retired.
“Every now and then, I have a friend who talks me into building a house,” he said. “But I’m really not that involved in the field anymore.”
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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