A brief history:

Building Future Builders is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit corporation, founded to serve the construction industry; established in 2006 through a seed grant from Kimmel & Associates Executive Search.

Kimmel & Associates has been in business since 1981. Joe Kimmel started the business with fewer than ten people in a warehouse and has built his business up to over 100 dedicated professionals, making Kimmel & Associates one of the largest firms in the United States in its area of specialization: executive search in the construction and construction-related industries.

Faced with similar success, many people might feel that it was time to harvest the fruits of their labor, enjoying varying levels of self-indulgence. Joe Kimmel believes that he can only really enjoy the fruits of his labor if he shares them, by placing some on other tables. In particular, Joe feels strongly about giving something back to the construction industry that has treated him so well.

These convictions brought Joe to pledge $6.92 million to the school of construction management at Western Carolina University and an additional $2 million to UNC Asheville’s North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness. For several years, Kimmel & Associates has also offered one hundred $1,000 scholarships every year to support students studying in construction related curricula across the country.

With these initiatives came the idea that philanthropy on this scale required an entity that could support these goals in a concerted and professional manner. Moreover, in order to meet the future needs of the construction industry, many additional initiatives and programs need to be envisioned and fostered. Therefore, while Building Future Builders has its beginnings in Western North Carolina, and a strong link with Western Carolina University, it has its sights set on implementing programs across America.

In June 2007 Building Future Builders became a part of The Eblen Center for Social Enterprise. The Eblen Charities was founded by Joe Eblen, president of the Biltmore Oil Company, in 1991 to help provide assistance to children, adults and families living with illnesses and disabilities in Western North Carolina. Through its more than fifty programs, the Eblen Charities assists tens of thousand of families each year with medication, medical supplies, food, medical travel, heating and utility assistance, and emergency aid.

The Eblen Center for Social Enterprise is designed to bring together the best practices of the public and private sector in establishing programs and outreach to better serve and enhance our region. By joining forces with The Eblen Center for Social Enterprise, Building Future Builders gains access to an incalculable wealth of knowledge and contacts, to the benefit of our own programs.

In December 2007  The Eblen Charities and The Kimmel Foundation formed The Eblen-Kimmel Group, in order to facilitate a broader reach and increased efficiency in all programs offered to the benefit of Western North Carolina.

About our mission statement:

We are very passionate about our mission. We really do believe that providing and enhancing opportunities for future generations of construction professionals is an answer to a vital need for the the construction industry, and for the economy of the United States.

Moreover, we know that there is a significant segment of high school students who are at risk of not graduating, or graduating with barely passing grades, because they are disengaged, fail to see the relevance of their studies, or are tactile learners in a theoretical environment. Through our programs we hope to give such students an exciting new educational opportunity, which also leads to multiple career possibilities in a dynamic industry.