Charles Beyer (BSCE ’72, MSCE ’77), distinguished alumnus and dedicated supporter of the UH Cullen College of Engineering, died on April 27, 2016, surrounded by his family. He was 67 years old.
A native Houstonian, Beyer received his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Houston in 1972 and 1977, respectively. He went on to become the founder and president of Beyer Construction in 1983, a leader in the Houston area for commercial concrete, street and road paving.
Despite his successful career in the construction industry, Beyer remained an active supporter of the Cullen College of Engineering’s students and programs since his graduation. Beyer participated as a player in the Engineering Golf Tournament each year and served as a member of the UH Civil and Environmental Engineering Advisory Board as well as the UH Engineering Leadership Board.
In an effort to bring together alumni and friends of the Cullen College’s civil and environmental engineering department, Beyer founded the annual Civil Engineering Alumni Luncheon in 2002. Since then, the event has raised thousands of dollars for scholarships for civil and environmental engineering students at UH.
“Charles had a way of making everyone around him feel as if anything was possible. He never saw obstacles, only adventures and opportunity. He was dedicated and loyal to his family and friends and always made anyone who came into contact with him feel welcomed,” said Russell Dunlavy, chief advancement officer at the UH Cullen College of Engineering.
In 2003, Beyer began mentoring UH Engineering students through the Engineering Leadership and Entrepreneurism (ELEP) program, which matched current industry leaders with students to help prepare them for successful careers after college.
In addition to donating his time to the Cullen College and its students, Beyer personally funded initiatives at UH Engineering with enormous impacts. As an early investor in the Multidisciplinary Research and Engineering Building (MREB) at UH, Beyer was instrumental in securing additional funding to construct the four-story, state-of-the-art engineering research building.
Joseph Tedesco, dean of the Cullen College, said Beyer will be remembered as more than a dedicated supporter of the College, its students and its programs.
“Charles wasn’t just a selfless and unwavering supporter of the Cullen College – he was a wonderful person and a great friend. He made a significant mark on our college and our community that will never be forgotten,” said Tedesco.
Beyer began his construction career in the Texas Air National Guard where he was assigned to airfield construction projects. In 1968, he began his private-sector career with a local road and bridge contractor on various City of Houston, Harris County and Texas Department of Transportation projects.
Beyer held a variety of positions for local contractors including Project Manager, Estimator, Safety Director, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and President, before creating his own company in 1983 to provide concrete paving services to the Houston metropolitan area. Since founding Beyer Construction, he completed well over 1,000 miles of pavement projects – equal to the distance from Houston to Chicago.
He served as president for both the Houston Contractors Association, the HESS Club and the Houston Engineering and Scientific Society. He was also an active member of the Greater Houston Builders Association and the Associated General Contractors. In 2001, Beyer received the Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award at the Engineering Alumni Association Gala.
Beyer is survived by his wife, Nancy, to whom he was married for over 45 years, and his three children – Meredith, Bubba and Scott – and three grandchildren.
A funeral mass will be held on May 17, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic Church in Spring, with a celebration of life reception immediately following at Northgate Country Club. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the following: University of Houston - Cullen College of Engineering, ATTN: Charles Beyer Civil Engineering Endowed Scholarship, 4222 Martin Luther King Boulevard, Room E421, Houston, TX 77204, or Golfers Against Cancer (honoring Charles Beyer), Northgate Country Club, 17110 Northgate Forest Drive, Houston, TX 77068.
Full obituary is available here.