Bob Shell, one of the most familiar names in Arkansas business, has retired as chairman of the board of the company where he has been a fixture for 67 years.
Shell, 86, remains the largest shareholder of Baldwin & Shell Construction Co. and retains the title of chairman emeritus. He will continue to have an office at the downtown Little Rock headquarters but will be “free of any responsibilities” unless the current management, led since 2014 by CEO Scott Copas, asks for help on a project, Shell told Arkansas Business.
Shell said he plans to fill his time with volunteer work for nonprofits. He already serves as a board member of the Baptist Health Foundation, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Alzheimer’s Arkansas, Associated General Contractors of America, Arkansas Associated General Contractors, President’s Advisory Council for Arkansas State University, Advisory Board of Centennial Bank and Fifty for the Future. He mentioned the possibility of working that the food pantry of his church, Immanuel Baptist in Little Rock.
Shell joined The Baldwin Co. in 1950 at age 19. The company’s name was changed when he became president and CEO upon the death of Werner Knoop in 1983. By the time he relinquished the CEO position to Copas three years ago, Baldwin & Shell was frequently named as one of the 400 largest general contractors in the country despite its former policy of working only in Arkansas.
One of five charter members of the Arkansas Construction Hall of Fame, Shell was named Arkansas Business Executive of the Year in 1990 and last year was featured by Arkansas Business as one of 10 “Business Icons” in the state.
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