Miller Builders Dads + Generations of Dedication = Your Construction Expertise Advantage

Miller Builders Dads + Generations of Dedication = Your Construction Expertise Advantage

June 2019

It’s been said “one of the most important duties of a good father is to give his sons a chance to live a better life.” This statement has guided the dads who built Miller Builders since its beginnings over 66 years ago.
But it’s never been just about our family. In fact, our foundation of building and construction expertise has always been focused on how we can best serve you. To celebrate Father’s Day, we’re sharing how four generations of Miller Builders’ dads have dedicated their lives to providing expertise in total construction solutions.

Innovation and Problem Solving: It’s in Our DNA

Most everyone knows Bill Miller and his son Mike as the faces and leaders of today’s Miller Builders, but did you know Bill’s grandfather’s renowned work began it all?

After graduating from Lehigh University with a structural engineering degree, William Barth Miller served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in World War I. The demanding experience of repairing the war’s structural devastation to support troop movement fueled William’s future work when he returned home.

As a structural engineer with Cleveland’s foremost architectural firm Walker and Weeks, William Barth assisted with well-known projects including Severance Hall. When Walker and Weeks won the 1923 nationwide competition to design the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza in Indianapolis, he was proud to serve on a team that developed the five-block-long commemorative landscape with Neo classical buildings, fountains and sculptures.

Once back in Cleveland, William Barth inspected the structural integrity of amusement rides at West Park’s Puritas Springs Park during the Depression Era. With the highest and fastest roller coaster—”The Cyclone”—in Cleveland from 1928 until 1958, William’s kids Wilbur and Ray were lucky to get free rides at the park through their dad’s role.

Like Father, Like Son

Maybe it was the rides on The Cyclone that inspired Bill’s dad, Wilbur (Bo) Miller to follow in his father’s construction footsteps. Although Bo’s career began as a mason for Emerson Construction in Cleveland, his bricklaying role soon expanded when partnering with Ted Bodnar to start B & M Builders in 1953. After Ted left a decade later, Bo continued the business as Miller Builders where commercial projects became the focus.

Bo’s national reputation as Miller Builders for construction expertise provided opportunities as far away as Amarillo, Texas—and his son Bill was part of the team. From the age of eight he became so proficient at running heavy equipment at an early age, Bill was given the nickname “Jiggle Foot.”

Family Tradition Continues

Since our beginnings in 1953, Miller Builders has made its masonry and construction mark at businesses throughout northeast Ohio, including:

• The Cleveland Historical Museum
• Saks Fifth Avenue
• Westinghouse Electric
• General Electric
• Salvation Army
• 101st Bomb Group Restaurant
• White Motor Company

Today, whether it’s your renovation, expansion or new build needs—or detailed services like custom cabinetry and interior design services—the Miller Builders legacy continues to set the stage for your continued success. With Bill and Mike carrying on the family tradition, we’re committed to the same level of dedication to dental, institutional and general construction expertise.

Learn more about how we provide cost-effective solutions to meet your needs—and a big thanks to all dads!