Lake people
John B. Smith, Chairman/CEO
Recipient of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) National Contractor of the Year in 2009 (the first recipient ever selected from Florida), John is one of the most respected professionals in the mechanical contracting field. As the second generation leader of Lake Mechanical, drawing on more than 48 years of experience, John has spearheaded the growth of the company into one of the largest and most accomplished in the region.
With the foundation for success laid by his father, Barto, in 1945, John began working at Lake Mechanical in 1962 after earning a degree in heating and air conditioning from North Carolina State University. He later completed, in 1990, the Owner/President Management Program conducted by the Graduate School of Business Administration at Harvard University.
John’s affiliation with ABC dates to 1973 when he was a charter member of the Central Florida chapter and served on the board of directors. By 1977, he’d worked his way up to president and then became president of the statewide chapter two years later. In 1991, he had the honor of becoming the first Florida contractor to be elected national president of ABC. John has also been a member of ABC’s National Education Committee, which created a construction curriculum that became the backbone of the National Center for Construction Education and Research. He was also the innovator behind ABC’s first National Craft Olympics in 1987, which developed into the renowned National Craft Championships.
As a man dedicated to his community and philanthropic endeavors, John has twice been appointed by the governor of Florida to the state’s Construction Industry Licensing Board, first by Bob Martinez in 1987 and then by Jeb Bush in 2002. In 2008, he was appointed by the Lake County Board of County Commissioners to the Lake County Economic Development Advisory Board. Having served as president, and now as a trustee of ABC’s Construction Education Foundation, he is lending his personal and financial commitment to training as endowment funds from Lake Mechanical help the foundation ensure the next generation is prepared for skilled construction jobs. His wife, Evelyn, is vice president and secretary-treasurer of Lake Mechanical and has served as a commissioner for the city of Eustis for 20 years.
Tom Sherman, President
With more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry, including 10 years at Lake Mechanical, Tom Sherman’s proven success and management skills led to his appointment as president in 2010.
His construction training is extensive and includes completion of an apprentice program through Plumbers and Pipe Fitters Local #719, Supervisory Training Academy at Clemson University and engineering concepts through Trane. He is a state-certified plumbing contractor and a state-certified general contractor.
Tom specializes in large-scale projects such as hospitals, municipal buildings and retail spaces. He has worked on numerous projects for Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort. The Hard Rock Live complex he built earned an Eagle award from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), as did the Lucent Technologies Clean Room. His work on Disney’s BoardWalk Inn at Walt Disney World Resort earned an Excellence in Construction Craftsmanship award from ABC, and his work on the U.S. Courthouse in Jacksonville was lauded as the Best Overall Project in 2002 by Southeast Construction and also earned accolades from the American Concrete Institute.
Evelyn H. Smith, Vice President/Secretary-Treasurer
Evelyn H. Smith has spent more than 45 years building our company side-by-side with her husband and as vice president and secretary-treasurer plays an integral role in driving and maintaining our success with a keen eye for operations management. Her distinguished career led to her induction into the Lake County Women’s Hall of Fame in 2012.
Native to Lake County and heavily involved in the community, she has served as a commissioner for the City of Eustis for 20 years and during that span was four times voted by her fellow commissioners to the position of mayor. She spent more than 40 years as a member of the Eustis Chamber of Commerce and served as that organization’s first female president. She was also the chair of City of Eustis 1983 Centennial Committee.
Evelyn is continually recognized by her peers and the citizens of Eustis for her humanitarian efforts and commitment to public service. A natural leader and community supporter, she has been honored throughout the years for her accomplishments, including the President’s Award for Outstanding Community Service, Governor’s appointment to the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, and Outstanding Women of America award.
Michele M. Alderman, Vice President/Assistant Secretary-Treasurer
Michele M. Alderman serves as Lake Mechanical’s vice president/assistant secretary-treasurer, bringing more than 25 years of business experience to her role. As a loyal member of the Lake Mechanical team, Michele is responsible for overseeing the computerized daily accounting system, in addition to bookkeeping activities, including billing, accounts payable and receivable, payroll and reconciliations.
Known for her ability to keep every detail in check, Michele not only acts as the go-to person for Lake Mechanical’s clients, she works with project managers to assure comprehensive job costing, maintains up-to-date work-in-progress reports, and prepares reports and audits required for the CPA team.
In her addition to her leadership at Lake Mechanical, Michele also serves as the secretary and vice president of the Business and Professional Women’s Club of Mount Dora, and previously served as a board member of the Mount Dora Center for the Arts.
William B. Carson, Director of Business Development
Combining more than 33 years of association management and consulting experience, Bill Carson, director of business development, manages and forms relationships with industry leaders and developers to create awareness and maintain credibility of Lake Mechanical’s capabilities. In his role, Bill manages to establish new business opportunities through marketing and new service development, as well as, expand Lake Mechanical’s reach into new and emerging geographical markets.
No stranger to the construction industry, Bill has been heavily involved in various trade organizations throughout his career. Not only has he held positions such as director of education, director of operations, and executive vice president during his nine years with the Gold Coast and Central Florida chapters of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), he also served as executive vice president and CEO of the Florida Lumber & Building Materials Association for 13 years. During his time with ABC, Bill served as chairman of the National Education Directors group and the Executive Director Advisory Group, providing leadership for 70 chapters across the country.
Bill’s industry involvement goes beyond his leadership roles, as he also has experience teaching OSHA 10-hour and 30-hour safety courses, researching and writing safety manuals and employee policy manuals, and developing education programs and teaching management education for construction trades.