People of Sargent

The strength of Sargent as a company comes from its people, and the company has been fortunate to maintain long-term relationships with many employees. In 2022, VP of Field Operations, Wilbur Ivis Leach, retired after 44 years with the company and extensive training of his replacement.  Josh Baudendistal stepped into the role as Supervisor of Field Operations with 20 plus years of experience.

Barbara’s Legacy

In 2011, the Sargent family lost an important and loved figure in Barbara Sargent. Well-respected and cherished by all who knew her, Barbara was a warm and caring person who always had time to talk to employees and customers about their days and their families. Her strength was a foundation for those around her during tough times, like when son Bob had a car accident in 1985 and when Don passed in 1987.

After raising three children, Barbara had a keen eye for potential monkey business—which everyone knew she would not put up with, so she effectively stopped most trouble before it even began. When crews worked at her home, she always treated them to iced tea, lemonade, and cookies. Barbara may have been small in stature, but she was giant in heart and is very much missed.

Purcell Tire and Service Centers rank third largest independent commercial tire dealership in North America

Purcell Tire and Service Centers are located in 15 states and also has multiple retread facilities. Having been in business for 85 years there has been a lot of construction needs and Sargent has been assisting both locally and out of state including Alaska.

Eagle Sky of the Ozarks Christian Camp Growing Fast

The Sargent partnership with Eagle Sky began in 2004.  Eagle Sky of the Ozarks Christian Camp is a premier Christian Outdoor Challenge camp and is located near Piedmont, MO.  A unique relationship has been built with the Eagle Sky Staff. Sargent assists with planning and design as well as construction management on larger jobs. With continuous expansion, the Adventure Building broke ground in the Fall of 2020 and opened for Camper’s summer 2021.

Old Buildings Made New

Retrofit projects like Missouri Cobalt and Ally Sue Boutique projects have transformed the use and look of old buildings. As building ownership changes and structures age, Sargent has been involved in multiple projects to help with redesign planning and construction.

Design/Build works especially when a Disaster Happens

Find out more about the damage the Category 4 Tornado did to the Black River Electric Cooperative in Fredericktown, Missouri, on October 24, 2021.

Batteries to Camping

Dwayne and Leslie Ellis, owners of Ellis Battery and longtime Sargent Patrons, began a new adventure after selling their Battery business and acquiring the Camp Cherokee Ridge owned by the Girl Scout Council of MO in 2019.  Sargent provided design and planning work as the Ellis’s vision for creating a way for people to enjoy the outdoors and learn more about the Ozarks.  A multiuse maintenance and storage building were built in addition to infrastructure and improvements to upgrade the site.  Otahki Lake Cabins and Campground opened in 2022.

Looking to the Future

As Sargent begins its 50th year of business, the future is a bright one. Sargent’s commitment to the values pioneered by Don and Barbara Sargent—quality, honesty, and bringing opportunity to rural businesses and beyond through superior construction—is as strong as ever.

With a long list of valued repeat customers, Sargent truly enjoys watching those customers grow, sometimes even beyond the Southeast Missouri region. The Sargent team is excited to keep helping their customers expand their businesses and work with them to design facilities at home and all across the country.

Everyone at Sargent is eager to continue working with their customers to understand their needs and then crafting the best building solution to fit those needs. This includes bringing more design services in house. Sargent prides itself on understanding everything a project requires up front so there aren’t surprises later on down the road. The goal of every job is ensuring that at the end of a project, the customer can walk through the building and find that it hits all their workflow needs. The company will continue investing in the futures of their employees and will enjoy watching them grow and develop both professionally and personally for the years to come.