30 Mar 2025 Remarkably Ralph
By Morgan Zimmerman
“Firm but fair.” Those are the words of the late Ralph Calhoun, and those words have formed a lasting legacy that is molding the future at TOLM Group.
TOLM Group is a construction and engineering firm specializing in industrial and water/wastewater infrastructure across the Mid-South. In 2021, TOLM leadership set out to hire a new general superintendent, and that’s when Calhoun’s resume came across their desks and prompted an interview.
“At the end of that meeting, we knew he wasn’t right for that particular position, but we all knew we had to figure out some way to get him involved with the company. His background was incredible,” said Vice President Greg Smith.
“Ralph lived a remarkable life, not only in his career but in the way he built his family on a strong foundation and shared his gifts with the world,” said President Brian Rholman. “We are lucky to have gotten the chance to know him.”
Calhoun came on board as a project management consultant and brought with him 60-plus years of wisdom from working in the construction industry. From then until his passing in the spring of 2023, he poured his energy into the employees at TOLM Group and helped the company work toward achieving its mission to build on a foundation of faith to empower teams that build dreams.
“Ralph had a pretty common saying; he encouraged us in everything that we do to be ‘firm but fair.’ It was one of his famous quotes and his mentality when navigating any situation,” said Senior Project Manager Austin Foshee. “To this day, it comes up in regular conversation.”
“Firm but fair” became the guiding light for estimating, scheduling, and dealing with subcontractors and vendors. Ultimately, it helped management align their priorities with the company’s faith-based values. “He was one of three men over the course of my 40 years in the industry that have really influenced me,” Smith said. “I probably wouldn’t have the position I have now without his guidance.
After Calhoun passed, the TOLM Group team knew they wanted to honor his memory in some way. This led them to establish the TOLM Group Foundation and scholarship program. The construction industry has been facing a national labor shortage for years. The foundation’s mission is to support the education of the next generation of construction professionals.
“We have talked about ways to support education and training for the construction industry for a while, but it really started with Ralph,” Smith said. “The whole idea came up when he was here.”
Ralph was born on a farm in Oklahoma and had spent his entire life working his way up through the ranks in the construction industry. He had worked on many high-profile projects like the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., and even skyscrapers on the Las Vegas skyline. But even with all of his success, his most prized accomplishments were his marriage to Diane, their five kids and their grandchildren.
“He shared so much of his wisdom with us. We wanted to honor his memory. That was the foundation of it,” Foshee said. “We wanted to pour back into the construction industry like Ralph had poured into us. That’s what we do every day. It’s in his memory.”
The foundation came to life in 2023, and in 2024 they hosted their first fundraiser: a pickleball tournament. “I actually started playing pickleball with my mom a few years ago, and since then, I had played several tournaments,” Foshee said. “I knew how they ran and that we were looking for a fundraising idea. Pickleball was something that hadn’t been done before in our area.”
“I haven’t caught the pickleball bug,” Smith said. “My role is more ceremonial. I get to speak about Ralph and introduce his family. He has several grandkids who are going to play in the tournament this year. Hopefully, we can keep his memory alive with the scholarships and continue to share his story and values with new people coming into the company.”
The inaugural tournament raised $9,000, which allowed them to establish the foundation and award three scholarships to individuals entering construction trades training programs. “Our goal for this year is to raise $15,000 so we can give more, or maybe even larger, scholarships,” Foshee said. “We want to help build up the construction industry and alleviate some of the financial stress involved with that. We just want to see more young people involved in the trade.”
The scholarship application is available at tolmgrp.com/tolm-foundation. The deadline for submission is April 30. Applicants must be a resident of Arkansas and enrolled, or preparing to enroll, in a full-time course of study leading to a certification in a construction-related field.
In addition to the external impact the scholarships are having on the industry, there has also been a shift internally. “It’s created an awareness of who Ralph was, because he was the inspiration for the event and the scholarship to memorialize him,” Smith said. The other piece is TOLM Team Cares, which is a totally employee-run program that started in 2024. It recognizes the role and importance of the foreman and skilled trade positions in the company. “We know that’s where the earned revenue begins,” Smith said. “We realize how important it is to invest in the training and education of those employees.”
This year, there will be a raffle for pickleball equipment and other items, and a sponsor’s bracket has been added because many sponsors are new to pickleball. The sponsors’ teams will play one another in the morning before the main tournament begins as a fun bonus for them and to introduce them to the sport.
The pickleball tournament is a one-day event that includes lunch for players. Participants receive a tournament T-shirt. The next event is scheduled for May 17 in Morrilton and is open to anyone. For more information, visit tolmgrp.com or contact Austin Foshee at 501.354.6511.
