Baker, Walker to be inducted into Rinker School Construction Hall of Fame

October 7, 2010

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The M.E. Rinker Sr. School of Building Construction at the University of Florida will induct Daniel L. Baker, president and CEO of Baker Concrete Construction., and Lance R. Walker, president of Walker and Company Inc., into the school’s Construction Hall of Fame at 4 p.m. Oct. 16 as part of the school’s Homecoming activities.

The Construction Hall of Fame was established in the fall of 1980 by Brisbane Brown, who was director of the Rinker School at the time. The purpose of the award is to recognize the accomplishments of those builders who have distinguished themselves throughout their careers in construction.

Baker began his career in construction at the age of 15, working as a laborer with his grandfather, Elmer Baker, a cement mason in Oxford, Ohio. In 1968, Baker and his two brothers, Ken and Jim, started their own concrete flatwork business to fund their education at Miami University. Now, 42 years later, Baker, president and CEO of Baker Concrete Construction, is nationally recognized as a leader in the concrete con¬struction industry.

Baker has been an active member with the American Concrete Institute since 1975, including being president in 2001. He has been actively in¬volved in community efforts such as Boy Scouts of America, Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army and the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

He also has demonstrated his support of the Rinker School by helping with the Endowed Professorship for Construction Services and embracing internship and employment opportunities for “Construction Gators.”

Walker graduated from UF with a Bachelor of Science in Building Construction in 1968, and a Master of Science in Building Construction in 1969.

Walker is president of Walker & Company Inc. During the past 36 years, Walker & Company constructed numerous commercial construction projects including the Orlando Museum of Art, the Cornell Museum, the Morse Museum, seven projects at Rollins College, many schools and churches and more than 23,000 multifamily units throughout Florida with total value of more than $1.5 billion.

Within his community of Central Florida, he served as a trustee of the WMFE TV and Radio Station, trustee of the Orlando Museum of Art, vice president of Winter Park Chamber Government Affairs, director of Winter Park National Bank, Independent Community Banks, C & S National Bank and Interlachen Country Club, chairman of the City of Winter Park Code Enforcement Board and member of the Florida Bar Grievance Committee.

Walker has supported the Rinker School in his past participation within the school’s Executive Committee, funding in 1993 of the Endowment of the Central Florida Builders Exchange/Walker & Company Scholarship and a gift of $250,000 in support of the construction of Rinker Hall.

As recipients of this prestigious honor, both Baker and Walker will receive plaques declaring their induction, in addition to having their names displayed on the Construction Hall of Fame wall at the school.