Terry Brown is a bit of a renaissance man.
He’s an artist, a mushroom gardener, an explorer of Chinese culture and language and the latest addition to the ABES Contracting team.
“If only we were living in the renaissance period,” Brown jokes when asked about his wide-ranging interests.
Brown joined ABES Contracting in February, bringing with him years of experience in the construction field and a life story full of unexpected turns.
Originally from Mississippi, Brown’s early life was shaped by travel. With a stepfather in the military, his family moved frequently. Eventually, they settled in Memphis, the city Brown still calls home today.
An avid artist and sculptor, Brown moved to Detroit after high school where he studied at the College for Creative Studies. After two years, however, Brown was forced to step away from school to work. His plan was to earn enough tuition money to return. Then life happened. “It took me 20 years to realize I dropped out of college,” he says.
A career in construction with a twist
After leaving school, Brown began working in construction, finding a similarity to art in the contracting work. “Each job is somewhat unique. You’re building relationships and troubleshooting problems as they arise and trying to figure out ways to do things better. It’s the same skill set at the end of the day.”
In 2008, his life took a drastic turn when he earned a scholarship to the Confucius Institute, a nonprofit educational institute with an aim of promoting Chinese language and culture. “A friend of mine who is a professor suggested it to me,” he says. For the next five years, Brown lived in China, studying the culture and learning the language. “It was kind of a humbling experience,” he says. “You learn to be adaptable.”
In 2014, he returned to the U.S. with the ability to speak “functional Chinese” and a newfound appreciation of the culture.
The path to ABES Contracting
Back home, Brown returned to construction, working with various companies over the years. Eventually he landed a job with a home remodeling company, and that’s where fate stepped in.
The company he worked for was hired to remodel the home of Brad Davis, Vice President of ABES Contracting.
During the construction, the two men talked frequently. Davis grew to not only appreciate Brown’s contracting skills, but his ability to communicate effectively about the work. “You only have to talk to Terance for about five minutes to understand that he’s a smart and humble guy. He has a very diverse background and range of experience which makes for very fun and enlightening conversation,” Davis says. “His communication style is clear and to the point, but he’s also interesting. He was doing work for me at my house, but my wife and I found ourselves just talking to him and hanging out. He’s a pleasure to be around and he’s a free-thinking problem-solver for sure.”
When work was completed, Davis made a bold decision. He offered Brown a chance to join ABES Contracting. “It was obvious to me that Terance cares about his work and works hard. He’s a learner who likes to be challenged. That skill set, and his ability to be a team player, fit very well in the culture we are building at ABES Contracting. I’m excited to work with Terance as we both grow and learn.”
Brown says the move from home remodeling to large-scale contracting has been a big change, requiring him to learn new things, including operating heavy equipment. But overall, it’s been an easy transition. “It’s new, but you pick things up. It’s all a matter of scale,” he says.
ABES Contracting President Emmanuel Tuombe is excited to welcome Terry to the team. “When I met Terry and heard about his life experience, I was amazed, and I felt like he would be a great addition to our team. It’s incredible the talent we are finding as we grow the company. My goal is to make sure that we can be a great team to Terry and give him opportunities to bring out his talents as we make an impact in our communities.”
From mushrooms to sculpture
When Brown isn’t working with the ABES Contracting team, he continues to sculpt and draw. But he’s also picked up another hobby – growing gourmet mushrooms. “I read a book about them, and it was interesting,” he says. He grows mainly lion’s mane, wine cap and oyster mushrooms. “I enjoy it. It’s something different.”
Whether it’s building a structure, sculpting a form, speaking another language or growing unique mushrooms, Brown approaches life with an open mind, always willing to explore new experiences and use his talents to create. He’s happy to be a part of the ABES Contracting team and looks forward to what the future holds for both him and the company.
“It’s definitely a change in direction for me,” he says. “But I’m really enjoying it and I’m glad I made the decision to join the ABES team.”
