“I rode with Brent Eisenbarth for a couple of years and he insisted on everything being absolutely right – or you’d re-do it,” said Troy Morgan, McElroy’s commercial construction foreman. “He was great to learn from – strict, but fair. Brent’s a hard worker, very efficient, can figure out just about anything, and never gives up on a challenge. I’m proud his meticulous nature rubbed off on me!” July 7, 2024, marks the 15^th McElroy’s work anniversary for Brent Eisenbarth, commercial construction CAD/BIM designer. Brent is one of those caring technicians who sets the standard of highest-quality craftsmanship. We’re glad to honor Brent for 15 excellent years with McElroy’s!

Hands-on Work

Brent grew up in Topeka, and has always been interested in technical pursuits. “From an early age, I worked with my dad, grandpa and uncle installing flooring: tile, hardwood, carpet and linoleum,” Brent said. “I enjoyed that hands-on work, as well as tinkering with 4-wheelers, and taking shop classes at Shawnee Heights High School.” When Brent decided traditional college was not for him a friend suggested he could earn a great income in heating and air. Brent went to Kaw Area Tech full-time for a year to study HVAC and electrical work.

HVAC Technician

“Just before I graduated from Kaw Area Tech, I had a really bad 4-wheeler accident,” Brent said. “At first it was a question of whether I’d walk again. After four leg surgeries and an eight-month recovery period, I came out okay.” Brent then reached out to Local 441 Plumbers and Pipefitters and, starting as a pre-apprentice, hired on with a small contractor that did supermarket refrigeration projects. After about a year, Brent moved to McElroy’s as a first-year apprentice HVAC technician on the commercial construction team.

Learn and Grow

“I apprenticed with some great journeymen, like Phil Harper who is a McElroy’s commercial project supervisor now, and Chuck Smelter who recently retired,” Brent said. “I really enjoyed the hands-on work, the camaraderie and the opportunity to learn and grow. Phil and I concentrated on specialized refrigeration and controls work, so we’d focus on a specific job for a week or two – a month at the most – and we’d work all over the state. I learned early that for intricate controls projects and installations, the manuals are your best friend. I like digging into the literature and being detail oriented.”

The Tough Projects

“Brent is a smart technician who does especially neat, clean and exacting work,” said Jimmy Thomas, McElroy’s commercial project manager. “We assigned him to really tough projects, where craftsmanship and attention to detail were mandatory.” One such project, in 2017, was the addition of environmental refrigeration systems to the Target Distribution Center in Topeka. The general contractor was so pleased with the McElroy’s team’s work that they’ve hired McElroy’s to add cooling to several more distribution centers across a multi-state region. Brent was a key player on some of those refrigeration-piping projects, such as one in Georgia that he did with Phil Harper. “Brent puts a lot of effort into up-front planning and does an extremely impressive job. Now that he’s moved into building information modeling (BIM), we really miss him in the field.”

Ready for a Challenge

In 2019, Brent was asked to join the growing McElroy’s BIM team. “At that point, I wasn’t ready for a change, and Joey Towle stepped up for it,” Brent said. “As time went on, though, my injured leg was making field work much harder. I let leadership know that the next time they needed to add to the BIM team, I’d like to be considered. Everything in our industry is moving forward with advanced computer-aided design (CAD). I was definitely ready for an interesting new challenge!” In late 2022, Brent received that opportunity.

CAD/BIM Designer

“Brent has always taken great pride in ensuring that everything he does looks and works exactly as it should. Dedication to high-quality details is very important in BIM work” said Joey Towle, McElroy’s piping fabrication shop manager. “We also considered Brent’s in-depth field experience and his computer knowledge, so he was the first person we asked when we wanted to add another CAD/BIM designer to our team. We collaborate frequently, and Brent’s experience adds a lot to our capabilities. He’s now helping McElroy’s in new, different and important ways!”

Family

Brent’s wife, Heather, is an award-winning APRN at Stormont Vail’s Cotton O’Neil Cancer Center. She earned her nursing degree from Baker University and her master’s from UMKC. Their four-year-old son, Beckham, loves the outdoors – especially camping. “My in-laws are great and they also enjoy camping – as do my own mom and dad,” Brent said. “I frequently golf with my father-in-law and brother-in-law, and sometimes Beckham tags along on the course.” Brent is easy to get along with and likes to keep the mood light and make people laugh. “Having a child really adds to your understanding of patience and how to get along with everybody!”

Bright Future

“”I’ve had the chance to learn and grow a lot at McElroy’s,” Brent said. “There’s a good group of long-term guys here who will take you under their wing and help you succeed. Phil and I got to know each other well when I was an apprentice and later when we traveled together for key jobs – and we remain great friends today.” As we honor Brent for his first 15 years with McElroy’s, we’re glad he is also one of our “long-term guys.” We appreciate Brent’s dedication to top-quality craftsmanship, and we’re glad he has transitioned his eye for detail from the field to the computer screen. “The future is now the present,” Brent said about the latest advances in the CAD/BIM field. We completely agree – and we’re looking forward to Brent’s bright future with McElroy’s for decades to come!