Fred Ringler, 53, is the…
By Ayala Ben-Yehuda
When one of the world’s largest construction companies is honored at a fund-raiser golf tournament next month on Long Island, it will be represented by a Douglas Manor man who has helped build schools across New York state.
Fred Ringler, 53, is the business development manager for school projects for Turner Construction, a 101-year-old company headquartered in Dallas that operates 45 offices in the United States and abroad.
The company is notable for having built Madison Square Garden as well as the first concrete stairway for the New York City subways at the Astor Place station.
But Ringler’s job lies more on the business development side of the Turner’s business than in the general contracting field. He acts as a liaison with kindergarten through 12th-grade school districts all over Long Island that want to build additions or renovate their campuses and does the same job with higher-education institutions around the state.
“A lot of it is building relationships with the school administration,” Ringler said.
Since most public school construction projects are financed through bonds approved by taxpayers, Ringler works in the “pre-referendum” stage, assisting districts in getting their bonds passed.
The company is increasing its focus on New York City schools and the newly reconstituted School Construction Authority, which was consolidated with the Division of School Facilities under Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Turner is the firm hired to find contractors to build the 650-seat addition to the Queens Vocational High School in Long Island City, which will feature a gym, a library, a kitchen and more classrooms to the school, among other benefits.
“We’re hopeful that we’ll be doing more projects with New York City,” Ringler said.
One group with which Turner has had a fruitful relationship is the non-profit Ward Melville Heritage Organization, a Stony Brook, L.I.-based educational group that runs a working grist mill.
The old-fashioned mill grinds grain into flour using water power and is used to teach history and engineering concepts to schoolchildren.
When the mill needed repairs, the group turned to Turner for help.
“We met in the context of education,” Ringler said. “One thing led to another, and they approached us about being honored at the golf outing.”
The Ward Melville Heritage Organization is honoring Turner at its Ninth Annual Golf Classic, to be held Aug. 18 at the Huntington Country Club. The money will go to repairing the grist mill and supporting the non-profit’s educational programs.
Ringler, who sits on the Golf Committee and will help represent Turner at the event, works extensively in Nassau and Suffolk counties but remains a Queens resident.
He grew up in Kew Gardens Hills and attended Jamaica High School. His children went to Benjamin N. Cardozo High School in Bayside; Ringler and his family lived in Holliswood until about 10 years ago when they moved to Douglas Manor.
Ringler touted the area for its beauty and proximity to quality schools and the Long Island Rail Road.
“I fell in love with the community.”
Reach reporter Ayala Ben-Yehuda by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
