Tim Connelly Retires After Nearly 30 Years with McCall

Tim Connelly has retired effective January 1, 2021. Tim started selling asphalt for McCall Oil on July 6, 1992. After seven years with Shell Oil Company in Houston, Tim and Shelley moved to Portland to start a new venture together.

Tim took the asphalt Sales Manager position in November of 1994. Tim’s contribution to the success of McCall Terminals is evident in the years of growth and asphalt market share region-wide.

Tim’s first assignment was to sort the many loads of “off spec” asphalt as ODOT had just converted to the new PBA specification. McCall was buying asphalt from the Shell Martinez, California refinery via two barges, the Bobby Jean and the Columbia. Tim determined the total amount of the penalty’s and submitted it to Shell for a full reimbursement. After that, Shell determined they could not meet the new ODOT specifications.

In general, Tim’s success can be attributed to just being himself around everyone he meets. The contractor relationships came easy for Tim. Especially during the drinking years. It was easy to develop relationships. However, Tim bought loyalty by fair pricing and, when necessary, compromise.

Asphalt has proven to be somewhat resilient, pun intended, of many headwind scenarios. The first was Y2k. When everyone thought the world would stop in 2000, asphalt kept rolling. After 9/11 asphalt kept moving through a brutal recession. We had our best years two years (2008 and 2009) after the 2008 market crash. ODOT shifted their priorities to maintenance and with the help of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) dollars asphalt sales soared along with the price. When our state and country shut down this past Spring due to COVID-19, asphalt contractors were considered “essential workers” and asphalt paving continued.

Tim appreciates the opportunity to work for McCall and would really like to thank the McCall’s, particularly Bob for taking a chance on him, then trusting me to grow the business he started. The family’s support of their employees, customers and local communities shows that capitalism can be kind and profitable.

“I’d like to be remembered for just going to work every day and trying not to complain too much,” says Tim.

Tim is missed by the family, his co-workers, and his customers.