Photo by Beth Wade[/caption]
Prior to founding engineering firm Steger Bizzell, Charles Steger purchased a machine shop in Georgetown in 1972 with the help of his brother. The next year he started an engineering business from his home.
Later that same year Steger partnered with Don Bizzell, and the business became Steger Bizzell.
“I was very, very fortunate to team up with one of the finest men there is in the whole world, and that is Don Bizzell,” Steger said. “He’s a great guy, and we had a great relationship for the 35-plus years we were in business together.”
Together the pair built up the business, which in turn helped engineer much of Williamson County’s infrastructure, including water and wastewater systems, rural water supply systems, and water and wastewater treatment plants.
“We did a lot of public works projects, and they were interesting and challenging, he said. “Williamson County back in those days didn’t have a lot of money. … Most of the time we had to get people to donate [right of way] because the county didn’t have the money to buy it.”
Aside from engineering, Steger said he also helped some of the smaller towns at the time, including Liberty Hill, become incorporated cities, and the business served as city engineers for many of the smaller communities in and near Williamson County.
“I always like to make things happen,” he said.
For more than 35 years Steger worked alongside Bizzell growing the business, which moved a few times before the pair purchased the property where the business is currently located at 1978 S. Austin Ave.
Along with giving direction to his business, Steger said he had a vision for what Georgetown could become, which led him to serve on a variety of boards for several organizations.
“I felt strongly about the direction city government, the county and school district ought to be going, and so I would look for various forums to help voice those opinions,” he said. “I would promote as much industry and business growth as I could in order for the city and school district to not be so terribly dependent on [property] taxes from residents.”
In 1980, Steger was elected to the Georgetown ISD board of trustees.
“When I got involved in the school system, Georgetown schools were basically [Future Farmers of America] and football,” he said. “The demographics of Georgetown were changing in such a way that we needed to start leaning toward building physics and chemistry wings at the high school as opposed to a new FFA barn.”
Steger served on the board for 12 years.
“I had kids that were coming into first grade when I came on the board, and they were graduating when I went off the board,” he said. “We went through school together.”
Steger also served as chair of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and was the first president of Georgetown nonprofit The Caring Place’s board of directors.
“Several of the pastors came and asked me if I would consider serving as president of the first board of directors,” he said. “They needed a board of directors to get some things done, and I agreed.”
After retiring and leaving his business to his son, Perry, and son-in-law, Patrick Stevens, about five years ago, Steger said he spends his time fishing and helping out at his church.
“I’m pleased to sit back and know I had some small part,” he said. “We were very fortunate to come here from Dallas. ... It’s been a very welcoming, comfortable community to see your kids grow up in, and that’s more important to us than any other aspect of life.”
Photo by Beth Wade[/caption]
Prior to founding engineering firm Steger Bizzell, Charles Steger purchased a machine shop in Georgetown in 1972 with the help of his brother. The next year he started an engineering business from his home.
Later that same year Steger partnered with Don Bizzell, and the business became Steger Bizzell.
“I was very, very fortunate to team up with one of the finest men there is in the whole world, and that is Don Bizzell,” Steger said. “He’s a great guy, and we had a great relationship for the 35-plus years we were in business together.”
Together the pair built up the business, which in turn helped engineer much of Williamson County’s infrastructure, including water and wastewater systems, rural water supply systems, and water and wastewater treatment plants.
“We did a lot of public works projects, and they were interesting and challenging, he said. “Williamson County back in those days didn’t have a lot of money. … Most of the time we had to get people to donate [right of way] because the county didn’t have the money to buy it.”
Aside from engineering, Steger said he also helped some of the smaller towns at the time, including Liberty Hill, become incorporated cities, and the business served as city engineers for many of the smaller communities in and near Williamson County.
“I always like to make things happen,” he said.
For more than 35 years Steger worked alongside Bizzell growing the business, which moved a few times before the pair purchased the property where the business is currently located at 1978 S. Austin Ave.
Along with giving direction to his business, Steger said he had a vision for what Georgetown could become, which led him to serve on a variety of boards for several organizations.
“I felt strongly about the direction city government, the county and school district ought to be going, and so I would look for various forums to help voice those opinions,” he said. “I would promote as much industry and business growth as I could in order for the city and school district to not be so terribly dependent on [property] taxes from residents.”
In 1980, Steger was elected to the Georgetown ISD board of trustees.
“When I got involved in the school system, Georgetown schools were basically [Future Farmers of America] and football,” he said. “The demographics of Georgetown were changing in such a way that we needed to start leaning toward building physics and chemistry wings at the high school as opposed to a new FFA barn.”
Steger served on the board for 12 years.
“I had kids that were coming into first grade when I came on the board, and they were graduating when I went off the board,” he said. “We went through school together.”
Steger also served as chair of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and was the first president of Georgetown nonprofit The Caring Place’s board of directors.
“Several of the pastors came and asked me if I would consider serving as president of the first board of directors,” he said. “They needed a board of directors to get some things done, and I agreed.”
After retiring and leaving his business to his son, Perry, and son-in-law, Patrick Stevens, about five years ago, Steger said he spends his time fishing and helping out at his church.
“I’m pleased to sit back and know I had some small part,” he said. “We were very fortunate to come here from Dallas. ... It’s been a very welcoming, comfortable community to see your kids grow up in, and that’s more important to us than any other aspect of life.”
