In Memoriam: Bernard Weir, 1932-2019

January 3 2020

Bernard E. Weir, Jr., former president and CEO of Norris Brothers Construction Company in Cleveland, Ohio, passed away on December 23, 2019 at the age of 87.

"Bernie," as he was known to friends and colleagues, leaves a legacy that goes far beyond his substantial list of accomplishments at Norris Brothers. In addition to transforming the family business (it was founded by his great-grandfather in 1867) and positioning it for success in the latter decades of the 20th century – and still today – he was also deeply involved in the larger union construction industry. He had a passion for safety, and co-founded the Construction Substance Abuse Program, the first such program in Cleveland. He also served on the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' B30 Standards Committee, and helped author numerous safety standards for cranes, hoists, rigging hardware and other heavy construction equipment.

Bernie was a longtime member of both TAUC and its predecessor organization, the National Erectors Association. He was heavily involved in both groups. He also served as president of the Cleveland-based Construction Employers Association (CEA) from 1991-94 and was president of the Millwright Employers Association for over two decades (click here for a 2016 tribute to Bernie from CEA).

"I had the honor of knowing and working with Bernie for many years," said Steve Lindauer, CEO of TAUC and Impartial Secretary/CEO of the National Maintenance Agreements Policy Committee, Inc. (NMAPC). "He was very much engaged in the industry as a whole and had a keen focus for all areas of worker safety. The thing I will always remember about Bernie is that he wasn't bashful. He never hesitated to speak up if he felt it was important to do something for the betterment of our industry. He will be greatly missed."

Bernie leaves behind his wife of 57 years, Celine; eight children and 16 grandchildren. Both TAUC and NMAPC extend our deepest condolences to the Weir family.