From a service-oriented plumbing company started by John P. Bell, Sr. in 1940, the Bell Company has grown to become one of the leading Mechanical and Plumbing contractors on the East Coast. The Bell Company specializes in large, complex mechanical, plumbing and process piping projects, delivering superior results.
The family of companies under the banner of the Bell Company include; Bell BCI Company, Bell Constructors, and John P. Bell & Sons. With offices located in Baltimore MD, Richmond VA, Charleston, SC, and Rochester, NY, we provide superior construction services across a wide geographical area, with the personal touch only possible with on-site project managers who are local to the job, and fully empowered to support their client's needs.Bell’s guiding principles are Performance, Innovation and Integrity. Our people are industry-leading experts in mechanical, plumbing and process piping who apply innovation and new technology to every project, saving our clients time and money. Our performance is driven by experienced, responsive on-site managers, and highly trained and experienced craftsmen that are second to none in production, quality and safety.From every level of the company, honesty, trust, and respect guide our approach to each project. Our integrity shows in the quality of our work, our record for safety, and our clients' satisfaction.
At Bell, we pride ourselves on over four decades of construction excellence on complex and challenging projects, whether large or small. From contract initiation to the end of the project, our guiding principles of Performance, Innovation and Integrity are evident in everything we do.
Leveraging our extensive industry experience and our vast knowledge of mechanical and plumbing systems, cost history, labor, and general construction, Bell will provide a quote that you can rely on to be the best combination of services for the cost. With a bonding capacity of $200 MM for a single project and $400 MM aggregate, we are a financially sound provider who is agile and responsive to evolving customer requirements.We execute each project with a seasoned, on-site project manager who has the authority to make decisions and execute directives immediately. Bell's project managers are very experienced and proactive, with the foresight and knowledge to anticipate and mitigate most problems before they occur. When an unavoidable problem does occur, the Bell team will resolve it quickly, with the lowest possible impact to costs and timelines.To help ensure job site safety and minimize liability, Bell requires a 30 hour OSHA Training Certification for all Superintendents and Foremen, as well as 10 Hours of OSHA training for all craft, upon hire.For project design and execution, Bell is a leader in Building Information Modeling (BIM), which enables us to resolve many design conflicts before they become an issue in the field.
Our ASME B31.1 and B31.3 compliant Fabrication facility is operated by an experienced fabrication superintendent and highly skilled workers. Our facility fabricates custom pipe configurations to enable us to meet aggressive scheduling requirements or advance schedules.Bell regularly engages with third party Commissioning Agents from the start of the project, assuring that compliance issues rarely arise during commissioning and validation of our facilities. If problems do arise, Bell works diligently to ensure the facility works according to specification, and is fully compliant with applicable design.
Through unequalled performance, relentless effort, continuous innovation and operating in a culture of the highest integrity, we will be sought out as the contractor of choice.
As Bell Company’s CEO, Mr. Ruether is responsible for leading the Company’s growth and sustainability program, assuring the company continues to develop and maintain superior performance, an innovative culture and integrity in all aspects of interaction with our clients. With over 30 years’ experience in the construction and engineering industry, he possesses the leadership and knowledge to guide the strategic directon of the Company.
Mr. Ruether joined The Bell Company in 1987 and since that time he has managed several of the Company’s largest and most complex projects throughout the East Coast. As an advocate for design-build, and an avid promoter of continuous performance improvement, innovative thinking and team building, Mr. Ruether advanced to serve as Division Manager, Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer. He was promoted to President/Chief Executive Officer in 2007.
Mr. Ruether received a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Missouri University School of Science & Technology. He is a member of Design-Build Institute of America where he serves on the Board of Directors for DBIA’s Liberty Region. Mr. Ruether has been a member of Bell’s Board of Managers since 2007.
As Executive Vice President, Mr. Benulis is responsible for Mid-Atlantic project operations in Delaware, Maryland, Northern Virginia, West Virginia and Washington DC. His expertise and knowledge of mechanical construction within the Healthcare, Research/Laboratory, Data Center and Industrial markets results in outstanding performance of the teams he leads, innovative value engineering solutions, and strong relationships with our clients.
Mr. Benulis joined the Bell Company in 1985, as a Project Manager responsible for the overall performance of multiple mechanical and plumbing construction projects, from project selection through completion. In 1996, Mr. Benulis was assigned the position of Estimating Manager, responsible for estimates within each subsidiary. He was promoted to Vice President in 1998, and currently holds the title of Executive Vice President.
Mr. Benulis received an Associate’s degree in Engineering Services from SUNY Canton. He holds the Company’s licenses in six states for Mechanical and Plumbing trades. Mr. Benulis has been a member of Bell’s Board of Managers since 2007.
As Executive Vice President, Mr. Carayiannis is responsible for project operations in the Mid-Atlantic, New England and Southeastern regions. His vast knowledge of mechanical construction for Healthcare, Research / Laboratory, Data Center and Industrial projects, coupled with his extensive experience in the geographic regions he manages for Bell, fosters strong relationships with our clients, and is demonstrated by his long and successful track record of delivering projects with the highest levels of performance and integrity.
Mr. Carayiannis joined the Bell Company in 1986, as a project engineer in Upstate New York. He moved to multiple project locations in Maryland, Virginia, Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Florida where he advanced his position to Superintendent, Project Manager and Division Manager. He was promoted to Vice President in 2005 and currently holds the title of Executive Vice President.
Mr. Carayiannis received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson University in 1986. He holds the Company's licenses in five states for Mechanical and Plumbing trades. Mr. Carayiannis has been a member of Bell’s Board of Managers since 2007.