OUR TEAM
George Bezates
Pictured: George Bezates with his Grandchildren
As the son of Greek immigrants, George has never been a stranger to hard work (he walked to school in the snow, uphill, both ways – from the age of two). George grew up herding sheep in eastern Oregon and the mountains of central Idaho trailing sheep over 200 miles during the summers from the age of 10. Between the ages of 18 and 38, he attended Oregon State University for a short while where he went to school and worked in the barns (and slept there too – it was 1965 not 2021) he farmed, worked as a laborer, and held such random jobs as potato loader. He always worked hard. In 1982 he bought a backhoe, filed the paperwork and Bezates Construction Inc. was born. The Company grew quickly.
Hard work and a brilliant mind, coupled with the guts to take on any challenge that walked through the door helped make a name for him in the construction industry. Even though he was not the largest contractor, he was often called to assist with the most challenging, technical aspects of jobs like river crossings for utility companies.
After a brief stint with retirement in the late 1990s, which did not suit George, he took on superintendent positions with several large heavy civil construction companies in the Portland Metro area. In the fall of 2011, he and Nick reactivated Bezates Construction Inc. and the rest is history.
When George is not at work, he enjoys dreaming about working, solving yet unsolved work problems, sleeping, and trying to learn the elusive art of organization (aka, coffee cans are not a good catch-all for miscellaneous shop items).
Nick’s first word was truck. Well, not really… ok, maybe. Nick grew up on the job site with his dad George. Things were different in the ’80s and by the age of six, he began running equipment on the job including an excavator, water truck, loader, and anything else that had an engine and keys. By the age of 13, he competed in a backhoe rodeo (look it up – it includes spoons on the bucket, an egg, and a frying pan) and was only bested by the equipment demonstration pro who was paid to travel from rodeo to rodeo, showing off the capabilities of the machines. Even as a young kid, Nick had patience and a keen eye for how things work. He was always willing to sit in the cab of a piece of equipment with his dad’s crew and observe what created efficiency and best practices, he was always learning.
He enrolled in the University of Oregon to obtain a business degree but was so bored that he signed up for welding classes at Lane Community College. He finished the full Associate's in welding in 3 months, lucky for him, the instructor Bob allowed him to continue volunteering in the shop giving him ever more difficult projects to complete (think welding blind, upside down, etc.) He transferred to Oregon State University, welding degree in hand, and completed the Construction Engineering Management degree while working with his dad’s crew on weekends (and some nights). He later worked for a large heavy civil contractor in the Portland Metro area for several years after college but eventually decided it was time to reactivate Bezates Construction Inc. in 2011.
BCI specializes in welding, crane work, mechanical, and heavy civil underground. While BCI is capable of many types of projects, Nick has pursued a niche in specialty welding and has become well versed in a multitude of welding applications, primarily mobile work. He performs structural, hot taps, stainless, aluminum and has robust in-shop fabrication capabilities. Nick has a can-do attitude and is willing to work with engineers and project owners to be efficient, working to high and exacting standards.
When not at work, Nick enjoys dreaming up and building new and creative projects, practicing various fabrication and welding techniques, competitive shooting, and traveling with his family. He also enjoys finding coffee cans full of miscellaneous shop items placed there by the ever-evolving organization prowess of George.
Nick Bezates
McKenzie Bezates
Pictured: McKenzie Bezates with her Children
McKenzie is the glue that holds everything together. She grew up in Oregon and began learning Spanish from the age of six. She has a passion for all things research, community, and connection. While she is not a risk-taker, McKenzie approaches all decisions by looking at all sides of the issue at hand. She has studied abroad in Spain and Italy and enjoys learning about different places and cultures.
She is somewhat of a collector of degrees and certifications holding bachelor’s degrees in history, Spanish, and Accounting from the University of Oregon and Portland State University, respectively. From there, she has earned certifications in Yoga, Pilates reformer, group cycle, and personal training. McKenzie stays busy by doing the accounting for Bezates Construction Inc., pursuing a doctorate in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and keeping track of the schedules of their three active boys.
Her favorite things to do, when she isn’t studying or transporting the boys to their activities, is going for long walks, learning new things, researching whatever it is that she finds interesting, and digging in her garden. Most of all, she loves sleep, a cozy bed, and relaxing in the sunshine. She avoids coffee cans filled with random shop items because they stress her out.