Morris Farrar – Inducted October 3, 2023

Born in 1928, Morris Farrar grew up southeast of Guthree, Oklahoma, on a farm. In addition to being in the dairy industry, his family custom cut and baled hay to supplement their income. When his father became ill during his freshman year, Morris left high school to support his family as the eldest son. 

Morris embarked on his pipeline career in 1949, working on a significant 300-mile pipeline project stretching from Cushing, Oklahoma, to Borger, Texas. Then in 1952, he married the love of his life, Barbara “Bobbie” Pickle-Farrar. Less than a year later, he was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving in the Korean War and returning as a Sergeant in December 1954. Post-war, Morris swiftly climbed the ranks in the pipeline industry, becoming a construction superintendent by 1957. 

In 1962, Morris and Barbara settled in Dover, Oklahoma, laying the foundation for their future. They ventured into entrepreneurship in 1968, founding Farrar Construction. Starting with just eight employees, they grew the business to over 300, focusing on installing oil and gas pipelines in Oklahoma and neighboring states.

Morris joined the Rocky Mountain Pipeline Contractors Association in the late 1970s, where he served as an active member, on the Board of Directors, and as President. 

In addition to Farrar Construction, Morris established Capitol Trencher Corporation in 1979. The company manufactured trenchers, many of which are still in use today. Besides his pipeline endeavors, he was a lifelong farmer and rancher. Along with his own farm and ranch operation, located in a couple of different counties in Oklahoma, he purchased and ran Oklahoma Feeders feedlot in Coyle. His community engagement was profound, exemplified by a 25-year tenure on the Kingfisher County Excise Board, over 50 years as a Mason, and a lifelong member of the Baptist Church.

Morris's legacy is carried on by his three sons, Randy, Steve, and Mark, who purchased Farrar Construction Company in 1996. 

John Eddie Soileau – Inducted October 3, 2023

John Eddie Soileau, a 1963 graduate of the University of Southwestern Louisiana with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, joined the United States Army in 1963 and received his Honorable Discharge in 1965. He then began his pipelining career with Louisiana Intrastate Gas Corporation in Alexandria, La., as a Pipeline Engineer, transferred to Design Engineer and was eventually promoted to Senior Design Engineer. He was later employed by Ashy Construction as an Engineering Superintendent. 

In May 1974, Eddie founded Sunland Construction Inc. & Affiliates, a small regional contractor doing oil well hookups. At the time, a gallon of gas cost $0.55 and a barrel of oil was just sort of $15. Under his leadership, Sunland has and continues to grow into a healthy, profitable, and widely respected family of companies. 

Eddie's tenure is highlighted by significant contributions to the industry, including:

1) Implementing safety initiatives that have become industry standards

2) Maintaining Sunland's merit shop status through numerous challenges, including pickets and union pressures, with the invaluable assistance of Greg Guidry

3) Expanding Sunland with regional offices in Louisiana, Houston, Texas, Alabama, and New Mexico

4) Pioneering and refining directional drilling techniques in pipeline construction

5) Being among the first contractors to successfully diversify into station construction

6) Strategically positioning Sunland as a diversified construction company capable of navigating the industry's fluctuations through a broad range of services including Pipeline, Facility, Integrity, I&E, and renewable work

In a letter from to Eddie from Ed Kull, former APCA Executive Director, Kull said, “Knowing and working with you has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life. You are truly a fine person, and in my view you are right up there with Bill Coors in the run for Mr. Free Enterprise. I guess the highest compliment I can pay is: When I grow up I want to be just like you."