M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management
Construction
Hall of Fame
2026
2026 INDUCTEES
Ronald H. Foster Jr. – Tom C. and Sean Murphy
Ronald H. Foster Jr.
Chairman, Stellar
Ronald H. Foster Jr. is Chairman of Stellar, an engineering, architecture, construction management, and industrial mechanical contracting firm headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. The company was founded in 1985 by his father, Ronald H. Foster Sr.
A 1990 graduate of the University of Florida’s M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management, Foster has spent more than three decades leading and helping build one of the industry’s most respected companies.
Over the course of his career, Foster helped guide Stellar through decades of sustained growth while expanding its capabilities and establishing the company as a recognized leader in engineering, construction, and industrial services.
During his tenure in executive leadership, including service as Chief Executive Officer and now Chairman, Foster helped transform Stellar from a successful regional contractor into a company serving clients throughout North America and around the world. Under his leadership, the company expanded its geographic reach, diversified its markets, and grew to nearly 1,000 employees while strengthening its reputation for delivering complex and technically demanding projects across a broad range of industries.
Beyond the company’s growth, Foster has been a strong advocate for leadership development, professional excellence, and long-term succession planning within the construction industry. He played a key role in guiding the successful transition of Stellar to a new generation of executive leadership while preserving the values, culture, and commitment to client service that have defined the company since its founding.
Foster’s connection to the University of Florida and the Rinker School has remained strong throughout his career. As an alumnus, he has supported the advancement of construction education and the continued partnership between industry and academia. His family’s connection to the university spans multiple generations, with his son, daughter, and nephew also graduating from the University of Florida.
His commitment to service extends beyond the business community through his role as President of The Stellar Foundation, the company’s charitable organization dedicated to supporting educational, health, and community-focused initiatives. Through both his business and philanthropic leadership, he has helped foster a culture of service and community engagement throughout Northeast Florida and beyond.
Tom C. Murphy and Sean Murphy
Co-Chief Executive Officers
Coastal Construction Group
Tom C. Murphy (BSBC 1992) and Sean Murphy (BSBC 1995) are graduates of the University of Florida’s Building Construction program and serve as Co-Chief Executive Officers of Coastal Construction Group. Before assuming the company’s top leadership roles, they served together as Co-Presidents for 11 years, helping guide Coastal’s growth, operations, and expansion across Florida.
Their leadership journey began where construction careers are built: in the field. Guided by their father, Coastal founder Tom Murphy Jr., Tom and Sean were raised with the belief that no one is handed success—it is earned through hard work, discipline, accountability, and a commitment to excellence. Both brothers started as laborers and progressed through increasingly responsible roles across Coastal’s operations before entering executive leadership. Tom C.’s career included positions in field supervision, estimating, preconstruction, homes, condominiums, and executive preconstruction leadership. Sean advanced through field supervision, project management, project executive, homes, condominiums, and operations leadership. Their progression gave each a firsthand understanding of construction from the jobsite through project delivery and ultimately to companywide strategy and leadership.
That experience has shaped the way they lead. As Co-CEOs, Tom and Sean bring complementary strengths to the business. Tom focuses on business development, preconstruction, estimating, owner contracts, sales and marketing, BIM, pipeline development, and market expansion, while Sean oversees companywide operations, including purchasing, warranty, staffing, scheduling, and performance management. Together, they combine a deep knowledge of construction with a disciplined approach to planning, execution, accountability, and long-term growth.
Under their leadership, Coastal has continued to deliver major residential, hospitality, education, mixed-use, and commercial projects throughout Florida. Their careers have included leadership of some of the state’s most complex and high-profile construction work, building on decades of hands-on experience and a deep understanding of client delivery, field operations, construction sequencing, and risk management.
Just as important, Tom and Sean have carried forward a commitment to the people and institutions that sustain the construction industry. Their leadership reflects an emphasis on safety, quality, operational excellence, workforce development, mentorship, and investment in the next generation of construction professionals. They have also maintained a strong connection to the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Construction Management and supported the school through initiatives including Orange & Blueprints, Rinker Hall renovations, scholarships, and BCN alumni events and tournaments across Florida.
Tom and Sean’s careers represent a full-circle commitment to the construction profession and to the University of Florida. Rinker provided the foundation for two young construction professionals who went on to build their careers from the ground up, earn leadership responsibilities through experience, and assume responsibility for guiding one of Florida’s most established construction companies into its next generation. Their professional accomplishments, leadership within the industry, service to the construction community, and commitment to developing future construction professionals reflect the qualities worthy of recognition by the Rinker School Hall of Fame.