Tellepsen Builders - Second Generation Tellepsen

Second Generation Tellepsen

Tom’s son, Howard Tellepsen, became president of the Tellepsen Construction Company in 1940. In the 1940s and 1950s in Houston the Tellepsen Construction Company was awarded many projects that have become Houston landmarks, such as Ellington Field, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, the Texas Children’s Hospital, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, the Falcon Dam and the Melrose Building. The company was involved with the construction of the Shamrock Hotel. At the time of the hotel’s grand opening on St. Patrick’s Day, 1949, it was the largest hotel in the United States.

During Howard’s tenure, he served as president of the Houston County Chamber of Commerce and was the youngest ever chairman of the Houston Ship Channel (now Port Authority). Howard was a board member for the Texas A&M Research Foundation, served on the chair and the board of the Texas State Board of Hospitals, and was the fundraising chairman for Houston’s United Way, overseeing a time when more than 100% of United Way fundraising goals were met.