Billy is the Founder of Fab II.  He bought a welder and other equipment, and started building columns and ‘buckets’ (truss hangers) out of his garage.  Welding was his business, and business was good!  He grew the business quickly, and after 16 years and a few locations later,  Rich Chalupsky and Thomas Linn got the opportunity to purchase the business.  Billy was led, somewhat reluctantly, into retirement with the lovely Eileen,  but he still stops in to make sure we haven’t wrecked the place yet…

We are very proud to carry on his traditions.  He most important advice to us-  “Southwest Florida is a bunch of good old regular folks.  You take care of them, and have pride in what you do, and they will take care of you.” 

Thomas has known since adolescence that he was going to be a fabricator and/or work in the construction industry, own his own shop, and work with clients to make their dreams become reality. After excelling in academics and athletics at Hibbing High School in Northern Minnesota, he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in Engineering Technology through the University of Minnesota and Bemidji State University. Following his tenure at a large civil construction company, he partnered with his father-in-law, moved to sunny Southwest Florida, and got to work. Now, as Director of Operations and our resident General Contractor, he spends most of his time in the office managing projects, performing take-offs, and creating: cut-lists, CAD Drawings, and estimates, but will always burn some wire, or go on an install, once he’s caught up.

Attentive and Easy-Going; Give him a call to see how Fab II can aid with your project.

Kurtis, our soft spoken Nebraskan, is quite simply what it says on his card- STEEL. This monster rips through steel at a faster pace then we can feed it to him. It doesn’t matter how big the beam is, or how many columns in the order, it will be out the door and onto the next. On site, he is the Captain, whether he likes/admits it or not, and ensures installs are performed correctly and safely.
He claims he doesn’t remember much from high school, but everything his Pa taught him since he was “knee high to a grasshopper.” That’s where his life as a welder began, ‘burning rod on the farm.’
20 years have passed. His first professional welding was for the Egging Company in Nebraska, in production of parts for heavy equipment- Caterpillar being their largest contract.

His certifications have included D11 GMAW spray and FCAW.
Being Fab II’s longest tenured employee, We can only hope this remains his home.

“Blue” has been working at fabrication for many years. Some of his big steel projects locally include Hertz Arena and Lee County Civic Center. John also spent several COLD winters working the Williston oil boom up in North Dakota. Now, he is finding his tender side and running TIG on all of our aluminum projects.

Quick with a laugh, but painstakingly patient with the torch, and we could not be more pleased.

Rich is the luckiest guy of the group. Taught to be a tin-bender, carpenter, plumber and appliance repairman by his grandfather, Paul T. Schenck, and after 25 long and hard years in the restaurant industry with ownership in 5 different restaurants, he and his wife Rachael decided it was time to get down to Fort Myers!
They often thought they would retire here, and eventually realized “they could work that much anywhere!”. With that mindset, Rachael started researching businesses and found FAB II. With a hard working welder already in the family, a quick visit with Billy and Eileen, and they were SOLD.
Now, Rich is CEO, head of advertising, sheet-metal AND shop maintenance.

By all accounts, he’s probably the happiest man in Florida- contact him ANYTIME!

Great depression survivor,  World war 2 Veteran, inventor, self taught engineer,  traveling salesman, gas man,  sheet-metal specialist, and most important,  the smartest, humblest man anyone ever met,  and grandfather.

Life threw absolutely everything it could at him, and at all times he remained a gentleman, patient and kind.   He was enrolled in University when the war started, and immediately fell in love when he returned, and created his legacy- our family.

The mind of an educator and mechanical genius,  but  ALWAYS a loving father and grandfather,  who made time for all of us- children, cousins, near relatives, and friends…

Rich knew him very well,  and I can honestly say this-   the Presidential Coin he received, the Letter of Service, the accolades of being on an Honor Flight,  did not mean nearly as much to him as the hug he would receive whenever he entered a room,  or said goodbye.  A Man of Love to the end.

It is in his name that we proudly carry his motto… PERFECTION IS GOOD ENOUGH.’