Honoring Legacy, Liberty, and the Future
The Dedication of the Thomas J. Campbell Liberty Center
Jeff, Lynda, and Kevin celebrate the life of their dad and husband.
In Loving Memory of Thomas J. Campbell
This fall marks a defining chapter in the history of ABC Southeastern Michigan—one that bridges our past, our purpose, and our promise to future generations.
When ABC SEMI and SEMCA purchased their new Sterling Heights headquarters earlier this year, the vision extended far beyond a new address. Leaders set out to create a space that would serve as both a gathering place and a lasting reflection of the organization’s values—a space rooted in the belief that the greatness of America lies in freedom, liberty, and opportunity.
The result is the Thomas J. Campbell Liberty Center, a place that embodies the very ideals ABC was founded on. Within these walls, members and partners will come together to advance the principles of free enterprise, open competition, and the merit shop philosophy.
At the heart of the Liberty Center’s purpose is education. The space will serve as a home for learning, collaboration, and inspiration—a hub for the advancement of skilled trades and leadership development in Southeast Michigan. A quote from Founding Father James Madison, displayed prominently outside the Center, captures its guiding spirit: “The advancement and diffusion of knowledge is the only guardian of true liberty.”
Those words remind us that knowledge is not only power—it is the safeguard of freedom itself. The Liberty Center bears the name of Thomas J. Campbell, a man whose life and leadership left a lasting mark on ABC SEMI and the greater construction community.
An inside look into the magnificence of the Thomas J. Campbell Liberty Center.
Tom Campbell was known for his quiet strength—a man of few words, but when he spoke, his conviction carried great weight. Earlier this spring, during an ABC Board discussion about the new headquarters, Tom encouraged his peers to invest boldly in a space that reflected ABC’s mission—a place members could be proud of as they worked to protect the principles of free enterprise and the merit shop.
Just days later, Tom passed away unexpectedly. His words and spirit, however, continued to shape the vision that became the Liberty Center. In the months that followed, Tom’s family—his wife Lynda and sons Jeff, Kyle, and Kevin—sought a way to honor his legacy. Through their generosity, they made a significant contribution to dedicate this space in his name, ensuring that his belief in faith, family, and freedom would endure.
“My dad would be so proud of what’s been built here to support the industry,” said Jeff Campbell, Tom’s son. “He truly believed in ABC’s mission and carried those values into everything he did with Campbell Industrial Contractors and later Oakdale Equipment. I miss him every day, and it means a lot to see his legacy live on in a place he cared so much about.”
Tom’s story is one of craftsmanship, leadership, and integrity. Over five decades, he built both homes and businesses with his own hands, working first alongside his father and later his sons. For more than 30 years, he was a devoted member of ABC SEMI, serving over a decade on the Board of Directors and championing the cause of the merit shop.
His passion for building extended beyond the job site—to scouting, to the outdoors, and to the next generation of tradesmen and women who would carry forward his ideals. The dedication of the Thomas J. Campbell Liberty Center is more than a ceremonial milestone—it is a living reminder of what ABC stands for and the values that guide its members.
As the next generation gathers in this space—to learn, to lead, and to shape the future of construction —they do so in the spirit of liberty that Tom Campbell so deeply believed in. His legacy now lives on, not only in the structures he built, but in the freedoms and opportunities this Center represents.
Tom’s wife, Lynda Campbell officially opens the Thomas J. Campbell Liberty Center on October 9th.
