Jeff Howell
With B&B 1994-’97; 2008
On May 17th, 2008, the prodigal son returned to B&B Welding. Jeff Howell — seasoned welder, proud son of Dundalk, and trophy shark fisherman — grew up in a neighborhood of Sparrows Point welders. His father welded up at the Point. His grandfather welded beside Pop McCartney, B&B’s founder. And the young Jeff grew up across the street from Dennis and Peggy McCartney. So, it was only natural for him to walk into B&B, pass the vertical weld test, and join the team.
From 1994 to ’97, Jeff Howell was a quintessential B&B guy. He loved the B&B camaraderie and especially the fishing. But he grew restless. And, he admits, sometimes he and Dennis sparred. “I rode him pretty good back then,” Dennis says. In ’97, Jeff left. He found work in other Baltimore shops and then in Ocean City — closer to the fishing. In 2003, he took first place in the White Marlin Tournament, pulling in the biggest wahoo.
But over the years, he stayed close to the guys. After a day out on the Bay, he’d drop a rockfish off at Sam’s place. He kept in touch. And it began to down on him: he could go back.
Eleven years later, he returned to a shop that has dramatically changed. More CNC equipment, greater quality control and a shop that’s become employee owned. Jeff laughs thinking back to the old B&B: “It used to be old school here,” he says. “We unloaded steel with pry bars. Now, it’s a shop that scans and tags every piece of steel.”
“I made a huge mistake leaving,” he says. “I could be a part-owner. I’d have a huge 401k. I should have stayed right here.”
In this parable of the prodigal son, the homecoming couldn’t have been more auspicious. On Jeff’s first day back, he helped to install the 9’x 24’ Dundalk Heritage Sculpture on the CSX train bridge that crosses the street running through his hometown. “I was really proud to be part of that,” he says. “We even made the front page of the Dundalk Eagle.”
He remembers his first day back vividly: “Dennis looked up at me and said, “Well, you’ve been with all the rest, now you’re back with the best.”
updated 2009
