There are a lot of places Kenny Tims could have placed his business headquarters, KT Maintenance, in Port Arthur, but he decided to build downtown.

The reason is simple — Tims said he has a heart for Port Arthur and wanted to be in a location where he could hire more local people and do the most good.

“Local industry has been good to us and in return, we bring growth back into the community,” Tims said. “We’re a catalyst to put the untrained to work and it’s like a partnership with them (industry and untrained labor). And we’re growing on that foundation. It’s a mutual trust and faith in us.”

As a result of that growth and trust Tims has fostered, KT Maintenance was named The Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year. Tims said he was “speechless” about receiving the award.

“We trained over 1,000 people in one year. We offer real competitive pricing and give employees good wages. In fact, we created a pool of labor we hope to call back,” he said.

Tims never set out to become a contractor or to own his own business. He decided, however, to begin his construction company because he saw too many workers show up for the job, and not get in, or businesses would let them go for no reason. Tims decided to do something about it.

Many employees are fresh out of high school and never set foot in a plant, so in return they receive intensive basic training.

“I get up everyday with excitement to employ a local person, and to think, where once they had to ride a bicycle, they can now drive a car. Or they were homeless and now they have a home. I have joy every morning — helping someone get their foot in the door who wouldn’t have the opportunity,” he said.

Tims began working for Livingston Shipyard of Orange in 1971. He worked there for 17 years until he began working at FINA, Texaco and Gulf refineries as a boilermaker and welder. His last job was at Mobil Refinery in Beaumont. He left with his last paycheck from Breaux Brothers Contractors and began his company in 1993.

He began as a fabricator at Mobil and then went back to FINA where he was mentored. KT Maintenance was incorporated in 2001 with three employees. They last counted over 800 employees in 2007 with projects at Motiva and Valero.

Tims said industries took a chance on him and trusted him to do the job in the early days of the company. He proved he could do quality work, on time and on budget, so they continued to hire his company for projects.

Carolyn Motl of TEAM City Entergy Texas Economic Development is on the Small Business of the Year nominating committee and said though they received many nominations for Port Arthur businesses, what set KT Maintenance apart was that they’re a growing business creating a number of jobs.

Also, Tims is active giving back to the community through the chamber with endeavors such as sponsoring Little League and youth soccer.

“Overall, it was the whole aspect of growth, providing jobs and giving back to the community, plus the key criteria (for being nominated) was met,” Motl said.

Conrad Cooper also sits on the nominating committee and heads the Lamar State College -Port Arthur Small Business Development Center. He said KT Maintenance is an actual local Port Arthur business that has invested in downtown Port Arthur.