Becoming a successful Entrepreneur, the great American dream. Most people at some time in their lives participate in the fantasy of forging their own destiny. However, very few people develop a plan, calculate their moves, set it in motion, and realize their potential. Bruce and Babs Box, the founders of Industrial Corrosion Control, Inc., took this path and have developed their company into a Marine, Industrial, and Commercial Coatings Industry leader in the Gulf Coast Region with visions of continued growth.

The blend of talents that Bruce and Babs bring to the company is perfect for a successful business relationship. Bruce has been in the coatings industry for his entire adult working experience. Ingalls Shipbuilding hired him in the 70's as a painter. He quickly progressed into leadership capacities while working under the most demanding customer requirements - The United States Government. His talents were quickly recognized as he accepted positions heading paint departments at McDermott Shipbuilding and Paceco Manufacturing during the early 80's. Meanwhile, Babs was developing her own reputation in the finance world. She held a variety of positions at a local financial corporation. This union of coatings experience and financial expertise proves to this day to be a valuable business arrangement.

While working full time for others, they slowly became self sufficient by performing small painting tasks with a very limited budget and resources. These tasks were small in nature but high in quality. The demand for quality quickly became evident as their positive reputation and experience grew. It grew so rapidly with continual service requests that it became obvious; the Mississippi Gulf Coast was in need of a quality-painting contractor. By 1986, the work availability was such that Bruce and Babs decided to officially open Industrial Corrosion Control, Inc. known as ICCI.

The beginning was based on the high level of experience Bruce had in Marine and Industrial Coatings. For the first several years of operation, the projects included the surface preparation and coating of barges, boats, machinery, and industrial equipment. This work was relative to their capabilities with regard to limited resources and available manpower. Work was only accepted if it could be performed without compromising quality. Most of the work was performed at the customers' facilities, due to the company operating from a rented, one room office. This changed when the company purchased a three-acre parcel adjoining the rental property. This property became the first substantial asset and opened the door for growth. The growth was a part of the conceptual plan. Part of it consisted of acquiring the property that now houses the corporate headquarters and building the infrastructure that is necessary to support the growth.

When Gaming was introduced to Mississippi in 1993 a market change occurred. Structural steel and marine portions of projects were being included in the bid packages for the commercial portions. To adapt to these changes, ICCI formed a Commercial Division. To build an understanding of the new market and gain experience, the bulk of the first few projects were completed under subcontract arrangements with Freeman Painting. As fate would have it, Freeman Painting became available for purchase in 1995 and ICCI was able to make the procurement. The purchase included the hiring of all key employees and management. The Division was solidified by their experience. With this expansion of the Commercial Division, ICCI was capable of targeting the larger commercial projects such as high-rise hotels and casinos.

With the completion of several gaming oriented projects, ICCI developed a strong reputation in the industry. ICCI is now known for providing quality painting, installing elaborate wall coverings, performing specialized faux finishing, applying textured wall finishes as well as providing master craftsmen in the art of wood staining. The ability to perform this type of work has opened the market for maintenance and upgrading of the many facilities on the Gulf Coast.

The Boxes have proven to be visionary business owners. Their approach of providing only first-rate products, which are accomplished by high quality craftsmen and supported by seasoned professionals, symbolize what they stand for. Their efforts have received praises from all phases of construction ranging from the Architectural firms, the General Contracting companies to the end customers. For example: One project completed was the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center, the first interactive children's museum in the state of Mississippi. The Mississippi Association Builders and Contractors (ABC) recognized it for being the best painting project in the state for 1998 and second best nationally.

Even with all of the attention toward developing the new Commercial Division, the Marine and Industrial Divisions continued to be a driving force along the Gulf Coast area. ICCI has been contracted to complete many projects including: Intricate barge tank linings, chemical plant preventative maintenance, drilling rig painting, Corp. of Engineer lock and dam rehabilitation, elevated water tank renovations and flame spray metalizing. These divisions were the cornerstone of the company and continue to be an integral part of ICCI's success.

We have continued to operate under the fundamental belief that, through hard work, all of the successes in life are possible as long as the age-old laws of integrity are upheld. This philosophy has fostered many relationships, both internal and external, that will last a lifetime. It is what people have come to expect from this organization built by Bruce and Babs Box.