John Boyer got his start in construction in the late 1970s, working sunup to sundown installing field tile alongside his father while still in high school. The business, B&T Drainage, was small but driven by a clear mission: “Do the job right and enjoy it while you’re at it.”
Over the years, that simple mindset has helped grow the company into a go-to contractor for tough municipal underground utility and directional drilling jobs — the kind most crews try to avoid.
Based in Illinois, B&T Drainage now owns around 60 pieces of equipment and specializes in large-diameter drilling, including a memorable bore under the Illinois River. It was named one of 12 finalists for Equipment World’s 2025 Contractor of the Year Award.
Boyer credits the company’s success to investing back into equipment, adopting new technology early and building a crew that shares his drive to do things right the first time.
In the video above, Boyer talks about growing up in the business, how the company’s willingness to take on difficult work has fueled its growth, and how investing in the right tools has kept his team moving forward.
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