George P. Cullum, Sr.*
Class of 1974
- Founder and Chairman of the Board Cullum Construction Company
We nearly lost everything in the Depression, but through innovative ideas and hard work, we made our business a success.
George P. Cullum Sr., was born in 1895 into a large, poor family. He completed his education in the tenth grade. To help support himself and his family, he held a variety of odd jobs, including delivering groceries, digging ditches, driving mules, and reading meters.
During his early married life, Cullum and his wife traded cows and calves and remodeled and sold houses for a living. In 1922, he entered the construction field with his brother, W. G. Cullum. The Great Depression left them deeply in debt. However, Cullum was a great innovator; through his ideas and hard work, they were able to overcome their losses and save their customers money at the same time.
Cullum served his community as a member of the Rotary Club and as a trustee and member of the board of governors of Southern Methodist University. He supported his church, the County Home for Boys, and the Texas Society for Crippled Children and Adults.