“A man’s got to have a code, a creed to live by, no matter his job.”
-John Wayne
Jud “Jack” Stringer, was our fearless leader and inspiration behind starting Tejas Destructors. He was humble, generous, led by example, and truly wanted to see everyone around him shine. Jud passed away on the first day of Spring in 2020 due to complications during open-heart surgery. Although we tragically lost our great leader, we now believe that every day is the first day of Spring – an opportunity to serve by working honestly, diligently, proactively, and gratefully.
Jud lived each day to the fullest, however his definition of that differs greatly from most people's. Living life to the fullest to Jud meant that if he had served his family, his friends, his employees, and his community in at least some way, then he had succeeded. His word was his bond – he believed in handshake agreements. Everyone in the industry knew they could trust him and that they had a friend in him.
Jud founded his own demolition and abatement company in 2007, and had over 25 years of experience in asbestos abatement, demolition, historical restoration, and construction. His company was licensed in asbestos abatement, mold remediation, lead-based paint stabilization and removal,
demolition services, and historical restoration. Jud earned a stellar reputation for completing projects for multiple state and federally owned facilities, major universities and colleges, independent school districts, and privately owned commercial and residential developments.
Jud’s success story is a true “started-from-nothing” story. He started as a laborer and worked his way up to owning his own abatement and demolition company, and succeeding year after year, for 13 years. He was a methodical thinker – he could peel apart a problem in layers, then come up with some of the most favorable solutions; even if he had no experience in whatever he was thinking through. It was marveling how clever and logical of a thinker he was; it made you wish you had just a piece of his brain. Most importantly, he had a tough exterior but a heart of gold. He would give you the shirt off his back, and call everyone he knew that were also willing to pitch in, too.
We are better people, and blessed to have known, learned from, loved, adored, and respected such a beautiful human. We carry his heart with us (we carry it in our hearts and our company).
Tejas Destructors is a Leander, TX based abatement and demolition company, specializing in asbestos abatement, mold remediation, lead-based paint stabilization and removal, and demolition services. We serve a multitude of clients in Texas, including multiple state and federally owned facilities, major universities and colleges, independent school districts, as well as privately-owned commercial and residential developments. We are licensed, bonded, insured, both HUB and WBE certified, and a TIPS Awarded Vendor. We pride ourselves on being one of the few woman-owned construction companies in the state.
Tejas Destructors was formed by two steadfast partners, collectively bringing complimentary experience, and are well-positioned to provide an unparalleled approach to our unique class of construction. Our expertise in estimating, construction, project management, and preconstruction services sets us apart from the competition, and ensures our customers receive high-quality services at a competitive price and in a reasonable time frame. Whether you are an owner, contractor, consultant, tenant, or supplier, you are considered a member of our team and will be treated as such. As the great Phil Jackson said, “the strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”
Although Tejas Destructors is based in Central Texas, we serve all over the great state.
Kelsey Stone | Co-founder
+ CEO
Kelsey concentrates on business development and heads up all office operations for the company. She is a licensed Abatement Worker and OSHA 30 certified. In addition to forming Tejas Destructors, Kelsey co-founded Heading South, a real estate development company, and directs all operations for the firm. Before starting these companies, Kelsey was a Property Manager in Atlanta, GA where she oversaw over 1 million square feet of Class A retail centers for institutional investors. During that time, she developed annual budgets and monthly variance reports, managed service contracts, contracted and managed capital improvement projects, as well as the day-to-day operations for each property. Kelsey graduated from Tarleton State University in 2013 with a BBA degree in Finance.
Alex Boogren | Co-founder + CFO
Alex focuses on the financial actions, business development, and estimating for the company. Additionally, he manages the project schedule, works closely with Owners and Contractors throughout each project, and he is OSHA 30 certified. In addition to forming Tejas Destructors, Alex also co-founded Heading South in 2018, and heads up acquisitions and development for the firm. Prior to starting these companies, Alex was an Associate at a global real estate company in Atlanta, GA where he assisted in the disposition of more than 15,000 hotel rooms totaling over $1 billion. His primary responsibilities included financial underwriting, valuations, preparation of offering materials, legal document review, and assisting in the due diligence process. Alex graduated from Tarleton State University in 2013 with a BBA degree in Finance.
Kelsey and Alex are also co-founders of a land development company based in Austin, Texas. Heading South is committed to delivering quality, longevity, and ingenuity to their projects by prescribing a feasible critical path for each development, with the awareness that excellence isn’t expensive; it’s priceless.
Bert | Chief Spirit Officer
As the company’s Chief Spirit Officer, Bert is responsible for morale and security at the company. When asked what he does, Bert said that his “job is to lay around the office, sleeping and ensuring that all meetings stay on track. I do this by getting up, stretching, and snorting to hint that the meeting has gone long enough and that it’s time to pay attention to me.” Bert is also head of pit watch when we BBQ at the shop, and has earned a stellar reputation for being a fantastic judge of brisket and ribs.