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The area has seen a lot of changes in 50 years, but for two Mansfield workers one thing hasn\u2019t changed: their employer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As Trinity Forge lights a candle with a blowtorch to celebrate its 71st year, longtime employees Richard Hughes and Don Moody are toasting 50 years of service with the company.<\/p>\n
Hughes can lay claim to being the first employee in Trinity Forge\u2019s history to achieve 50 years of service, with Moody reaching the same milestone shortly thereafter.<\/p>\n
Trinity Forge recognized the milestone during a special employee celebration on Aug. 25.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOver five decades, Richard and Don have made lasting contributions that have strengthened our organization through periods of growth, change and challenge,\u201d said John Fairbanks, CEO of Trinity Forge. \u201cBoth are valued members of the Trinity team. Their knowledge, dedication and commitment to quality represent the values that have helped Trinity Forge succeed for more than seven decades, and we are incredibly proud to recognize this extraordinary milestone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Founded in 1955, Trinity Forge is a family-owned, Texas-based closed-die forging and precision machining manufacturer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Over the years, the company has grown and evolved<\/a> alongside the industries it serves. The company is now a modern closed-die forging and precision machining manufacturer providing built-to-print metal components for demanding applications across industries including aerospace, agriculture, automotive, defense, mining, oil and gas, power generation, and railway and mass transit.<\/p>\n Hughes joined Trinity Forge directly out of high school in 1976, beginning his career in the forge department along with his father and brothers. At the time, Trinity Forge\u2019s production environment \u2014 with employees working with mechanical board hammers and gas furnaces \u2014 looked considerably different from the advanced manufacturing operation of today.<\/p>\n As Hughes gained experience, he developed a particular interest in the tooling side of the forging business. He eventually worked his way into the die shop, where he served as supervisor for many years and helped oversee a critical part of the company\u2019s manufacturing process.<\/p>\n Hughes later transferred to Trinity Forge\u2019s engineering department, where he works as an engineering technician.<\/p>\n During his five decades with the company, Hughes experienced firsthand the evolution of American forging, from traditional mechanical equipment and labor-intensive processes to modern technology and increasingly sophisticated engineering and quality standards.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I started here out of high school, I never imagined I would be celebrating 50 years,\u201d said Hughes. I\u2019ve seen a tremendous amount of change in our industry and at Trinity, but what has always stood out to me is the people. I\u2019m proud of what we\u2019ve accomplished together and thankful to have been part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Moody\u2019s relationship with Trinity Forge dates back to 1967, when he first joined the company. He later served for two years as a U.S. Army infantry soldier during the Vietnam War.<\/p>\n In his years with Trinity Forge, Moody held a wide range of positions that gave him extensive experience across the company\u2019s manufacturing and quality operations.<\/p>\n He spent many years operating a forging hammer before moving into quality control, becoming one of Trinity Forge\u2019s first quality control inspectors. Moody later served as a forging supervisor, adding leadership and production oversight to his extensive shop-floor experience.<\/p>\n Moody continues to put that knowledge to work as a quality assurance specialist, helping ensure that products shipped by Trinity Forge conform to the company\u2019s quality requirements and customer specifications.<\/p>\n \u201cTrinity Forge has been an important part of my life, and I\u2019m grateful for the opportunities I\u2019ve had here and the people I\u2019ve had the privilege of working with over the years,\u201d said Moody. \u201cI\u2019ve had the chance to work in many different areas of the company, from the forging floor to quality and supervision, and each role has given me a new perspective. I\u2019m proud to see how Trinity has grown and changed, and it means a great deal to be recognized for 50 years of service.\u201d<\/p>\n Retail renaissance?\u00a0<\/p>\n Trademark Property Co., a retail and mixed-use investor, developer and operator had a busy summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n Over a six-week span, Trademark Property closed financing on four development and redevelopment projects across Texas and took over management of Atlantic Station in Atlanta.\u00a0<\/p>\n It was the busiest stretch in the company\u2019s 30-year history, according to Terry Montesi, founder and CEO of Trademark.<\/p>\n \u201cCapital is back, retail vacancy is at the tightest level I\u2019ve seen in decades, and some ground-up projects are breaking ground again,\u201d he said. \u201cAfter the longest drought I\u2019ve seen in this business, we believe this the start of a new retail cycle. Trademark spent the last several years preparing for this moment, and we\u2019re ready to lead.\u201d<\/p>\n Together, the four development and redevelopment projects in Texas are valued at $417 million and total more than 830,000 square feet of retail space.<\/p>\n The timing lines up with a positive shift in the retail real estate market, according to Montesi.\u00a0<\/p>\n Real estate broker JLL said in a recent report that national retail vacancy held at 4.4% in the second quarter, well below the 7.4% historical average. New retail construction remains scarce nationally. Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and Austin areas, home to all four of Trademark\u2019s Texas closings, account for 21% of the current national construction pipeline. And in JLL\u2019s June 2026 U.S. retail report, 48% of investors stated they were interested in investing in new retail development in 2026.\u00a0<\/p>\n In Arlington, Trademark and joint venture partner Harrison Street Asset Management broke ground on Anthem, a $135 million-plus redevelopment of the 43-year-old former Lincoln Square shopping center.\u00a0<\/p>\n In Southlake, Trademark secured financing, with equity from Harrison Street Asset Management, and started construction on Shivers Farm<\/a>, a 40-acre, Whole Foods-anchored mixed-use community that will include 111,000 square feet of retail and a 38,000-square-foot boutique office building.<\/p>\n In Cypress, outside Houston, Trademark and equity partner MetLife Investment Management secured debt financing from PNC Bank for Dunham Pointe, a 202,000-square-foot retail and restaurant district on 25 acres. Construction is underway on the project, with over 60% of the space pre-leased.\u00a0<\/p>\n Notably, Whole Foods Market is anchoring both Dunham Pointe and Shivers Farm, a tenant that investors overwhelmingly selected as their top choice in JLL\u2019s June 2026 U.S. retail report. According to the same report, 81% of investors include grocery-anchored centers in their investment thesis.\u00a0<\/p>\n Invest, y\u2019all\u00a0<\/p>\n The Charles Schwab Corp. has only been a Texas company since 2021, but the now-Westlake-based financial services giant is already sporting a drawl. The firm, which has $13.4 trillion in client assets under management, announced it will begin dual listing its common stock on the Texas Stock Exchange along with its listing on the New York Stock Exchange.\u00a0<\/p>\n Schwab plans to commence trading of its common stock on TXSE on Oct. 7 under the ticker symbol SCHW while maintaining its primary listing on the New York Stock Exchange, where it used the same ticker symbol.\u00a0<\/p>\n Schwab was among the original group of investors in the Texas Stock Exchange.\u00a0<\/p>\n McAdams scores\u00a0<\/p>\n McAdams announced that it has acquired Sports Design Group, adding the McKinney-based dedicated athletic-facility design specialist to its services and boosting the company\u2019s Texas portfolio.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sports Design Group\u2019s experience includes work associated with the Dallas Cowboys Training Facility and Frisco ISD stadium, Lambeau Field, Notre Dame Stadium and the Minnesota Twins\u2019 new stadium, along with several other K-12 facilities in the area.\u00a0<\/p>\n Real estate<\/p>\n Located on nearly 11 acres in west Fort Worth\u2019s Westgate Addition submarket, a 105,182-square-foot shopping center at 1701 S. Cherry Lane in Fort Worth has been acquired by 10 Federal. The property is anchored by Academy Sports + Outdoors alongside The Picklr.\u00a0<\/p>\n The acquisition builds on 10 Federal\u2019s established presence in Tarrant County, where the company already operates seven self-storage facilities in communities including Arlington, Lake Worth, Keller, North Richland Hills and Azle.\u00a0<\/p>\n Do you have news for Bob on Business? Email business editor Bob Francis at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n