Sam Cottrell, owner of Hos-Cot Builders, Inc. and Hoosick Self Storage, was named to the Rural Builder Hall of Fame at the 2018 Frame Building Expo in Columbus, Ohio, February 15. The Hall of Fame, sponsored by Rural Builder magazine, honors individuals who have helped to grow the post-frame industry. Nominations are made by standing members of the Hall of Fame with the final vote also taken among Hall of Fame members. Rural Builder magazine has overseen the annual process for the past 36 years.
Raised on a farm in Hoosick Falls, Cottrell graduated from Hudson Valley Community College with an Associate Degree in Construction Technology in 1965. He continued in the construction field, joining the U.S. Naval Construction Forces, better known as the Seabees, in 1966, with two tours in Vietnam. After the service Cottrell went to work for the Agway Building Department as a construction supervisor.
He established Hos-Cot Builders Inc. in 1973 with Stuart Hoskins for the purpose of providing construction services to agricultural and commercial markets. This business partnership lasted 40 years until Stuart’s retirement in 2014. But 40 years wasn’t enough for Cottrell who does not plan to retire anytime soon. He says he plans to continue operating Hos-Cot Buildings and Hoosick Self Storage alongside his wife of 49 years, Doris, concentrating on the agricultural market and specializing in design-build of larger dairy complexes.
Cottrell founded Vision Works and Envision Dairy in 2008, serving on the Envision Dairy Board of Directors for nine years. He calls his time milking 550 cows at Envision Dairy as one of his ‘hobbies,’ just as he does his work as a partner in an organic dairy, High Meadows Dairy Farm, established in 2016.
But as well, he enjoys spending time with family, including his son and daughter, Kenneth and Julie, and two grandchildren, Keenan and Cooper. He also makes time for his love of Corvettes, Harley Davidson motorcycles and fishing