About Us

The Company History

Johnny B. Ezell began building homes in Lawrence in 1964—the same year Lyndon Johnson defeated Barry Goldwater. Johnny was elected as the first President of the Lawrence Home Builders Association. His friends used to call him, “Easy Money” because of his Midas touch. Johnny's philosophy was to give the customer the best possible product for the lowest possible price. He did no advertising, and used no gimmicks. He was respected for his fairness and honesty. His customers knew they were getting the most their money could buy.

Ezell-Morgan endeavors to maintain this philosophy which is reflected in our emphasis on energy efficiency. After nearly five decades, many of Johnny's original subcontractors and suppliers continue to work with Ezell-Morgan Construction and have been instrumental in our company's success. Ezell-Morgan Construction was founded in 1991.

The Partners

Johnny’s sons Neal and Brian each grew up with hammers in their hands and started helping out on the job at an early age. Larry Morgan also has been involved in the construction industry for most of his life. Each of the partners has experience and talents that overlap to complement each other and form a well-rounded team.

Neal Ezell

Neal has worked for several different contractors in Lawrence as a framing or finishing carpenter and job superintendent after high school. He attended KU while continuing to work in construction during the summers. In December 1988, he received a BS in Engineering Physics. While studying for his MS in Electrical Engineering, Neal was hired by the Rockwell Shuttle Operations Company at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where he worked for two and a half years. Neal returned to Lawrence in 1992.

Neal teaches continuing education classes on building codes for contractors and building codes officials in the greater Kansas City area. He is currently serving his second term on the Building Code Board of Appeals for the city of Lawrence. He also serves on the Energy Efficiency Building Codes Working Group for the Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) where his knowledge of current building codes and building science impacts statewide policies. He is a past President of the Lawrence Home Builders Association.

Brian Ezell

Brian has worked as a finish carpenter for several different contractors in Lawrence from 1983 through 1991. During that time he also gained experience as a job superintendent for J.B. Ezell Construction.

Brian spends most of his time in the field supervising everything past the foundation stage. The ENERGY STAR label demands close attention to detail and the use of some unique methods at many stages of construction. Brian’s close supervision and knowledge of the ENERGY STAR guidelines is vital.

Brian’s is in charge of scheduling the bulk of the work on all the jobs which may be as many as 10-15 at a time. The old adage, “Time is money”, was never more true than in construction. He is well respected by our subcontractors who benefit greatly from his organizational skills.

Larry Morgan

Larry spent six years as a foreman and superintendent in commercial construction and two years in the army. He worked as a concrete contractor in Lawrence for over 40 years. Larry understands the unique properties concrete must have to survive in our mixed climate. Over the years he has earned an impeccable reputation for the quality and durability of his work. Ezell-Morgan uses the concrete mix designs and placement methods that he has refined over his career.

Larry’s area of expertise extends into site preparation and the foundation. These are the two areas in construction that are potentially the most costly and unpredictable and, therefore, demand the utmost attention and planning.

The Subcontractors

Ezell-Morgan strives to maintain long term relationships with quality-conscious, stable, and dependable subcontractors who are the best in their field and will stand behind their work. We try to provide our subs with a steady supply of work year around and maintain a consistent level of quality. Most importantly, we respect our subcontractors and pay them on time. In recent years we have demanded that our subs significantly relearn their trades. Methods that they may have been using for years are no longer sufficient to pass the stringent requirements of ENERGY STAR. Some of the subs have worked for Ezell-Morgan or J.B. Ezell for over 45 years.