Teichert, the Sacramento-based construction, materials, equipment and development company, has been named California Construction�s 2010 Contractor of the Year for its commitment to safety and giving back while working to improve California�s vital infrastructure.

“I am honored,” says Teichert President, chairman and CEO Jud Riggs.

Judges considered contractors operating within California based on their records of excellence in three general categories:

• Business Leadership -- including the companies’ overall growth, major project starts, innovative business practices, and recognition within the construction industry as a whole.

• Investment in People – including safety records and investments in safety programs, training, and other employee-oriented policies.

• Community/Industry Involvement/Leadership – including such efforts as community outreach initiatives, charitable programs, and staff leadership in trade groups and other organizations.

Teichert, which holds the oldest active contractor’s licenses in the state, #8, has a long history of excelling in all of these areas.

The company namesake, Adolph Teichert, immigrated to New York from Germany in 1866. He worked for the California Artificial Stone Paving Co. in the 1870s on landmark projects in Golden Gate Park and on the sidewalks around the State Capitol in Sacramento. In 1887, he started his own company, A. Teichert & Son, Inc., with the help of his son, Adolph, Jr. They were two of the founding members of the Northern California Contractors Association – the precursor to the Northern California chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America. Adolph’s grandson Henry Teichert took the reins from the end of World War II until he retired in 1980, when he passed control to his brother-in-law Louis Riggs and in 2000, Riggs’ son, Jud Riggs became president.

The company now consists of five divisions: Teichert Construction, Teichert Materials (one of the largest aggregate suppliers in the country), Teichert Readymix, and Teichert Precast for underground utilities, and Angelo Utilities (electrical, gas, telephone and cable installation). Teichert also includes Teichert Land Co., also known as StoneBridge Properties, which is in the process of turning a former gravel mine in the Power Inn area of Sacramento into an urban farm-centered planned community.

Teichert’s work is the foundation of many of the projects California Construction features each issue. Teichert Construction has built hundreds of thousands of miles of roads, sidewalks, freeways, curbs, utility trenches and gutters. The distinctive bright green Teichert trucks have paved the way, doing the earthwork, installing underground utilities and roadwork for everything from the Shingle Springs Rancheria Foothill Oaks Casino to the Mercy Medical Center in Merced.

“In 2009, we did a lot of public works projects for state and local government,” says Jud Riggs.

The company was active all along Interstate-80, working for Caltrans, widening and replacing bridges at Soda Springs in Tahoe, Sierra College Boulevard Interchange in Rocklin, and clearing out the bottleneck at Eureka Road in Roseville. The state projects and extensive levee work in Sacramento’s Natomas area included an influx of stimulus funds. Over the years, Teichert has worked with public and private owners, including McCarthy Building Cos. (last year’s Contractor of the Year), Trimark and Shea Homes.

Since Henry Teichert instituted the company’s first safety program in 1959, employee wellbeing has remained a major focus. Teichert’s Construction Industry Institute gives classes on appropriate staffing, training, injury reporting and drug and alcohol testing. The “zero injury” safety culture philosophy extends to Teichert Aggregate’s mining operations where OSHA recordable incidents are well below average.

Henry’s son, Fred Teichert, has carried on the community commitment by leading the Teichert Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to building and preserving a healthy and prosperous region. In 2009 alone, Teichert Foundation grants went to the American Cancer Society, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Crocker Art Museum Association, Habitat for Humanity, Great Valley Center, Junior League, March of Dimes, St. John’s Shelter for Women and Children, and YMCA.

One of the recipients that the foundation has supported over the years is the Teichert Branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento. The facility in a low-income area of South Sacramento opens its doors to more than 400 children each day to study, play games, create art projects and make new friends in a positive environment. An employee matching gift program makes every employee a part of the community outreach and leverages their commitments.

“In 2009, we emphasized supporting the basics of a social safety net in the communities we serve,” says Riggs.

Another ongoing commitment is to the environment. The company has won numerous awards over the years, including Business of the Year from the Sacramento Metro Chamber for its clean mobile fleet, from the Business Environmental Resource Center and the Business Clean Air Award from the American Lung Association. The company plants 2,000 native plants each year for reclamation, mitigation or landscaping. The company has invested in low-emission equipment and vehicles and enforces strict start-up and shut-down procedures for diesel engines to limit idling.

“McGraw-Hill Construction’s Regional Publications’ Contractor of the Year recognition is our way of honoring companies who go above and beyond,” says Robert Carlsen, managing editor of California Construction. “Teichert stood out because of its commitment to a greener and more child-friendly community.”