Seven outstanding projects built by AGC of California contractors were chosen as winners in the 24th annual Associated General Contractors of California's Constructor Awards program.

The winning projects, along with all of the Constructor Awards finalists named in this year’s competition, were honored as the “best of the best” in California construction during the 2011 Awards Banquet and presentation at The Fairmont, Newport Beach earlier this month. The prestigious black tie event, the “Oscars” evening for the construction industry, was attended by nearly 300 people from top construction firms throughout the state.

In addition to naming the Constructor Awards winners and finalists, AGC of California presented awards to outstanding individuals and recognized projects that demonstrated excellent partnering efforts. AGC presented its annual Contractor Achievement Award to Gary Janco, Executive Vice President of C.C. Myers, Inc. The Award honored Janco’s many years of service and accomplishments in the construction industry, including his active involvement in AGC’s California and Nevada chapters as well as in several labor groups, the Construction Industry Crime Prevention program and more.

Three companies received Excellence in Partnering Awards this year from AGC of California. In the “Projects Under $50 Million” category, Sundt Construction and Administrative Office of the Courts received the award for the Richard E. Arnason Justice Center project. Two project teams received the partnering award in the Projects Over $50 Million category: Hensel Phelps Construction Co. and LAUSD, for the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools; and MCM Construction and Caltrans, for the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Oakland Touchdown Project.

In addition, the AGC Education Foundation presented its 2011 Education Friend Award to William M. Lyles with Lyles Diversified, Inc. Lyles is a recognized leader in the building industry, having served in top roles in many national, state, and local organizations. He serves on the board of directors for the national Associated General Contractors and the California State Chamber of Commerce. Lyles has also served on the board of the Fresno Economic Development Corp. and as a member of the Board of Governors for the California State University, Fresno Foundation. He has been involved in a host of additional community service and other educational related organizations over the years.

The 2011 AGC of California Constructor Award winners and finalists spanned a diverse array of project types from throughout California. Each of the winners received the specially commissioned award – a solid bronze sculpture weighing nearly six pounds and depicting a surveyor with hardhat and transit. The seven winners were chosen from a field of 17 previously announced finalists, all of whom were spotlighted during the awards evening with each team receiving a finalist plaque recognizing their outstanding efforts in construction. Constructor winners and finalists are all AGC members.

Three companies sponsored the 24th Annual AGC of California Constructor Awards program: Caterpillar, Inc./Caterpillar Financial Services, McGraw-Hill Construction, and SeaBright Insurance Co. The Clark Construction Co. – California, LP was the sponsor of the Construction Education Foundation Program and the Achievement Award.

The 2011 Constructor Awards winners and their projects are:

• Excellence in Project Management for Projects $10 Million or Below. Winner: Reyes Construction, Inc., for Seismic Retrofit and Painting of First Avenue Bridge Over Maple Canyon in San Diego. Also selected as finalists in this category were: Herzog Contracting Corp. for SCRRA Metrolink JO112-09 in Los Angeles, and Shimmick Construction Co., Inc. for Muni Misc. Rail Replacement in San Francisco.
• Excellence in Project Management for Projects Over $10 Million. Winner: Hensel Phelps Construction Co. for Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport Terminal Area Improvement Program in San Jose. Also selected as finalists in this category were: Barnhart Balfour Beatty for William B. McLean Laboratory in China Lake, and Clark Construction Group – California, LP for California Independent System Operator Iron Point New Facility in Folsom.
• Innovation in Construction Techniques or Materials. Winner: Ausonio Inc., for Monterey College of Law in Seaside. Also selected as finalists in this category were: Barnhart Balfour Beatty for Wounded Warrior Bachelor Enlisted Quarters at Camp Pendleton, and Valley Slurry Seal Co. for the Santa Monica Airport project in Santa Monica.
• Meeting the Challenge of the Difficult Job – Specialty Contractor Classification. Winner: Dynalectric, for Disney’s California Adventure, World of Color in Anaheim. Also selected as a finalist in this category was Marina Landscape, Inc. for The Elephants of Asia Exhibit, Los Angeles Zoo in Los Angeles.
• Meeting the Challenge of the Difficult Job – Builder. Winner: Clark Construction Group – California, LP, for John Muir Medical Center – Walnut Creek Campus Phase IV Expansion and Remodel Project in Walnut Creek. Also selected as finalists in this category were: Diani Building Corp. for DSS14 Hydrostatic Bearing Replacement in Goldstone, and Hensel Phelps Construction Co. for LAUSD Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools in Los Angeles.
• Meeting the Challenge of the Difficult Job – Heavy Engineering. Winner: Granite Construction Co. for the Truckee River Canyon project from I-80 Truckee River Bridge to Nevada State Line. Also selected as finalists in this category was Atkinson Construction for I-15 Managed Lanes in Escondido from Ninth Ave. to Rt. 15/78 Separation in Escondido.
• Contribution to the Community. Winner: Marina Landscape, Inc., for the Los Angeles Boys & Girls Club, Los Angeles.

This year’s awards judges were Randy Douglas, Awards Committee Chair, Tierra Contracting, Inc.; Mike Mencarini, Awards Committee Vice Chair, Unger Construction Co.; Michael Blach, Blach Construction Co.; Suzanne Blackburn, Hilfiker Retaining Walls; Donald E. Bradley, Esq., Musick, Peeler & Garrett; Dave Garese, Excel Bonds & Insurance Services, Inc.; Christopher Larsen, C.V. Larsen Co. Engineering Contractors; Colleen McHugh, Nor Cal Leavitt Insurance Services; Bill Wallace, Daily Construction Service/Reed Construction Data; Clint Larison, Reyes Construction, Inc.; Allan Wolf, HMH Builders, Inc.; Gus Bruner, Caliagua, Inc.; Rebekah Gladson, Associate Vice Chancellor and Campus Architect, University of California, Irvine/Outside Industry Representative; Jeff Freeman, Nevada DOT (Excellence in Partnering Awards Judge); Phil George, Stimpel-Wiebelhaus Associates (Excellence in Partnering Awards Judge); Chris Hickey, Swinerton Builders (Excellence in Partnering Awards Judge); Ken Solak, Caltrans (Excellence in Partnering Awards Judge); and Tom Henle, Jones, Henle & Schunk, CPAs served as the Official Accountant to the Awards Committee.