During his first year as ENR editor-in-chief, Arthur J. Fox decided to have the magazine each year recognize the individuals who have made significant contributions to the construction industry.

That early effort created the forerunner of ENR's current Newsmakers and was soon expanded to highlight annually one particular person whose achievement deserves special recognition.

The 50 Award of Excellence recipients on the following pages reflect the industry's tremendous diversity and its evolution over the past half-century. Some honorees managed megaprojects, while others supervised the creation of military infrastructure in peacetime or oversaw cleanup of the after-effects of warfare or terrorism.

Several achieved breakthroughs in engineering or helped U.S. firms penetrate new global markets. Some have flushed out corruption or stood up to pressure. Others have pioneered ecological impacts, investigated failures or advanced social issues.

In their various ways, all of them have helped the industry to better serve the public and the nation.