ENR's Top 25 Newsmakers 2020
Inventing new technologies. Dreaming up more efficient processes. Solving seemingly insurmountable challenges. Saving businesses—and lives—during the pandemic. These are just a few of the accomplishments for which ENR’s Newsmakers have received accolades as they improve the construction industry and benefit the public.
Based on stories, videos, webinars and other content published in ENR online or in print during 2020, the 25 outstanding individuals listed below were chosen by the editors of ENR for their newsmaking achievements.
In addition, a special group recognition this year goes to industry workers—in the field and in the office, working masked, distanced and remotely—who have persevered during the pandemic to get the job done and keep their organizations functioning and growing. Read more about about workers here.
Among the 2020 newsmakers featured below, one individual has been chosen to receive the Award of Excellence, ENR’s highest honor. That yet-to-be-revealed person, and all of the newsmakers, will be recognized at a virtual gala on April 8. Visit enr.com/aoe to register. We hope you will join us!
Jamey Barbas
Refining a collaborative and innovative solution that accelerated repairs of a crucial subway tunnel
Justin Barton
Engineer of innovative sports structures led team that delivered first large-scale use of woven PTFE laminate mesh at Allianz Field
Pamela Conrad
Laying the groundwork for all landscape architects to design sites that give back to the environment
Matthew Eby
Providing vision and direction for a comprehensive flood model serving a variety of needs
Robbie Ferris
Architect and developer persisted to deliver a rural North Carolina county with a needed K-12 school at an ultra-low cost
Cliff Fetner
Conceiving a solution that streamlines the exchange of construction materials
Frank Giunta
Free webinars on coronavirus attracted top-tier participants to discuss the unknown ramifi cations of COVID-19 on industry
Tim Gokhman
Fired up to develop the nation’s first mass-timber tower—the 284-ft-tall Ascent in Milwaukee
Badri Hiriyur
Developing AI-based visual-analysis tool for facade inspections, changing how buildings are maintained
Monzer Hourani
Filter that zaps the coronavirus and other airborne pathogens goes from brainstorm to deployment in warp speed
Randell “Randy” Iwasaki
Leading transportation agencies in pushing technology and partnerships
William Kell
Cast-in-place concrete exoskeleton gives 87-story condo tower above the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan a distinctive profile
Greg Knutson
Bringing coherence to a mind-blowing 4D constructibility puzzle for an unprecedented Seattle arena rebuild
Claudio Lautizi
Assembling team and managing lightning-fast rebuild of Italy’s Genoa bridge, which collapsed in 2018
Eric Law
Using a mix of cutting-edge robotics, reality capture and data analysis to better document work progress on construction sites
Kevin Mahoney
Penn Medicine’s CEO pushed his team to complete parts of a $1.5-billion hospital 15 months early to increase capacity for COVID-19 patients
Thomas J. McGuinness
Transportation veteran applies his know-how to help a $2.6-billion rail project become a model for work in New York state
Todd Miller
Proving a novel collaborative design-build model by leading the successful overhaul of the landmark Portland Building
Ileana Rodriguez
Industry consultant seeks to improve lives by pushing better accessibility design for all public places
Paul Schwer
Masterminding the world’s largest, most sustainable and most quake-resilient Living office building
Todd Semonite
Commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers led COVID-19 alternate care facility response
Jennifer Todd
Young contractor CEO rises above past exclusion to elevate, through words and actions, construction’s need to reach deeper for talent
Bob Vincent
Thinking outside the ‘jewel box’ to renovate and expand views at Seattle’s Space Needle
Martin J. Walsh
The first mayor of a major city to halt construction after the COVID-19 outbreak is President Joe Biden’s pick for Labor chief
James White
Developer exec borrows bridge building technique to expedite high-rise building in New York City, and elsewhere
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