Austin recognized by AGC of America
2008 Aon Build America Construction Award
Austin Bridge & Road was recognized by the Associated General Contractors (AGC) of America for construction excellence on the SH 45, Section 8, project in the Heavy Highway-New Construction division. Items of evaluation by the judging panel included the project and its team’s ability to meet and overcome the challenges of a difficult job, excellence in project management, use of innovative construction techniques, use of state-of-the-art advancements, excellence in client services, sensitivity to the environment and surroundings, and contributions to the community. The project was compared to heavy highway projects across the nation and proved to dominate in its field.
“The project was touched by hundreds of Austin Bridge & Road employee-owners, and we felt extremely grateful to be able to represent all of them at the awards ceremony,” said Mike Brown, project manager. “We can look back on the past four years with wonder and amazement at what we were able to accomplish as a team. We are happy to be able to celebrate this project as a success for Austin as a whole.”, “This award is for the great job done by all the employee-owners who worked so hard to build a high quality project with a very demanding schedule,” said John Shine, regional manager. “I really appreciate the effort and sacrifices, and it’s nice to be recognized on a national level for such an outstanding job. I am very proud of what we accomplished.”
The awards ceremony was held in Las Vegas. The festivities included dinner, live entertainment and dancing after the awards ceremony. Fourteen ‘I Beam’ awards were handed out, which included a brief description and a slide show of pictures for each project. “As recipients of the 2008 Aon Build America Construction Award, we feel pride as members of this organization,” said Brown. “We are grateful to receive recognition from our peers across the nation for our efforts to safely construct this difficult project in record time. As ‘I Beam’ award recipients, Austin is being recognized as an exceptional contractor on a national stage. Being able to go to the AGC National Convention in Las Vegas and to receive the award was a wonderful experience. We want to thank the leadership of Austin Bridge & Road for making this trip possible.”
“It was a great moment for me as an employee-owner, to be up there on that stage while Austin was being recognized as one of the best bridge and road contractors in the country,” said Robert Vallejo, superintendent. “I would like to thank all of the employee-owners who worked long hours on this job to make it happen. It was truly a team effort. I also want to thank the management for all their support throughout the project. I am proud to be an employee-owner, and I hope all others are, too.”