IWR North America Keystone Award Winner
The Associated General Contractors of Missouri (AGCMO) announced the winners of its 2022 Keystone construction industry awards at a 25th anniversary dinner event held at the River City Casino Hotel. The awards ceremony featured Tom Ackerman, KMOX Radio sports director as emcee for the program showcasing the creativity and talents of Missouri’s construction industry. AGCMO also celebrated First Place Specialty Contractors in 12 disciplines and named a Specialty Contractor of the Year.
Eight First Place Keystone Awards were presented to contractors on projects ranging from a new retail/food venue, historic renovation, park enhancement and not-for-profit housing to a major highway project, medical research facility and manufacturing plant. A major city rail/transit project and highway interchanges spanning two states, built by AGCMO members, also were honored.
Keystone Project of the Year winners for building construction included: Integrate Construction Partners for The Food Hall at City Foundry STL by New + Found; Tarlton Corporation for StarWood Group’s 900 N. Tucker Historic Renovation (former St. Louis Post-Dispatch Building) in downtown St. Louis; and PARIC Corporation’s Tenant Fit-Out Project for the Delmar DivINE Charitable Foundation in midtown St. Louis. Additional winners in the building construction category included Guarantee Electrical Company’s Nestlé Bloomfield, MO Expansion for Nestlé Purina PetCare Co. and IWR North America for its work on the NextGen Precision Health Institute at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Keystone Project of the Year winner for highway & transportation construction went to Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc. for the Arkansas Department of Transportation’s new Highway 71 Interchange in northwest Arkansas, known as the Bella Vista Bypass. Keeley Construction took home Keystone first place honors in the utility infrastructure category for its restoration of the (formerly) hidden East Stream in St. Louis’ Tower Grove Park.
The Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project by Mid-Coast Transit Constructors for the San Diego, CA Association of Governments captured first place in the national class category, recognizing projects beyond Missouri and its eight contiguous states.
“Because of the independent voting method and credentials of our esteemed panel of judges, the Keystone Awards have become a matter of pride and prestige for our Keystone winners and finalists over the past 25 years,” said Leonard Toenjes, CAE, AGCMO’s president. “Both the winners and finalists proudly display their Keystone prizes in prominent places in their businesses. The Keystones recognize construction professionals whose skill, teamwork and innovation overcome challenges, deploy technology and innovation, and often exceed expectations – all while keeping safety, workforce diversity & inclusion, budgets and schedules in mind. The projects honored last night mark the ‘best of our best’.”
The Construction Keystone Awards were judged by a panel of experts that included Shawnna Erter, P.E., D.GE, F.ASCE, vice-president, SCI Engineering, Inc., representing the American Council of Engineering Companies – Missouri; Dennis Voss of Golterman and Sabo, Inc., representing the American Subcontractors Association (ASA-Midwest); Erik Biggs, Verve Design Studio, representing the US Green Building Council – Missouri Gateway Chapter; Melissa Harlan, Kiku Obata & Company, representing the American Institute of Architects -St. Louis Chapter; and
Eric Showalter, Ph.D., P.E., LEED AP, Missouri S & T, representing Institutes of Higher Learning.
Specialty Contractor of the Year Awards
The AGC of Missouri also presented 12 Specialty Contractor of the Year (SCOTY) Awards to Specialty Contractors voted “First Place” in their discipline by the general contractor members of AGCMO. The general contractor members were asked to consider a specialty contractor’s timeliness in regard to completion of project(s), ability to stay within budget and their overall experience with the specialty contractor. The 12 First Place Specialty Contractor of the Year (SCOTY) award winners are: Goedecke Co., Inc. (Ancillary Services); Vee-Jay Cement Contracting Co., Inc. (Concrete / Paving); Budrovich Excavating & Contracting (Earthwork & Utilities); Guarantee Electrical Company (Electrical); Hayden Wrecking Corporation (Environmental Remediation & Demolition); TJ Wies Contracting, Inc. (Int. & Ext. Finishes, Openings & Fixtures); icon Mechanical Construction & Engineering, LLC (HVAC / Piping); Heitkamp Masonry, Inc. (Masonry); Boyer Fire Protection (Plumbing & Fire Protection); BAM Contracting, LLC (Structural & Finish Carpentry); ACME Erectors, Inc. (Structural & Finish Metals); and Western Specialty Contractors (Thermal & Moisture Protection).
The Specialty Contractor receiving the most votes by general contractors also was presented with the Specialty Contractor of the Year award. This distinction was awarded to ACME Erectors, Inc.
A 10-time SCOTY Award winner in the Structural and Finish Metals discipline, this is the first time ACME was voted the outstanding overall subcontractor by the general contractors.
The Associated General Contractors of Missouri (AGCMO) represents the united voice of the construction industry throughout the state of Missouri. AGC of Missouri represents nearly 550 commercial, industrial, highway, transportation, and utility infrastructure contractors, industry partners and related firms in 110 counties across the state of Missouri. AGCMO operates offices in St. Louis, Jefferson City and Springfield. Visit: www.agcmo.org