Industry excellence 2021 Awards & Recognition
Master Builders of Iowa
Recognizing companies, Teams and Individuals for Achieving excellence in the construction industry
PAGE 1
M
aster Builders of Iowa takes great pride in recognizing individual and organizational achievements in the Iowa construction industry. Through MBI’s annual awards programs, members can receive recognition for excellence in construction. The 2021 annual awards were presented at the highly visible MBI Annual Winter Conference and Safety Conference..
Table of Contents Build Iowa Award _________________________________Page 3 Leadership in Workforce Recruitment Award___________ Page 6 Masters Award $1-$10 Million _______________________Page 9 Masters Award $10 - $25 Million _____________________Page 11 Masters Award Over $25 Million _____________________Page 13 Outstanding Company Safety Achievement Award _______Page 15 Safety Champion Award ____________________________Page 17 Safety Professional Award ___________________________Page 18 Master Builder Achievement Awards __________________Page 19 PAGE 2
The Building Industry’s Most
Prestigious Award
The Build Iowa Award was initiated in 1989 as a way to honor MBI members and to bring public attention to excellence in the construction industry. Each year, the Build Iowa Award is presented to a general contractor or an Associate member employee who best exemplifies the tenets of our organization; Skill, Integrity and Responsibility. Max Bowman is a testament to what hard work can accomplish and a passion for building lasting relationships can achieve. He started his company in 1968 on the basis of providing high-quality, laborsaving tools, all at a fair price. Ever since the start, his focus - and that of the company - has been serving the customer and creating strong bonds. The 2021 Build Iowa Award recipient has a history with MBI that spans decades. He was a true believer in the power of an association. He was personally involved in MBI and he made sure others within his company were also involved. Its this type of leadership and commitment that contributes to the overall success of MBI and its role in advocating for Iowa’s commercial construction industry.
PAGE 3
Max Bowman
Build Iowa Recipients Fred W. Weitz, The Weitz Company W.A. Klinger, W.A. Klinger, Inc. Ken Gethmann, Gethmann Construction Inc. Orville Crowley, Ringland-Johnson-Crowley Co. Reuben Schaefer, Henkel Construction Bob Gleason, W.A. Klinger, Inc. Bill Seedorff, Seedorff Masonry, Inc. Woodrow “Woody” Buck, Story Construction Co. Louis Kuepper, Carl A. Nelson & Co. Robert Maddox, Sr., Allied Construction Services David Ward, Breiholz Construction Co. Robert McCline, Chris Hansen/McHan Construction Norman Riis, Story Construction Co. Mike Conlon, Conlon Construction Co.
“
Max was a pioneer in his own right for the construction industry bringing many new and innovative products to the construction industry in Iowa. Max brought skid loaders to contractors and farmers in the late 60’s, construction lasers to the sewer and general contractors in the 70’s, concrete pumps in the late 70’s and early 80’s and telehandlers in the 80’s.
Dave Holtze, Holtze Construction Gerald Friauf, Rinderknecht Associates Dick Bulkeley, Oakview Construction Co. Darrell Ball, Ball Construction Services Richard Johnson, Story Construction Co. Jack Taylor, Taylor Construction Group, Inc. Ron Sande, Sande Construction & Supply Co., Inc. James Grabau, R.H. Grabau Construction, Inc. Dave Peters, Peters Construction Corp. John Gleeson, W.A. Klinger, L.L.C. Thomas Werderitsch, Selzer Werderitsch Associates Marshall Linn III, Neumann Brothers, Inc. Gene Leonhart, Cardinal Construction Inc. Jim Simmons, Russell Construction Co. Tim Conlon, Conlon Construction Co. Craig Hansen, The Hansen Company Kent Pilcher, Estes Construction Mike Tousley, The Weitz Company Jim Russell, Russell Construction Co.
PAGE 4
As mentioned earlier, our recipient started his career over 50 years ago, and with a career spanning that many years, it should come as no surprise that he and his company were involved in hundreds, if not thousands of projects throughout Iowa and the Midwest. However, there are obviously a few that stick out. For instance, he worked with The Weitz Company on the Iowa Historical Building in the first concrete pumping job in Iowa that utilized a separate placing boom. Back in the 1970’s, he partnered with Abild Construction and started the revolution of riding concrete trowels, allowing more square footage to be poured and finished. At the same time, he helped to bring high volume concrete pumping to Iowa, changing the way concrete is placed.
PAGE 5
Leadership in Workforce Recruitment Award During 2020 - Baker Group participated in multiple partnerships & programs including Des Moines Public School District - Goodrell Middle School. This program offers students an introduction to the trades and demonstrates a path to becoming a productive member of society without a college education. Also through the MBI-WORKS grant Baker Group is now offering regular education in the skilled trades as a good career option. Baker Group understands the importance of recruiting the next generation of construction crafts people. The recruitment starts with Middle School and High School Students and continues to engage College level sharing the many opportunities available in the construction industry.
Baker Group
720 Students Reached
Des Moines, IA
PAGE 6
Masters Award
The Masters Award recognizes the exceptional efforts of a construction team in executing the process of completing a project. Although an aesthetically pleasing and functional design is always part of a successful project, it is not a criterion for selection of this award. This award is meant to recognize the role of the project team. As such, projects should reflect good management skills, imagination, perseverance under unusual and challenging conditions, and/or innovative construction techniques. The Masters Award was created to bring a sharper focus to the high degree of professionalism and skill in our industry. The Masters Award is presented in three different categories: $1 Million - $10 Million; $10 Million to $25 Million; and Over $25 Million. Congratulations to our award recipients!
PAGE 8
MASTERS AWARD $1 - $10 Million Category Project Manager - Rick Trower Project Superintendent - Mike Millin
Project Team (named in the submittal - also receiving an award)
1st Interiors AKAY Consulting Baker Group Color, Inc. Continental Fire Sprinkler Co. Des Moines Griffin Building, LLC Forrest & Associates, Inc. Ralph N. Smith, Inc. RDG Planning & Design Skold Construction Services
Neumann Brothers, Inc. Edna Griffin Building | Des Moines, IA
PAGE 9
Historic restoration and conversion of a landmark building in downtown Des Moines into commercial space, 36 residential apartments, 2nd floor office space and 1st floor retail. Changing the occupancy of an office building to residential is a challenging process on its own. This project was even more complicated because historical buildings were not built to today’s life safety standards. This required the team to bring in a fire protection consultant who helped guide them through proper code upgrades with the City of Des Moines. This collaboration effort early in the process helped bring the team together, making the city a construction partner throughout the process.
Edna Griffin Building 1940
Edna Griffin Building 2021 PAGE 10
PAGE 10
MASTERS AWARD
$10 - $25 Million Category Project Manager - Shane Geiselhart Project Superintendent - Steve Massa
Project Team (named in the submittal - also receiving an award)
Architectural Wall Systems Baker Electric, Inc. Baker Group BNIM Design Engineers Heartland Companies KPFF Iowa State Facilities Planning & Management Ivy College of Business
Story Construction Co. PAGE 11
ISU - Gerdin Business Building Expansion | Ames, IA
This project is an $18.2 million expansion onto the existing Gerdin Business Building on the campus of Iowa State University. Considering the Gerdin Business Building is located near the heart of Iowa State’s campus, effective site utilization was going to be a key factor in the success of the project. Aside from tool trailers, superintendent and construction managers’ trailers, a crane pad and job site fencing, the team also needed to consider how to efficiently use the limited materials lay down and staging area on site.
PAGE 12
MASTERS AWARD
Over $25 Million Category Project Managers - Trevor Otto | Ryan Craven | Austin Meyn Project Superintendent- Josh Dooley
Project Team (named in the submittal - also receiving an award)
Architectural Wall Systems IMEG Corp. Iowa State University Kieran Timberlake KPFF Snyder & Associates Substance Architecture
JE Dunn Construction
ISU Student Innovation Center | Ames, IA PAGE 13
This project is a 140,000 SF new student innovation center. The center is a highly flexible, dynamic space that encourages experimentation, learning, co-curricular activities, innovation & interdisciplinary investigation. The Student Innovation Center is unlike any other building on campus and used many building systems rarely seen in Iowa. During construction, the JE Dunn team worked closely with the selected trades to coordinate unique aspects of the building such as a unitized curtain wall on over 75% of the skin, a raised access floor serving as a routing location for most utilities, and virtually no ceilings. JE Dunn had to lead the team to determine a plan to adhere to the schedule while the trades installed these unique and challenging systems.
PAGE 14
Outstanding Company Safety Achievement Award Company record of 2.9 million hours without a recordable accident or loss time injury.
The Outstanding Company Safety Achievement Award is an Iowa OSHA and Master Builders of Iowa sponsored award that has become one of the most prestigious safety awards in the state of Iowa for the construction industry. The overall goal is to encourage and recognize significant achievements in workplace safety. The process solicits the best practices in accident prevention and promotes the sharing of the industry’s best achievements to advance safety at all levels.
In 2020, Baker Group worked a company record of 2.9 million hours without a recordable accident or loss time injury. This was a tremendous achievement by every individual employee working as a team to complete work safely.
PAGE 15
In 2020, Baker Group has continued to use new technology to their advantage. Toolbox Talks are sent via email to field staff, completed weekly and logged. All company Iphones and IPads have a “For Employees” app installed that includes safety, trade specific, fleet, human resource, and wellness information. Under the “Safety” tab, foreman can quickly find post accident procedures, the monthly safety newsletter, contacts for the Safety Director, and our SDS Binderworks app. Having this information in digital form makes it easy to keep up-to-date, and provides immediate access to information in the field.
Baker Group Des Moines, IA
The start of 2020 presented a more unconventional type of hazard that threatened the safety of the Baker Group family, a global pandemic. As it became apparent that this was going to have an effect on the US, Baker Group got to implementing a plan to mitigate the spread. Following CDC guidelines, a protocol was developed to manage illness in the company, and to prevent community spread. Testing, when needed, for our employees and their family members were made available and a Baker Group COVID-19 hotline was set up to answer calls of concern and answer exposure questions. Baker Group has seen relatively little community spread of COVID-19.
PAGE 16
Safety
Champion Award Dan Weeks
The Weitz Company It is the duty of every individual on a job site to focus on safety. Safety, like other disciplines, has individuals who stand out for their positive efforts in exceptional performance and for leading others in their commitment to excellence on the job. This award is for individuals who are not safety professionals, but demonstrate a commitment to the goal of high performing safety and whose efforts have had a substantial impact on the overall safety of a job site.
Congratulations Dan! PAGE 17
Dan Weeks is a true champion of safety at The Weitz Company where his continuous safety efforts have proven to pay off and spark new and safe ways to complete tasks at fellow Weitz jobsites across Iowa. His passion, dedication, and consistency are what continues to keep each project he has worked on a safe and successful build. He is more than willing to put in the time and effort necessary to ensure that things run smoothly and that the toughest parts of each project are done properly, on time, and safely. Dan comes to the site each day with a helpful attitude, determined to get the job done and to get fellow workers back home to their families safely each night.
Safety
Professional Award Tracy Haus Baker Group
Every successful safety program has a key leader who keeps the program on track and is responsible to see that all the components mesh together to produce the end result of eliminating hazards in the workplace. Some safety professionals in the construction industry go above and beyond in their devotion to preserving quality of life in the workforce. This award spotlights the most dedicated and innovative safety professionals and their achievements in safety both within their company and in the construction industry. Safety is not just a word in Tracy Haus’ title; safety is part of his passion, life and commitment to share with others. His dedication to safety does not stop when he leaves work; he is a true safety role model in the community as well. Tracy has restructured the company’s Safety Committee into a group that is 90% field staff. This has proven more effective at getting field involvement in the safety program. The spring brought a new type of occupational hazard, and Tracy showed leadership through the management of COVID-19, establishing company protocols and a “hotline’ calling system for reporting. Baker Group has seen much efficency in these efforts.
Congratulations Tracy!
PAGE 18
Achievement
MasterBuilder PAGE 19
Through the MBI Master Builder Designation Program, credits are awarded in the areas of Leadership, Project Management, Ecological Construction, Ethics, and Safety. Virtually every course or education program that is offered through MBI receives credits in at least one of these critical areas. The Master Builder Achievement Award is earned when an individual surpasses 150 credits and fulfills the requirements in each meeting. Congratulations to the following individuals who have achieved this accomplishment and were presented with their Master Builder Achievement Award at
Travis Benz
Mike Bonewitz
Field Manager Russell Construction Co., Inc.
Superintendent Woodruff Construction, LLC
Tyler Edgington
Jason Eveland
Project Superintendent Hubbell Construction Services, LLC
Darin Hooker
Project Manager Woodruff Construction, LLC
Director of Operations The Hansen Company, Inc.
Jared Krull
Project Manager Cardinal Construction, Inc.
PAGE 20
Jack Meyer
Project Engineer Hy-Vee Construction
Michael Norris
Project Manager A.J. Allen Mechanical Contractors, Inc.
Chad Reineke
PAGE 21
Estimator/Project Manager Elder Corporation
Bill Miller
Mechanical QC J.E. Dunn Construction
Jacob Pesek
Project Manager The Hansen Company, Inc.
Brent Thompson
V.P. Estimating/Project Manager Elder Corporation
PAGE 22
Master Builders of Iowa 221 Park St. Des Moines, IA 50309 (515) 288-8904
PAGE 23