Frederick Mason III, ABCThe Rhode Island Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors held its 22nd Annual Excellence in Construction (EIC) Awards Banquet on Wednesday, October 12 at the Mile & A Quarter Wine Bar in Providence. Sponsored since its inception by Byrne Bonding, a Division of Starkweather & Shepley Insurance of East Providence, the EIC Dinner is the premier event for the ABC Rhode Island Chapter.
Every ABC member contractor and subcontractor is eligible to enter the competition for the EIC Awards. Each entry is judged by a panel including architects and other construction industry professionals on a number of criteria: Emphasis on construction quality (not design); special challenges and response to unexpected conditions; project operations including safety, management, and quality control; and project administration including scheduling, administration and cooperation with owners, designers and other contractors.
Each entrant’s entry included a detailed description of the project, a narrative, safety record, photographs, endorsements, press and promotion, and involvement by other ABC members. Based on those criteria, eight winners were awarded handsome Bald Eagle trophies as a testament to their Excellence in Construction on the projects they submitted.
This year’s winning entries were from Contractors Network, Inc. of East Providence for its addition to the Operations Building for the town of Wellesley, Mass.; Cornerstone Design/Build Services of Swansea, Mass. for its construction of Not Your Average Joe’s restaurant in Westwood, Mass.; Energy Electric Co. of Woonsocket for their new Burlington Coat Factory in the Rhode Island Mall; Joseph Tavone Painting of North Providence for its large renewal painting project at the Community College of Rhode Island; Nadeau Corp. for its construction of the Gender and Sexuality Center at the University of Rhode Island; TRAC Builders of Providence for the new Sailing Center at Roger Williams University; William Anthony Excavating, Inc. of East Greenwich for the Phase 2 upgrade of the Fishermen’s Memorial State Park in Narragansett; and Wu Associates of Cherry Hill, N.J. for its renovation of the Naval Operations Support Center in White River Junction, VT.
Dave Byrne, principal at Byrne Bonding & Insurance said, “Every year, we seem to receive entries that are more complex and impressive than past years. This year was no exception.” “In addition,” he added, “we had a record number of entries this year!”
Byrne Bonding, a division of Starkweather & Shepley Insurance has been an active member of ABC since the Rhode Island chapter was incorporated in 1990. “With their participation on a number of committees, support of the Chapter’s events, and their continued support of these Awards of Excellence, Dave Byrne and his son, Charlie have proven their commitment to Merit Shop Construction in Rhode Island,” said Jay Cardosi of J.J. Cardosi, Inc. and ABC’s 2016 chair of the board. “It’s so gratifying to see the terrific work that our merit shop members are doing, and we’re pleased to showcase these award winners.”
Winning companies may submit their entries to the ABC National Excellence in Construction Awards program, and those awards will be handed out at ABC’s Annual Workforce Development Conference, in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., next March.
Frederick Mason III is the president of ABC Rhode Island.