Heritage Award presented posthumously to Tarlton’s Bob Elsperman
Recently, the Associated General Contractors of Missouri (AGCMO) announced the winners of its 2020 Construction Keystone Awards during a hybrid event – held virtually and in-person at the St. Peters Performing Arts Theatre. The staged awards ceremony highlighting the creativity and talents of Missouri’s construction industry was viewed virtually by hundreds of construction personnel enjoying the event with virtual party boxes, complete with popcorn, noisemakers and snacks. AGC of Missouri also celebrated First Place Specialty Contractors in 12 disciplines along with the Specialty Contractor of the Year. Finally, Bob Elsperman, longtime chairman of Tarlton Corporation, was honored posthumously with the prestigious Heritage Award.
Thirteen Keystone Awards were presented to contractors on projects chosen from a group of 38 submittals ranging from hospital, education and sports/entertainment facilities to railroad, road and bridge, lock & dam and utility projects. A new Coronavirus Pandemic Response category honored projects performed with lightning speed in response to Covid-19 medical needs.
Keystone Project of the Year winners included: Murphy Company for the Enterprise Center Quad D AHU Replacement (St. Louis, MO); PARIC Corporation for the Union Station Wheel and Train Park (St. Louis); Tarlton Corporation for The Muny Stage and Production Improvements (St. Louis); McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. for the East End Transformation of the Washington University in St. Louis Danforth Campus; Massman Construction Co. for the Grand River Bridge Emergency Replacement (Norfolk Southern Railroad project in Brunswick, MO); Acme Erectors, Inc. for The Vertical Garden in the Steward Family Plaza (St. Louis); TJ Wies Contracting, Inc. for the State Historical Society (Columbia, MO); Murphy Company for Centene Community Ice Center (Maryland Heights, MO); Murphy Company for Centene Urban Campus Clayton High Rise (Clayton); icon Mechanical Construction & Engineering, LLC for the Pfizer BioPlace New Research & Development Facility (Chesterfield, MO); and ACME Constructors, Inc. for Agra Form’s 4-Phased Plant Expansion (St. Louis). Guarantee Electrical Company took home the Keystone Project of the Year in the special Coronavirus Pandemic Response category for construction of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s COVID-19 Alternate Care Facility (St. Louis.) In the National Class category, the Hensel Phelps/Herzog Joint Venture captured First Place for its Division 16: Southwestern Yard project for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Specialty Contractor Awards
The AGC of Missouri also announced 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: ROSCH (Ancillary Services); Vee-Jay Cement Contracting Co., Inc. (Concrete / Paving); Budrovich Excavating & Contracting (Earthwork & Utilities); Guarantee Electrical Company (Electrical); Spirtas Wrecking Corporation (Environmental Remediation & Demolition); TJ Wies Contracting, Inc. (Int. & Ext. Finishes, Openings & Fixtures); Charles E. Jarrell Contracting Co., Inc. (HVAC / Piping); Grant Masonry Contracting Co., Inc. (Masonry); Boyer Fire Protection (Plumbing & Fire Protection); BAM Contracting, LLC (Structural & Finish Carpentry); ACME Erectors, Inc. (Structural & Finish Metals); and Geissler Roofing Co., Inc. (Thermal & Moisture Protection).
The Specialty Contractor receiving the most votes by General Contractors also was presented the Specialty Contractor of the Year award by the AGC of Missouri. This distinction was awarded to Boyer Fire Protection.
The life of Robert P. Elsperman, P.E., longtime president and then chairman of Tarlton Corporation, was celebrated with the Keystone Heritage Award. A veteran of the U.S. Air Force where he achieved the rank of Captain, Elsperman took over the reins of Tarlton from his dad in 1972. He led the company for the next 25 years and built it into an industry powerhouse before entrusting leadership of the firm to his children, Tracy Hart and Dirk Elsperman.
“Bob gave tirelessly to our industry for decades, serving on numerous committees, as president of the AGC of St. Louis in 1981 and as treasurer of AGC of America in 1999,” said Leonard Toenjes, CAE, AGCMO’s president. “This hybrid event gave us an opportunity to honor Missouri’s contractors whose leadership and tenacity has been so well demonstrated during the past year. Despite Covid-19 causing personal sacrifices along with workforce and supply chain issues, contractors across the state continue to deliver quality projects across the country day after day. I couldn’t be prouder of our industry and their ability to provide well-paying jobs to more than 131,500 Missouri workers during these challenging times.”
The Construction Keystone Awards were judged by a panel of experts that included Cody Henderson, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, Feeler S. Architects, representing AIA of St. Louis; Timothy J. Ross, P.E., president/CEO of George Butler Associates, representing American Council of Engineering Companies-Missouri; Richard Russell, industrial group manager, Sachs Electric Company, representing American Subcontractors Association-Midwest; and Annie Smith, P.E., CEM, LED AP BD+C, director of energy services, Ross & Baruzzini, Inc., representing the US Green Building Council; and Chris Gordon, Ph.D., associate dean, School of Engineering; Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, representing Institutes of Higher Learning.
According to the judges, the Keystone Awards were not awarded based upon a project’s beauty. Instead, they recognize a contractor’s success in achieving solutions during construction for challenges faced on a project. The awards recognize construction professionals whose skill, teamwork and spirit of innovation make a lasting contribution to a community by building facilities that support and enhance the quality of life. Safety performance, use of technology or new innovations, and workforce diversity are also essential components of overall performance.
The Associated General Contractors of Missouri is the united voice of the construction industry, representing over 500 commercial, industrial, heavy and highway contractors, industry partners and related firms in 110 counties in Missouri. Last month, AGCMO was named large Chapter of the Year by AGC of America. AGCMO operates offices in St. Louis, Jefferson City and Springfield. Visit: www.agcmo.org
2020 Construction Keystone Award Project Nominees
Mid-America Class
(Projects located in Missouri or contiguous states)
General Contractor / Construction Manager / Prime Contractor
Building Construction
Project Under $5 million
FIRST PLACE
Murphy Company
Project: Enterprise Center Quad D AHU Replacement
Owner: Enterprise Center
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
SECOND PLACE
Castle Contracting, LLC
Project: The Hill Development
Owner: Draper & Kramer
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
THIRD PLACE
Poettker Construction Company
Project: Seven Gables Inn Renovation
Owner: Restoration St. Louis
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
General Contractor / Construction Manager / Prime Contractor
Building Construction
Project $5 – $10 million
FIRST PLACE
PARIC Corporation
Project: Union Station Wheel and Train Park
Owner: LHM/USH LLC
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
SECOND PLACE
Helmkamp Construction Company
Project: McVay Center
Owner: Principia College
Project Location: Elsah, IL
THIRD PLACE
KAI
Project: Teen Center of Excellence
Owner: Boys & Girls Club of Greater St. Louis
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
HONORABLE MENTION
Poettker Construction Company
Project: New Headquarters & Warehouse
Owner: Poettker Construction Company
Location: Breese, IL
General Contractor / Construction Manager / Prime Contractor
Building Construction
Project $10-$30 million
FIRST PLACE
Tarlton Corporation
Project: Stage and Production Improvements
Owner: The Muny
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
SECOND PLACE
HBD Construction, Inc.
Project: Medical Office Building @ 4800 Maine Street
Owner: Blessing Health System
Project Location: Quincy, IL
THIRD PLACE
Branco Enterprises, Inc.
Project: Goodman Elementary
Owner: Neosho School District
Project Location: Neosho, MO
HONORABLE MENTION
PARIC Corporation
Project: JBS Science Technology Art & Research Building
Owner: John Burroughs School
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
General Contractor / Construction Manager / Prime Contractor
Building Construction
Project Over $30 million
FIRST PLACE
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Project: East End Transformation of the Danforth Campus
Owner: Washington University in St. Louis
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
SECOND PLACE
ARCO Construction Co., Inc.
Project: Centene Community Ice Center
Owner: St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation
Project Location: Maryland Heights, MO
THIRD PLACE
PARIC / KAI
Project: BJC West County Replacement Hospital
Owner: BJC HealthCare
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
General Contractor / Construction Manager / Prime Contractor
Transportation & Infrastructure
FIRST PLACE
Massman Construction Co.
Project: Grand River Bridge
Emergency Replacement
Owner: Norfolk Southern Railroad
Project Location: Brunswick, MO
SECOND PLACE
Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc.
Project: Greene County Route 65 Rebuild
Owner: Missouri Department of Transportation
Project Location: Springfield, MO
THIRD PLACE
Emery Sapp & Sons, Inc.
Project: West Warrenton Blvd. & I-70 Interchange
Owner: Missouri Department of Transportation
Project Location: Warrenton, MO
HONORABLE MENTION
Massman Construction Co.
Project: Champ Clark Bridge Replacement
Owner: Missouri Department of Transportation
Project Location: Louisiana, MO
Specialty / Subcontractor
Building Construction
Project Under $1 million
FIRST PLACE
Acme Erectors, Inc.
Project: The Vertical Garden
in the Steward Family Plaza
Owner: Sheldon Arts Foundation
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
SECOND PLACE
Golterman & Sabo, Inc.
Project: McVay Center
Owner: Principia College
Project Location: Elsah, IL
Specialty / Subcontractor
Building Construction
Project $1 – $5 million
FIRST PLACE
TJ Wies Contracting, Inc.
Project: State Historical Society
Owner: University of Missouri
Project Location: Columbia, MO
SECOND PLACE
Geissler Roofing Co., Inc.
Project: Centene Community Ice Center
Owner: St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation
Project Location: Maryland Heights, MO
Specialty / Subcontractor
Building Construction
Project $5-$10 million
FIRST PLACE
Murphy Company
Project: Centene Community Ice Center
Owner: St. Louis Legacy Ice Foundation
Project Location: Maryland Heights, MO
SECOND PLACE
PayneCrest Electric, Inc.
Project: City Foundry STL
Owner: FoPa Partners, LLC
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
THIRD PLACE
TJ Wies Contracting, Inc.
Project: Memorial Stadium South End Zone Expansion
Owner: University of Missouri
Project Location: Columbia, MO
Specialty / Subcontractor
Building Construction
Project $10-$20 million
FIRST PLACE
Murphy Company
Project: Centene Urban Campus
Clayton High Rise
Owner: Centene Corporation
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
SECOND PLACE
IWR North America
Project: East End Transformation
of the Danforth Campus
Owner: Washington University in St. Louis
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
Specialty / Subcontractor
Building Construction
Project Over $20 million
FIRST PLACE
icon Mechanical Construction
& Engineering, LLC
Project: New Research & Development Facility
Pfizer BioPlace
Owner: Pfizer
Project Location: Chesterfield, MO
SECOND PLACE
Murphy Company
Project: Mercy Northwest Arkansas
Owner: Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas
Project Location: Rogers, AR
THIRD PLACE
Guarantee Electrical Company
Project: Saint Louis University
Replacement Hospital
Owner: SSM Health
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
Specialty / Subcontractor
Industrial Construction
FIRST PLACE
ACME Constructors, Inc.
Project: AgraForm 4-Phased Plant Expansion
Owner: AgraForm
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
SECOND PLACE
Guarantee Electrical Company
Project: Silicon-On-Insulator Building Expansion
Owner: MEMC LLC
Project Location: St. Peters, MO
Coronavirus Pandemic Response
FIRST PLACE
Guarantee Electrical Company
Project: COVID-19 Alternate Care Facility
Owner: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
St. Louis District
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
SECOND PLACE
Alberici Constructors, Inc.
Project: Emergency Ventilator Manufacturing Facility
Owner: General Motors Company / Hamilton Medical, Inc.
Project Location: Reno, NV
THIRD PLACE
Tarlton Corporation
Project: COVID-19 Alternate Care Facility
Owner: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
St. Louis District
Project Location: St. Louis, MO
National Class
(Projects located in lower 48 states, excluding Mid-America Class)
FIRST PLACE
Hensel Phelps │ Herzog Joint Venture
Project: Division 16: Southwestern Yard
Owner: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA)
Project Location: Los Angeles, CA
SECOND PLACE
Massman Construction Co.
Project: Columbia Lock and Dam Emergency Seepage Repairs
Owner: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Vicksburg District
Project Location: Monroe, LA
THIRD PLACE
PARIC Corporation
Project: John’s Island District Office
Owner: Berkeley Electric Cooperative
Project Location: John’s Island, SC
2020 Specialty Contractor of the Year Awards
First Place Awards by Discipline
ANCILLARY SERVICES:
ROSCH
CONCRETE / PAVING:
Vee-Jay Cement Contracting Co., Inc.
EARTHWORK & UTILITIES:
Budrovich Excavating & Contracting
ELECTRICAL:
Guarantee Electrical Company
ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION & DEMOLITION:
Spirtas Wrecking Corporation
INT. & EXT. FINISHES, OPENINGS & FIXTURES:
TJ Wies Contracting, Inc.
| AGC’s 2020 SPECIALTY CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR Boyer Fire Protection |