As open-shop contractors, we don’t spend a lot of time touting the quality of our work.  But our ABC chapter just held the Excellence in Construction Awards (EICA), our one annual event dedicated to celebrating the cutting-edge work our members do. Members earned a record 22 awards at the EICA dinner, held on Wednesday, November 20^th at the Westin Hotel in Waltham and once again hosted by Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame member Gary LaPierre.  

The EICA awards dinner is the culmination of a rigorous process that begins when ABC member companies submit some of the best work they have done in the past year.  Those projects are reviewed by an independent panel of judges, who select Eagle, Merit and Green awards in a variety of construction categories. The Spirit Award was also given to the contractor that completed its project with the highest level of participation from their fellow ABC members.  For the first time, five excellence in safety awards were also given.

Please join me in thanking this year’s judges:

• Mike Davis FAIA, Bergmeyer
• Paul Guertin, Coler & Colantonio, Inc
• George J. Khouri, George J. Khouri & Associates
• Laura Wernick AIA, HMFH Architects

Unlike construction unions, we don’t have the money, the time – or frankly the inclination – to promote our accomplishments on a full-time basis.  But like the unions, our contractors do very good work – and they also provide superior value.   

Perhaps we can learn from construction unions when it comes to promoting our work.  If you didn’t submit an entry to EICA this year, entering in 2014 would be a good place to start.