The Carolinas AGC (CAGC) bestowed the 2011 Pinnacle Awards to two companies, three projects and an individual presented March 10, 2012 at the Association’s 91st Annual Convention in Hilton Head, SC. The Pinnacle Awards embody CAGC’s mission statement: Advancing the construction industry to enhance the quality of life and deliver a sustainable difference in the Carolinas.
BEST GENERAL CONTRACTOR AWARD:
Sloan Construction Company, Duncan, SC
Founded in 1933, Sloan Construction is a heavy-highway contractor with projects ranging from excavation and site work to underground utilities, asphalt paving, bridge construction, and materials supply. Sloan is a key player in the area’s most challenging large-scale, fast-track highway and commercial projects. The firm, which has several asphalt manufacturing facilities in South Carolina, focuses on good corporate citizenship and being a good neighbor—both vital due to new population patterns that place formerly rural asphalt plants into the midst of new communities.
BEST SPECIALTY CONTRACTOR AWARD:
Juba Aluminum Products Company, Concord, NC
Founded in 1993, Juba Aluminum Products is a glass and glazing contractor, specializing in high-performance exterior building facades of curtain walls, panels, and glass. Juba is noted for its exceptional performance in the area of employee relations; the firm offers a wellness program and Employee Assistance Program usually found only in larger firms. Equally devoted to safety and job quality, Juba received consistently high marks across every category—the evidence of an all-around great company.
BEST BUILDING PROJECT AWARD:
Jennette’s Pier – the NC Aquarium Pier at Nags Head, NC
Contractor: Clancy & Theys Construction Co., Wilmington, NC
Jennette’s Pier is a 1,000 foot concrete and wood pier with a three-story, 17,000 square foot “pier house.” Built high over sand and ocean, its features include aquarium tank exhibits; coastal study arrays; an on-site wastewater treatment facility; geothermal wells; and panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and Albemarle Sound. Three state-of-the-art wind energy turbines provide half the energy required to operate the full facility. One pavilion is covered in photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight into electricity, stored until needed to power pier lights at night. The entire project was designed and built to achieve LEED Platinum Certification.
BEST HIGHWAY PROJECT AWARD (1 of 2):
Interstate-40 Road and Bridge Widenings in Raleigh and Cary, NC
Contractor: S.T. Wooten Corporation, Wilson, NC
This design-build project, on one of North Carolina’s busiest urban interstate stretches, involved drainage, grading, paving, bridges, lighting, signing, sound walls, a new travel lane, a new 12-foot shoulder in each direction, and the widening of four bridges. Multiple conveyors were used as a material delivery system through the four-mile project center, which eliminated over 12,000 truckloads entering and exiting the median in the high-speed, high-traffic interstate area. In addition, over 230 lane closures were eliminated that would otherwise have been required to deliver 85,000 tons of subgrade material and 135,000 tons of asphalt. With over 305,000 man-hours on this project by both S.T. Wooten and its subcontractors, there were zero lost time accidents.
BEST HIGHWAY PROJECT AWARD (2 of 2):
Slope Stabilization & Rock Slide Removal on Interstate-40, Haywood County, NC
Contractor: Phillips & Jordan, Inc., Knoxville, TN
This project involved tackling 75,000 cubic yards of rock and debris that slid onto I-40 at the North Carolina-Tennessee border. All workers, plus machinery, had to climb the mountainside just to reach the working area. In some cases, this was 900 vertical feet above I-40. A heavy-lift helicopter ferried supplies, rock bolts and incidentals up the mountain. Clearly, safety was top priority throughout; every action contemplated had to be considered in light of its potential for new falling debris, attachment point failure, struck-by hazards, and even another catastrophic slope failure.
BUILD WITH THE BEST
Senator Paul G. Campbell, Jr., South Carolina (R-Berkeley)
The “Build with the Best” Award honors an individual whose efforts have contributed not only to the betterment of the construction industry, but also to the overall economic welfare of the Carolinas. Senator Campbell worked tirelessly to help CAGC advance Underground Damage Prevention legislation. He also is a strong supporter of tort reform, and assisted CAGC and the business community with solid reforms in 2005 and again in 2011.
For additional Pinnacle Award coverage and photos click Here.