Contractors earn national awards

Contractors earn national awards

From left: George R. Nash Jr., 2018 ABC National Chair; Mike Mattice, Rockford Construction project manager and Jim Van Dokkumburg, Grand Rapids Community College executive director of facilities. Courtesy Rockford Construction

Two West Michigan construction firms were honored for their work at a national awards ceremony.

Grand Rapids-based Rockford Construction and Holland-based Elzinga & Volkers took home awards at the 28th annual Associated Builders and Contractors Excellence in Construction Gala in Long Beach, California.

E&V was granted the ABC National Safety Excellence Award. The award recognizes companies that exhibit a continued commitment to jobsite safety and whose safety performance and programs are approved by the ABC National Environment, Health and Safety Committee.

“To be recognized by our trade association, ABC, as a top-performing company regarding safety among its 21,000-plus company memberships is the ultimate compliment and acknowledgment by our peers,” said Mike Novakoski, E&V president and CEO.

Rockford’s work on the Grand Rapids Community College Laboratory Preschool earned it the National Excellence in Construction Pyramid Award. The award honors both general and specialty contractors for innovative and high-quality merit shop construction projects.

“We’re honored to have completed this important project for Grand Rapids Community College as they continue in expanding this unique program,” said Rockford Construction CEO Mike VanGessel. “I’m proud of the Rockford team for achieving this award as we continue to deliver on our promise to be ‘builders of a changing world.’”

Pyramid Award winners were judged on complexity, attractiveness, unique challenges, completion time, workmanship, innovation, safety and cost.

Additionally, the ABC West Michigan chapter won the following chapter awards at the Excellence in Construction Chapter Awards Banquet:

  • Membership Award, for over 90 percent retention

  • Association Advancement Merit Award, for a leadership speaker series

  • Communications Excellence and Merit Award, for the ArtPrize 9 exhibit “We are Construction” and a meet the media event

  • Workforce Development Excellence Award, for the Teachers in Industry program

  • Four-year chapter accreditation