ABC honors industry leaders with 36th Annual National Excellence in Construction Awards

The Washington-based Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) recently announced its 36th Annual National Excellence in Construction and Health and Safety Excellence award winners and its 2026 Contractor of the Year. The winners were announced during the 2026 ABC Convention in Salt Lake City.

The annual awards recognize merit in shop construction, honoring construction projects and contractors for their achievements in leadership, health and safety, innovation and quality and merit, ABC says.

Among 86 construction projects recognized by the ABC Insurance Trust-sponsored Excellence in Construction awards, the ABC estimates the total worth of honored projects to be nearly $6 billion.

“Communities thrive when infrastructure is built and rebuilt with excellence, and ABC’s EIC [Excellence in Construction] Awards celebrate achievements in both construction projects as well as recognizing quality, safety and innovation that these teams deliver,” says 2026 Chair of the ABC National Board of Directors, Thomas “Murph” Murphy, vice president of Scottsville, New York-based Power & Construction Group.

“A sampling of the incredible 2025 projects include a new U.S. consulate general in Merida, Mexico; a renovation to Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center Children's Heart Institute in Houston; the relocation of the Palisades Charter High School for 2,500 California students; the Coca-Cola Amphitheater in Birmingham, Alabama, and renovating the St. Mary's University Blank Sheppard Innovation Center in San Antonio. Each project honored at the 36th annual gala is an example of ABC contractor members’ remarkable achievements in leadership, safety, innovation and merit.”  

In addition, 59 contractors were recognized with the National Health and Safety Excellence Awards, sponsored by CNA, a commercial property and casualty insurance company headquartered in Chicago.

Award winners were selected from ABC member firms that achieved Diamond, Platinum or Gold status in ABC’s STEP Health and Safety Management System in 2025, reflective of their 2024 safety performance data. During the selection process, contractors were judged on self-evaluation scores, lost workday case rates, total recordable incident rates, leading indicator use, process and program innovations, as well as interviews conducted by members of ABC’s National Health and Safety Committee.

Awards are presented in three major North American Industry Classification System code categories: NAICS 236 (construction of buildings), NAICS 237 (heavy and civil engineering construction) and NAICS 238 (specialty trade contractors).

“The safety records of these 59 contractors speak for themselves, setting the standard for a culture of care for their people,” Murphy says. “Safety values remain consistent for these honorees, which are nearly seven times safer than the industry average. They are employers of choice because they refuse to compromise on health and safety for every single employee. Thank you to these safety leaders for transforming the status quo.”

Coakley & Williams Construction (CWC), headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, was awarded the ABC’s Contractor of the Year award, which recognizes a member company for corporate integrity and commitment to health and safety, professional development and industry-leading workforce development.

The Contractor of the Year is selected by ABC’s National Executive Committee for embodying the values outlined in the association’s bylaws. The award is sponsored by CNA.

Founded in 1961, CWC has obtained the ABC Accredited Quality Contractor credential and participated in ABC’s STEP Health and Safety Management System for more than two decades. The general contractor generates an estimated $300 million in annual revenue, known for projects such as life science facilities, multifamily housing, K-12 schools, higher education buildings, industrial facilities, municipal projects, hospitality venues and corporate interiors.

“Coakley & Williams Construction creates the exceptional places and spaces in and around our nation’s capital where people live, learn, work and thrive,” Murphy says. “There are few contractors with roots that run as deep within ABC. The 65-year member is a prime example of the merit shop philosophy, evidenced by the company’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of health, safety and quality, delivering maximum value to clients and communities, investing in employee development and continually defending a fair and open construction marketplace.

“I am honored to extend heartfelt congratulations to the entire CWC team for exemplifying what it means to be an ABC contractor of choice and a trusted partner for construction services. ABC is a stronger association thanks to members like CWC.”