Welcome to McGraw-Hill Construction's second annual Best of the Best Awards, recognizing excellence in U.S. design and construction projects completed in 2009.

Each of the winning projects featured on the following pages began as one of more than 1,500 entries submitted to McGraw-Hill Construction’s network of 10 regional publications for consideration for a regional Best of 2009 award. Each publication convened a local panel of industry experts to select 274 regional winners, who then moved on to the national Best of the Best competition.

In November, an independent jury of construction professionals reviewed the projects and scored them on criteria ranging from safety to innovation to how the project contributed to the community. After a spirited debate, the panel arrived at 23 winners in categories such as green building, transportation and cultural projects. The judges also presented three special awards to recognize outstanding achievement in engineering design, teamwork and architectural design.

View slideshow of winners

Judges select national winners in 23 categories from 10 regional competitions

• William Browne Jr., FAIA | Principal and president of RATIO Architects, Indianapolis, Ind.
  Browne is a founding principal of RATIO Architects. He serves on the Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission and the advisory board of the Indiana Limestone Co.



• Larry Bruton | Partner with ZGF, Portland, Ore.
  With ZGF for nearly 20 years, Bruton has designed projects ranging from Crown Center’s “Link” pedestrian bridge in Kansas City to the Oregon Convention Center Headquarters Hotel.


• Patrick Burns | Vice president, federal contracting group, Mortenson Construction, Alexandria, Va.
  A retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general and 2005 ENR “Top 25 Newsmaker Award” winner, Burns is a licensed engineer with 35 years’ experience in the design and construction industry.


• Tim Culvahouse, FAIA | Principal, Culvahouse Consulting, Berkeley, Calif.
  Editor of arcCA, Culvahouse is a former chair of the Dept. of Architecture, Rhode Island School of Design, and associate dean for the Schools of Design and Architectural Studies, California College of the Arts.


• Don Gendall | Vice president at The Weitz Co., Denver, Colo.
  With Weitz for 10 years, Gendall is responsible for business acquisition in the Rocky Mountain region. He has over 45 years in construction.


• Sam Gioldasis | Senior vice president of electrical services, Brandt Engineering, Dallas, Texas
  A registered professional engineer in Texas, Gioldasis was previously regional president for Encompass Electrical Technology and vice president, engineering and estimating for Walker Engineering.


• Ed Hollander | Principal and founder, American Civil Construction, Frederick, Md.
  A licensed professional engineer in seven states and the District of Columbia, Hollander has 34 years of experience in the heavy civil and engineering construction industry in the mid-Atlantic and Midwestern U.S.


• Concettina Jancarik | Architect, Chicago, Ill.
  Jancarik is a member of the Society for Marketing Professional Services, the American Society of Healthcare Engineering, the Society for College and University Planning and the American Institute of Architects.


• Michael McClure | Associate professor, School of Architecture and Design, University of Louisiana, Lafayette, La.
  A licensed architect, McClure also is a partner at emerymcclure architecture, which was awarded the Rome Prize in Architecture for 2008-09 from the American Academy in Rome.


• Bryan McFarland | Principal, Alberta Development Partners, Greenwood Village, Colo.
  Formerly vice president of Capital Services for The Mills Corp., McFarland has more than 20 years of construction experience. He is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and serves on the Centerbuild Program Committee.


• Ken Petterson | Manager, preconstruction services, Hensel Phelps Construction Co., Orlando, Fla.
  For 31 years in construction, Petterson has focused on hospitality and tourism, working on more than $1.4 billion in hotel and theme-park projects for clients that include Walt Disney World, Hyatt and Loews Hotels.


• Alan Rindlisbacher | Director of corporate marketing, The Layton Companies, Sandy, Utah
  Rindlisbacher has a 25-year career in economic development and construction marketing and is a board member and past president of the Utah NAIOP chapter.


• Wade Simpson | Principal, Pugsley.Simpson.Coulter Architects, Las Vegas, Nevada
  A licensed architect in Nevada and Utah and a LEED Accredited Professional, Simpson is a past president of AIA Nevada.


• Russell Snyder | Executive director, California Asphalt Pavement Association, West Sacramento, Calif.
  Formerly an award-winning journalist, Snyder also has worked in executive and managerial positions at the Associated General Contractors of California and the California Dept. of Transportation.