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NUCA's 2022 Award Winners
2022 Ditchdigger of the Year: Lauren Atwell - Chief Operating Officer, Petticoat-Schmitt Civil Contractors, Inc. Jacksonville, Florida
Lauren Atwell is the chief operating officer at Petticoat-Schmitt Civil Contractors, Inc., located in Jacksonville, Florida. He has been part of the company’s executive team for this large Southeast regional construction company since 2014. He has been part of the industry since as a young man, going to his grandfather’s jobsites in western New York and learning the industry from the ground up.
Lauren has been an outspoken advocate for the utility construction industry and NUCA for many years. Serving as NUCA’s Chairman in 2021, under his leadership the landmark infrastructure bill was lobbied for and ultimately signed into law, as well as personally testifying before Congress on the vaccine mandate and its effect on the nation’s construction industry.
Lauren has been on the executive council of NUCA since 2018, first serving as Secretary and presently serving as Immediate Past Chairman. For over ten years, Atwell has held membership in NUCA of Florida, and continues to serve as a trusted member of the Construction Management Advisory Board for the University of North Florida.
Lauren has served as mentor to many in NUCA and at his company, sharing what he has learned and helping many in the industry reach their goals. His steady voice has always sought to ensure our association’s decisions are well-thought out and benefit the industry and our membership.
NUCA’s Ditchdigger of the Year Award is the association’s most distinguished award, presented annually to a contractor who has made a significant national contribution to the association and the industry.
2022 Associate Member of the Year: Rob Krzys - President and Publisher, Benjamin Media, Inc. (BMI) Brecksville, Ohio
Rob Krzys’s involvement with the utility construction industry began when he was in high school, working in 1987 for American Augers where his father held a senior position. He learned early in life about the importance of NUCA and retains his enthusiasm for our work to this day.
Rob embarked on a 30-year career with Benjamin Media after high school. He has been involved across every aspect of the business, from BMI’s periodical magazines to the company’s lively events. Ten years ago, he was appointed president of BMI. Rob and BMI have helped shape NUCA’s Utility Contractor magazine, which BMI has published for almost 20 years.
Rob has been instrumental in telling the story of trenchless through other BMI publications, including Trenchless Technology, Tunnel Business Magazine, and four others. He has been involved in BMI’s trenchless tech events, and helped manage the annual U.S. No-Dig Show for 20 years.
Rob has attended numerous NUCA conventions and Washington Summit, and is currently involved with NUCA of Ohio as their treasurer. Last year, with BMI’s help and resources, Rob published NUCA’s new “Trenchless Construction and New Installation Methods” manual. He has been a member of NUCA’s Trenchless Technology Committee for many years.
The Associate Member of the Year Award is NUCA’s most distinguished annual recognition of an associate member.
2022 William H. Feather Safety Awards
Created to honor the contributions of the founding chairman of NUCA's Safety Committee,William H. Feather, and to recognize the same commitment to safety demonstrated by NUCA members.
Overall Winner
Cleary Construction, Inc. – Tompkinsville, Kentucky
0 – 100,000 Manhours
Iowa Trenchless - Panora, Iowa
100,001 – 200,000 Manhours
J.F. Wilkerson Contracting, Inc. – Morrisville, North Carolina
200,001 – 500,000 Manhours
A.J. Johns, Inc. – Jacksonville, Florida
500,001 – 1,000,000 Manhours
MAC Construction & Excavating, Inc. – New Albany, Indiana
2022 Chapter Awards
NUCA of Middle Tennessee, Workforce Development Academyers, NUCA, the industry, and their communities with outstanding quality publications, services, and events. The 2021 winners are:
Outstanding Leadership by a Chapter President
NUCA of Kentucky, Adam Terry
Jeffrey Hanson Memorial Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Chapter Executive
NUCA of the Carolinas, Linda Goslee
Legislative/Government Affairs
NUCA of Las Vegas
Special Events
Arizona Chapter of NUCA, AZUCA Women in Infrastructure Mixer
Annual Publications, Educational Programming, and Periodical Publications:
NUCA of Nebraska
National Community Service Award
NUCA of Middle Tennessee, Oak Cottage for Women
Workforce Development Chapter Grant Award
NUCA of Middle Tennessee, Workforce Development Acadamy
2022 Excellence In Underground Award Finalists
NUCA's Excellence in Underground Awards (formerly Top Jobs) recognizes challenging, innovative, or unique projects completed with excellent results. These finalist represent the best of the best and these jobs illustrate the highest quality of work our industry has to offer.
EXCAVATION/SITE DEVELOPMENT:
Cleary Construction Inc.
Portland Municipal Airport Runway Reconstruction
GAS DISTRIBUTION:
Cleary Construction Inc.
MTNG 12” Steel Piping- Rock Island to Crossville Phase 2
Team Construction LLC
Centerline 8-inch Steel Main
SANITARY SEWER COLLECTION/STORM DRAINS:
Cleary Construction Inc.
Beaver Creek Interceptor Improvement Project Contract 2
TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY:
Iowa Trenchless
Closes Creek Storm Sewer Improvements
Midwest Mole
Rudd Ave Large Diameter Sewer Rehabilitation Project
WATER DISTRIBUTION:
Cleary Construction Inc.
Highway 20 Watermain Improvements – County Line to Indian Springs
Montana Construction Corp Inc.
Pohatcong Valley Groundwater Contamination Superfund Site, Ou-2