Malouf receives Contractor of the Year Award

Malouf Construction recently received the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Vicksburg District Safety Plus 2005 Contractor of the Year Award.

The award is recognition for outstanding safety management during construction of the Batupan Bogue Watershed, Brown's Creek in Grenada County, Mississippi. Malouf was also awarded the Vicksburg District, Greenwood Area Engineer Office Safety Plus Award for large projects over $1.5 million dollars, for outstanding service and safety management from August 18, 2003, through Nov. 18, 2004.

The Corp recognized the team exhibited outstanding management and safety awareness, working 33,582 man-hours with ZERO Lost Time Accidents. The Corp stated that this commitment to safety is greatly appreciated by the Vicksburg District. The awards were presented to Malouf during the Greenwood Area Office's yearly Engineers Day.

Katrina projects, future highway work highlight MRBA convention

The discussion of recovery repairs and new projects in Mississippi due to Hurricane Katrina hitting the state in 2005 and future highway related construction highlighted the Mississippi Road Builders' Association's annual convention April 30-May 4 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Among those addressing the convention were Mississippi Department of Transportation officials Larry "Butch" Brown, executive director, and Harry Lee James, deputy executive directory/chief engineer, both of Jackson, and MDOT Transportation Commissioners Wayne Brown of Hattiesburg, Dick Hall of Pearl, and Bill Minor of Tupelo; and J. Brooks Miller, Jackson, state aid engineer.

"We (MDOT) had a successful legislative session in 2006 due greatly to the aid of MRBA officials and members, and we are currently working at a fast pace to get our highways, bridges and other transportation needs back in place as quickly as possible from Hurricane Katrina damages," Brown said. "We are fortunate to be receiving 100% federal funding on our emergency recovery efforts. We have not cancelled any other state projects that were planned prior to Katrina hitting, but some have had start dates pushed back due to the emergency recovery work."

James said, "We (MDOT) were hit hard, very hard by Hurricane Katrina, not only on our coast but the ripple affects it caused throughout our state. MDOT has had a great working relationship with MRBA and your members and as we continue our construction comeback we ask for your continual support and concentrated efforts to help us recover. Many of our early repair projects are either completed or underway and now we are starting to let the larger projects that will take a year to two years or more to complete."

The featured guest speaker for the opening meeting was Bill Dorey, president and CEO of Granite Construction Inc., Watsonville, Calif., who presented a history of his company which began in the late 1800s. It is now one of the major paving companies in the United States with more than $2 billion in work annually.

"Partnering, partnering, partnering has been the key to our company's success through the years, not only with those we work for but also with our employees. Our company is about our people, not jobs. We firmly believe that leadership and development of employees is a key to the future of our company," he said.

Addressing the second day's breakfast meeting were Rich Juliano of the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, Washington, D.C., who spoke on "The Interstate System's 50th Anniversary and the Future of ARTBA", and Larry Bonine of Paradise Valley, Ariz., who spoke on the leadership keys needed to guarantee a company's success.

Also addressing the convention were several MRBA officials, including Dave Barton, executive director, Jackson, Miss.; >> Tom Elmore, Eutaw Construction Company Inc., Aberdeen, Miss., president; Joe McGee, Joe McGee Construction Company Inc., Lake, Miss., first vice president; and John Hill, Hill Brothers Construction, Faulkner, Miss., second vice president. Other MRBA officers are Joe Lauderdale, Sunbelt Sealing Inc., Jackson, Miss., secretary-treasurer; and Earl Stone, Kimes & Stone Construction Company Inc., Bonneville, Miss., past president.

The 2006 convention was held at the Camelback Inn, JW Marriott Resort & Spa. The 2007 convention will be held May 2-6 in Orlando, Fla.