Celebrating the winners of the 2019 Contractor of the Year Awards

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Staff members at Martin-Harris Construction gather for a photo outside the company’s Las Vegas headquarters.

Construction forms the backbone of society. It builds the infrastructure that shapes our daily lives, including homes, offices, schools and roads. It’s also responsible for thousands of great-paying professional jobs. In short, construction helps make Southern Nevada a great place to live. The Nevada Contractors Association is dedicated to ensuring the construction industry’s future prosperity. We represent nearly 500 general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and affiliated firms. Together, there is nothing we can’t do.

We look forward to further strengthening the construction industry, ensuring its long-term vitality and enduring legacy in Nevada. As such, we’re proud to honor the valley’s best general contractors, subcontractors and professionals, as well as the year’s most impressive and prestigious projects. The Contractor of the Year Awards are the industry’s highest and most coveted honors.

General Contractor of the Year

Martin-Harris Construction

Martin-Harris has been a major contributor to job creation and economic growth in Southern Nevada since the 1970s. The company, which also operates in Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas and with more than 370 employees, offers services from design to preconstruction for office, industrial, hospitality, health care, education, multi-family and special use.

The Martin-Harris Special Projects Group is a dedicated team with experience, resources and equipment catering to high intensity, short duration interior improvement projects.

With a culture of safety as well as innovation, Martin-Harris utilizes the Dominance, Inducement, Submission, Compliance hiring system, which allows the it to develop comprehensive teams poised for success. The company also uses virtual reality for construction, with VR technology being used to recreate objects in a 3D environment using AutoCad and Building Information Modeling.

It recently completed construction at the 813,000-square-foot Amazon Fulfillment Center in North Las Vegas, a project billed as largest speculative industrial development in Southern Nevada history.

Other recent projects include Legacy House of Southern Hills, Shanghai Plaza, Adobe at Red Rock and The Degree, a new five-story UNLV housing complex structure featuring 226 units with 758 bedrooms.

With a philosophy of people over projects, Martin-Harris invests in the next generation of construction professionals through outreach NCA, where it serves as a Gold Level sponsor. They also participate in the association’s Career Day, Construction vs. Cancer, and various other luncheons and fundraisers.

Its outreach includes hosting booths at the Clark County Workforce Development Community Job and Resource Fair and CCSD’s East Career and Technical Academy Career Fair. They also partnered with STEM 101 three years ago to develop a curriculum that exposes middle school students to careers in the construction industry. It supports organizations such as Make-A-Wish, St. Jude’s Ranch for Children and United Service Organizations.

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CORE Construction completed the 44,370-square-foot East Las Vegas Library project this year. The exterior of the library on Bonanza Road in northeast Las Vegas is pictured.

Safest General Contractor of the Year

CORE Construction

CORE Construction has a culture of safety that revolves around the belief that job site accidents and incidents are preventable. CORE empowers every member of the field operations staff to think of themselves as the company’s safety team. They also hold every member accountable.

All superintendents, project managers and laborers are required to use Predictive Solutions, a mobile safety-inspection application. The application is installed on every field personnel’s smart device, and the data collected is consolidated into a comprehensive real-time project safety report that is reviewed by CORE’s Continual Improvement Committee.

CORE’s dedication to safety starts with its Operational Excellence program, which includes six priorities — safety, quality, schedule, cost, subcontractors and client. Safety is first and foremost, with protocols dispersed throughout the company in training, collaboration and innovation.

On the training side, all project site supervisors are OSHA 30 trained, and site-specific safety orientation is required for all trade members, with regular interactive safety workshops for employees and building partners.

In terms of collaboration, every trade is required to provide a plan that breaks down each task, considers potential hazards and develops a strategy to mitigate any hazards. Innovation includes the use of the Predictive Solutions application.

CORE recently completed the East Las Vegas Library project, which involved the new construction of a 44,370-square-foot facility in an underserved part of the valley. Due to the size of the project, the safe coordination of all trades was paramount, and the project was completed in April with zero incidents and zero accidents.

Diverse General Contractor of the Year

KOR Building Group

Construction-industry veteran Rebecca Fountain founded general contracting firm KOR Building Group in 2013 with a focus on residential renovations, government contracting, hotel remodels, facility maintenance projects, tenant improvements and commercial construction.

In a male-dominated industry, KOR is one of the few construction firms recognized as a Women’s Business Enterprise National Council woman-owned business. It achieved acclaim for work for clients along the Strip, such as the Venetian, the Palazzo and Excalibur, as well as projects at McCarran International Airport for the Department of Aviation, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, Hudson News and Jamba Juice.

Fountain is an inspiration and role model for female entrepreneurs across the state, said Trischa Roy, owner of Acme Floorz, who met Fountain three years ago on a project at McCarran.

“Rebecca and I started talking about being a woman-owned business and the challenges we face,” Roy said.

Fountain introduced Roy to the Nevada Contractors’ Association’s Contract Readiness/Diversity Certification Preparation program, and the Diversity and Inclusion Council. Within a year, Roy said she had certifications in WBE, WOSB and ESB.

“Meeting Rebecca and getting involved with the NCA was the best decision I could have made,” Roy said.

A founding member of NCA’s Diversity and Inclusion Council and the Steering Committee, Fountain next year will join the Government Affairs and Labor Committee to continue her outreach. Meanwhile, KOR will continue to foster an inclusive company culture and grow in accordance with its commitment to expand its women and minority representation from management to labor, with a systemic approach to creating an environment where all employees feel welcome, supported and respected.

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The recently completed Project Neon roadway project near downtown. Kiewit Infrastructure completed the $1 billion project to ease road congestion along the 3.7-mile segment near the Spaghetti Bowl interchange.

Civil Project of the Year

Project Neon-Kiewit Infrastructure West Co.

What did it take to transform the busiest roadway in Nevada? Here's the breakdown:

• 1.8 million square yards of asphalt paving (28 lane miles)

• 1.06 million cubic yards of excavation/ embankment (324 Olympic swimming pools)

• 69,000 cubic yards of bridge-structure concrete (21 Olympic swimming pools)

• 15.3 million pounds of reinforcing steel (300 tons more than the Eiffel tower)

• 43,462 linear feet of RCB pipe (8 miles)

• 24 bridges demolished

• 29 bridges built

• 422 bridge girders

• 1.6 million man-hours

Construction and engineering firm Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. deserves much of the credit for improving the daily commute of the nearly 300,000 Las Vegas motorists in the recently completed Project Neon. The $1 billion project eased congestion along the 3.7-mile segment of Interstate 15 between Sahara Avenue and the Spaghetti Bowl interchange.

Tapped to provide design-build services for this three-year endeavor, Kiewit assembled a team that at peak levels employed 96 staff and more than 500 craft by both Kiewit and subcontractors, who faced numerous challenges during construction.

The biggest concern was maintenance of traffic, which was accomplished in large part because of Kiewit’s excellent working relationship and communications strategy with the Nevada Department of Transportation.

The tight schedule was also problematic, but the implementation of accelerated construction methods, such as the use of California wide flange girders and depth deck panels, kept the project on track. Project Neon also utilized public involvement and community outreach with branded campaigns such as “The Big Squeeze” and “The Main Event” to communicate with the community.

Given the massive scope of the project, safety was a paramount concern, but Kiewit’s policy of “Nobody Gets Hurt” resulted in a TRIR (total recordable incident rate) of 0.38, almost 10 times lower than the national industry average of 3.1.

J.A. Tiberti Spirit Award

Robert Mendenhall

Robert Mendenhall has been instrumental in shaping Southern Nevada over the past six decades as a champion of construction-industry innovation and development that embodies the J.A. Tiberti Spirit Award.

In 1958, Mendenhall founded Las Vegas Paving Corp., which through his leadership, emerged as one of the 50 largest contractors in the nation. Thinking ahead of his time, Mendenhall experimented with the reclamation and recycling of asphalt pavement materials through a progression of inventions and plant equipment. His reputation as an innovator came to light in 1971 when Las Vegas Paving successfully “reconstructed” a 1-mile section of Interstate 15, utilizing the same materials from the initial construction of the same stretch of road. For the first time anywhere, a highway was reclaimed, recycled and made new.

Mendenhall’s ability to anticipate and respond to the construction industry’s needs continue to contribute to the success of Las Vegas Paving. His passion for the health of the Southern Nevada construction community makes Las Vegas Paving and its team members proud.

The award recognizes a company’s or individual’s innovative approaches to industry development, regulatory efforts and community involvement.

Member of the Year

Ryan Witherow, Trench Shoring

Ryan Witherow

Ryan Witherow

Ryan Witherow of Trench Shoring takes pride in his longtime membership with the Nevada Contractors Association.

Witherow has an active role in the association, especially with his leadership in the Construction Leadership Council and the Safety Committee. He is also a fixture at quarterly luncheons and mixers, fundraisers, Construction Career Day, safety forums and the Holiday Dinner Dance & Silent Auction.

He isn't bashful in recruiting his colleagues to join, inviting others in the industry to association events and introducing them to members.

Trench Shoring, which has offices in California and Nevada, has the shoring equipment to handle any job, from a small utility trench to a 10-mile sewer line.

Diverse Supplier/Professional Service Firm of the Year

Trinity Land Surveying Inc.

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Trinity Land Surveying Inc. has provided structural steel support and layout for many Las Vegas-area projects, including at the new Las Vegas Ballpark.

Trinity Land Surveying is a WBE and WOSB-certified land-surveying and 3D-scanning firm with a focus on the Las Vegas resorts corridor and sporting arenas. The company, founded in 2012 by Lisa Craig, has provided top-quality construction layout and structural steel layout for Allegiant Stadium, the Las Vegas Convention Center expansion, Las Vegas Ballpark, The Sphere, MGM Convention Center expansion and Park MGM Eataly.

Trinity Land Surveying joined the Nevada Contractors’ Association in 2014 upon becoming affiliated with the Operating Engineers Local 12, crediting the NCA’s Diversity and Inclusion Council for providing insight to union issues and with the certification process. Trinity quickly grew from three surveying crews to 14, working on some of the Las Vegas area’s most notable projects.

This includes work on the Las Vegas Ballpark, a $150 million, 10,000-seat, minor league baseball stadium that is home to the Las Vegas Aviators, and also serves as a venue for other civic, community, nonprofit and sporting events. Trinity was contracted to establish site control for all trades and perform rough and fine-grade layout.

The company was also contracted by other trades to lay out the structural concrete, underground utilities, fencing, site hardscape and signage. The company certified the playing field to ensure compliance with baseball regulations.

“Trinity Land Surveying provided their services from start to finish,” said Patrick Delano of Hunt Construction Group and Penta Building Group, a joint venture construction management team. “The extremely tight schedule constraints made some days difficult. However, Trinity provided their services for Hunt-Penta and our other subcontractors with professionalism, and it would be a pleasure to work with them again.”

Supplier of the Year

Komatsu Equipment

Komatsu Equipment offers new, used and rental equipment, assuring excellent service support with an extensive parts inventory, highly trained service personnel, on-site maintenance to eliminate travel and minimize downtime, and preventive maintenance programs to help avoid unexpected repairs.

Komatsu offers a broad range of construction, utility and mining equipment for sale. That includes articulated trucks, asphalt rollers, backhoe loaders, crawler bulldozer machines, excavators, mobile crushers, motor graders and water towers. It also has a complete line of ground-engaging tools and attachments such as buckets, forks and hydraulic booms. This equipment supports a wide range of industries, including residential and commercial construction, highway construction, paving, agriculture, demolition, energy, infrastructure, landscaping, mining, quarry and utility.

Komatsu has been on the forefront of machine-control technology with the use of GPS in its excavators and dozers, creating a full smart-construction division to give its customers an extra advantage when bidding projects. They also offer licensed GPS drone pilots and in-house 3D model builders.

Komatsu has grown its rental fleet from $178 million to more than $255 million in equipment, an increase in spending that allows the company to provide its customers with a one-stop shop to procure needed equipment.

Komatsu has a motto of “here to help,” which not only applies to its customers, but also to its employees. Komatsu regularly donates to charity events in need of equipment, with each corporate manager also active in giving back to the community.

Building Project of the Year (under $15 million)

Burke Construction Group

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Burke Construction Group was honored for its work at UNLV’s Harry Reid Research & Technology Park in southwest Las Vegas.

Burke Construction Group prides itself on providing efficient construction management, specializing in comprehensive preconstruction, development, virtual design and construction (VD&C), construction management and sustainable building services.

Burke’s clients include Credit One, Tesla, MGM Resorts International, Wynn Resorts, The Howard Hughes Corp. and UNLV, where the company is being touted for construction of Building 1 at the university’s new Harry Reid Research & Technology Park.

The park is a 122-acre master-planned business, research and technology hub located in the southwest valley near Sunset Road and Durango Drive. Building 1, a four-story, 116,362-square-foot Class A office core and shell building, was the first space within the park to break ground. Officials believe the park will help bind the university to the Las Vegas community.

The project, which works directly with Green Globes to receive certification, was designed with specific amenities for the UNLV Research Foundation and Black Fire Innovation, a new technology hub created by Caesars Entertainment.

Given the time constraints of the project, which was also hindered by unforeseeable weather conditions, the Burke team proposed using a cantilever scaffold that would allow the entire project to be constructed concurrently. Additionally, during construction, the team had to work to redesign a portion of the project to accommodate both new and existing utility lines.

Another challenge: As the building was a three-story tilt with a fourth-story steel-frame structure, the project team had to find a solution that would allow the trades to work on the fourth floor while the other floors were under construction.

The Harry Reid Research & Technology Park is projected to create up to 25,000 jobs and have a $2.6 billion economic impact, according to an economic analysis by the UNLV Center for Business and Economic Research.

Building Project of the Year ($15 million-$30 million)

The Degree, Martin-Harris Construction

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The Degree housing complex for UNLV students was finished by Martin-Harris Construction.

When Martin-Harris Construction was called to tackle this student housing project at UNLV, there were plenty of obstacles to overcome.

Another contractor was unable to complete the job, meaning Martin-Harris inherited an incomplete project with faulty fire sprinklers, water-damaged drywall, structural deficiencies and a roofing system that needed repairs.

But they utilized drone photography throughout the project and implemented initiatives such as onsite recycling, IAQ Indoor Air Quality control measures, LED lighting and synthetic grass to complete The Degree, the only on-campus housing apartments for UNLV students.

A five-story structure includes 226 units with 758 bedrooms — each with a private bathroom. The $70 million project includes a parking garage and courtyard with full amenities, including a swimming pool, a spa, a barbecue area, fire pit and a volleyball court.

Building Project of the Year (over $30 million)

Las Vegas Ballpark, PENTA Building Group

PENTA Building Group served as the general contractor for Las Vegas Ballpark, a 217,818-square-foot, 10,000-seat baseball stadium for the Las Vegas Aviators. The Summerlin facility includes 22 suites, multiple club seats and berm seating, with amenities such as party zones, picnic areas, kids' zones, bars and a swimming pool.

With groundbreaking in February 2018 and an opening in April 2019, the largest challenge PENTA faced was the tight schedule, with a project of such size and scope typically requiring 18 to 24 months to complete.

PENTA and joint-venture partner AECOM Hunt implemented Building Information Modeling to design the park in virtual space and provide the owner with 3D visualization. In addition to increasing collaboration and communication across all teams, the modeling was also used to detect any mechanical, electrical or plumbing problems. AECOM Hunt and PENTA also employed Primavera P6 to manage the process, streamlining communication and planning, and improving scheduling and documentation.

The ballpark was a smashing success, as the Aviators averaged a minor-league best 9,299 fans per game in their maiden season at the facility.

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Staff members at Commercial Roofers Inc. gather for a photo outside the company’s Las Vegas headquarters.

Subcontractor of the Year

Commercial Roofers Inc.

Commercial Roofers Inc. is a leading commercial roofing union contractor specializing in new construction, re-roof and retro-fit. The company, which has 175 employees, has been part of NCA for more than 20 years, serving as a sponsor on multiple levels hosting mixers, luncheons and other events.

With a corporate motto of wanting “all staff to go home at night in the same condition (they) came to work in,” the company has procedures in place to attain this objective and boasts no job site-related deaths or major injuries.

Commercial Roofers is using many new innovations, including the installation of new job-tracking software. Each foreman has a tablet for uploading photos, payroll cards, signed change orders or job-specific documents, which reduces paperwork. It has also invested in new service trucks, a new foam truck and a new crane, and continuously works to update its tool and equipment inventory.

On the philanthropy side, the company holds an annual holiday toy drive to benefit the City Impact Center, and also supports Convoy of Hope, theNevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Veterans Village and Shade Tree.

Among recent projects, the company was selected to provide new roofing and waterproofing on T-Mobile Arena, a two-year project that included 310,000 square feet of roofing and 9,320 man hours.

Challenges to this project included lack of space on site, as well as the problem of hoisting the neon pink signage letters onto the roof and installing the letters without puncturing the membrane roof materials. The project came in on time with no accidents, with a watertight roof for the Vegas Golden Knights.

Safest Subcontractor of the Year

Southland Industries

Providing a safe work environment has been a cornerstone of corporate culture since Southland Industries was founded in 1949. The mechanical, electrical and plumbing building-systems firm is committed to continually raising the bar in its approach to safety and operating under the principle that every injury is preventable.

Southland invests heavily in staffing, equipment and training to attain the goal of “Zero Harm” in the Mountain West Division.

Southland, which in 2019 has an experience modification rate of 0.49 and zero recordable injuries reported for 498,860 hours worked, embraces myriad safety innovations. That includes a web-based program to encourage safety participation for all employees and reduce the time spent by safety professionals on audits or inspections. They also have weekly safety tailgates and stress safety during the new-hire orientations.

Southland Industries’ Mountain West Division launched a new program using Building Information Modeling to eliminate the potential for falls before they occur on the construction site. The information modeling can also be used to determine excavation-protection systems.

The company has also implemented a Safety Box, which includes storage of fall protection, accessible safety equipment, signage and inspection forms, eyewash, a fire extinguisher and first aid kit.

Southland provided design-build fire protection services at Resorts World, where they installed sprinkler and standpipe systems for the new $4 billion Strip property. They also installed plumbing, mechanical, HVAC and fire service in one of the parking garages.

Diverse Subcontractor

G3 Electrical

An advocate for women in construction, Tiesha Moore of G3 Electrical is a seven-year member of the local chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction, where she has served on the board as well as numerous committees in connecting with other women in the industry.

G3 Electrical seeks opportunities to combine forces with other small minority subcontractors — not only on jobs but also in a mentoring capacity. For instance, G3 Electrical helped a low-voltage minority contractor navigate the DBE-certification process by showing them their bid limit and his bonding capacity.

A new member of the Nevada Contractors Association, G3 Electrical is active with the CTEC and Safety committees and the Diversity and Inclusion Council, with plans to sit on the planning subcommittee for Construction Career Day.

G3 Electrical recently completed a project at The Meadows School, providing electrical services for the remodeling of the library and cafeteria. The company also established a relationship with the general contractor on the project, which opened doors for future opportunities.

G3 Electrical, which was launched in 2010 by Tiesha and Thomas Moore, offers commercial and industrial clients services in new construction, remodels, improvements and lighting upgrades. G3 also performs electrical services for retail stores, convenience stores, restaurants and professional services firms. They are federally certified DBE, WBE and SBE.

Professional Service Firm of the Year

Vela Promos

Vela Promos, a screen-printing and embroidery company specializing in custom promotional products such as safety vests and shirts, supplies many contractor companies in Las Vegas with specialty-designed hard hats.

Vela is one of a handful of companies in the West with a hard-hat printing machine, which allows it to better serve the industry, including Associated General Contractors of America clients M.J. Dean, Werdco, Civil Werx, Martin-Harris, McCarthy, PENTA and Western Elite.

“We are thankful for the way they serve our ever-changing needs,” said Chris Culver, director of sales with Western Elite. “While we worked on several new looks for some of our promo items, Western Elite was treated as a partner and not a customer with a wallet.”

Vela continuously increases its NCA sponsorship level, believing the construction industry is not only an important component of its business, but also of the community. Vela, a silver sponsor, is active in the association’s Ambassadors and CLC committees, and is always looking to recruit new members.

With a commitment to brand creativity and customer service, Vela strives for a five-day turnaround for client orders of as many as 3,000 pieces, and rarely exceeds a two-week turnaround in an industry that often delivers in six weeks.

Vela also supports many community causes, including the Quiet Storm Foundation, a nonprofit created by former NBA player C.J. Watson. Vela donated Vegas Strong shirts for the foundation’s Hoops for Hope camp, and sold the same shirts during Construction vs. Cancer Las Vegas to raise money for charitable causes of the Nevada Contractors Association.

Member Company of the Year

PENTA Building Group

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PENTA Building Group workers are shown at a Las Vegas job site. The company is honored for its support of the NCA, whether that’s donating money or employees serving on committees.

The PENTA Building Group has been a huge supporter of NCA with many of its employees involved in committees such as the NCA’s Board of Directors, Safety Committee, CLC Committee, Permits and Inspections Committee, Labor Relations and Government Affairs.

It is also a major sponsor of NCA events, where they always have a large presence.

PENTA Building Group was launched 19 years ago with core values of accountability, integrity, fairness, flexibility and teamwork.

This approach has allowed PENTA to prosper while providing more than $5 billion in construction and preconstruction services. Serving communities throughout Nevada, California and Arizona with more than 260 employees, the company has expertise in concert venues, hotels, arenas, health care facilities, public works and parking structures. It boasts a safety rating well below the national average and has experienced just one lost-time injury in more than 3,500 days.

PENTA executives are active with the NCA, where they serve in board and committee positions. PENTA’s outreach includes volunteering nearly 3,000 hours this year with Three Square, Ronald McDonald House, American Cancer Society, Las Vegas Rescue Mission and Rebuilding Together Southern Nevada.

PENTA also hosted its 15th annual Las Vegas Charity Golf Classic, which raised about $150,000 for the Women’s Development Center, Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation and Nevada Military Support Alliance.

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