Meet the 2014 Best Projects Judges
The judges selected winning ENR Texas & Louisiana entries based on the following criteria: overcoming challenges and teamwork, safety, innovation, contribution to the industry and community, construction and craft quality, design function and aesthetics. Two separate panels determined Best Projects winners and Safety winners. This year's jury included:
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Director of Preconstruction Services
HOAR Construction, Houston
Benefiel leads planning, design and preconstruction for all of HOAR's projects across Texas. He has been a member of Houston's USGBC chapter since 2006 and a member of the Greater Houston Partnership's Green Building Committee. Benefiel has also served as a special consultant to the Make It Right Foundation, a group seeking to provide green, affordable, high-quality homes in the neighborhoods hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina.
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Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer, Clifford Power Systems Inc., Tulsa
Birkes' career spans three decades in the built environment, working with architects, engineers and contractors. She currently serves on the board of ABC Services Corp. and as a trustee for the Society of Marketing Professional Services Foundation. She is a past board member of AIA of Eastern Oklahoma and president of the national board of SMPS. She is also on the national board of the Associated General Contractors of America. In 2012, she received the national Weld Coxe Marketing Achievement Award.
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Director
The Construction Industry Insti- tute, University of Texas at Austin, Austin
Crew joined the Construction Industry Institute in 2004. He was previously vice president of construction at Technip USA Corp. He is on the national board of directors for the ACE Mentor program, the board of trustees for the National Center for Construction Education and Research and the board of directors for FIATECH. He was elected to the National Academy of Construction in 2010.
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Regional Manager
Austin Commercial, Dallas
Penson leads Austin's advanced technology division and is responsible for construction of microelectronics, pharmaceutical, biotechnology and mission-critical facilities. He also manages the firm's building information modeling platforms and project management and systems technology groups. He chairs the board of Fugasity Corp. and is a member of the University of Texas at Dallas School of Management's advisory council.
SAFETY JUDGES
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Vice President, Employee Relations
JV Industrial Cos. Ltd., Pasadena, Texas
Trickel's responsibilities include strategic planning for the firm's industrial maintenance and construction sites specific to accident prevention programs, policies, procedures and processes. He has spent nearly 20 years in the industry serving as a leader in safety, administrative services and human resources.
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Director of Safety & Workforce Development
Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance, Baton Rouge, La.
Rivet leads all of GBRIA's safety, health, security and work force development committees, technology exchanges, contractor safety and health audit program, contractor safety and work force development awards programs, surveys and other GBRIA activities related to safety and work force development. He has more than 13 years of safety experience and has developed and managed safety programs for several contract companies before joining GBRIA in 2011.
