ENR Texas & Louisiana's 2017 Best Projects
Texas & Louisiana's Best Projects Judges 2017
The judges selected the winning ENR Texas & Louisiana entries based on the following criteria: overcoming challenges and teamwork; safety; innovation and contribution to the industry and community; construction quality and craftsmanship; and design function and aesthetics. Separate panels determined Best Projects winners and Excellence in Safety winners. This year’s jury included:
Dana Birkes
Vice President, Business Strategies
Crossland Construction Co.
Birkes’s career spans more than three decades in the built environment. She has led marketing and business development for several international, national and regional firms, including Flintco and BSW International.
Sharareh Kermanshachi
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil Engineering
University of Texas at Arlington
Kermanshachi’s areas of expertise are performance-based modeling, project delivery, communication networks and uncertainty/risk analysis on transportation projects. She also has past experience as a project manager on building projects.
Thomas Sofranko
Professor of Architecture and Associate Dean
College of Art + Design, LSU
Sofranko has been with LSU for the past 25 years. In addition to teaching design studios, he serves as associate dean of the LSU College of Art + Design. He is a licensed architect and has practiced in Ohio, Florida and Louisiana.
Meloni McDaniel
President and CEO
TEXO
McDaniel has been with TEXO since October 2013 and led the member programs and services efforts until her promotion to president and CEO in March 2015. She is a licensed architect in Texas and previously worked for The Beck Group. McDaniel is also the past chair of the Fort Worth Society of American Military Engineers Post.
Steve Penson
Vice President
Austin Commercial
Penson joined Austin Commercial in 1997. He has led Austin’s advanced technology division and is overseeing the firm’s national aviation operations. He chairs the board of Fugasity Corp., a semiconductor technology company, and is a member of the University of Texas at Dallas Jindal School of Management’s advisory council.
Carol J. Friedland
Cajun Constructors Associate Professor
Bert S. Turner Dept. of Construction Management, LSU
Friedland has 20 years’ experience in construction and civil engineering practice and education. Her current research and teaching focus is hazard resistant and industrial construction. Before joining LSU, she was a project engineer with Kiewit, specializing in power-station construction.
SAFETY
Steve Trickel
Vice President of Safety
Zachry Group
Trickel’s primary responsibilities include strategic planning for safety. He leads a safety support team of nearly 400 professionals. Trickel has more than 28 years of safety and human resources experience and holds a certified safety professional designation.
Brandon Smith
Manager of Safety, Health & Security
Greater Baton Rouge Industry Alliance
Smith facilitates GBRIA’s safety programs, such as the safety, health and security committee and quarterly safety, health and security technology exchanges. He is president of the Greater Baton Rouge Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers.
Related Article: Diverse Projects Named Region’s Best
