ENR California’s Top 20 Under 40 competition is currently accepting entries to recognize outstanding young leadership talent in the construction industry. Last year, we addressed the question: “What about recognizing people over 40?” with our inagural ENR California Legacy Award. Last year we had two outstanding winners - Ken Sletten and Tim Psomas. This year, we are excited to continue to honor individuals who have made an impact to the California construction industry.

The Legacy Award honors industry veterans with many years of experience and long lists of contributions to their profession and community. Now, that doesn’t mean you have to be 100 years old or retiring to win. The nominee’s age, working status (still working in the industry or retired) and professional roles/titles are not the main determinates for this honor. We’ll be looking for nominees with a history of innovation, outstanding career highlights and an engagement within the industry and the surrounding community.  

Individuals can nominate themselves or be nominated by colleagues. ENR’s regional editors will judge the award. Nominations may be kept confidential (if requested by the nominator) from the candidate until the process has reached the last stage when all finalists are reviewed. 

Please keep nomination entries to a few pages, and include: 

• A resume with major career highlights such as innovations and key projects or initiatives worked on or managed.
• A letter of reference from the nominator or a colleague familiar with key elements of the individual’s career
• A photo of the nominee and photos of any relevant projects
• A list of publications, white papers, articles, news stories written about (or authored by) the individual relevant to his or her career
• A summary of major activities outside the industry such as mentoring, teaching, political and/or government offices held

The deadline for Legacy Award submissions is October 16. Please email your submission directly to me at blairs @ bnpmedia.com (indicate Legacy Award Nomination somewhere in your subject line) and be sure to include all the components noted in the bulleted list above. The winner of this award will be honored at our annual Best Projects awards banquets in San Francisco and Long Beach in early December.

Note: if you submitted last year, there is no need to submit again unless you want to revise your entry. Contact me directly if that is the case. 

Also don’t forget to nominate your firm’s rising stars for this year’s 20 Under 40 competition. To do that, click here.