 Right to left: Pete Gum - SEAA Executive Director, Steve Hebert - MAS Building & Bridge, Mike Mulsow - FM Steel, Glen Pisani - MAS Building & Bridge, Jack Nix - Shelby Erectors SEAA recognized four members as Trailblazers during the 2026 Convention & Trade Show for their efforts to grow the association through member recruitment. The Trailblazer designation honors individuals who recruited three or more new SEAA members during the past year.
 Association's Highest Honor Recognizes Decades of Leadership and Service to the Steel Construction Industry The Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) has selected Carrie Gulajan, President of Construction Insurance Agency, Inc., Manassas, Virginia, as the recipient of the William Davis Service Award. She received the award during the President’s Dinner at the 2026 Convention & Trade Show in May in Kansas City, Missouri.
The award is reserved for individuals who have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to advancing the industry through service, leadership, and dedication. It is not presented annually, but only when a recipient's contributions merit this distinguished honor.  Drew Heron and Jason McElrath are Co-Recipients of The Eddie Award, Recognizing their Commitment to the Association The Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) has named Drew Heron, Vice President of Operations for Deem Structural Services, Longview, Texas, and Jason McElrath, President of MP Specialty Insurance, West Columbia, South Carolina, as co-recipients of the 2026 Eddie Award. They received the award during the President’s Dinner at the 2026 Convention & Trade Show in May in Kansas City, Missouri.
Formerly known as the Person of the Year Award, the recognition was renamed to honor SEAA founding member Edward “Eddie” Williams. The award is presented annually to an individual who exemplifies dedicated service and a deep commitment to SEAA’s mission and values. 2026 Project of the Year winners feature high-rise, stadium, infrastructure, and public safety construction in Florida, Texas, and Alaska The Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) announces the winners of its 2026 Projects of the Year, recognizing excellence in reinforcing steel and structural steel construction. Reinforcing Steel is a new category. Other categories include Structural Steel and Miscellaneous Metals.
This year’s winning projects took place across Florida, Texas, and Alaska, highlighting the versatility and problem-solving capabilities of steel erectors working in vastly different environments—from dense urban high-rises and active airports to remote national park infrastructure. “These projects demonstrate the ingenuity and adaptability required to deliver steel construction in today’s complex environments,” said Pete Gum, Executive Director of SEAA. “Whether overcoming tight schedules, challenging site conditions, or extreme climates, each of these teams brought forward solutions that ensured safety, efficiency, and long-term performance.” Winners receive trophies, feature article coverage in Connector magazine, and the opportunity to participate in peer panel discussions. Summaries are provided below.
Steel erectors and fabricators honored for advancing performance, training, and jobsite safety The Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) has announced the recipients of its 2026 Safety Excellence and Craft Training Excellence Awards, recognizing member companies that are raising the bar for jobsite safety and ironworker training.
Presented at SEAA’s Convention & Trade Show, May 5-8, in Kansas City, Missouri, this year’s awards reflect both consistency among top performers and continued growth across the industry, including the introduction of a new Fabricator Safety Excellence category. “The expansion of the awards program for our fabricator members reflects the makeup of the association,” said R. Pete Gum, Executive Director of SEAA. Like the Erector Safety Excellence Award, it uses a points-based system evaluating EMR ratings, OSHA logs, citations, safety programs, and training initiatives. SEAA’s annual Project of the Year contest offers categories for Structural Steel, Miscellaneous Metals and, new this year, Reinforcing Steel. Projects are judged against projects with similar project values.
This year, five projects are being recognized, and four of them are first time winners! Companies will be recognized during the 2026 Convention & Trade Show in Kansas City, Missouri, May 5-8.
2025 Steel Erection Projects of the Year Located in Arizona, Florida, and New Mexico  The Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) announces the winners of its 2025 Projects of the Year- consisting of both specialty steel installation and structural steel construction.
“These projects are excellent examples of how steel erectors bring a variety of services to construction projects. Two of the winners served as both the fabricator and erector on the job and worked closely with the Engineer of Record to find workable solutions to original design plans. Another is a crane services provider, with unique access to rigging, cranes, and lift planning in addition to steel and concrete panel erection services,” said Pete Gum, Executive Director of SEAA. And for the first time, one of the winners is a specialty services provider—an industrial contractor that perform structural installations of material handling systems. Winners receive trophies, feature article coverage in Connector magazine, and the chance to participate in peer panel discussions. Summaries provided below.
SEAA is excited to announce the winners of its 2025 Project of the Year Winners, Safety Excellence and Craft Training Excellence Awards!
Project of the Year entries could be submitted in four classes for Structural Steel and two classes for Miscellaneous Metals. Classes are based on contract value for that portion of the job. In all, six companies were recognized for effectively solving unique jobsite challenges while safely completing projects. Project submissions are chosen by an independent panel of judges. Winners will get the chance to participate in a peer panel discussion at AISC’s Steel Conference, SEAA’s Convention, and will also be featured in Connector throughout the year.
 SEAA has opened the submission forms for 2025 Project of the Year, Safety Excellence, and Craft Training Excellence awards.
The Project of the Year Award is for SEAA members that topped out a steel erection or miscellaneous metals project from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024. Applications can be submitted using a simple online form and supporting documents. Structural steel projects will compete in one of four classes, determined by the dollar value of the erection contract. Miscellaneous metals projects will compete in one of two classes, based on contract value amount. Submissions are evaluated by an independent panel of judges based solely on information presented with each submission. The Safety Excellence Award acknowledges SEAA members in good standing that go above and beyond in the effort to provide ironworkers a safe place to work, while the Craft Training Excellence Award is for companies that are playing a critical role in the development of skilled ironworkers. Winners are selected in blind presentation by SEAA’s Safety & Education Committee. Winners are recognized during the Awards Ceremony at SEAA’s 2025 National Convention & Trade Show and will be invited to participate in panel discussions. There is no cost for SEAA members to submit an application. The application deadline for Project of the Year is December 31, 2024, and the deadline for Safety Excellence and Craft Training Excellence awards is January 31, 2025.
 By: Tracy Bennett Three of the five winning Projects of the Year– presented by SEAA in April 2024 to members from Arizona, Georgia, and Kentucky– shared common challenges of space constraints and difficult site access. In Atlanta, Georgia, Porter Steel, Inc., had to deliver materials for an 8,625 lb AESS staircase to be installed between 9th and 10th floors of an office building using a 5 ft x 8 ft elevator. Likewise, All Things Metal faced setting structural steel by hand in the basement and upper floors of a 100 year-old building conversion into a posh boutique hotel. Located in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, the building was hemmed in on one side by a light rail line. At 691+ tons of steel erected, Cumberland Steel Company’s project was on a larger scale than the other two. However, they faced similar difficulties building an immersive sports, entertainment and arts venue in The Colony, Texas. The jobsite location was not much larger than the overall footprint of the structure itself, and had residential buildings on two sides, access roads that could not be shut down, and several other active projects surrounding it. Be sure to click the red subscribe button above to receive your digital copy.
May 8, 2024 (Winston-Salem, N.C.) The Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) announces the recipients of its 2024 Safety Excellence and Craft Training Excellence Awards. Member companies received recognition for maintaining good safety records and having a comprehensive training program aligned with long-term career paths.
We’re just days away from the 2024 convention and trade show and the association is excited to announce the recipients of its 2024 awards programs! In all, 14 member companies received Safety Excellence Awards, three companies were awarded World Class recognition for their Craft Training programs, and five projects across multiple categories were awarded Project of the Year. SEAA's 2024 award winners will participate in panel discussions during convention next week and will be presented with awards during the Presidents Dinner. Project of the Year For Project of the Year, entries could be submitted in four classes for Structural Steel and two classes for Miscellaneous Metals. Classes are based on contract value for that portion of the job. In all, six companies were recognized for effectively solving unique jobsite challenges while safely completing projects. Project submissions are chosen by an independent panel of judges.
Winners will get the chance to participate in a peer panel discussion at AISC’s Steel Conference and SEAA’s Convention, and will also be featured in Connector throughout the year.  Gardner-Watson Decking’s President Geoff Kress and Vice President Jason Kulvinskas (center) surrounded by the rest of their team receive the World Class recognition for the Safety Excellence Award. By Macie Murie Worker safety is consistently one of the top priorities on any construction project, and with good reason. Since 2008, construction has experienced more total deaths than any other industry, and that figure doesn’t include fatalities from suicide. Our industry also has higher injury rates than most other professions, and unfortunately, safety costs. The industry loses $5 billion annually due to construction-related deaths. The number is measured by lost productivity, loss of family income, and pain and suffering, according to the Midwest Economic Policy Institute. However, today’s safety and training leaders recognize the impact of investing in creating a culture of safety. During a panel discussion at the 2023 Convention & Trade Show in St. Augustine, Florida, attendees were able to hear from the 2023 World Class Safety Excellence and Craft Training Excellence Winners. The Safety Excellence Award went to seven SEAA member companies in three categories. Recipients were selected based on evaluations of their EMR ratings, OSHA 300 statistics, and safety program processes over the last three years. Scoring was based on points assigned to a multi-criteria analysis, conducted in blind review by members of SEAA’s Safety & Education Committee. Applicants were evaluated on the portability of credentials, availability of apprenticeship programs, training, and recruitment efforts, in comparison to other companies of similar size. “Good safety records, comprehensive training aligned with long-term career paths, and awards recognitions, are among the criteria that prospective employees consider when deciding where to apply. Beyond the inherent value of being a safe company, it’s also a great marketing tool in a highly competitive market,” said outgoing Safety & Education Committee Chairman Bryan McClure, during the panel. The following are excerpts from the panel discussion. Be sure to click the red subscribe button above to receive your digital copy.
The Project of the Year Award is for SEAA members that topped out a steel erection project I from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023. Applications can be submitted using a simple online form and supporting documents. Structural steel projects will compete in one of four classes, determined by the dollar value of the erection contract. Miscellaneous metals projects will compete in one of two classes, based on contract value amount. Submissions are evaluated by an independent panel of judges based solely on information presented with each submission.
The Safety Excellence Award acknowledges SEAA members in good standing that go above and beyond in the effort to provide ironworkers a safe place to work, while the Craft Training Excellence Award is for companies that are playing a critical role in the development of skilled ironworkers. Winners are selected in blind presentation by SEAA’s Safety & Education Committee. Winners are recognized during the Awards Ceremony at SEAA’s 2024 National Convention & Trade Show and will be invited to participate in panel discussions. The Project of the Year panelists discuss issues and challenges and how they work to overcome them. The Safety and Craft Training panelists share best practices for recruiting and vetting workers, how to implement training programs, and how to solve the safety challenges all companies face. Project of the Year Safety & Craft Training Excellence  During its annual convention in April 2023 in St. Augustine, Florida, Geoff Kress, President of Gardner-Watson Decking, Oldsmar, Florida, and Bryan McClure, Partner in Trivent Safety Consulting, Westminster, Colorado, received two of the association’s most prestigious recognitions.
Kress received the William Davis Service award, and McClure was named Person of the Year. The William Davis Service Award is given to an individual who has demonstrated a life-long commitment to service in the steel construction industry. The award is the association’s highest honor, and is not issued annually. Recipients of the Person of the Year award have dedicated many hours supporting the association and providing their expertise. Project of the Year Entries for Project of the Year could be submitted in four classes for Structural Construction based on contract value for that portion of the job. In addition, the association opened a new category last year for Miscellaneous Metals in two classes. This category includes bridges, decking, ornamental steel, reinforcing steel, and steel fabrication projects. In all, five companies were recognized for effectively solving unique jobsite challenges while safely completing projects. Project submissions are reviewed and selected by an independent panel of judges. Connector, the associations official publication, will feature each project in-depth in issues throughout the year. The Summer issue will highlight Structural Steel: Class I winner Hodges Erectors and Miscellaneous Metals: Class I and II winners Basden Steel Corporation and Shelby Erectors. Structural Steel: Class III and IV winners Derr Gruenewald Construction and Williams Steel Erection will be featured in the Fall issue.  Safety Excellence & Craft Training Excellence Awards 2023 Safety Excellence Awards goes to seven member companies in three categories with excellent 2022 safety records. Recipients were selected based on evaluations of their EMR ratings, OSHA 300A statistics, and safety program processes over the last three years. Scoring was based on points assigned to a multi-criteria analysis, conducted in blind review by members of SEAA’s Safety & Education Committee. Safety Excellence and Craft Training Excellence winners will be featured in the Winter issue of Connector.  Two companies were recognized for the 2023 Craft Training Award. Applicants were evaluated on the portability of credentials, availability of apprenticeship programs, training, and recruitment efforts. Evaluations for the Craft Training Excellence award are made in comparison to other companies of similar size, based on the number of ironworkers employed from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2022. Note that there were not submissions by employers in all size categories for 2023. The World Class honorees each receive $1,500 to further their training program initiatives.  SEAA has opened the submission forms for 2022 Project of the Year, Safety Excellence, and Craft Training Excellence awards. Industry-wide publicity and peer recognition are just two of the benefits of participation. Submission deadline is December 31, 2022.
 SEAA has opened the submission forms for 2022 Project of the Year, Safety Excellence, and Craft Training Excellence awards. Industry-wide publicity and peer recognition are just two of the benefits of participation.
The Project of the Year Award is for SEAA members that topped out a steel erection project in 2020 or 2021. Applications can be submitted using a simple online form and supporting documents. New for next year is a category for Miscellaneous Metals, which expands recognition for projects that fall outside structural steel construction. There is no cost for SEAA members to submit an application. Application deadline is January 28, 2022. Winners are recognized during Awards Ceremony at the SEAA National Convention & Trade Show. Your team is invited to make a presentation about the project and to join a panel discussion with other convention attendees. The winner in each category will be featured in an in-depth profile article in The SEAA Connector® magazine, the official publication of SEAA. The Safety Excellence Award acknowledges SEAA members who go above and beyond in the effort to provide ironworkers a safe place to work, while the Craft Training Recognition Award is for companies that are playing a critical role in the development of skilled ironworkers. Winners are selected in blind presentation by SEAA’s Safety & Education Committee. Application deadline for both Safety and Craft Training Excellence Awards is March 1, 2022. Beginning in 2022, three $1500 Craft Training Grants will be awarded—one to each World Class winner of SEAA’s Craft Training Excellence awards program. World Class winners will be featured in a profile article in The SEAA Connector magazine. September 2, 2021 (Winston-Salem, N.C.) The Steel Erectors Association of America announces that Erection & Welding Contractors (EWC), Berlin, Conn., will receive the 2021 SEAA Craft Training Grant.
The grant is for member companies who are newly implementing SEAA/NCCER Ironworker Training and Assessment programs. It covers initial setup, training for administrators, instructors, and coordinators, and custom training materials for Ironworker Levels 1-3, or similar curriculum. EWC joined SEAA’s nationwide network of more than 30 training units in the fall of 2020. “Erection & Welding Contractors stood out because of their commitment to the recruitment and education of ironworkers,” said Bryan McClure, Chairman of SEAA’s Safety & Education committee. EWC is an AISC certified structural steel fabricator and erector, as well as a Minority Business Enterprise certified in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey. “Our goal is to educate and nurture each apprentice into an ironworker who employs best practices in our industry,” said David Desell, of Erection Welding Contractors. Participation in the SEAA/NCCER Ironworker Craft Training Program gives SEAA members access to dozens of training materials, including ironworker, crane operator, rigger, and signalperson, and management level curriculum. To learn more, visit seaa.net/craft-training. Craft Training Excellence Grants Beginning in 2022, three $1500 Craft Training Grants will be awarded—one to each World Class winner of SEAA’s Craft Training Excellence awards program. Winners are selected for their training accomplishments in the previous year in three categories based on number of ironworkers employed. Winners are selected in blind presentation by SEAA’s Safety & Education Committee. Submissions are due March 1, 2022. Applications can be submitted online at SEAA.net/awards. About Steel Erectors Association of America Founded in 1972, SEAA is the only national trade association representing the interests of steel erectors, fabricators, contractors, and related service providers. The association promotes safety, education and training programs for steel erector trades, including its Ironworker Craft Training curriculum. The association works in partnership with other steel construction, design, and steel product organizations to protect the interests of those who construct steel structures. Learn more at www.seaa.net. July 6, 2021 (Winston-Salem, N.C.) The Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA) announces the recipients of the 2021 Safety Excellence Award and Craft Training Recognition Award. “These companies demonstrated a strong commitment to the safety and health of their employees,” said Bryan McClure, Chairman of SEAA’s Safety and Education Committee.
 Class I Winner: Hodge Erectors Inc. Award-winning projects include sports arena, performance centers, and a museum
Seven steel erection companies have been named as recipients in the annual Project of the Year awards by the Steel Erectors Association of America (SEAA). One winner was selected in each of four categories based on the dollar amount of the erection contract. In addition, three companies received Honorable Mention. Categories are Class I up to $500,000; Class II $500,000 to $1 million; Class III $1-2.5 million; and Class IV over $2.5 million. Three of the projects were part of broader redevelopment plans in the local communities where they were built, and five of them house centers for cultural expression—including performing arts, sports, and a museum. Chosen by an independent panel of judges, the companies received notice of their awards in April 2021 for projects that were topped out in either 2019 or 2020. “Erectors often work in close collaboration with other teams and trades, and sometimes the customer. Challenges frequently deal with logistics, crane selection and rigging methods, and execution of complicated connection plans,” said Alan Sears, SEAA Awards Committee Chairman. “We congratulate these companies for excellent delivery of these unique structural steel construction projects.” |
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