SEAA announces the winners of its 2025 Awards Programs

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.

Project of the Year Winners

Miscellaneous Metals, Class I: Central Texas Steel Erectors
Miscellaneous Metals, Class II: ORBIT Industrial Service and Maintenance
Structural, Class I: Hodges Erectors, Inc.
Structural Class II: All Things Metal, LLC
Structural, Class III: GMF Steel Group
Structural, Class IV: Alliance Riggers & Constructors, Ltd.

The Safety Excellence Award goes to 14 SEAA member companies in three categories with excellent 2024 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. 

Three companies were recognized for their craft training programs. 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, 2023.

Safety Excellence Winners

World Class
Cooper Steel, Shelbyville, Tennessee
Derr & Gruenewald, LLC, Brighton, Colorado
GMF Steel Group, Lakeland, Florida
High Plains Steel Services, LLC, Windsor, Colorado
MAS Building & Bridge, Inc., Norfolk, Massachusetts

Premier
Flex-Erect, Houston, Texas
Gardner Watson Decking, Oldsmar, Florida
Group Steel Erectors, Inc., Ridgeland, Mississippi
JPW Erectors, Inc., Syracuse, New York
L.R. Willson & Sons, Inc., Gambrills, Maryland
Piedmont Steel Company, LLC, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
S&R Enterprises, LLC, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Gold
Cubas Welding Construction, Inc., Charlotte, North Carolina
Shelby Erectors, Inc., Reddick, Florida

Craft Training Excellence Winners

World Class
Category I: GMF Steel Group, Lakeland, Florida
Category I: Derr & Gruenewald, LLC, Brighton, Colorado

Class II
Shelby Erectors, Inc.