SAINT PAUL, Minn.— Minnesota-based construction firms LS Black and Dew Corporation today announced their merger. Both leadership teams proclaim this as a convergence of equals that builds upon industry-recognized strengths in the government, institutional and commercial sectors. Providing continuity of leadership, Sterling Black and Robert Dew will remain at the helm of Black and Dew. “The merger brought together two teams of smart, experienced leaders. We know the time is right,” said Robert Dew, president of Black and Dew. “In the current economic climate, we saw even greater need for the collective services, efficiency and delivery our firms were both … Read more

ST. LOUIS, Mo. — Concrete contractors with exemplary safety records were recently recognized by the American Society of Concrete Contractors at the association's annual conference in Grand Rapids, Mich. W. Burr Bennett Awards for Safety Excellence were given to specialty contractor T.B. Penick & Sons, San Diego, Calif., and general contractor, S.B. Ballard Construction Company, Virginia Beach, Va. These awards are presented in partnership with CNA, Chicago, to contractors that place the highest priority on safety. Entries were judged on three years of safety performance indicators, values and trends; a self-assessment checklist of company safety practices and detailed descriptions of … Read more

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Common Ground Alliance, the stakeholder-run organization focused on protecting underground utility lines and the people who dig near them, announced findings from its comprehensive 2010 Damage Information Reporting Tool Report. The report, which is the sum of all 2010 data submitted anonymously and voluntarily by damage prevention stakeholders, identified the importance of making a free call to 811 to reach a local one call center as most critical to safety.   When an excavator notifies a one call center before digging, damage occurs less than 1 percent of the time, according to the report. The report also … Read more

ST. LOUIS, Mo. —McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. was recently honored with a 2011 Education Excellence Award from the Associated General Contractors of America. Presented during the AGC Training, Education & Development Conference in Kansas City, the Education Excellence Awards recognize the most innovative and collaborative training and development programs in the construction industry. McCarthy was honored in the category of Supervisor-Executive Management for the firm's Foundations of Leadership Training Program. “The key to building great projects is building great professionals,” said AGC President Kristine Young. “McCarthy's leadership training program is an example of how to turn tremendous talent into outstanding … Read more