Mary Teichert, president of Teichert, Inc, and 2023 president of the Beavers, has announced the recipients of the 2024 Golden Beaver Awards. The four awardees will be recognized at the 68th Annual Awards Dinner to be held Friday, January 19th at the J W Marriott at LA Live in Los Angeles, CA. The guest speaker will be Shailen Bhatt, Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration.
G. Michael Hoover, Chairman and CEO of Sundt Construction will receive the Leadership Award. After earning his mechanical engineering degree from the University of Arizona, Mike started his construction career as a field engineer for a few years before taking the unusual step of becoming a journeyman carpenter, a move he says has been key to his success. After joining Sundt following his time as a carpenter, Mike progressed through the ranks of the company’s transportation division, being named co-COO in 2014, then president in 2016. His understanding and appreciation of the crafts has resulted in Sundt’s ongoing efforts to train skilled workers, which are currently in high demand.
Bob Adams, Senior Vice President of Guy F. Atkinson Construction, LLC, Renton, WA, will be presented with the Management Award. A mechanical engineering major at the University of Washington, Bob’s 53-year career with the company began immediately after graduation. His first assignment was on the Mica Dam project in British Columbia. After a stint with Atkinson’s Southern California operations, Bob moved to Venezuela for the Guri Hydroelectric Project. He returned to Atkinson’s headquarters in South San Francisco to estimate highway projects before returning to his native Seattle in 1989, where he has spent the balance of his career managing Atkinson’s highway and heavy civil work.
The Supervision Award recipient is Dave Nielsen, general superintendent for Manson Construction Co. of Seattle, WA. Starting as a union apprentice in 1976, he progressed though the field positions to ultimately be named general superintendent, with involvement in nearly all of Manson’s complex heavy civil marine projects. One of the highlights of his career was serving as general superintendent for foundations for the joint venture building the $1.2 billion East Span Replacement of the San Francisco Oakland Bay Bridge, the general superintendent for the construction of the foundation for the Self-Anchored Suspension Bridge connecting the skyway to Yerba Buena Island.. This was followed by his role as construction manager for the removal of the old bridge’s 20 marine foundations, which was completed a year ahead of schedule and won the AGC Marvin M. Black Partnering Excellence Award.
The Engineering/Service and Supply Award will be presented to Jake van Baarsel of Skanska USA Civil West USA of Riverside, CA. In his 38-year career in construction engineering starting with Kasler Corporation/Washington Group followed by Skanska, he has tackled numerous highly challenging major projects both above the surface (bridges) and underground (subway tunnels). During the course of his career, Jake has provided construction engineering for more than 400 bridges on 25 freeways, 11 underground stations and other structures for five Los Angeles County Metro lines.
For additional information or photos, contact Dave Woods – dave.woods@thebeavers.org