YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY
Springfield, MO
The 40th Salute to Design and Construction Awards banquet celebrated achievements in design, development and construction at the Oasis Hotel & Convention Center on Nov. 5.
The Ozark Empire Fairgrounds & Event Center captured Developer of the Year honors for its $31 million, 164,000-square-foot Wilson Logistics Arena. The award recognizes a project that has had a significant impact on the community, and after its opening on Jan. 11, the arena was on track to generate an economic impact of $60 million in its first year, according to past Springfield Business Journal reporting.
Additionally, the Design Team of the Year honor was awarded for the James River Church Youth Center addition and renovation project. The team included Buxton Kubik Dodd Design Collective, architect and mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineer; Miller Engineering PC, structural engineer; Own Inc., civil engineer; Touche Design Co., interior designer; and Ross Construction Group LLC, general contractor.
The center featured an industrial aesthetic with exposed ductwork and building systems for a sophisticated hangout for kids, according to past SBJ reporting.
“Everything that is sometimes hidden away gets put on display, and while that’s challenging, it results in a really interesting and cool project,” said Nick Schurk, project architect for Buxton Kubik Dodd.
The project at James River Church won the prize over the Jellyfish Gallery that is approaching completion at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife Museum & Aquarium.
Arena impact
Speaking about the 164,000-square-foot Wilson Logistics Arena project, CEO Aaron Owen told SBJ that he has 12 years under his belt with Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, and the past 10 years of that time have featured heavy development.
“We have pretty much redeveloped the whole fairgrounds, other than the E-Plex,” he said. “We took a lot of buildings down and rebuilt them and reconditioned them, and we built five new buildings during that time period as well.”
The city of Springfield owns the fairgrounds’ land, and the Ozark Empire Fair Foundation leases the property from the city.
Owen came to his current position with a background in construction and agriculture, and reenvisioning the fairground came naturally, he said.
Owen said he is particularly proud of the Wilson Logistics Arena, and noted his favorite aspect is its versatility.
“It supports the whole community,” he said. “We’re kind of ag based, and it’s beyond that – it’s sports and recreation as well as ag, so it’s got a lot of diversity to it.”
The nomination form for the award lists contributions from 43 companies that served as contractors and subcontractors on the arena project.
The arena is used for myriad events, including trade shows, sporting events, livestock shows and concerts. Its first year of operation coincided with the premier season of the Ozarks Lunkers, operating in The Arena League, an indoor football league.
Some events, like Missouri USA Wrestling competitions and Cavender’s PFI Bullriding Nationals, attract capacity crowds from throughout the region.
The nomination form, which was anonymous, cited the Ozark Empire Fair Foundation as being committed to fair and honest business practices.
“All facets of the project were sent out to receive multiple bids followed with a rigorous vetting process to ensure accuracy and fairness,” the nomination reads.
Lifetime achievement
In addition to the project awards, personal contributions were also lauded during the event, with a pair of Lifetime Achievement Awards presented by the Salute Council. These went to David Williams of Williams Construction Co., and Richard B. Quint Jr., of construction management firm Q & Co. LLC.
Williams has been active in the construction industry for more than 40 years and was owner-operator of Williams Construction 1980-2016. His service includes several years on the American Buildings Executive Committee for the President’s Advisory Council, and he chaired the council in 2005. He also served on the Missouri State University construction management industry advisory board.
Quint began Q & Co. in 2010 following a 16-year stint with Walton Construction, according to past SBJ reporting. His service also includes the MSU construction management industry advisory board, as well as the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce. He is also a former chair of the SCA Board of Directors.
Both honorees shared some words of wisdom from their careers.
Williams said he began in business in 1968, before computers.
“You didn’t send anybody a text,” he said. “You went and found that individual, looking eyeball to eyeball.”
He said he occasionally had a discussion with a city official about something that had to be figured out.
“I feel sorry for the young people coming up today, because sending somebody a text is not going to get it, because you can’t argue or discuss or convince – sometimes you’ve got to convince – using computers,” he said. “Hopefully, you’ll hear what I say and start meeting these people one on one – visit. Work out your problem.”
In his acceptance speech, Quint choked up as he repeated the advice of his father.
“If you’re going to do something – if you’re going to take the time to do it – then do it right,” he said. “In our business, I don’t know how many times I’ve seen people do things wrong and only get paid to take it out and put it back.
“I’ve spent my entire career trying to say, ‘Let’s just do it right the first time. Let’s think a little longer, and let’s get it done the right way.’”
Other honors
The American Institute of Architects presented two awards at the event.
The AIA tapped Tony Bird of Knot 2 Rustic Woodworks LLC for its Craftsman of the Year award. The award cited Bird’s mastery of technique and his eye for detail in woodworking, as he blends traditional methods with innovative ideas.
Additionally, the AIA presented the Superintendent of the Year award to Chris Collins of Crossland Construction Co. Inc. for his work on Cogdill Early Childhood Center in Strafford. Collins was praised for his professionalism and for achieving this distinction while under the age of 30.
The National Association of Women in Construction presented two Outstanding Women in Construction awards. The Vesta Award, given to a woman who has been in the industry for more than 10 years, went to Mary Beth Hartman. Hartman is president of Hartman & Co. Inc., which was established in 1985 by her father, Dean, and specializes in heavy civil construction projects for public and private clients. She is also founder and CEO of Hunter-Chase and Associates Inc., which assists larger contractors working on road construction projects.
Hartman brought her granddaughter with her on stage to claim the award.
“Sometimes in life, you are used to being a support person, and you just want to make sure that everybody is the best that they can be,” she said. “I just want to thank you for recognizing me tonight. I really appreciate it; it means a lot.”
Additionally, the organization’s Rosebud Award, for a woman who has been in the industry for less than 10 years, was presented to Julie Grauf, office manager of CB-GC LLC.
Grauf was described as positive, optimistic and supportive by her associates in an introductory video.
In her acceptance remarks, Grauf thanked her family for encouraging her, CB-GC for making a place for her and NAWIC Chapter 366, which she said made it easy to get involved and feel valued.
The event also included the presentation of 32 college scholarships, plus recognition of three Missouri State University teams that placed in the Associated Schools of Construction Region IV Management Competition and the annual photo contest winners.
Springfield-based Small Batch expects growth in sales as they target a national, local market.
