Contractor of the Year Awards celebrates the backbone of our community

For the 20th consecutive year, Vegas Inc has partnered with the Nevada Contractors Association to honor the Valley’s best general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and professional service providers. 

The most impressive and prestigious project, industry leaders and innovations in building, as chosen by association members, are recognized in this edition of the Contractor of the Year Awards.

As the backbone of our community, the construction industry builds the infrastructure that shapes our daily lives. Award recipients are responsible for building homes, offices, schools and roads, all of which touches the lives of everyone who lives, works and visits Southern Nevada.

These awards are among the industry’s highest and most coveted honors, and we are pleased to present them.

General Contractor of the Year: Burke Construction

Since 1984, Burke Construction has prided itself on exceeding client expectations, and focusing on the people and communities it serves. Still locally owned and headquartered in Las Vegas, Burke emphasizes strong and cohesive relationships with clients, trade partners, local utilities and government agencies to maintain the highest level of integrity.

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Burke Construction

With an emphasis on safety and innovation, Burke continues to establish its visionary leadership across Southern Nevada. Since its inception in 2019, Burke’s Virtual Design & Construction Department has seen tremendous growth. Not only does it develop multidimensional digital representation of projects, it also provides clients with meaningful insight into the project through renderings, animations and virtual walk-throughs of the space.

Burke project teams also use StructionSite, a 360-degree camera and viewing software that allows clients to track progress and experience the project developments in real time. Burke has also recently expanded its drone program with three licensed pilots and several pilots in training. Another recent initiative is the company’s Environmental, Social & Governance program aimed to implement the newest best practices for the environment, as well as socially based goals to improve staff and corporate health.

Subcontractor of the Year: Commercial Roofers, Inc.

Commercial Roofers, Inc. was founded in Las Vegas more than 25 years ago, and today, it is the largest roofing and waterproofing contractor in the Valley. The full-service roofing agency provides new construction, re-roof, roof maintenance and repair, and waterproofing contractor services for commercial projects.

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Commercial Roofers, Inc.

Commercial Roofers specializes in complex projects and has a client list that includes MGM/Mirage Corporations, Station Casinos, Resorts World, the Las Vegas Raiders, T-Mobile Arena, the City of Henderson, Clark County School District and many more. One of its most expansive projects includes the Las Vegas Convention Center Expansion, Phase II, which is a 3.2 million-square-foot space with a total roof area exceeding 1 million square feet. The pandemic began halfway through the project, and Commercial Roofers was able to quickly pivot to accommodate all safety and state regulations.

Accident prevention is at the forefront of every Commercial Roofers project, with a multilayered approach to ensure all safety precautions are taken, including trained foremen acting as Safety Officers at every job site and a Safety Committee that meets frequently to review the effectiveness of the program and make improvement recommendations.

With an emphasis on up-to-date technology, the best industry advancements and an increase in productivity—even with consideration to recent supply chain challenges—Commercial Roofers continues to expand its portfolio of environmentally friendly roofing systems and LEED projects.

Supplier of the Year: Coastline Equipment

Coastline Equipment is a premier John Deere equipment dealer and a provider of Wirtgen, Hamm, Vogele and Kleemann products. With two locations in Nevada, and 11 in the western region overall, Coastline Equipment delivers best-in-class solutions to its partners while promoting efficiency and success, and ultimately enriching the communities it serves.

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Coastline Equipment

Coastline Equipment and Coastline Equipment-Crane Division are part of a larger family of companies under Bragg Investments. The Bragg Investments companies seek to improve services to the construction industry including equipment and heavy-haul services, electrical engineering and nuclear energy services.

Safety, integrity, quality and superior service are the core values at Coastline Equipment. Prioritizing meaningful relationships with the companies it serves is part of what has led to Coastline’s long-term success, and it continues to drive the company’s innovative approach to providing cutting-edge technology to its customers.

Professional Service Firm of the Year: Grand Canyon Development Partners

Grand Canyon Development Partners is a full-service real estate development and general construction company that offers an array of services, including complete facilitation of client’s real estate development, project and program management, lender services, tenant coordination and LEED Certification studies. With experience in a variety of market sectors such as hospitality, entertainment, gaming, office, nonprofit and more, Grand Canyon Development Partners provides owners, investors and developers a well of vast expertise to draw from.

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Grand Canyon Development Partners

Always on top of trends and new techniques, Grand Canyon Development Partners has been involved with many high-profile projects in Southern Nevada, including the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Credit One Bank headquarters, Lucky Dragon Hotel and Casino and more.

In many ways, Grand Canyon Development Partners is a one-stop shop for efficient and quality development. Its host of on-staff professionals include architects, engineers, low voltage designers, facilities management and expediters with construction and development expertise, all of which guarantees the highest level of institutional knowledge and resources.

Safest General Contractor of the Year: CORE Construction

CORE Construction approaches safety with a holistic, company-wide approach, requiring all superintendents, assistant superintendents, project managers, assistant project managers, interns and laborers work collectively toward the safest workplace possible. Each jobsite is under frequent safety review—both internally and by third-party safety services—using a series of different inspections. Violations are reported and corrected swiftly. All employees receive regular educational resources and trainings to ensure that safety is always at the forefront, and CORE gives monthly safety awards to recognize the safest jobsites.

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CORE Construction

Using its trademarked construction management program called Operational Excellence, CORE identifies the following as the most important priorities on any project: safety, quality, schedule, cost, subcontractors and client. Daily huddles on every jobsite address each of these key considerations.

The City of Las Vegas Corridor of Hope, a community-focused homeless shelter totaling more than 50,000 square feet, is a recent project that CORE is proud to highlight. The project presented several logistical challenges, including some involving complex safety issues, as the site was an active and fully operational campus throughout construction.

Safest Subcontractor of the Year: Mojave Electric

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Mojave Electric

Mojave Electric credits open and honest communication for its tightknit workplace. Described as a family where safety is at the foundation of everything they do, Mojave Electric’s Total Recordable Case Rate has been below the NAICS for the past three years. Using a multi-tier process that identifies safety concerns, beginning with the initial proposal process and throughout the completion of the project, the company seeks to mitigate risk proactively.

Mojave was recently contracted for Amazon’s third distribution center in Southern Nevada. With only 10 months to construct the nearly 2.25 million square foot space, Mojave worked with the other contractors to ensure a smooth completion under an accelerated timeline. Eighty-five electricians were used during the project, reporting 115,037-man hours with no injuries and no OSHA violations.

Civil Project of the Year: U.S. 95 Northwest Corridor Improvements Project, Centennial Bowl Phase 3C – Las Vegas Paving

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U.S. 95 Northwest Corridor Improvements Project, Centennial Bowl Phase 3C – Las Vegas Paving

Las Vegas Paving was awarded Phase 3C of the Centennial Bowl project that included a half-mile connector with the addition of three new interchange ramp connections—the connection of northbound U.S. 95 to the westbound CC 215 flyover ramp, southbound U.S. 95 to the eastbound CC 215 flyover, and eastbound CC 215 to southbound US 95 ramps.

This extensive and complex project saw 28,520 tons of asphalt paving, 9,200 square yards of concrete paving and 2,600 tons of reinforcing steel—all within 450 allowable working days. With substantial experience and innovative methods, Las Vegas Paving was able to overcome the challenges associated with the project to help create infrastructure that will serve the Valley for years to come. The result of this corridor improvement is better access for residents and businesses, enhanced safety for vehicles and pedestrians, increased freeway capacity and more.

Building Project of the Year (under $15 million): Big Top Food Court at Circus Circus Hotel & Casino – Martin-Harris Construction

Built in 1968, Circus Circus Hotel & Casino has seen countless renovations over the years, and, like many older resorts in similar situations, reliable as-built documents for the property did not exist. So when Martin-Harris Construction began planning for the Big Top Food Court, it took an exploratory approach during the pre-construction process to ensure a successful build.

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Big Top Food Court at Circus Circus Hotel & Casino – Martin-Harris Construction

The project required extensive demolition, structural changes and considerable renovations to the existing space. It also saw the construction team cutting into the shear wall and reinforcing a new food court entrance—the shoring and demolition of this wall had to be engineered throughout the process to ensure the stability of the property.

The new, 15,000-square-foot food court features four dining concepts with an open floor plan, and the management office and break room opposite the restaurants. Both the management office and break room required infrastructure for a future AV rack and were built in a cost-effective manner using VCT for flooring and ACT ceiling.

Safety was the most important component of this project, as it is with all Martin-Harris projects, particularly as construction occurred in an occupied space, on a tight jobsite. Coordinated traffic planning, crane planning, road guard and flaggers and more were all required.

Building Project of the Year ($15-30 million): City of Las Vegas, Corridor of Hope – CORE Construction

In 2017, the City of Las Vegas created the Courtyard Homeless Resource Center to provide support for the expanding homeless population, including resources for housing, health services, legal guidance, employment and education opportunities, monetary guidance, clothing and more. However, as the needs of the community evolved, the city opted to expand the facility to serve more people in need, more effectively.

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City of Las Vegas, Corridor of Hope – CORE Construction

That’s where CORE Construction came in—to navigate the complicated process of expanding and replacing the facility for what would be renamed the Corridor of Hope, consisting of three new buildings and a canopied courtyard.

After finding saturated clay soil and groundwater at shallower depths than identified in the geotechnical report, the project team determined that a permanent dewatering solution would be required, which is a significant undertaking that presented myriad challenges. Additionally, unexpected shipping delays forced the team to rework the schedule to complete the project by the city’s desired date, and pedestrian safety presented further challenges. Despite this, the project has ushered in a new era of service to this vulnerable community.

Building Project of the Year (over $30 million): Auric Symphony Park Luxury Residences – Martin-Harris Construction

Auric Symphony Park Luxury Residences is a mixed-use residential project by the Southern Land Company in Downtown Las Vegas consisting of 324 luxury apartments and 21,000 square feet of ground-level retail and restaurant space. With extensive amenities including a resort-style pool with two-story cabanas and an outdoor bar, this build totaled 480,000 square feet.

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Auric Symphony Park Luxury Residences – Martin-Harris Construction

Prior to construction, the site was a designated brownsite for many years, and during the initial phase of the build, Martin-Harris had to take down the site 8 feet and replace it with clean fill. During that excavation, several areas of contaminated soil were encountered and required strict regulatory disposal methods.

The LEED Silver Certified project began in May 2019, and the first residents moved in July 2021. While the pandemic introduced challenges to the project, including global supply chain disruptions, Auric Symphony Park Luxury Residences is now a vibrant, luxury residence that has breathed new life into the bustling area.

Member of the Year: Michael Sukeyasu, MJ Dean Construction

Michael Sukeyasu wears many hats—including a hard hat. The Project Manager at MJ Dean Construction spends many of his days on jobsites, but he still manages to make time for the community. He currently serves as the Construction Leadership Council Chair and on the NCA Board of Directors. In these roles, he works to better the construction industry, and community, in Southern Nevada.

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Michael Sukeyasu, MJ Dean Construction

In his role with CLC, Sukeyasu spearheaded an event called Canstruction to donate thousands of cans of food to a local food bank. He is also involved in several other philanthropic endeavors throughout the year, including the Las Vegas American Cancer Society’s Construction vs. Cancer event.

Sukeyasu is also very active with NCA events, attending mixers, luncheons, and volunteer opportunities throughout the year, and encouraging membership among his peers and colleagues. He says that members who commit to serving on committees and engaging at events will find the most success in the organization—and have the most fun.

Member Company of the Year: Fasteners, Inc.

Fasteners, Inc. is a Nevada-based, employee-owned supplier that actively participates in NCA committees, events, and volunteer opportunities. Fastener’s vice president of sales, Brett Wilson, salespeople Alexandra Weber and Brian Ridgway, and social media marketing manager Rosie Jimenez are all members of the NCA Construction Leadership Council. Corporate counsel C.J. Potter serves on NCA’s Government Affairs Committee. And all these individuals bring their expertise and unique skillsets to the organization.

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Fasteners, Inc.

With ongoing dedication to the NCA, Fasteners has recruited new company members, as well as increasing the number of its employees who are active, participating members.

Fasteners is committed to providing an inclusive, rewarding, and collaborative workplace that places a special focus on community involvement. It sponsors a bimonthly donation drive to collect and deliver necessities to different organizations in Southern Nevada, including Safe Nest, Ronald McDonald House, Baby’s Bounty, Candlelighters, and others. It also has developed a relationship with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization that delivers beds to children in need. Striving to embody what an ideal NCA member should be, Fasteners continues to service the industry and community through its many efforts.

Diverse General Contractor of the Year: KOR Building Group

Founded by Rebecca Fountain in 2013, KOR Building Group is a Nevada-based general contracting firm that specializes in high-end residential renovations, government and state contracting, hotel renovations and improvements, facility maintenance services, certified fireproofing, tenant improvements and commercial construction. Fountain has been a construction executive for more than 40 years and is currently the president of the Nevada Contractors Association and one of the founding members of the Diverse Contractors Council.

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KOR Building Group

KOR is a WBENC certified Women-Owned Business and an approved vendor for the Bellagio and Venetian & Palazzo resorts. Other KOR projects include several key areas of the Harry Reid International Airport and the UNLV Campus Lab remodel, which KOR highlights as one of its best projects of the year.

Honoring diversity is a guiding principle at KOR, which aims to create safe workspaces that prioritizes diversity and equality within the company and community. KOR works with and supports a wide array of diverse subcontractors including Women-Owned, Minority-Owned, Disabled Veteran-Owned, Small Business-Owned and Disadvantaged Business Enterprises.

Diverse Subcontractor of the Year: Live Electric

Live Electric has eight diversity certifications, including Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, Small Business Enterprise and Women-Owned Business, and is Southern Nevada’s only WOSB/DBE certified Union Electrical Contractor. The company offers a full range of high, medium and low voltage electrical services, with a mission to provide high-quality, on-time services that are within budget and exceed client expectations.

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Live Electric

Live Electric seeks out small, local, and diverse business partners to work with—striving to create a robust network of diverse suppliers and contractors they can spend their dollars with. The company attributes its success to the qualities that differentiate it, and it seeks to elevate and connect similar businesses to find success as well.

This year, Live Electric was contracted for the MGM Mansion Villa 8 project alongside TEAM Construction Management. The project included the incorporation of electrical, lighting and AV upgrades.

With a pay-it-forward mentality, Live Electric is active within the community and donates labor, materials and time to several organizations, including Make-a-Wish foundation.

Diverse Supplier/Professional Service Firm of the Year: Linda Q Media Productions

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Linda Quackenboss, Linda Q Media Productions

Linda Quackenboss took her passion for photography, and her knowledge from being raised in a construction-business family, to launch Linda Q Media Productions. With 14 years of construction photography and videography experience, and an FAA-certified drone flying operation since 2017, her company works primarily with general contractors, as well as subcontractors, commercial real estate brokers and architects.

Displaying clients’ hard work and productions excellence is a priority at Linda Q Media Productions. Its service list includes ground-level photography and 4k videography, aerial still photography and 4k videography, orthomosaic imagery and video presentations.

Quackenboss serves on the NCA Ambassador Committee, the Diverse Contractors Council and the Diverse Contractors Council Steering Committee. She also attends nearly every NCA event and does the event photography for the association.

J.A. Tiberti Spirit Award: Margi Grein, Nevada State Contractors Board

Margi Grein has served as the Nevada State Contractors Board’s executive officer since 1998, and during that time, she has proven a decisive, thoughtful leader who upholds integrity and encourages collaborative ingenuity.

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Margi Grein, Nevada State Contractors Board

Grein makes progress a priority through legislative endurance and administrative processes. During her first year as Executive Director, she collaborated on the bill establishing the Residential Recovery Fund that afforded homeowners who hired licensed contractors and incur damages up to $35,000 (now $40,000). This program has given homeowners an avenue for financial recourse and has awarded $14 million to-date. In 2001, Grein drafted the proposed legislation forming the Commission on Construction Education that designated money collected from disciplinary fines to be awarded as grants to enhance educational programs within the construction industry.

Grein has also been involved with legislation that include enhanced pool and solar construction laws, regulations that mitigate consumer harm and increase contractor accountability, and implemented the Nevada’s bidder preference law. Throughout her tenure, Grein has led the NSCB to become a Model Regulatory Agency that is recognized throughout the country.

A dedicated civil servant, Grein’s professional legacy is that of service, advancement and tangible, meaningful results felt throughout the state.

This story appeared in Las Vegas Weekly.

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