DES MOINES, IOWA (4/21/2026) — The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Iowa held its association’s annual Excellence in Construction Gala at the Iowa Events Center on Thursday, April 16. Recognizing and honoring the best in the business for work completed by companies and individuals in their respective categories.
The program began with recognition of students and faculty from the University of Northern Iowa Construction Management Program. ABC of Iowa maintains a long-standing partnership with the program, including sponsorship of student competition teams in the ABC National Construction Management Competition. The organization also provides annual financial support and, most recently, contributed $75,000 in naming rights toward the university’s new Applied Engineering Building.
For more than 20 years, ABC of Iowa has also funded two annual scholarships for UNI Construction Management students. This year’s scholarship recipients were Isabelle Johnson and Sam Goodrich.
Governor Kim Reynolds was also recognized for her strong support of Iowa’s merit shop construction industry and its workforce. In honor of her years of service to the state of Iowa and to merit shop construction, ABC of Iowa has endowed a $50,000 Construction Management Scholarship at the University of Northern Iowa. The scholarship will be named the Governor Kim Reynolds/ABC of Iowa Construction Management Scholarship.
The first award of the night was the Bill Yeager Craft Professional of the Year, which was created many years ago to recognize the skill, dedication, and professionalism of a craft professional working for an ABC of Iowa Member firm. The annual award is named in honor of ABC of Iowa National Life Member, ABC of Iowa Charter Member, and past ABC of Iowa Chair, Bill Yeager. The honoree was Jeff Stansberry of Hometown Mechanical.
After that were the Excellence in Community Awards, marking the third straight year of asking members to submit recent community volunteering efforts. The following award recipients were:
- Community Compassion Award – River Cities Engineering, Inc.
- Community Youth Engagement Award – L.A. Fulton & Sons, Inc.
- Service Excellence Award – Interstates
- Community Champion Award – River Cities Engineering, Inc.
The program continued with naming the 2026 Associate/Supplier of the Year winner, presented to the Associate or Supplier firm named the most often on the projects submitted by contractors in this year’s awards competition. This year’s honor went to 3E Electrical Engineering & Equipment Co.
Next, the Larry Meisner Contractor of the Year Award was announced. The award is named in honor of ABC of Iowa Charter Member and the first chairman of ABC of Iowa, Larry Meisner. It recognizes a management team member who engages employees and team members in bettering their community, advancing the merit shop philosophy and promoting ABC of Iowa. Robert W. Shaw, owner and CEO of Shaw Electric, Inc., was this year’s recipient. He is the first-ever honoree to follow in his father’s footsteps as Contractor of the Year.
Following that, the EIC Project awards were announced. Below is the list of Award of Merit, Awards of Distinction, and Awards of Excellence:
Award of Merit:
- K & W Electric, Inc.
- Electrical: Commercial
- Lincoln Elementary Flood Recovery Project in Spencer, Iowa.
Awards of Distinction:
- Nelson Electric LLC
- Electrical: Commercial
- Alliant Ag Innovation Center Project in Ames, Iowa
- Keen Project Solution
- General Contractor: Industrial
- ADM Truck Wash Project in Decatur, Illinois
- Shaw Electric, Inc.
- Electrical: Industrial
- JM Eagle New Plastic Mixing Facility Project in Wilton, Iowa
- Proctor Mechanical
- Mechanical: Commercial
- Clarinda Correctional Facility Kitchen and Laundry Addition in Clarinda, Iowa
- Price Electric
- Electrical: Commercial
- Centennial Park Event Complex Project in North Liberty, Iowa
Awards of Excellence:
- Dahl Air Conditioning & Heating, LLC
- Mechanical: Public Works/Environmental – HVAC
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Lab/Admin Building Project in Adel, Iowa
- Keen Project Solutions
- General Contractor – Commercial
- Ex-Guard Office Remodel in Des Moines, Iowa
- Shaw Electric, Inc.
- Electrical: Commercial
- Washington Middle School Project in Washington, Iowa
- Hometown Mechanical
- Mechanical: Public Works/Environmental - Plumbing
- Clinton Regional Water Reclamation Facility Project in Clinton, Iowa
- River Cities Engineering, Inc.
- Electrical: Industrial
- Harsco Scrap Crane Disconnects – Electrical Installation Project in Muscatine, Iowa
- Todd & Sargent
- General Contractor – Industrial
- Star of the West Flour Mill Project in Ligonier, Indiana
- Nelson Electric Co. LLC
- Electrical: Industrial
- New Manufacturing Facility – United Equipment Accessories Project in Ames, Iowa
- Dahl Air Conditioning & Heating, LLC
- Mechanical: Commercial
- Clive City Hall Renovation Project in Clive, Iowa
- Peterson Contractors, Inc.
- General Contractor – Infrastructure: Heavy
- 1st Avenue & I-80 Diverging Diamond Interchange Project in Coralville, Iowa
- Shaw Electric, Inc.
- Electrical: Commercial
- North Scott School District Regional Innovation Center Project in Eldridge, Iowa
- HPC, LLC
- General Contractor – Institutional
- Ankeny Fire Station #4 Project in Ankeny, Iowa
- L.A. Fulton & Sons, Inc.
- Mechanical: Commercial
- Urbandale Middle School Boiler Replacement Project in Urbandale, Iowa
- Keen Project Solutions
- General Contractor – Industrial
- Kaapa Aurora Grain Demolition and Rebuild Project in Aurora, Nebraska
- Shaw Electric, Inc.
- Electrical: Commercial
- Burlington High School Additions & Renovations Project in Burlington, Iowa
- Hometown Mechanical
- Specialty Construction – Industrial
- Kent Pet Group – Cat Litter Plant Project in Muscatine, Iowa
- Dahl Air Conditioning & Heating, LLC
- Mechanical: Commercial – HVAC
- Ankeny Fire Station No. 4 Project in Ankeny, Iowa
The second-to-last award of the night was the Merit Alliance Award, recognizing the member firm whose project utilized the most ABC of Iowa members. The year’s award went to HPC, LLC for the Ankeny Fire Station #4 project. There were 23 additional ABC of Iowa members involved in the project.
The final award of the night was Project of the Year, given to a project achieving the highest cumulative point total of all first-place projects as determined by the panel of judges. The recipient was Shaw Electric, Inc. of Davenport, Iowa for the Washington Middle School Project in Washington, Iowa.
Thank you to all who submitted work. We look forward to seeing you next year on Thursday, April 8, 2027, at the Iowa Events Center.
