Engineering News-Record Presents Award of Excellence to Wayne E. Jones, Project Manager for New Orleans Surge Barrier Wall Construction

NEW YORK, April 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Engineering News-Record (ENR), McGraw-Hill Construction's industry-leading information source, has announced that Wayne E. Jones, Traylor Bros. project manager, has received the 48^th Award of Excellence, ENR's highest honor and one of the industry's most prestigious awards.  Jones was honored in front of 900 leaders from across the design and construction industry last night at a black-tie awards gala in New York City. He was among ENR's Top 25 Newsmakers of 2013, who were also honored for their achievements.

The editors of ENR selected Jones as this year's Award of Excellence winner because of his essential contribution to hardening storm protections around New Orleans. The largest chunk of new construction in the $14.6 billion ring of storm-surge defenses, built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers around post-Katrina New Orleans, is a $1-billion barrier across a marshy bay. The backbone of the barrier is a huge concrete and steel wall, designed to hold back a 26-foot-tall, hurricane-induced surge. Prime contractor Shaw E & I selected a joint venture led by Traylor Bros. to build the wall, and Jones, as project manager, planned and led the construction.

"Wayne Jones was instrumental in delivering this life-saving project. His ingenuity helped the joint venture devise a safe and efficient construction plan for this enormously complicated assembly. The entire surge barrier was completed by June of 2012 just in time to protect New Orleans from Hurricane Isaac in late August. The barrier is the largest civil works, design-build project in the history of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and its success stands as a beacon to a better way than multi-year, incrementally funded infrastructure. ENR is proud to present our most prestigious award to Mr. Jones," said Jan Tuchman, Editor-in-Chief, ENR.

ENR has selected winners for the coveted Award of Excellence since 1964 from among the industry's most innovative leaders. These leaders demonstrate a unique vision and ability to execute on that vision to improve and enhance the lives of people where they live and work. Candidates are chosen from newsmakers covered in ENR during the past year. A team of experienced editors at ENR then review each candidate and choose the Award of Excellence winner, carrying on the proud tradition. Past honorees, many of whom attended last night's gala, include:

-Theodore Zoli—winner in 2012 for solving urgent bridge dilemmas around the world
-John Hillman—winner in 2010 for creating a next-generation composite beam
-Michael Burton—winner in 2002 for leading the cleanup of Ground Zero
-Charles Thornton—winner in 2001 for creating the successful ACE mentor program
-Ginger Evans—winner in 1994 for managing the construction of Denver's airport

Jones is featured in the April 22 issue of ENR.  For more details on the Top 25 Newsmakers, visit http://enr.construction.com/people/awards/2013/0128-The-Top-25-Newsmakers.asp

Sponsors of the 48th Annual Award of Excellence include AECOM, The Associated General Contractors of America, American Society of Civil Engineers, CMAA, CMiC, FIGG Engineering Group, HDR Inc., Hill International, Parsons Corporation, Turner, United Rentals, and Volvo Rents.   

For more about McGraw-Hill Construction events, visit http://construction.com/events.

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SOURCE McGraw-Hill Construction