January 27, 2020

AGC honors Thompson, Salinas, Martin, Wilcox

Wilcox

During its 2020 annual convention on Jan. 24 in Bellevue, the AGC of Washington honored three outstanding members of the construction community — Andy Thompson, John Salinas and Connie Sue Martin — for their commitment and dedication to the industry and the local community.

The association also honored Rep. J.T. Wilcox as AGCW's 2019 Legislator of the Year and Kiewit Infrastructure West Co. as Leader of the PAC.

CONTRACTOR

OF THE YEAR

Andy Thompson

Granite Construction

Thompson

Thompson was recognized for his unwavering support on behalf of AGC members in 2019. He is a high-energy individual who represented AGC members on many fronts and, in all matters, steps in and takes a leadership role. Thompson is a member of the Construction Project Advisory Review Board and is participating in the tedious process for the reauthorization of CPARB this year. He is involved with the WSDOT Design/Build Committee as well as the AGC Government Affairs Committee, where he consistently brings balanced opinions. He has testified multiple times to the state Legislature on construction industry matters.

Granite believes in mentoring smaller construction firms and, accordingly, allows Thompson the time to be a first-class mentor in the WSDOT mentor-protege program to multiple firms. Thompson is also one of the founding members of AGCW's Diversity and Inclusion Committee, where he still participates.

Granite Construction is a heavy-civil/highway and paving contractor and has been a member of AGC of Washington since 1936.

SPECIALTY

CONTRACTOR

OF THE YEAR

John Salinas

Salinas Construction

Salinas

Salinas has devoted time (that he quite frankly doesn't have) to participating in the city of Seattle Priority Hire Advisory Committee and taking a lead role communicating the impacts of community workforce agreements or project labor agreements on contractors and WMBE firms. He has been a thoughtful committee member, representing AGC's values of free and open competition exceptionally well. He also has spoken on AGC's behalf to Seattle Public Schools about the impact of community workforce agreements on his business. With the ever-expanding use of CWAs in the Puget Sound region, Salinas' message is an important one for area WMBE firms.

Salinas is the third-generation leader of Salinas Construction, specializing in commercial and residential concrete construction, including airfield construction, in the Pacific Northwest and the Pacific rim.

ASSOCIATE

OF THE YEAR

Connie Sue Martin

Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt

Martin

Martin is the chair of the AGC Environmental Committee and is being recognized for her outstanding leadership in the negotiation, passage and the implementation of the state's Expedited Voluntary Cleanup Bill. Her efforts in this matter included, but were not limited to, testifying on AGC's behalf to the state Legislature and negotiating with the state Department of Ecology. This important legislation speeds up the cleanup of certain contaminated properties in order to get them into productive economic use. She also is playing a leadership role in the controversial fish passage culvert issue in the state.

Martin specializes natural resource, real estate and construction law.

Sean Lewis is the marketing director for AGC of Washington. He has been in the western Washington construction industry for more than 25 years.

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