Check, check, check and check.
The four project teams winning Don Conaway Partnering Awards for the 2024 construction season checked all the boxes when it came to the criteria ODOT’s Renee DeFord described in the announcement of the honors.
The 13th Don Conaway Partnering Awards were announced February 18, on the first day of Conaway Conference 2025 in the Hyatt Regency Columbus Ballroom.
In announcing the winning projects, DeFord, who serves as ODOT Digital Media Coordinator, said, “Partnering is about the process of communicating and working together through obstacles, and today’s nominees are being highlighted based on the culture set forth by the ODOT and OCA Partnering Steering Committee. Ultimately, the winners best display a proactive approach to partnering, a means to accomplish their project’s specific goals, utilize the dispute resolution process and solve issues at the project level.”
Proactive approaches in accomplishing project-specific goals, utilizing dispute resolution processes to solve issues so jobs can keep moving and more, helped crown winners in four project categories: Under $5Million; $5 Million to $20 Million; $20+ Million; and Local Public Agency (LPA).
“The thing that the Partnering Committee looks for in deciding the winner is how challenging is the project and did they use partnering from the outset of the project to address the issues that came up,” said OCA Director of Public Agency Advocacy Chris Engle. He added that because dispute resolution processes are an integral part of project partnering, it is good to see them followed. “… You try to work things out on the project, but if you can’t, you take it up to the next level and things get resolved while you’re still working on the project and solving the other problems. When we see that it stands out.”
In addition to the criteria used by the ODOT/OCA Partnering Steering Committee in selecting the winning teams, the display of original minutes from the partnering meetings and correspondence letters from project stakeholders complimenting the partnering process were also considered.
Here are the winning teams and projects in the 2025 Don Conaway Partnering Awards:
Category 1 – Projects Under $5 Million
Wood County S.R. 65 Culvert Replacements
Contractor: Vernon Nagel Inc.
ODOT: District 2
One project in reality was three and turned into a fourth for the team of Vernon Nagel Inc. and ODOT District 2. The culvert replacements on State Route 65 in Wood County consisted of an 18-inch culvert for slope stabilization; a box culvert replaced with a 72-inch pipe near a high-pressure gas line – which the project team was told if you hit the gas line it would be national news; and replacing a “broken back” stone culvert dating back to 1892.
The fourth aspect of the seven-month, $1.6-million project was the careful demolition of the stone culvert and transporting of the cut stone blocks and slabs to an area park for use on future projects.
A good working relationship, built on past experiences between District 2 and the contractor, was said to have keyed the partnering on the project – which featured “a line of communication that was always open.” The project, which had a short duration from the awarding of the project to starting work, featured a tight 45-day road closure, jobsite locations near residences and utility delays. These obstacles were discussed and planned around through a design/construction handoff meeting prior to starting work. This meeting included interaction with concerned landowners, residents, utility groups, ODNR, park agencies and more.
According to project leaders, the overriding keys for the job’s success were looking at the project as a whole instead of being only process oriented and remaining open-minded to all the project entities’ goals while accomplishing a project-first philosophy.
The culvert replacement project bested five other nominated projects in the category, as Vernon Nagel won its second Projects Under $5 Million Category honor. The Napoleon-based company also won in 2023 on an ODOT District 1 project. For ODOT District 2, it was its first partnering award in this category and its first outright honor in the 13-year Don Partnering Awards Program. District 2 did receive an Honorable Mention in 2024.
Category 2 – Projects between $5 Million20 Million
Ottawa County S.R. 53 Intersection Improvements
Contractor: Miller Bros. Const. Co.
ODOT: District 2
This category’s winning project was just as much about outlasting challenges – both manmade and natural – as it was about partnering among Miller Bros. Construction Co. and ODOT District 2.
The $11-million project featured safety improvements consisting of redesigning and rebuilding the S.R. 53/S.R. 2 Interchange in Ottawa County’s Port Clinton, which included construction of two roundabouts and widening S.R. 53. Along with combating the congestion of Kelly’s and Catawba islands’ and Marblehead’s tourism season, the project eased choking points that previously had semitrucks maneuvering from an exit ramp and crossing lanes within 600 feet to enter USG Corp. and local traffic attempting to turn into area businesses.
Awarded in June 2023, work began the following month and was completed at the end of 2024. However, to reduce the impact on the Memorial Day to Labor Day tourism, most of the work was performed after September 2023 to Memorial Day 2024. Partnering efforts through kickoff and onsite meetings helped open communication lines among the project team as well as the public, build trust and relationships and more importantly alleviate issues as they arose.
And oh, did issues arise. Delayed utility markings, as well as utilities left unmarked, impacted the project. Mother Nature also impacted the project from a solar eclipse, and a major rain, to a mayfly swarm that delayed the project several weeks.
The interchange project bested two other nominated projects in the category, as Miller Bros. Construction received its second partnering award in the $5 Million to $20 Million Category – and its first since 2015. This was District 2’s second award in the 2025 Don Conaway Partnering Awards and first in this category.
Category 3 – Projects more than $20 Million
Hamilton County I-75 Reconstruction
Contractor: Sunesis Const. Co.
ODOT: District 8
Phase 8 of the multi-phase I-75 Thru the Valley project in Hamilton County was not only a proving ground for the contractor but all parties involved in the importance of partnering.
The Thru the Valley project is the reconstruction and widening of I-75 from S.R. 126/Ronald Reagan Cross County Highway to south of Interstate 275 in Cincinnati. The Phase 8 portion of the project teamed Sunesis Construction Co. and ODOT District 8 to improve the safety and mobility of the corridor by adding a fourth lane in each direction of I-75 and adding capacity at the Sharon Road Interchange.
Project teams faced delays at the outset, as 12 construction days were lost to rain, which hampered end-of-the-season weather-sensitive work and affected the project throughout the 40-month timeline. Also affecting the project was the I-75 Corridor was used by the traveling public as “a Daytona 500,” as high-speeds and overall congestion led to more than 60 accidents in a one-mile span during the project.
The $46-million, 40-month full-rebuild and widening was the largest project in history for Sunesis Construction. It was also the first interstate interchange for the West Chester Township company. Initial concerns about the company’s experience quickly faded, as ODOT District 8 staff were assured that the contractor was putting its best people on the project and “executed that statement 100%.” With zero dispute resolutions needed, project members added, “It was a very pleasant experience from the first meeting to where we are today (at the Conaway Conference).”
The project bested the three other nominations in the category.
This is the first Don Conaway Partnering Award for Sunesis Construction and sixth for ODOT District 8. District 8 also won this category in 2018 and 2019.
Category 4 – Local Public Agency
Millikin & Morris Roads Roundabout
Rack & Ballauer Excavating Co. Inc.
Butler County Engineer’s Office
Despite delayed pre-construction utility issues and rework, the project team of Rack & Ballauer Excavating Co. Inc. and the Butler County Engineer’s Office successfully partnered for the on-time completion of the roundabout of the Butler County Millikin and Morris roads intersection.
Working in tight quarters, which included the township’s fire department and administration building, a technical school and elementary, a community park and local church all within ¼ mile from the project, Rack & Ballauer Excavating was commended for its communication and traffic maintenance in the construction of the single-lane roundabout. Faced with the August deadline of having the project completed within 66 days and open to traffic in-time for the start of school, the Hamilton-based contractor and Butler County Engineer’s figured how to work around the issue of overhead utilities not being raised for construction equipment to maneuver the jobsite, as well as the rework of nearly 100 linear feet of curb and gutter to achieve proper elevation. In the process the nearly $1.4 million project was completed $89,500 under budget.
This is the first LPA Don Conaway Partnering Award for both Rack & Ballauer Excavating and the Butler County Engineer’s Office.
The Don Conaway Partnering Awards also honor both an OCA member and ODOT employee who embodies the culture of partnering in their everyday duties and dealings:
Individual Partnering Awards
Since 2022 the Don Conaway Partnering Awards have recognized individuals whose careers have embodied the culture of partnering. Selected by members of the ODOT-OCA Steering Committee, the OCA Individual Partnering Award winner is chosen by ODOT personnel while the ODOT Individual Partnering Award recipient is chosen by OCA members on the committee.
OCA – Joe Fockler, The Great Lakes Construction Co.
The 2025 OCA Individual Partnering Award honoree is The Great Lakes Construction Co. Project Superintendent Joe Fockler. A 28-year veteran of the heavy civil construction industry, Fockler has worked with ODOT teams in managing many large bridge construction projects over his career.
A graduate of the University of Akron, Fockler is a registered professional engineer who began his career with Great Lakes Construction. He is the first person from Great Lakes Construction to earn the Individual Partnering Award, as his partnering traits of having an unwavering commitment to excellence and collaboration, extensive knowledge and transparent communications, trust and teamwork led to the honor.
ODOT – Ray Fridley, District 4 (Akron)
The ODOT Individual Partnering Award for 2025 returns to northeast Ohio for the third time in four years, as this year’s honoree is District 4 Project Engineer Ray Fridley. A native of the area, Fridley has 19 years of engineering experience and is noted for his “passion for engineering excellence every day.”
A graduate of Youngstown State University, Fridley began his career in ODOT’s Engineer in Training Program prior to working as a project engineer with Hill International Inc. and project manager for the Columbus Regional Airport Authority. He joins previous District 4 ODOT Individual Partnering Award recipients Jason Young (2022) and Bulent Bilgin (2023).