The editors of ENR have chosen these 25 individuals for their newsmaking achievements. One of them has already been chosen to receive the Award of Excellence, ENR's highest honor, and will be the subject of a cover story in the magazine's April 23 issue. At great risk, he also climbed high over the gorge to run the cable detensioning operation. As legislative chairman of the Arizona chapter of the American Subcontractors Association, Usher authored a bill enacted by the state of Arizona that requires owners to pay general contractors, subcontractors and suppliers promptly and requires progress payments every 30 days. Now, any contractual variation from the law's strict requirements must be spelled out clearly on every page of contracts and bid documents.
Contractors enjoy a legally protected right to stop work if the law is violated.
Designing and building the world's widest cable-stayed bridge in the middle of Boston is no easy task. The bridge is also the first application in the U.S. of isotensioned ungrouted cables and external helical beads combined with internal dampers to mitigate vibration from wind and rain. Engineer Salvatore Galletta leads a team that stands up for licensed engineers who refuse to compromise professional ethics in performing their duties. He has worked to demonstrate how design professionals help make a safer, more civilized society. Mike Oristaglio broke new ground in adapting seismic mapping techniques used in oil and gas exploration to a scale and definition that will let contractors and utility workers learn what's underground before they dig.