CEA Presidential Awards

CEA’s President’s Safety Award winners. Seated, left to right: Matt Buzzetta, Novo Construction; Richard Manuel, FLINT Builders; Mike Popp, XL Construction; Mario Robles , Performance Mechanical; Ronnie Thomas, C. Overaa & Co.; Rob Novak, Rudolph and Sletten; Frank Zamora, Dome Construction; Marianne Spotorno, Cahill Contractors. Standing: Larry Fabbro, Level 10 Construction; JD Giannini, Rodan Builders; Sean McKinnon, Schultz Industrial Services; Mike Bouzidin, Herrero Builders; Adam Rich, Guzman Construction Group; Robert Pflueger, DPR Construction; Shaun Trussler, The Boldt Company; Daniel Myrick, Skanska USA Building; Clayton Jones, McCarthy Building Companies; Nick Davis, Truebeck Construction.

CEA honored Vance Brown, Inc., as Most Improved Safety Program, for achieving a 100% decrease in its injury and illness incident rate, a 100% drop in its lost-workday rate, and for its “active safety training program.”

Palo Alto-based Brown has an .88 experience modification rating and workers’ comp coverage from Arch Indemnity Insurance, according to Contelligence.com.

CEA’s Most Improved Safety Program Award: Stephen Morningstar, safety director for Vance Brown, Inc.

The President’s Safety Awards go to contractors who achieve four out of five criteria, including:

1. Total incident rate at least 50% below the industry average;
2. A lost-workday rate at least 50% below industry average;
3. An EMR at or below .70;
4. Participation in Cal/OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program for Construction; and
5. Demonstration of an active safety training program

The Excellence in Safety Awards are for companies with incident and lost-workday rates at least 25% below industry average, an EMR at or below 100, a flat or decreasing EMR trend, and an active safety training program. President’s Award winners are automatically included in the Excellence in Safety awards.

CEA represents unionized construction contractors working in Northern California. The association has more than 100 members and both the President’s and Excellence in Safety awards saw more companies qualify than in 2025.

Here are the 2025 President’s Awardees. The organizations latest EMRs and workers’ comp coverage is provided by Contelligence.com:

1. Overaa & Co., based in Richmond, with a .48 EMR; Arch Insurance
2. Cahill Contractors, San Franciso; .52 EMR; Arch Insurance
3. Dome Construction, South San Francisco; .41 EMR; Hartford Insurance
4. DPR Construction, Santa Clara, HQ Colorado Springs, Colorado; .45 EMR; Liberty Insurance
5. Flint Builders, Roseville, HQ St. Louis, Missouri; 71 EMR; LM Insurance
6. Guzman Construction Group, San Francisco; .82; Zurich American
7. Herrero Builders, San Francisco; .64 EMR; American Guarantee & Liability
8. Level 10 Construction, Sunnyvale; .49; Ace American
9. McCarthy Building Cos., Newport Beach, with HQ in St. Louis, Missouri; .65; Old Republic
10. Novo Construction, San Jose; .60; Zurich American
11. Performance Mechanical, Martinez; .60; Continental Insurance
12. Rodan Builders, Hayward; 51; Hartford Fire
13. Rudolph and Sletten, Rancho Cascades; 131; American Zurich
14. Schultz Industrial Services, Benicia], HQ Houston, Texas, 62; Starr Indemnity & Liability
15. Skanska USA Building, San Francisco, HQ Parsippany, New Jersey; .71; American Zurich
16. The Boldt Co., San Francisco, HQ Appleton, Wisconsin; .64; XL Specialty Insurance
17. Truebeck Construction, San Mateo; .55, Arch Insurance
18. XL Construction, Milpitas, HQ Milpitas, CA;.58; Continental Insurance

Cal-OSHA Reporter congratulates these outstanding companies for their commitment to safety and health on the job. We’ll bring you part two of the CEA safety awards in February.