DBIA’s 2018 Transportation Leadership Award Winners

In these days of tight budgets and growing infrastructure needs, state transportation leaders have increasingly turned to design-build to innovate and collaborate, delivering projects more efficiently to communities nationwide. Design-builders know first-hand the importance of cooperation and communication to delivering successful on-time and on-budget projects. DBIA is proud to honor some of the nation’s most innovative and successful design-builders with this year’s 2018 National Transportation Leadership Awards.

DBIA’s 2018 Leadership Award winners are:

• The Los Angeles World Airports, Owner Agency of the Year
• Chris Gaskins, South Carolina Department of Transportation, Individual Owner Leadership Award
• Jim Avitabile, P.E., DBIA, RS&H – Orlando, FL, Industry Professional Leadership Award
• Adrian Price, P.E., Flatiron Construction – Morrisville, NC, Young Professional Leadership Award

The Design-Build in Transportation Leadership Award winners are selected by DBIA’s Transportation Markets Committee comprised of design-build professionals and industry experts from across the country. They will be honored March 22nd at the DBIA Design-Build in Transportation Conference in Portland, Oregon.

Owner of the Year: The Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)

Having used design-build in the past and present, with plans to use design-build in the future, Los Angeles World Airports is a prime example of an owner dedicated to design-build delivery. Over the years, Los Angeles World Airports has used design-build on a number of high-profile projects, including the Midfield Satellite Concourse North project, the Tom Bradley International Terminal update, and its new Central Utility plant, creating modern engineering marvels and state-of-the-art construction throughout its airports. LAWA also has plans to use design-build on several elements of the ongoing Landside Access Modernization Program at LAX, including two Intermodal Transportation Facilities. The impressive number of successful design-build projects LAWA produces is a model for how owners can use design-build expertly and efficiently.

Individual Owner: Chris Gaskins, South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT)

Chris Gaskins is a true champion and innovator for design-build in the state of South Carolina. As Preconstruction Design- Build Engineer for the South Carolina Department of Transportation, Gaskins leads a dynamic 12-enginer group that oversees the delivery of statewide design-build projects. He also facilitated the development and implementation of the Design-Build Procurement Manual and, along with every member of his Design-Build Group, has achieved DBIA certification as a Designated Design-Build Professional. Before joining SCDOT in 2007, he spent 10 years with Law Engineering as a project manager and senior geotechnical engineer where he worked on one of South Carolina’s first design-build projects. Gaskins is a Registered Professional Engineer and a Registered Professional Geologist in the state of South Carolina and has 20 years of experience in geotechnical engineering. Along with being an active member of DBIA, Mr. Gaskins is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists.

Industry Professional: Jim Avitabile, P.E., DBIA, RS&H – Orlando, FL

Jim Avitabile has worked on projects from California to Maine, and everywhere in between, working on roadways, limited- access highways, bridges, toll roads, interchanges, rail and transit facilities, and more. Jim leads RS&H’s Strategic Initiatives related to its Transportation Practice and has assisted public agencies such as TxDOT, FDOT, MDOT, CDOT and LYNX refine their procurement streamlining procedures rated to design-build and P3 project delivery. He has served in active leadership roles with DBIA at both the regional and national level, serving as Chair of the DBIA National Transportation Markets Committee since 2011 and leading the committee efforts for the DBIA Transportation Sector Best Design-Build Practices. He is also a Registered Professional Engineer in four states and is a certified DBIA Professional.

Young Professional: Adrian Price, P.E., Flatiron Construction – Morrisville, North Carolina

Adrian Price is the Design-Build Coordinator at Flatiron Construction and for nearly a decade has worked on a variety of design-build projects. Adrian is currently working on the one hundred and forty-five million-dollar N.C. 12 Rodanthe Bridge project for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. As an engineer and young professional, Adrian represents the future of the design-build industry by advocating and successfully implementing a collaborative approach between team members of all positions inherent in Design-Build Done Right ™ project delivery.