The annual convention for Georgia Branch, AGC was held June 7-9 in Amelia Island, Fla., with more than 340 people attending. Speakers included AGC of America’s CEO Stephen Sandherr; Doug Pruitt, 2009 president of AGC of America and president of Sundt Construction; and Scott Shelar, executive director of the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia.

Chapter offi cers and board members were installed for the 2009-2010 year: They include: president - Dan Baker, Duffey Southeast of Cedartown, Ga.; vice president - Gary Newell, Collins & Co., Smyrna; secretary - Tony Pellicano, Pellicano Construction of Albany; and treasurer - Ken Swofford, Swofford Construction, Austell.

The chapter presented its 2009 SIR Award to E. Turner Collins for “a lifetime of distinguished service and individual contributions to the industry.” The association also presented its 2009 Build Georgia awards.

Contractor members submitted 68 projects for consideration in the 2009 Georgia Branch, AGC Build Georgia Awards Program. Of this record-breaking number of entries, 27 earned fi rst place awards in the general contractor division.

Calabasas, Calif.-based ValleyCrest Landscape Cos. presented 2009 Ford Ranger trucks to fi ve employees across the country for superior performance in workplace safety as part of its 2009 National Safety Day.

Initiated as a safety incentive program in 2002, the annual Safety Day truck giveaway reinforces ValleyCrest’s commitment to workplace safety by encouraging employees to perform throughout the year accident free. To qualify, full-time fi eld employees must complete one-year of service with no accidents and be employed by a branch that meets or exceeds the company’s threshold safety standards.

“In challenging economic times, we recognize that there is an even greater importance in keeping workplace safety top-of mind,” said Richard A. Sperber, president and CEO of ValleyCrest, in a statement. “It not only makes sense for the well-being of our employees, it makes sense for our businesses.”

Two of the fi ve recipients of the Ford truck were from Florida. They were: Humberto Garcia, foreman with ValleyCrest Landscape Development in Tampa; and Evelio Guevara, gardener with ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance inHomestead.

ValleyCrest’s safety incentive program draws winners from a pool of more than 4,000 eligible employees who qualifi ed across fi ve different U.S. regions.

TOP PIC: from left: Roger Zino, president of ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance; Jose Zepeda, with ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance in Homestead; Evelio Guevara, the Miami winner of the Ford Ranger; David Rivera, Miami branch manager; and Charles Gonzales, vice president and regional manager, ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance. BOTTOM PIC: From left: Raoul Girard, seneral Superintendent, ValleyCrest Landscape Development, Tampa; Katie Bouvier, vice president - risk management, ValleyCrest Landscape Cos.; Andy Mandell, CFO of ValleyCrest Landscape Cos.; Humberto Garcia, foreman and Tampa Winner of the Ford Ranger; Andy Johnson, Tampa branch manager; and William Leathers, senior vice president and regional manager, ValleyCrest Landscape Development