Winners Announced for Ƶ’s 2023 Industry Excellence Awards

The Construction Management Association of America (Ƶ) has announced the winners of its 2023 Industry Excellence Awards.

Ƶ’s Award Program recognizes excellence in construction management practice and honors companies and individuals each year based on merit. A panel of judges reviews each nomination carefully and chooses the best candidate in each category.

Lauren Sullivan
Lauren Sullivan
, Bay Area Business Development Manager, Vanir Construction Management, has received the 2023 Ƶ Leader in Environmental Stewardship Award. This honor recognizes individuals, teams, or organizations, for outstanding leadership in innovation or best practices in guiding and aiding owners as they seek to define and meet their objectives for environmental stewardship throughout a project’s life cycle.

Audrey Lynn Schultz
Audrey Lynn Schultz
, Ph.D., Professor and Chairperson, Pratt Institute, has been awarded the 2023 Ƶ Mark Hasso Educator of the Year honor. This recognition emphasizes excellence in teaching and recognizes a full-time educator for outstanding professional accomplishments and a commitment to construction management education.

Sharath Vennavelly
Sharath Vennavelly
, PE, CCM, Project Manager, Ardurra, has received the 2023 Ƶ Distinguished Young Professional Award. This award recognizes and celebrates a full-time professional for outstanding professional accomplishments and a commitment to the construction management industry early in their career.

Tammy Huddleston
Tammy Huddleston
, Vice President of Design, Code, and Construction, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, has been honored with the 2023 Ƶ Distinguished Owner Award. This award recognizes an owner member who understands the value of a professional construction manager on the job and whose consistent actions have made meaningful and extraordinary contributions to the advancement of the construction management profession.

BuildOUT California


This year, a special honor, the Ƶ Chair's Commendation for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, was awarded toBuildOUTCalifornia. This is an award given at the Chair's discretion for projects or initiatives that go above and beyond in specific areas.

David Alexander
David Alexander
, PE, CCM, Nevada Area Manager, Kleinfelder/CMWorks, was honored as the 2023 Mehdi Heydari CCM of the Year. David was chosen for demonstrating leadership in his position within the Southern Nevada Chapter by fostering relationships and helping to resurrect and grow awareness for the Certified Construction Manager (CCM) credential. He has dedicated his career to excellence in construction management and volunteered in numerous positions to help advance the construction industry.

“Each of our award winners work hard to make a difference, and we commend each of them for their achievements and contributions to the construction industry,” states Ƶ President and CEO Andrea S. Rutledge, CAE.

Ƶ will honor its award winners during the organization’s in-person conference, Ƶ2023, October 29 -31, 2023, in Washington, D.C. Visit for more information.

Entries for the 2024 Ƶ Industry Honors Awards program will open in March.

About Ƶ

Ƶ is dedicated to improving our nation’s infrastructure by advancing professional construction and program management worldwide. Its membership is made up of public and private organizations, owners, and practitioners. Ƶ provides professional development, certification, advocacy, and business opportunities to its members and the entire CM industry. Ƶ's headquarters is located in Vienna, VA, USA.