ACEC-SC hosted the Engineering Excellence Gala on February 2, 2016 at the Columbia Museum of Art. The annual gala began with a cocktail party for attendees to walk around and look at the nominees projects, network with other engineers, while and enjoying cocktails and food.
After the cocktail party, attendees went in to the auditorium for the awards ceremony. The ceremony began by recognizing this year’s ACEC-SC Future Leaders. The Future Leaders program finished last month before the Legislative Reception, but they were recognized and given their plaques at the award ceremony.
This year’s EEA Judges were then recognized. This year Joey Darby, Lexington County Engineer, Robert W. King, Jr, Retired from SCDHEC, and Mary Katherine Watson, PhD, Civil and Environmental Engineer professor at the Citadel, used their expertise to judge 15 entries.
The best projects in the category are able to submit to National for the National Engineering Excellence Awards. This year’s ACEC Finalist are:
• Small Projects, $500,000 – $ 2 Million
o Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering, PLLC: Marshland Roundabout, client Town of Hilton Head
ACEC-SC Engineering Excellence Award Winner
• Structural Systems, $2 Million – $10 Million
o The Sheridan Corporation: Seawall Repairs for the City of Charleston, SC, client City of Charleston
ACEC-SC Engineering Excellence Award Winner and Small Firm Award Winner
• Transportation $2 Million – 10 Million
o Vaughn & Melton Consulting Engineers, Inc., Cherokee Casino Access Road & Bridge, Client NCDOT
ACEC-SC Engineering Excellence Award
• Transportation Over 10 Million
o HDR | ICA: US 601 Bridge Replacement, client SCDOT
ACEC-SC Engineering Excellence Award Winner
o STV Incorporated: US 17 Bypass & SC 707/Farrow Pkwy Interchange, client SCDOT
ACEC-SC State Finalist
The Following are ACEC-SC Engineer Excellence Award winners:
• Building/Technology Systems, $2 Million – $10 Million
o GWA, Inc., Devro Manufacturing Facility, client Devro, Inc.
• Energy $2 Million – $10 Million
o Design South Professionals, Inc., Oconee Nuclear Station Flow Loop Simulator, client Duke Energy
• Special Projects $2 Million – 10 Million
o Civil Engineering Consulting Services, Inc., “Fast Track” Road Design & Construction, client Richland County Department of Public Works
• Special Projects over $10 Million
o CDM Smith, Clean Water 2020: Columbia’s Clear Vision for Clean Water, client City of Columbia
• Studies, Research, and Consulting less than $500,000
o Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. , Hutchinson Square Master Plan, client town of Summerville
• Studies, Research and Consulting $500,000 – $2 Million
o Collins Engineers, Inc., Patriots Point USS Yorktown Structural Assessment, client Patriots Point Development Authority
• Structural Systems, Over $10 Million
o KCI Technologies, Inc., US 176 Bridge over the Broad River, client Lane/SCDOT
ACEC-SC also has State Finalist. State Finalist are projects that received high scores, but had projects in the same category that became ACEC Finalist. State Finalist are:
• Structural Systems, Over $10 Million
o Design South Professional, Inc., Oconee Nuclear Station Support Complex, Client Duke Energy
• Transportation, Over $10 Million
o KCI Technologies, Inc., Federal Aid Bridge Replaces, Package C, client Untied Contractors/SCDOT

The final and most prestigious award of the night went to the firm that has the highest overall score by the judges. This project is an ACEC Finalist, and ACEC-SC Engineering Excellence Award winner, and the Coveted Palmetto Award Winner. This year’s Palmetto Award winner Project was submitted in the Water and Storm Water over $10 Million category. The Palmetto Award winner is AECOM and its client the City of Camden, SC for the Camden Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion.
Congratulations to all of our award winners. We wish those who enter in to the National EEA the best of luck.
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