I want to give a warm welcome to our summer interns and the many new hires we have welcomed to our Southern region this past month. We’re very glad to have you!
Summer is always a busy time when we hire a lot of new partners, so it’s exciting that we launched our new national onboarding toolkit just in time for this year’s summer rush. Because we are growing at a fast rate, having a high-quality onboarding process in place is one of our region’s top priorities this year. I want to thank all of you who have embraced the toolkit as a valuable resource to give our new teammates a great experience during their first months on the job. Let’s continue to look for ways we can show our Southern hospitality as we strive to make our colleagues feel comfortable and confident in their new roles.
I'm happy to report that our Southern Region is doing well with our safety measures this year (p. 8), and we want to keep that momentum going. Please maintain your strong focus on safety as we navigate through the hottest months of the year.
In reviewing this month’s newsletter, I am wowed by everything that has happened in the last two months. Don’t skip a page in this issue because there is great stuff everywhere you look, from bellringers to award winners and project highlights—and even a peek at our Fall Seminar plans.
Lastly, don't forget about our upcoming Q3 business unit huddles (p. 4)—we'll be providing a midyear update and preview of what’s to come. I've been hosting monthly calls a variety of partners from across the region, and it's clear that the huddles are one of your favorite ways to stay informed on what's happening with our business. Make sure to be there for the upcoming huddles in late July to hear the latest!
Bryan Kuster CEO, Southern Region
We had an incredible Construction Safety Week across the region, as demonstrated by this entertaining video from Jones City Solar. View more photos and videos on p. 10-12.
Sunrise at our LBJ site in Houston.
IMPORTANT DATES
July 18 Bring Your Kid to Work Day (Atlanta, Dallas, Channelview, Houston)
July 22 Q3 Dallas/Civil Huddle
July 29 Q3 Houston/Marine Huddle
July 30 Q3 Austin Huddle
July 31 Q3 Atlanta Huddle
Aug. 25 - 29 Craft Appreciation Week
Oct. 3
Southern Fall Seminar (Houston)
Have questions for leadership at your huddles? Submit here.
Yard Welcomes New Regional Manager
Joe Jimenez is the new Regional Yard Manager, based in Channelview. A Marine Corps veteran and University of Houston graduate, Joe brings valuable experience from the equipment rental industry. He will lead Yard operations, fleet management, and billing processes while focusing on improved communication and collaboration between the Yard and project teams. He'll be visiting job sites and connecting with teams across the region to strengthen our operations.
New Addition to the Fleet
We're excited to welcome a brand-new excavator to our Southern Yard! This powerful new machine is ready to tackle upcoming projects and support our growing operations.
BY MOLLY CURRAN
Bright Arrow Wins Project of the Year
In a historic moment for McCarthy's Southern Region, Bright Arrow Solar has been named the 2024 Roger Burnet Award winner — the first project from the Southern Region to earn this distinction since 2019. Recognized as the highest honor among McCarthy’s top projects, the “Rog” not only celebrates excellence in execution but also highlights the power of partnership, innovation, and long-term impact.
Solar Success in Profit & Innovation
Set across 3,000 acres, Bright Arrow is one of the largest solar projects in McCarthy's history. Featuring 723,000 photovoltaic panels and a 200 megawatt-hour Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), the 390 MWdc facility generates enough clean energy to power over 67,000 American homes.
Innovation was a crucial part of Bright Arrow’s success. The team leveraged QGIS, a geographic information system software, to streamline material handling and reduce labor hours. QGIS is now utilized across all McCarthy’s Renewable Energy projects, helping track materials, with land layout, and with other logistical information these projects require. This digital tool helped revolutionize solar farm installation methods and set new standards across the renewable energy sector.
The Bright Arrow project was scheduled to only take sixteen months to complete but ended up taking longer due to supply chain disruptions and other political issues affecting getting materials to the site. Despite these disruptions, the Bright Arrow team innovated on the fly and embraced the challenge. Six months into construction, the team and client reworked staffing and craft plans, turning obstacles into opportunities for optimization. Whenever a challenge arose, it was always all hands-on deck to get back on track. These bold moves led to increased production and boosted direct fees, with the project’s final value, doubling expectations. Bright Arrow exited the job at $216 million, with an entry margin of 9.67% that grew to 18.56% by the project's completion.
Furry Friends on Site
When the project team first arrived on-site, they were surprised to discover that two llamas already called the area home. Rather than relocate them, the team embraced the llamas as unofficial mascots, and the furry friends quickly became an integral part of the site’s culture. The presence of the llamas at the site was the inspiration for Bright Arrow’s branding – a playful and distinctive identity that reflected both the team’s innovative spirit and the unique environment. As the first team to customize their merchandise to reflect their specific site, Bright Arrow set a new standard for project pride.
“The llamas helped create a fun atmosphere and an environment where people genuinely enjoyed coming to work every day,” said Karim Hazzi, capturing the lighthearted energy that carried the team through the entire build.
People First: A Culture of Growth
To be in the running for the Roger Burnet Award projects must embrace the company’s core values: to be “Genuine,” have a “We, not I” mentality, and be “All In.” Bright Arrow was a proving ground for McCarthy’s deep investment in its people and strong company culture. The commitment to these values and the collaboration among the Bright Arrow team helped the project succeed. Everyone, regardless of their background, felt valued and united towards a common goal while also fostering a work environment of inclusion and psychological safety. Throughout the build, 23 staff promotions, 98 craft promotions, two craft-to-staff transitions, and three intern conversions to full-time roles were earned and reflected the project’s lasting impact on team members' career paths.
Project lead Ryan Major praised the team and said, “I am incredibly proud of how many individuals were able to be promoted and advance in their careers throughout the duration of this project. The entire team motivated each other to work hard demonstrating the dedication and teamwork that is needed to successfully complete a big job like Bright Arrow.”
Strong Client Relationship
The Bright Arrow team could rely on each other to do whatever it took to get the job done. This was a quality that the client RWE greatly appreciated and which helped foster a strong partnership. The team built a foundation of trust and transparency with RWE, giving McCarthy a leg up in choosing which of RWE’s future projects it wanted to pursue—a rare position in any market and one negotiated at a 15% entry margin. The solid relationship fostered between McCarthy and RWE led to jobs becoming bi-lateral, without the need to bid, making the project progress a lot faster. The trust earned, caused RWE to open its portfolio to McCarthy and allow it to select which projects it would like to choose from RWE’s extensive pipeline of over 600 projects across the country. Bright Arrow was a business development homerun. This first project with McCarthy’s now largest RE client made McCarthy RWE's builder of choice.
Why the "Rog"
Matters
The Roger Burnet Award, named after one of McCarthy’s early leaders, is more than a trophy. It is a symbol of leadership, innovation, and values. The award travels annually to the winning regional office. It is a physical reminder of what’s possible when McCarthy teams live out the company’s Strategic Anchors and pursue excellence at every level.
To be eligible to win the “Rog” the project team must first apply with a video and written application for the Melvin Award, which is given to the top project in a region. Once a project has the Melvin under its belt, it is in the running to win the Roger Burnet Award. The winner is decided by Joe and Ray.
Southern CEO Bryan Kuster said, “This recognition represents more than just a successful project — it’s a reflection of the culture, discipline, and teamwork that define our people. I was filled with gratitude for everyone who played a role in making it happen. Bright Arrow was a true standout because it brought together the best of who we are as a company. It was delivered safely, achieved exceptional financial results, and showcased technical excellence from start to finish.”
All throughout the building process of Bright Arrow, the team had set high expectations with their eyes set on this award.
Winning the Roger Burnet Award is an honor that takes consistent energy, collaboration, and hard work. Bright Arrow didn’t just meet expectations — it reshaped them. Throughout the project the Bright Arrow team showed the drive and dedication it takes to accomplish McCarthy’s core mission to be the best builder in America. That is what the “Rog” is all about.
Safety Update
Updates from your Regional Safety Team:
- Huge thank you to everyone who made Construction Safety Week 2025 a big success. Turn to p. 10 for the full recap.
- We have seen a recent decline in our MVP participation. During the summer months, we must stay diligent. Historically, an increase in MVPs equates to a decrease in safety incidents.
- We have had several incidents this year where either a lack of or improper PPE was a contributing factor to the severity of the incident. Beyond just wearing our required PPE, we should evaluate the hazards associated with each task to determine the appropriate level of protection. A prime example is the use of impact resistant gloves while stripping concrete formwork.
KEY METRICS
2025 Lagging Indicators (Incidents) through JULY 1
TOP 5 MOST FAILED ITEMS
1. Is trash/debris located in a designated collection bin or organized into piles for removal?
2. Is pathway clear of slipping/tripping hazards, cords, and debris?
3. Is the employee wearing the proper gloves to protect their hands according to the Safety Guidelines policy?
4. Is material properly stacked as not to fall over?
5. Proper eye protection being worn? LEADING
Recent Safety Communications: Ladder Policy
McCarthy Team,
As you know, we have a procedure and policy in place where our projects are only supposed to utilize podium/platform type ladders (See 4.07 Ladder Policy in the Management System). In the event that all other options have been exhausted, there is an approval process in place for ladder types other than podium/platform ladders. Through recent events, it has come to my attention that we need to reevaluate our approval policy.
In the interim, be advised of the following:
1. All existing ladder permits are currently REVOKED.
2. Any project that still determines that an alterative ladder is required (both now and going forward) must take the following steps in addition to what is in the policy and on the permit:
a. The project team leadership including the Manager and Superintendent must review the scenario to agree there are no other options. On site safety personnel should be engaged also.
b. The Regional Safety Director/Vice President must be consulted.
c. A safe work plan must be developed to fully understand the methodology for how the ladder will be used, other safety mechanisms are in place (or engineered in), and a monitoring plan is in place.
d. The final sign-off shall be the VP OPS over the project. The VP OPS should be collaboration with the Project Director to be able to make an informed decision.
These steps will remain in place until the revised policy is approved and circulated.
Thanks for making safety the most important thing we do every day.
Joe Jouvenal Chief Operating Officer, MHI
*The communication was originally sent in an all-company email on May 9.
Media Guidance - Safety
Partners,
With so many exciting projects underway around the region, and keeping safety top of mind, I want to review best practices for responding to media requests and posting on social media as it pertains to safety.
Social Media and PPE Standards
We love that more of our partners are sharing photos from jobsite tours on social media. We encourage posting and celebrating the positive impact we are having on the community, but we also need to make sure that your posts represent McCarthy's standard of excellence when it comes to safety protocols. Please remember, we are responsible for making sure that all staff and project visitors adhere to the safety standards of our site, including our PPE policies.
Media Protocol
As a reminder, we wanted to provide an overview of our standard media protocol. Many of you will be contacted by some type of media source with simple requests such as:
• Details on your project
• Feature about you or a profile of your project and team
• One of McCarthy's initiatives
• A crisis or critical event onsite
These media sources could be a TV reporter, radio station, magazine, or other publication. The request may also come from the owner or design partner who is pursuing a media opportunity of their own.
Media coverage can present positive opportunities for McCarthy to get messages out to our local community. However, we need to evaluate each opportunity and ensure the coverage supports and protects McCarthy's message and the messages our clients have approved for us to share.
When contacted by media, please do the following:
• Get contact information from the reporter/media outlet and find out their deadline.
• Let your supervisor know prior to providing any response or allowing access to your project site.
The LBJ team came together with Harris Health, JLL, Tellepsen, and Odonnell snider and celebrated safety week on its one-year groundbreaking anniversary.
• Share the opportunity and media contact information with our PR coordinator: Ali McFarland (amcfarland@mccarthy.com, 770-8782036)
• If media opportunity is approved, our marketing team will work with you and the project director to provide consistent and accurate information.
If you have any questions about media protocol or social media posting, please contact Ali McFarland (amcfarland@mccarthy.com, 770-878-2036).
Thank you for your ongoing support and the great work you are all doing!
Zack Garner Vice President, Safety Southern Region
SAFETY WEEK HIGHLIGHTS
With a renewed commitment to showing how all of our partners and craft professionals continue to “Take Pride in Safety,” our jobsites and offices celebrated Safety Week May 5-9th by taking part in numerous activities to reinforce the importance of safety as part of their daily routine.
The Marine Estimating Team gathered in Channelview for an open discussion led by Lakshminarashimhan Vasudevan and Michael Bond. Their presentation on "Estimating Lessons Learned in Safety" emphasized the critical importance of identifying and escalating safety concerns early in the bid process.
At the Barry Rose project, Milwaukee shared their 7 Pillars of Safety and showcased safety features built into their power tools.
Austin partners received confined space training led by Brock Boyd and Armando Hernandez.
At the Brookhaven City Hall project in Georgia, Faith Technologies provided breakfast and a presentation on electrical safety.
CHI Memorial in Georgia concluded safety week with a Fall Protection Stand Down by Safewaze and a team cookout!
HJAIA employees in Atlanta had a week filled with treats and meaningful engagement. From grabbing donuts and chicken biscuits in the morning to having real conversations about trench safety, mental health, and heat stress- it was a great week!
by focusing on key safety elements including proper hydration, physical health support, and awareness of finishes and MEP systems to keep the team safe and healthy on site.
The Frisco Parking Garage team in Texas hosted a lunch and learn on OSHA inspections, presented by Adam Decker.
The team at Halperin had a great visit from MSA, who delivered an engaging fall protection demonstration followed by burgers and hot dogs grilled by our friends at Sunstate Equipment.
At Ismaili Center Houston, the team learned how CPR and the AED can save lives on the job and the importance of knowing what to do in critical situations.
LBJ came together with Harris Health, JLL, Tellepsen, and O’Donnell/Snider and celebrated Safety week and the 1-year anniversary of the groundbreaking on the project.
The Civil team at Camp Bowie had a Dewalt team rep out talking about power tool safety.
HMRI kicked off Construction Safety Week
The Lafitte Solar team celebrated Safety Week with raffles, safety discussions, and group lunches.
On day 1 of safety week NPC team members learned about tool safety and dust control from Dewalt
The Ray White Rd team tapered into safety week by looking at some traffic control taper distances required to merge two lanes into one, and our folks guessed at the distance they thought the taper length needed to be. Additional thanks to United for treating the team to some breakfast tacos!
Partners at PH Barbous Cut had Guardian Construction out to talk about fall protection.
The Southern Yard highlighted trucking safety for drivers, with craft partners receiving Red Wing boots and refreshments.
The UGA West Parking Deck II project closed out Safety Week by holding a pork butt smoke off to determine who is the true trailer pit master and to provide lunch for their craft and trade partners on site; smoking almost 100 pounds across all three competitors. Ryan (Buddha) Holland was crowned the unanimous winner by the team.
On Day 4 of Safety Week, Spilman Island crew members learned about the signs of heat stress from a presentation by Todd Worley with Triangle Marketing Group.
We Grow Together
National Onboarding Toolkit Launched
We’ve been previewing the new national onboarding toolkit with our peer groups for months, and now it’s ready for widespread use! As a region, embracing this new toolkit is an essential part of our regional focus to improve our onboarding process and make the experience more consistent. To encourage its implementation, our HR team hosted a series of training calls in late May and early June to help the supervisors who were using this toolkit with a large group of new hires that started in mid-May. If you have questions about onboarding or this new toolkit, reach out to your local HR business partner.
How does the new toolkit help?
• Saves managers time in developing onboarding plans for new partners
• Supports consistent cultural integration and increases speed to productivity
• Quickly introduces partners to our culture and key company resources
• Improves employee experience through further role clarity and higher employee engagement
How will we gather feedback?
New partners will be asked to complete two short surveys, one after 30 days and one after 6 months, to share feedback from their onboarding experience. Our HR partners will share trends/themes from this feedback to shape future experiences.
Toolkit Overview
The Onboarding Toolkit contains a clear roadmap for the first 90 days, focused on these key areas:
• Safety
• Our Company
• Total Rewards
• Employee Manager Connection
• Who’s Who
• Technical Training
Additional Online Resources:
- Role Expectations for Supervisor and Employee During Onboarding
- Manager Job Aid: Onboarding Checklist
- Resources to Develop Technical Training Plans for PEs, PMs
Meet Our New VP Legal & Human Resources Director
Carrie Branson, our new Southern VP Legal who is part of our Regional Executive Committee (REC), brings over 20 years of experience as an in-house attorney. In her previous role as Associate General Counsel for McCarthy Holdings, Inc., she collaborated closely with multiple regions and recently worked with the Southern Region on contract risk assessments and negotiations. She and her family have relocated from St. Louis to Dallas.
Ali Stillman recently joined McCarthy as Human Resources Director for the Southern Region. She is based out of the Dallas office and will work alongside VP of HR Kristen Severs to provide HR support across the region. Ali brings 13 years of strategic HRBP experience and HR leadership experience, most recently working at Southwest Airlines.
WE'RE HIRING:
Keep your referrals coming! Remember, referral bonuses range from $1,000 to $10,000, depending on the role. Learn more about our referral program.
In addition to the roles listed below, we are always hiring assistant superintendents, superintendents, assistant project managers, and project managers across all business units.
Atlanta
• Concrete Estimator
• Project Manager - Healthcare
• Project Director
Dallas
• Finance Director
• Business Analyst
• Project Scheduler
• Concrete Superintendent
• Superintendent - Healthcare
• Project Manager - Healthcare Civil
• Assistant Project Manager
• Superintendent - Underground Utility/Traveler
Marine
• Superintendent - Structural Concrete
• Assistant Project Manager
Houston
• MEP Superintendent
• Superintendent - Healthcare
• Project Manager - Healthcare
• Senior Estimator
Carrie Branson
Ali Stilman
SCENES FROM SHAREHOLDERS' 2025
Atlanta Dallas
Austin Houston
Shareholders' Key Highlights
• 2024 was the best year we’ve ever had in terms of sales, revenue, operating profit, not to mention a stock price of $489.14 that increased by 26 percent. In 2002, the company was valued at around $100 million — and in March we paid out $200 million in employee bonuses. "We have this culture of success," said Dan Dillon, Senior Vice President Treasurer. "We are just relentless in trying to improve ourselves."
• Partners got a first look at Vision 2028 — Unify, Simplify and Amplify.
• CEO Ray Sedey and Chief Financial Officer Kris Newman talked about the importance of focusing on things we can control — and how our diverse portfolio of work and ability to pivot helps negotiate any sudden transitions or economic uncertainty.
"I think we have an amazing plan in front of us. This organization, all of you, are absolutely kicking butt, Thank you."
- Ray Sedey, CEO
Read more highlights from Shareholders’ on the intranet.
*WINNING*
For the first time since 2019, our Southern Region took home the Roger Burnet Award when the Bright Arrow Solar project in Sulphur Springs, Texas was honored as the “best of the best” project chosen from all Melvin Award winners across the entire enterprise. Southern CEO Bryan Kuster accepted the award on behalf of Bright Arrow live from the Shareholders' stage in Las Vegas, while the Bright Arrow team celebrated the huddle in Dallas.
Congratulations to Lafitte, winners of our Southern Smackdown video challenge! Did you miss the videos that represented each business unit? You can still check out the full playlist featuring the following projects: RE: Lafitte; Water: Barry Rose; Houston: Ismaili; Dallas: Southern Gateway (recently renamed Halperin Park); Civil: CentrePort Trail; Atlanta: Walton County; and Marine: Container Yard 6 & 7.
Our Teams Celebrate Nurses Week
This Nurses Week, our project teams across multiple locations honored healthcare heroes with thoughtful celebrations. Highlights included serving breakfast to over 85 nurses at Northside Atlanta, assembling care packages for 300+ nurses at NPC's Children's Hospital, providing coffee cart breakfasts at LBJ, and delivering lunch to 100+ nurses at Houston Methodist Cypress. Our CHI Memorial partners also celebrated with their neighbors at the adjacent cancer center by bringing them lunch!
From coffee and bagels to care packages and lunch, our teams stepped up to show appreciation for the nurses who make such a meaningful difference in our communities every day.
As one team put it: "The world needs nurses and nurses need coffee."
Southern Region Unites for National Pet Day Donations
Our Atlanta, Dallas, Austin, Houston, and Marine teams came together for National Pet Day to support local animal shelters with generous donations of blankets, food, toys, and supplies.
Our Atlanta office donated blankets, sheets, and towels to Dekalb CountyLifeline Dekalb Animal Shelter. Thanks to McKinnon, Katie and volunteers for the drop-off! A clinic staff member immediately grabbed clean blankets for use, and adoptable 7-month-old puppy Trenette even hopped in the photo during her walk.
Our Dallas office delivered tons of blankets, food, and toys to Richardson Animal Shelter. The team fell in love with an adorable pup named Splash, who nearly became their office mascot! (But then they remembered we have a no-pets policy to maintain our safety standards, so it went down as our cuddliest nearmiss of the year.)
Our Austin team donated to Austin Pets Alive!, including a black crate and boxes full of supplies from both office team members and craft workers at TCH.
Our Marine business unit donated to Houston Humane Society, a no-kill shelter that relies exclusively on community support.
Our Houston office donated to Special Pals Houston, but they were so focused on delivering the goods that they forgot to take pictures!
Big thanks to all our generous partners who made these donations possible. Together, we're making the world better, one wagging tail at a time.
Houston
Austin
Chi Memorial
WELCOME TO OUR SUMMER INTERNS!
We're excited to welcome our summer interns to the Southern Region! Whether you're returning for another season or joining us for the first time, we're thrilled to have you on board.
To our returning interns: Welcome back! Your experience and fresh perspective are invaluable as you take on new challenges this summer. To our newcomers: Get ready for an incredible learning experience alongside some of the best in the industry.
Get to know our summer team: Check out the map below to see where our interns are stationed across the region, along with their college backgrounds and summer positions. Take a moment to introduce yourself, learn about their studies, and discover the unique strengths each brings to their role.
Atlanta
Savannah McPherson - Preconstruction - Atlanta Office; Kennesaw State University
Jack Gardner - Brookhaven City Hall; Auburn University
Matthew Fogarty - Brookhaven City Hall; University of Alabama
John "Weston" Woolard Jr. - GTRI; Auburn University
Winston Hovis - CHI Memorial Hospital; Auburn University
Barrett Conner - HJAIA - FLS; University of Georgia
Deep Patel - Rockdale County Judicial; Georgia Institute of Technology
Eduardo Duran - HJAIA - On Call; Georgia Institute of Technology
Hailey Johnson - Business Development - Atlanta Office; University of Tennessee
Avery Wynne - CHI Memorial Hospital; Middle Tennessee State University
Jason Ramirez - Rockdale County Judicial; Kennesaw State University
Baden Sanderford - Northside Family Lounge / ED; University of Alabama
Farren Donald-Wright - Walton County PSC; Arizona State University
William Hines - Preconstruction - Atlanta Office; Auburn University
Graham Cooper - UGA Parking Deck; Auburn University
Austin
Charlie Vargas - TCH North Campus; University of Texas - Austin
Kavya Rathi - SB Energy; University of Texas - Austin
Civil
Laura Gomez-Rey - Ray White Rd (Civil BU); Georgia Institute of Technology
Israel Villalobos - Camp Bowie (Civil BU); University of Texas - El Paso
Alan Y Ramirez - Jones City Solar (Civil BU); University of Texas - Austin
Diego Garza - SB Energy (Civil BU); University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
How to support our interns: Remember, these bright minds are here to learn, contribute, and grow. Take time to share your knowledge, involve them in meaningful projects, and help them understand how their work fits into the bigger picture. Ask questions about their goals, provide feedback, and don't hesitate to challenge them with real responsibilities.
Our interns bring energy, curiosity, and innovative thinking to every project. Let's make sure they leave with valuable skills, lasting connections, and a clear understanding of what makes our region special.
Here's to a productive and memorable summer for everyone!
Dallas
Jacob Colon - Frisco Parking Garage; University of Alabama
Eli Taylor - NPC - Safety; Southeast Oklahoma State University
William Grant - NPC; University of Cincinnati
Andrew Macdonald - Preconstruction - Dallas Office; Clemson University
Yates Holley - NPC; Auburn University
Eduardo H Rivera - Cottonwood; University of Texas - El Paso
Tim Anderson - NPC; University of Missouri - Columbia
Andrew Spagnuolo - Collin College Health Science Center; University of Michigan
Anna Medici - Preconstruction - Dallas Office; Clemson University
Houston
Cortland Elliott - LBJ; Texas A&M University
Mario Gurrola Jr - LBJ; Georgia Southern University
Samuel Puente - Marine Precon - Channelview Office; Texas A&M University
REGIONAL - SHARED SERVICES
Leah Dresdner - Marketing - Atlanta; University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Molly Curran - Marketing - Dallas; Texas Christian University
Paige Bimmerle - Marketing - Houston; Texas A&M University
Renewable Energy
Carson Essner - Oystercatcher (Safety); Murray State
Gustavo Sanchez - Oystercatcher; Texas Tech University
Jed Stephenson - ICWC - Logistics; Mississippi State University
Landon Harts - Centennial Flats; North Carolina State University
Mitchelle Sales-Garcia - Jones City SPE; Texas Tech University
A'Jeya Anthony - Jones City; Louisiana State University
Cookie Pahcheka - Jones City (Safety); Southeast Oklahoma State University
Edgar Sanchez - Jones City; University of North Texas
Nicholas Fox - Oystercatcher SPE; Appalachian State University
Christopher Moreno - Crane; University of Texas - El Paso
Mallory Kiger - Design Management - Atlanta Office; Boston University
Dillams J. Pinzon - Jones City; Prairie View A&M University
Water
Emma Williams - Harpool WTP; University of North Texas
Aaron Holmes - Barry Rose; University of Texas - El Paso
Connor Ashton - Barry Rose; University of Houston
Jake Vogt - Harpool WTP; University of Alabama
Bradley Young - Panel Shop; University of Houston
Leonardo Enriquez - Barry Rose; University of Texas - El Paso
Celebrating Mental Health Month
May was Mental Health Month, and we marked the occasion with a variety of mindful events across the Southern Region, including safety moments, puzzle time, group yoga classes and a wellness walk. Even though May is over, you have mental health support all year long—remember that all of us have access to 25 free counseling or mental health coaching sessions through Lyra. Learn more at genuine.lyra.com
The Houston Partnership for Women group hosted a Lyra workshop and a group yoga session. They explored the importance of mental health, reflected on what self-care truly means and created personalized wellness guides before connecting their minds and bodies on the yoga mats.
Dallas-area partners gathered for a wellness walk to celebrate Mental Health Month and the Civil project team that's wrapping up CentrePort Trail! Our partners were joined by some representatives from our client, the City of Fort Worth, as they tried out different types of mental health walks for various segments of the trail. During the “learning walk” portion of the event, our Civil team gave an overview of the project while guiding the group along the trail. Congrats to the CentrePort Trail team on a beautiful new trail that helps connect communities across North Texas.
Did you know puzzles can relieve stress, lower blood pressure, and foster creativity? The Dallas office marked Mental Health Month by ordering custom photo puzzles featuring local projects and partners that encouraged partners to take a break with some quiet puzzle time.
Mumba Black, one of Southern Region’s Mental Health Champions, delivered a safety moment focused on our Lyra mental health benefits to the Barry Rose team.
Austin partners pause for a photo during a mental health safety moment in May.
Chiwila
A Mid-May birds' eye view of Halperin Park in Dallas.
Halperin Park project on p.30.
Regional Overview
Regional aop Focus Areas: Progress Updates
We Grow Together Phase I: Improved Onboarding
Our much-anticipated national onboarding toolkit rolled out May 14, and our Southern Region is fully embracing this new resource. To encourage its implementation, our HR team hosted a series of training calls in late May and early June to help the supervisors who are using the toolkit to onboard a large group of new hires that started in mid-May. Read more about the toolkit, including some bonus resources to help you maximize this new resource’s value, on p. 38.
Win Work:
Deeper External Client Relationships
During the second quarter of 2025, the Win Work focus team (a subset of the Extended Regional Leadership Team that is focused on advancing this AOP focus area) began hosting jobsite business development planning sessions that foster a more strategic, targeted approach to client relationship.
In May, they launched a new peer group coaching initiative that provides position-specific and level-specific training and support for our partners who want to improve at building stronger, genuine relationships with clients and trade partners. The training explains how partners can move from low trust, transactional relationships to high trust friendships, and how that can be facilitated through project experience plans. Each partner is supported as they develop realistic, impactful EMC goals that encourage deeper external relationships.
Execute Work: Mega Project Success
In the second quarter, our regional Mega Project Success team was focused on improving communication within their projects and with key stakeholders. They worked together to develop a consistent template that each project team – LBJ, NPC and Spilman Island – is using monthly to inform its teams about project milestones, safety statistics, financial status and more. You can read first issues of each newsletter:
• LBJ
• NPC
• Spilman Island
Execute Work: Financial Modernization (CMiC)
The CMiC Go-Live timeline has been posted to the intranet in anticipation of its Sept. 9 launch. System education begins July 21 with self-guided courses through Success Factors. Partners will complete training topics related to specific job duties. Learn more on the intranet, and if you have questions please contact Southern Region's CMiC change champion Beau Barth.
In the News:
- Brookhaven’s City Hall in Budget and on Schedule
- Incredible progress being made on Brookhaven
ERLANGER MASTER FACILITY PLAN - PHASE 1
VALUE: $85M
LOCATION: Chattanooga, TN
SCOPE: Erlanger Master Phase consists of inpatient and emergency department expansions at the Erlanger East Hospital Campus as well as roof, hvac, elevator, and electrical upgrades along with interior renovations at the Erlanger Baroness campus.
CONSTRUCTION START DATE: September 2026
Rockdale in Full Swing - Slab on Grade
Near the end of May, the Rockdale County Judicial and Administrative Complex project had a Basement Slab on Grade pour at the Admin Building! This portion of the project will serve as a secure parking area for the elected officials of Rockdale County. The team poured 185 yards of concrete as a part of McCarthy’s Self Perform Concrete Package.
UGA Parking Deck Topping Out
$15M self-performed concrete work featuring 8 floors and 1,000 new parking spaces for students and gameday use. Currently completing deck 19 (topping out) Saturday June 28, with 18 pours already finished.
This team has utilized national resources by tapping some of their California and Texas craft to work alongside their Georgia Craft, with Dylan Mooney (California Super) helping them reach the finish line.
Kaiser Groundbreaking
In mid-May, our Atlanta partners celebrated the groundbreaking of Kaiser Permanente's new medical center in the south metro area. This $36 million, 36,000-square-foot facility will offer comprehensive care with primary and specialty services, advanced imaging, lab work, and pharmacy access all under one roof.
The medical center will feature 26 exam rooms and 16 provider offices, bringing expanded healthcare access to the community.
Asian-American Pacific Islander Month
The Atlanta office recently gathered to honor Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month with a special cultural celebration. The May event highlighted the valuable contributions of AAPI individuals to our society, economy, and culture while emphasizing how diverse perspectives strengthen our workplace and drive innovation.
Attendees enjoyed sampling both Hawaiian and Vietnamese cuisines as part of the cultural experience. As one participant noted, "There was no competition between the two since we support all cultures and cuisines!"
Special thanks to Adriana Bavaresco and Voice for their generous sponsorship of this inclusive event.
ICYMI: watch WALTON COUNTY Represent Atlanta in Southern Smackdown
CITA Signing
Our Atlanta, GA team is proud to welcome the next generation of skilled trade professionals to our team! We recently celebrated student signings at Marietta High School’s Military & Career Signing Day and the SkillsUSA National Signing Day at Cobb Innovation and Technology Academy.
Rockdale hosts Morehouse Construction Cohort
Atlanta partners hosted the Morehouse Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center Construction Cohort and Men of Morehouse for a behind-thescenes tour.
SBE Orion Project Update:
The project team had a very positive and productive joint venture team kickoff in Dallas with Turner in mid-June that was attended by leaders from both companies. The owner has asked the design team to explore an alternative design option from their other project site named Juno. We are working to determine the feasibility, cost and schedule implications of this potential change to a more modular design. Mobilization to the site has been delayed due to this, land closing, and several other issues.
TCH North Austin - 3 year Anniversary Topping Out!
“Last week our team at Texas Children's Austin North Campus had the opportunity to hand deliver McCarthy tote bags to the patients in the hospital alongside TCH's Child Life Team. The tote bags included a McCarthy branded plastic hard hat, coloring/activity book, crayons, T-shirt, and hand sanitizer. We were told by the head of the child life team at TCH that "Normally no one is allowed onto the patient floors to deliver items to the children, but McCarthy isn't just anyone. Y'all are a true partner to us with everything y’all have done." This was amazing feedback to hear from the client!” - Hannah Yaletchko
Austin partners teed off for a cause on Monday, May 12th at the Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) Legacy Golf Classic held at Lions Municipal Golf Course. As the title sponsor, McCarthy fielded several teams and provided volunteers who ensured the event ran smoothly.
The tournament raised an impressive $200,000 for TCH's Child Life Program, which helps patients and families alleviate stress and anxiety while promoting positive coping strategies during hospital stays.
Hernandez HONORED AS Foreman of the Year
Congratulations to foreman Armando Hernandez, who was awarded "Foreman of the Year" by the Regional Hispanic Contractors Association at the Austin Safety Council on May 3rd! This honor recognizes the best among all Austin-area craft workers, not just McCarthy employees.
Since joining McCarthy on the TCH North Austin Hospital project, Mando has consistently demonstrated the team mentality and reliability that makes him invaluable to our SSG jobs in Austin. With industry experience dating back to 2008, his consistent performance is something we truly value at TCH. Thank you, Mando, for your outstanding leadership and dedication!
Texas Children's Hospital North Austin Wins 2025 Award
Texas Children's Hospital North Austin Campus received a 2025 Commercial Real Estate Award from Austin Business Journal, recognizing projects with exceptional community impact.
We're honored to have helped build this campus that enhances healthcare accessibility in Central Texas. On May 28th, we celebrated alongside our partners Texas Children's Hospital, Page, and Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.
Congratulations to the entire team for creating this vital healthcare resource for Austin families!
2025 Southern Region Sales Goals
Project Updates:
- Waterloo broke ground for tree clearing on April 11th and followed with mass grading beginning on May 13. The tree clearing is progressing well and will be completed by the end of July.
- We won the civil package for Cottonwood Plano and will be self-performing site work, moisture conditioning and underground utilities for $1.5M.
- We won the civil package for NSH Emergency Department in Atlanta for site work and underground utilities, a package worth $2.5M.
Dallas and Civil BU come together for pickleball game
The Precon teams from our Dallas and Civil Business Units came together for a tournament-style pickleball showdown last week. In true McCarthy fashion, everyone brought their A-game—mixing competitive spirit with plenty of fun, friendly banter, and meaningful team building.
Centreport
We're excited to announce the successful completion of the Centreport Trail project. To celebrate this milestone, we hosted a community wellness walk, bringing McCarthy partners and City of Fort Worth representatives together to be the first to experience our beautiful new trail. Thank you to everyone who made this project possible. The Centreport Trail is now open and ready to serve the community for years to come.
Regional CEO Visits Fort Worth Civil Projects
Southern Region CEO Bryan Kuster toured the impressive work at Camp Bowie and Ray White projects in Fort Worth on May 9th, capping off the visit with a "block party" celebration to close out Safety Week.
Camp Bowie Visit Late May
Friday May 23rd, Jeromy Shaw and Dennis Walters took a tour of the Camp Bowie Blvd Project in Fort Worth, TX. The team has completed a good amount of paving, and the finished product looks excellent. Fort Worth Civil (underground trade partner) is underway with the 12" waterline hot taps and relocation. Great job Camp Bowie!
Freedom Fridays
Every Friday, our Civil Business Unit celebrates Freedom Fridays by wearing America-themed attire! It's a new-to-Civil tradition that Dan Setz brought over from our ATL business unit. All Civil partners are invited to join the Freedom Friday fun and share your photos on Teams.
2025 Southern Region Sales Goals
Frisco Parking Garage Project Milestone
"The Downtown Frisco Garage team celebrated a big milestone Friday - the completion of the level one columns! The team's hard work and dedication have brought us to this point, and we wanted to take a moment to recognize and appreciate the team with a cookout.
We also took this time to celebrate 127 days without a safety incident, with a special shoutout to our General Foreman, Rene Granados!
Rene noticed a Tiseo truck driving by, heading towards power lines and not slowing down. He cleared the workers from the formwork, minutes before the truck hit a post, pulling a power line down directly onto the formwork that the team was previously on. A huge THANK YOU to Rene for keeping the team safe!!” - Brandy Kelson
OSHA Signing at NPC
Click here for full details on MVP's ceremonial OSHA partnership event for the Children's Health and UT Southwestern pediatric campus in Dallas
Halperin Park Project Updates
On April 22nd, Dallas partners and community members celebrated major milestones for the Southern Gateway Deck Park project—the planting of its first trees and the official renaming to Halperin Park following a generous $23 million contribution from the Halperin family. The Earth Day celebration highlighted the project's environmental significance, with more than 140 trees planned upon completion.
The project recently hit another major milestone with its topping off ceremony, marking significant construction progress. Additionally, Halperin Park continues showcasing innovative sustainable construction through cutting-edge mass timber components, supporting environmental goals while creating unique architectural elements for this vibrant green space that will serve Dallas residents for generations to come.
Check out this reel to see highlights from the topping off ceremony!
Texas Oncology - Plano Groundbreaking
Our Dallas team has broken ground on the new Cottonwood Texas Oncology Cancer Center in Plano. This $25 million, 100,000-SF, 3-story medical office building will provide cancer treatment services including chemotherapy, infusion, and radiation treatment with three linear accelerator vaults in building.
This groundbreaking marks McCarthy’s continued partnership with Cottonwood, thanks to the relationships that were built on previous Cottonwood projects. We were able to directly address their scheduling concerns and promise team members that have previous Cottonwood LINAC experience.
The cancer treatment center is set to be completed in the fall of 2026.
MVP Group Bike Rides
The McCarthy Vaughn Partnership team kicked off their inaugural group bike ride with a scenic 12-mile loop around White Rock Lake! Thanks to organizers Jose Orozco Casillas and Gabriel Bayona, and riders Tanner King, Abdul Al-Bashitie, and Daniel Harris for making this team-building adventure a success. Ready to join the next ride? Reach out to Jose Orozco Casillas.
Lonestar Golf Scramble
On May 29, the Dallas office hosted our annual golf tournament at Texas Rangers Golf Club in Arlington, TX. With the help of our sponsors, we presented a check for $60,000 to our friends at Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation! Additionally, due to the generosity of all participants throughout the day, we were able to raise an extra $15,000 to include in our total donation.
The Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation will use our proceeds from the tournament to help drive forward innovative research, improve early detection, and support better treatment options for those affected by breast cancer.
2025 Southern Region Sales Goals
Project Updates:
Houston Methodist Lab - Dynamic One Labs are on track for substantial completion June 19, 2025. The project includes 60,000 square feet of lab and vivarium space on (2) floors of the TMC3 Dynamic One Building. Self-perform scope of work includes drywall, acoustical ceilings, and doors/frames/hardware. The relationship with the client has been great, and the team is looking to more upcoming work with Houston Methodist!
LBJ - Check out the new monthly newsletter for the latest!
Ismaili in Final Stretch
The project is progressing steadily toward its critical milestones, with our anticipated Substantial Completion currently tracking for late July. This position allows us to confidently move forward, targeting the achievement of Final Completion by late August.
Significant strides are being made across multiple fronts within the facility. Interior work is advancing as we finalize the installation of custom glass wall panels, which contribute both an aesthetic value and functionality to the finished spaces. Alongside this, our teams are making considerable headway with millwork details, ensuring craftsmanship and finishing touches are up to specification. The installation of Ultra High Performance Concrete (UHPC) soffits is ongoing, providing durable and visually striking ceiling elements. Additional miscellaneous finish activities are concurrently being addressed, effectively bringing the interior closer to its completed form. In parallel, a comprehensive approach to commissioning is underway throughout the facility, with systems being methodically tested and validated to confirm functionality and compliance prior to turnover. This includes coordinated sequences for MEP systems and other critical components, integrating seamlessly with ongoing finish work to ensure building readiness and operational performance.
Meanwhile, exterior site activities are also gaining momentum. Our crews are completing startup operations for the decorative fountains, which are key landscape focal points. Efforts are underway to finish planting throughout the site, enhancing both curb appeal and the overall environment. Installation of specialty gates is also progressing, with attention to both security and design intent.
As we near these final stages, the project team—working collaboratively with both the design team and the Owner—has initiated comprehensive pre-punch and punch list activities. This diligence ensures any outstanding work or deficiencies are identified and resolved promptly, supporting a smooth path to project closeout.
Overall, with focused attention on detail and thorough coordination among all stakeholders, the project remains well-positioned to meet its scheduled completion dates, delivering a high-quality result for the client.
-Randi Fronczek, Ismaili Project Director
McCarthy Shares ESOP experience with trade partner
What started as a casual conversation at our McCarthy Golf Tournament in Houston last November turned into something truly meaningful. When Alan Judice, President of MGC, shared that their newly-launched ESOP was still a bit of a mystery to many employees, Joey Khaled talked about our model here at McCarthy.
In April, Alan invited Joey and Southern Region Ownership Ambassador Adam Sangl to speak with MGC’s newly formed ESOP Committee to share how our own employee-ownership culture has shaped who we are.
A little about MGC:
• Founded in 1974
• Became an ESOP in 2023—now 100% employee-owned
• Longstanding partnership with McCarthy since 2007, spanning over 65 projects
What we shared:
• The history and impact of the McCarthy ESOP
• How our Strategic Map drives employee culture
• What ownership means beyond financials—transparency, pride, and accountability
• How ESOP culture directly benefits our projects and our clients
Gerardo "Flaco" Hernandez Villanueva Named Foreman of the Year
Houston is proud to announce that Gerardo "Flaco" Hernandez Villanueva was named Foreman of the Year at the Regional Hispanic Contractors Association's El Dia De La Familia event on Saturday, May 3rd. This prestigious recognition follows his Craft Professional of the Year award from last year, highlighting his exceptional leadership and craftsmanship. Since joining McCarthy in 2019, Flaco has demonstrated outstanding skill and leadership across multiple high-profile projects. Beginning at the North East Water Purification Plant where he managed self-perform concrete wall crews, his career path includes impressive contributions at Houston Methodist Cypress, the architecturally demanding Ismaili Center Houston, and currently the $1.0B+ Harris Health LBJ Hospital Expansion, where he leads a team of over 20 self-perform craft professionals.
"Flaco brings his A-game to every task," notes Chris Vlasak. "From keeping crews motivated to ensuring projects are built to last, he's not just skilled— he's a legend in the making."
Mudbugs & Memories
What’s a little friendly competition between friends? LBJ had its first ever Crawfish Competition, and Austin Everett was the winner! Teambuilding at its finest!
LBJ Precon Team gathering
“The LBJ Precon team has been working tirelessly to submit our third GMP. The team successfully submitted GMP #3 on April 23rd, and we have already started efforts on the fourth and final GMP! It has been great to see the team collaborate and keep a positive attitude as it has been a tough few weeks. Thanks to Jordan Attar for setting up a great happy hour! Never knew our partners were so interested in soccer!"
- Joseph Khaled
2025 Southern Region Sales Goals
BELLRINGER: PORT OF HARLINGEN
VALUE: $6.95M
LOCATION: Harlingen, TX
SCOPE: Rehabilitation of two existing docks. Main scopes of work include the replacement of the bulkhead tie-back system, concrete pavement repair and replacement, coating repairs, replacement of the dock fender system, and installation of new steel mooring structures.
START DATE: Late July 2025
HIGHLIGHTS: This win was a direct result of a deep relationship with the Engineer on the project. They brought us in early during the budgetary phase of the project, they helped accommodate our availability to pursue the project, and they ultimately advocated for us to be awarded the project.
McCarthy Marine Rides for MS Research
Our marine team participated in the ACC Texas MS 150, cycling to raise funds and awareness for multiple sclerosis research. We're proud of their dedication to this meaningful cause.
Project Updates
- Barbours Cut CY 6&7 – All subgrade for Phase I is complete and roller compacted concrete (RCC) is underway
- Barbours Cut Wharf 4&5 –Waterside concrete work is complete, and fenders are installed. Stevedore Building finishes are ongoing with the help of our self-perform drywall partners
- GPA Ocean Terminal Bridge – The final bridge deck concrete placement was finished in May. Targeting early August for substantial completion.
- Spilman Island – Off and running! Temporary bulkheads are installed; earthen levee work and LASH dock demolition are moving forward.
- Port of Beaumont Main St Terminal project won another award – Pile Driving Contractors Association (PDCA) Project of the Year (Marine >$5M)
Spilman Island Drives First Pile at Morgan's Point
“The Spilman Island Team is proud to share a major project achievement — we’ve officially driven the first pile at Morgan’s Point.
This marks the installation of the first permanent material on the project and is the result of nearly a year of detailed planning, documentation, and coordination — a true team effort.
This project is a powerful reflection of our core value: “All In.” As our first marine project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), we’re especially proud to have reached this milestone safely, with quality, and while building a strong relationship with our new client.
A huge thank you to our dedicated team — and to everyone who has supported us along the way — for helping make this achievement possible.
1 pile down. 1049 to go!”
- Daniela Sangurima
Georgia Ports Authority
Ocean
Terminal Bridge
Milestone
The Georgia Ports Authority Ocean Terminal Bridge team has completed the final bridge deck placement—a major milestone that marks the culmination of a year’s worth of hard work!
They are now focused on completing ancillary tasks to prepare the bridge for traffic. Construction to date has included:
• 8,000 linear feet of H-pile foundations
• 21,000 square feet of precast MSE wall panels
• 3,800 cubic yards of concrete
Once complete, the bridge will feature 11 spans, stretch 970 linear feet, and include 50 precast beams.
Congratulations to the GPA OT Bridge team, subcontractors, Georgia Ports Authority, AECOM, GDOT, and the City of Savannah for their hard work and collaboration in reaching this impressive milestone!
Port of Beaumont Main Street Terminal 1 Wins 2025 PDCA Award
McCarthy's Port of Beaumont Main Street Terminal 1 project has been named a 2025 PDCA Project of the Year Award winner in the Marine over $5 million category.
This highly coveted award will be formally presented in Pile Drive Magazine Issue #4, circulating this August, where our work will be prominently featured. The award generates genuine excitement throughout the driven pile industry.
A live ceremony and trophy presentation for 2025 winners will take place at the 2026 PDCA annual conference. This recognition highlights our excellence in marine construction and the outstanding work delivered at Port of Beaumont.
Renewable Energy Top Opportunities
2025 Southern Region Sales Goals
BELLRINGER 1: SUNRAYCER EAGLE SPRINGS
PV+S AND LUPINUS I + II PV+S
VALUE: $415M
LOCATION: Franklin and Delta Counties, TX
CONSTRUCTION START DATE: September 2025
Stoneridge Takes on Mental Health Awareness with a Splash
The Stoneridge team celebrated Mental Health Awareness Month in May by bringing back the viral ice bucket challenge as a fun way to promote mental health awareness while fostering team bonding and connection, successfully getting Oystercatcher and Jones City to join in the icy initiative.
Check out their ice-bucket challenge videos below!
- Stoneridge
- Oystercatcher
- Jones City
Community Engagement Initiative Launches
McCarthy's government affairs team, with operational support from Ryan Major, is launching a new community engagement initiative for Renewables projects. This proactive approach identifies potential concerns during preconstruction and develops strategies to prevent project delays. Following a successful pilot at Lafitte Solar in Louisiana, the initiative has proven highly effective, resulting in streamlined permitting processes, expanded project opportunities—including additional Louisiana work—and enhanced client satisfaction.
Sammie Markus, Senior Community Engagement Specialist at McCarthy, has been instrumental in launching this initiative and shared that "the Lafitte project had no permitting delays and excellent relationships with the commissioner, chief engineer, and local mayor. A community video showcased overwhelmingly positive feedback from residents, with many saying they want McCarthy back for future projects."
This comprehensive approach will be rolled out across all upcoming renewable projects and current projects in early development phases. Each project will be supported by a dedicated community engagement lead on site and equipped with three essential resources: a strategy guide, schedule template, and best practices toolkit. Government Affairs will remain actively involved throughout the implementation process.
Community support was crucial to Lafitte's success. This initiative focuses on projects in preconstruction, with plans to implement at Jones City, which has multiple years remaining until completion.
Visit NPC
Dallas water partners were hosted by Eric Dickey for lunch, project overview, and a project walk. Big thank you to Eric for hosting and sharing details on this foundation project for the Dallas office.
Dallas Water Partners enjoyed a fantastic and competitive pickleball outing! Great conversations, hilarious shots, and they discovered some hidden pickleball pros on the team.
