Achen-Gardner came in full swing as a proud sponsor of the AZUCA Scholarship Shot Gun Golf Tournament on April 12 at the Legacy Golf Club. Our team was on hole 14 handing out swag, and had a fun “guess how many golf tees are in the jar” game for a chance to win a sleeve of Achen-Gardner ProV1 golf balls.
The National Association of Women in Construction hosted its 26th annual Women in Construction week March 3-9, 2024 in honor of Women’s History Month.
As we strive to create an inclusive workplace, Achen-Gardner Construction is excited to celebrate this annual event which is an opportunity for us to recognize the invaluable contributions of our female colleagues.
Women in Construction Week not only highlights the achievements of women in our field but also serves as a reminder of the progress we have made toward a more equitable and diverse workforce. It is a chance for us to express our appreciation for the women who play vital roles in our company and our industry.
Throughout this week, we will highlight some of our female employee-owners on our social media to celebrate their accomplishments.
Employee-owners went the extra mile at the AZ Water for People 5K on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024. This event is hosted annually by the Water for People Arizona Committee with support from the AZ Water Commission. Registrations contributed to the Water for People nonprofit organization to support access to clean water in developing countries.
Achen-Gardner Construction won the Corporate Challenge Champions award for registering the most participants. There were 121 people in the 11th Annual Run for World Water, and Achen-Gardner represented 18% of the race at 22 members. Nine people from team Achen-Gardner placed in the top three of their age groups.
Project Engineer Justin Watkins placed 18th out of all runners at 26 minutes and 35 seconds, which was the best time from the team. After running all three miles and beating his own personal record, Justin decided he wasn’t done. He ran half of it again and walked the other half back with several Achen-Gardner teammates.
“We are only great because of the people to our left and our right, that’s why I decided to run more – so I can finish strong with my team by my side.”
This event was located at Arizona Falls in the City of Phoenix. Achen-Gardner completed the Arizona Falls Canal Bank Enhancement Construction Manager at Risk project in 2004. Vice President Kevin Nunez was the original project manager for this award-winning work.
The City of Phoenix Arts Commission partnered with the Parks Department and SRP to develop a 64,000 SF recreational landmark, encompassing desert masonry walls, pathways, water features, a pedestrian bridge, a shade canopy, landscaping, numerous art elements and historical information, and a 600 SF restroom facility.
“I’m proud to be part of something that withstands the test of time and not only provides a function – power generation – but also provides the community with a beautiful place to relax and enjoy a learning experience,” Kevin said.
The facility took inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West stone walls, the contribution of many local artists, and other southwest features.
Arizonans have utilized this area as a meeting place for over 100 years. It was first constructed in 1902 by the Salt River Project to generate hydroelectricity. Arizona Falls has a natural drop of 20 feet across the length of the canal.
Congratulations to our Project Manager, Abi Goode, for being named YCF Member of the Year.
Achen-Gardner Construction is honored to have won a Build Arizona Award from the Arizona Chapter Associated General Contractors of America for our Carefree Water Consolidation CMAR project. This project was constructed for the Town of Carefree and the award was in the New Construction - Public, Heavy, $10-$50 Million category. Members of the project team accepted the award at the Annual Dinner and Build Arizona Awards Banquet on Friday, January 26th. This project allowed the Town of Carefree to expand Carefree Water services to more than 20% of Carefree residents who were previously being furnished potable water by the Town of Cave Creek. It was the largest utility project that Carefree Water has ever constructed.
Congratulations to everyone involved with this project!
It’s the season of giving! Achen-Gardner hosted a Slime Bucket Challenge to raise money for Save the Family to provide holiday gifts and meals for families in need. Achen-Gardner’s contribution helped AZ AGC’s Young Professionals raise more than $13,000 for Save the Family. Employee owners assisted with wrapping and delivering the gifts. Happy holidays to all! 🎁
Achen-Gardner had a great time kicking off the Christmas in the Park festivities in the City of Litchfield Park’s Christmas Parade on December 9th. We walked along our holiday-decorated float while handing out candy to the parade attendees.
Litchfield Park hosts an annual Christmas in the Park event on the second Saturday in December each year. Christmas in the Park is a family-focused event that is free and open to the public. It traditionally includes a hometown parade, arts & crafts vendors, local stage acts, and a number of children’s activities.
Achen-Gardner was happy to be a sponsor at the Litchfield Park Touch-A-Truck event on November 18th. Our employee-owners had a blast passing out fun swag and showing off some of our equipment. This free family event gave kids of all ages the opportunity to see and touch the equipment and learn all about construction. Thank you to all the volunteers and sponsors who helped make this event a huge success.
We had a great time talking with everyone at the ACEC James Bond-themed Arizona Conference on Roads & Streets on November 1st-3rd at the Hilton El Conquistador Tucson. We showcased roadway and wet utility projects and handed out fun giveaways including our grand prize, a Williams Sonoma Martini Gift crate...for those who like their martinis shaken, not stirred.
Achen-Gardner was happy to participate in the 2023 Signal Butte Elementary Patriot Day Touch-A-Truck event on September 11th in Queen Creek, AZ. Our employee-owners had a blast passing out swag and candy, and showing off some of our equipment. This fun event gave kids the opportunity to see and touch the equipment and learn all about construction. Thank you to all the volunteers and to Signal Butte Elementary for making this event a huge success.
It was great seeing all our friends and partners at the AZ APWA Statewide Conference last week at the Hilton El Conquistador Tucson. Thank you to all of the attendees who visited our booth, spun our prize wheel, and won some of our fun swag.
In addition to the excitement in the exhibit hall, we also won three APWA Project of the Year Awards:
Environment Less Than $5M
Zone 1 - Transmission Main Assessment and Rehabilitation CMAR
Town of Gilbert
Environment $5-25M
Chandler Heights Utility Relocations CMAR
City of Chandler
Environment $25-75M
Waterline Replacement - Clark, University, and Daley Park Neighborhoods CMAR
City of Tempe
