January 15, 2026

ENR's 2025 Top 25 Newsmakers

News

Collage illustration by Scott Hilling/ENR, original artwork by Getty Images/CSA-Printstock and by Getty Images/claudiodivizia

Each year, the accomplishments of ENR’s Newsmakers remind us of the construction industry’s capacity to improve, evolve and iterate.

We all know those in the industry can get the job done—but how that job is done is where we witness the grit, perseverance and ingenuity displayed by those we’re recognizing this year: from designing and executing on novel construction systems that reduce schedules by months or years, to drawing on relationships and trust-building to battle the LA wildfires on a local scale, complete a historic cleanup effort on a regional scale and build up a critical clean energy market almost from scratch.

In many cases, Newsmakers help redefine what the industry is and who it can help. Beyond doing a job, it is planting the seeds of a construction career in the minds of young women and girls, and is literally and figuratively building bridges in rural Kenya, helping remote communities access health care and education; it’s leading an entire county to build sustainably while simultaneously growing affordable housing.

There are so many more inspiring stories; perhaps they will encourage you also to reach for new levels of innovation and achievement. Read on, and meet these achievers in person at ENR’s Award of Excellence gala on March 26 at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers in New York City. Visit enr.com/aoe to register.

Nick Almeter

Project Manager
Halmar International
Nanuet, N.Y.
Read more about Nick Almeter

Atorod Azizinamini

Director, Infrastructure Research and Innovation
Florida International University
Miami, Fla.
Read more about Atorod Azizinamini

David K. Beesley

Vice President, Project Management
Coppola Services Inc.
Ringwood, N.J.
Read more about David K. Beesley

Cassidy Blowers

Construction Resource Engineer
Delaware Dept. of Transportation
Dover, Del.
Read more about Cassidy Blowers

Allison L. C. de Cerreño

Chief Operating Officer
MTA Bridges and Tunnels
New York City
Read more about Allison L. C. de Cerreño

Brian K. Carroll

Managing Partner / Past President
Sanderford & Carroll / American Subcontractors Association
Belton, Texas
Read more about Brian K. Carroll

Judaline Cassidy

Chief Visionary Officer and Founder
Tools & Tiaras
Queens, N.Y.
Read more about Judaline Cassidy

Christina Cassotis

CEO
Pittsburgh International Airport
Pittsburgh
Read more about Christina Cassotis

Karina Dailey

Science and Restoration Director / Chair
Vermont Natural Resources Council / Vermont Dam Task Force
Jericho, Vt.
Read more about Karina Dailey

Michael Goetz

Project Manager
Skanska
Ocean Grove, N.J.
Read more about Michael Goetz

Louis P. Grasso Jr.

Inventor/Managing Partner
Urban Mining Industries
New Rochelle, N.Y.
Read more about Louis P. Grasso Jr.

Abigail Ross Hopper

President and CEO (until 1/30/26)
Solar Energy Industries Association
Washington, D.C.
Read more about Abigail Ross Hopper

Todd Keller

Vice President
Granite Construction Co.
Tucson, Ariz.
Read more about Todd Keller

John Largay

Founder
Wespac Construction
Phoenix
Read more about John Largay

Marko Medved

Director General Services
County of San Diego
San Diego
Read more about Marko Medved

René Morkos

Founder and CEO
ALICE Technologies
New York City
Read more about René Morkos

Chris Olsen

Executive Director of Engineering and Water Resources
Orange County Water District
Fountain Valley, Calif.
Read more about Chris Olsen