Carroll H. Dunn Award of Excellence
CII established the Carroll H. Dunn Award of Excellence in 1985 to honor an individual for significant achievements in improving the engineering and construction industry. The award is CII’s highest honor and is recognized as one of the most prestigious awards of its kind in the construction industry.
Carroll H. Dunn was the Project Director of the Construction Industry Cost Effectiveness (CICE) Project, which was sponsored by The Business Roundtable and led to the creation of the Construction Industry Institute. Dunn had a highly decorated career in the United States Army Corps of Engineers, retiring as a Lt. General. During his military career, Dunn served in World War II and later served as Director of the Titan II Missile Program and was Division Engineer of the Corps’ Southwestern Division.
In 1980, Dunn began work full-time on the CICE Project and later was instrumental in the establishment of CII. Dunn’s service to CII was considered so valuable that he was appointed an ex-officio member of all the original committees and research task forces.
Please ensure all nominations for 2026 nominees are submitted before the deadline of June 1, 2026.
Recent Recipients:
2026 Award Recipient - Ben Breen
2024 Award Recipient: John Fish
2023 Award Recipient: Mansour Saad Al-Shehri
2022 Award Recipient: Anne Ellis
Previous Award Recipients:
| 2026 - Ben Breen | 2006 - Daniel W. Halpin |
| 2025 - Lou Cabano | 2005 - Alan L. Boeckmann |
| 2024 - John Fish | 2004 - James B. Porter, Jr. |
| 2023 - Mansour Saad Al-Shehri | 2002 - Joseph J. Jacobs |
| 2022 - Anne Ellis | 2001 - H.B. Zachry, Jr. |
| 2021 - Wayne A. Crew | 2000 - Arthur J. Fox, Jr. |
| 2019 - Mike Rowe | 1999 - Donald J. Gunther |
| 2018 - Melissa Herkt | 1998 - Edward W. Merrow |
| 2017 - John W. Dalton, Sr. | 1997 - Richard L. Tucker |
| 2016 - Bernard Amadei | 1996 - John W. Morris II |
| 2015 - Craig Martin | 1995 - Daniel J. Bennet |
| 2014 - Jan L. Tuchman | 1994 - Jack E. Turner |
| 2013 - J.J. Suarez | 1993 - Gary D. Jones |
| 2012 - Joseph A. Ahearn | 1992 - James M. Braus |
| 2011 - Stephen t. Ayers | 1991 - Clarkson H. Oglesby |
| 2010 - James G. Slaughter, Jr | 1990 - Louis Garbrecht, Jr. |
| 2009 - Charles H. Thornton | 1989 - Robert H. Miller |
| 2008 - Ralph R. Peterson | 1988 - Theodore C. Kennedy |
| 2007 - David J. Nash | 1987 - Charles D. Brown |
Award Selection Criteria
Criteria for the Dunn Award include the following:- Significant contributions to the construction industry (i.e., innovation, effective implementation, business impact, and mentorship).
- Demonstration of the highest degree of personal dedication to improving costs, schedule, quality, and/or safety of the capital facilities delivery process. (Describe in detail.)
- A leadership position in the construction industry from which others can be influenced by example and direction. (Is the nominee a mentor? Speaker? Entrepreneur? Innovator? Describe in detail.)
- A record of accomplishment that brings added distinction to the recipient and the organizations with which he or she has been associated.
- Nominees cannot be active on the CII Executive Committee, or part of the current or past CII staff.