September 29, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CHICAGO - In partnership with Building Design+Construction, the American Institute of Steel Construction is excited to announce the five architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry professionals who will serve on the 2026 IDEAS Awards jury.

"As the AEC industry moves toward a built future defined by integrated materials, diverse perspectives will be invaluable in selecting projects that not only excel in design and performance, but also advance the integration of materials for exceptional results," said Erin Conaway, PE, AISC's senior director of building initiatives. "In assembling this year's jury, we wanted to replicate a project team, but we also wanted to invite fresh perspectives into the evaluation process."

Project teams across the country continue to push the boundaries with structural steel--and it can be hard to keep up. We’ve made it easy: focus on just five extraordinary structures that demonstrate innovation and excellence in adaptive reuse, architecture, constructability, engineering, and sustainable design and construction.

This year, we're also celebrating designs that are still on the boards. If a project has a U.S.-based client and site, it could win the inaugural IDEAS|next Award before it even breaks ground!

AISC and BD+C are accepting entries through 11:59 p.m. on September 30, 2025. Individual deadline extensions may be granted upon request. The jury will meet in-person in December to select the nation’s best projects that exemplify the future of steel design and construction.

The 2026 jury includes:

David Barista, Editorial Director, Building Design+Construction, MultifamilyPro+
Barista has covered the U.S. construction industry for more than 25 years, including multiple editorial roles at Building Design+Construction magazine. He oversees editorial operations and strategy planning/execution for BD+C brands and products, including BD+C's Giants 400 rankings, Annual Report series, 75 Top Products awards, BD+C newsletters and social media, and continuing education content. Previously, he was editor-in-chief of Professional Builder, Custom Builder, and ProBuilder.com, properties that combined reach more than 200,000 residential design and construction professionals. He is a seven-time Jesse H. Neal Award winner and an eight-time finalist, recognizing excellence in business journalism.

Paul Evans, SE, PE, Structural Design Specialist, Turner Engineering Group
In his role at Turner Engineering Group (TEG), Evans addresses challenges in constructability, structural optimization, and cost savings for projects and pursuits throughout North America. Previously, he spent nine years as a consulting engineer at Silman (now TYLin) and served as an adjunct professor at Manhattan College, teaching steel design courses for undergraduate and graduate students from 2014 to 2023. He holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in civil engineering from Manhattan College.

Melissa Gradecki, SE, PE, Senior Engineer - Innovations, AISC
Before she joined AISC's Steel Solutions Center and the Institute's engineering and research team, Gradecki spent 19 years in private practice at an engineering firm. The Milwaukee School of Engineering alumna conducts in-depth studies focused on advancing structural steel and informing design and specification decisions, with a focus on "what if?" questions. She's a reviewer for Engineering Journal and serves as the secretary of AISC Task Committee 11 on nuclear facilities design.

Courtney Lilly, QA/QC and Shop Supervisor, Southern New Jersey Steel
Lilly’s career in steel fabrication began in 2013, when she started work as a receptionist at RCC Fabricators, Inc., but her father's leadership in the industry inspired her from an early age. Lilly worked her way steadily through the ranks at RCC, gaining hands-on experience and new skills, including her American Welding Society (AWS) welding certification. In 2022, she joined the team at SNJS, where she oversees quality control operations and serves as a shop supervisor.

Thomas Robinson, AIA, Founding Principal, LEVER Architecture
Robinson is the founder of a research-based design practice widely recognized for material innovation and pioneering work with cross-laminated timber (CLT). His projects encompass cutting-edge structures across the U.S., including Los Angeles’ Spring Street, one of the first hybrid steel-timber structures in the city.

Bethany Whitehurst, SE, PE, Senior Structural Engineer, Clark Nexsen
Whitehurst has more than 15 years of diversified experience as a licensed structural engineer. As Clark Nexsen's SE 2025 Embodied Carbon Champion, she leads the firm's SE 2050 team in performing life cycle assessments and developing emissions reduction strategies while collaborating with peers across the AEC industry to advance best practices for sustainable structures.

To learn more about the 2026 award program and past winners, visit aisc.org/ideas.