Events
Industry Recognition Awards
Industry Recognition Awards
Utility Safety Partners (USP) values safety, advocacy, and participation as a critical foundation to keeping people safe when working around utilities. We want to recognize dedicated Albertans who uphold these core values through the work they do in damage prevention, so each year, USP awards the title of Excavator of the Year, Locator of the Year, and USP Member of the Year to deserving recipients.
Nomination
Both organizations and individuals can qualify for USP’s Recognition Awards. Those who wish to be considered for a recognition award may self-nominate or may be nominated by a peer or other industry stakeholder. Nominees must meet the qualifying criteria outlined in the Nomination Form.
To nominate a colleague for Excavator of the Year, Locator of the Year, or USP Member of the Year, complete the appropriate Nomination Form and submit it to [email protected] for consideration. Nominations are accepted between October 15 and December 31 each year. Submissions that are incomplete or do not meet the minimum criteria standards will not be considered
Excavator of the Year Nomination Form
Locator of the Year Nomination Form
Member of the Year Nomination Form
Selection Process
Eligible nominee submissions are scored based on the criteria outlined in the Nomination Forms. The top 3-rated candidates in each category may be contacted and asked to complete a short questionnaire or interview to further detail the reasons they should be considered.
The Recognition Award Selection Committee will consider the nomination form, scoring matrix, and final questionnaire answers to choose a winner from the finalists. A minimum of 50% of each Selection Committee will be members of the category peer group.
2025 Awards Presentation
Congratulations to all nominees for the Industry Recognition Awards. You have our gratitude for the hard work you do for safety every day.
Our awards recipients for the year 2024:
Excavator of the Year – Volker Stevin
USP President presents Excavator of the Year award to Shaun Hubbs from Volker Stevin.
Locator of the Year – Keith Bartlett, EM Utility Locating
Members of the Year – Astec Safety and Global Training
USP President presents Member of the Year awards to Debbie Shelley (Global Training) and Jeff Mulligan (Astec Safety)
Announcement
Recognition Awards will be announced during Dig Safe Month (April) each year. Recipients will receive a crystal award and an official logo to post on their website or other publications.
Every second year, awards will be presented in person at USP’s Safety Conference.
Award recipients are published on the USP web site, on social media, and in the USP newsletter.
2023 Recipients
Excavator of the Year – Canadian Fiber Optics
Locator of the Year – Matt Etherington, EM Locating
Member of the Year – Iain Stables, ATCO Gas