If you attended the March 15 Awards Breakfast -- or even if you didn't -- and you'd like to see photos from the event, please click HERE.

The 2023 AWARD WINNERS HAVE BEEN SELECTED


ORLANDO - Multiple companies from various locations in Central Florida and on the East and West Coasts of the state will be honored by The Florida Safety Council at the organization’s 71st Annual Awards ceremony on March 15 at Shades of Green Resorts on Disney property. The Safety Council, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, is in its seventh decade of providing safety programs, training and awareness as well as recognizing member companies who exemplify worker and operational safety.

An eight-member panel composed of safety professionals and Safety Council senior staff convened on Feb. 9 to review applications and select the winners for the 2023 service year. Honorees are as follows:

OUTSTANDING LOST TIME PREVENTION (3+ years with no time lost due to injury): Gold Award: RUSH Construction (Titusville). Silver Award: Dassault Falcon Jet (Stuart)

LOST TIME PREVENTION (1+ year with no time lost due to injury): Commercial Millworks (Orlando), Ivey’s Construction (Merritt Island), Mitsubishi Power (Orlando), Neology/Toll Operation Mgmt Solutions (Orlando), Shades of Green Resort (Lake Buena Vista) and Woodard & Curran (Winter Garden).

VEHICLE FLEET SAFETY: Gold Award: Ivey’s Construction; Silver Award: RUSH Construction; Bronze Award: Sauer Mechanical (Merritt Island).

Vehicle Fleet Safety Honorable Mentions: Woodard & Curran; Commercial Millworks; and Neology/Toll Operation Mgmt Solutions.

CORPORATE SAFETY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: LEVEL I (1-500 employees)

Gold Award: Mitsubishi; Silver Award: RUSH Construction; Bronze Award: Ivey’s Construction.

Level I Honorable Mentions: DEMACO (Melbourne), Sauer Mechanical, Shades of Green Resort, Woodard & Curran.

CORPORATE SAFETY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: LEVEL II (501-2,000 employees)

Gold Award: Nautique (Orlando); Silver Award: Walt Disney World Distribution Services; Bronze Award: Magic Kingdom Park Main Street Food and Beverage Complex

Level II Honorable Mentions: Delaware North (Cape Canaveral), Walt Disney World All Star Resorts, Walt Disney World EPCOT Merchandise, Magic Kingdom Fantasyland Park Operations.

CORPORATE SAFETY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: LEVEL III (2001+ employees)

Gold Award: Walt Disney World Hollywood Studios Attractions; Silver Award: Pasco County BOCC; Bronze Award: Walt Disney World CMHPTDC Team.

CERTIFIED OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY SPECIALIST (COSS) Excellence In Safety Award: (Recognizes an outstanding COSS program graduate for their accomplishments since graduating from the program) goes to the team of Sheila Rivera, Matt Maldonado and Kenny Kosma from Mitsubishi Power Americas.

COSS Course Scholarship (one fully paid registration in any FSC virtual session during the 2024 year): Dylan O’Shea – DEMACO

SAFETY LEADERSHIP AWARD – 2023

LEVEL I: Shawn Lucas, RUSH Construction

LEVEL II: Sam Holton, “Safety Sam,” Guest Experience Manager, Walt Disney World

LEVEL III: Aaron Pearson, Pasco County BOCC

Runners-up for the prestigious Safety Leadership Awards were: Elizabeth Johnson of Mitsubishi, Anna Fullen of Nautique Boat Company, Chris LaPorta of Sauer Mechanical and Walt Disney World safety professionals Tommy Byerly, John Hamilton, Elizabeth McLaughlin, James O’Donnell, Jessica Parriott/Brandon Radice, Jeff Van Buren, and Jeremy Walls.

The selection process for these awards is always challenging because many of the companies and individuals are neck-and-neck,” said Safety Council Executive Director Chris Earl. “Sometimes the difference between Gold and Silver or an Award and an Honorable Mention is very small. We weigh these categories and achievements very carefully. I know every awards ceremony says this – but in the case of safety awards it really is true – ALL these guys are winners! More important, their workers, visitors and companies are winners because safety is always front and center for every single company who submitted for this years’ awards. And, really, all the companies who are members of the Florida Safety Council are winners because they prioritize safety education for their employees and managers.”

Also being honored at the March 15 Awards Breakfast Gala with the Safety Council’s “Founder's Award” is keynote speaker and founder of Life Recaptured Brandy Crisafulli. Ms. Crisafulli is a long-time advocate for abused women who has evolved into a champion for victims of human trafficking. As president of Life Recaptured she is creating a structured haven and safe place for trafficking survivors to restore their lives and free themselves from the tethers of abuse, shame, and pain. Ms. Crisafulli and her organization also train other companies, organizations and individuals on how to recognize and/or report human trafficking abuses.

She embodies the type of person we want to recognize with the Founder's Award,” said Chris Earl. “She is someone who lives and breathes public safety every day of her life.”

Tickets for the March 15 breakfast are available on Eventbrite or, for more information, contact Tara Dixon Engel at [email protected] or Heidi Jordan at [email protected]. Ticketing is open to Safety Council members, clients and vendors.

This year's Awards Breakfast sponsored by the GREAT FOLKS from:

Keynote Speaker and Founder's Award Winner

Brandy Crisafulli


Katherine ‘Brandy’ Crisafulli, Founder and President of "Life Recaptured," is an entrepreneur, having owned several for-profit businesses as well as having a heart for community outreach. In the community outreach realm, she originally spent over twenty years working in the domestic abuse arena by securing safe places for women who found themselves in domestic abuse situations and aiding in their rehabilitation.

Brandy was later inspired to work with victims of sex trafficking after learning that her younger

sister had been a victim of sex trafficking. The nonprofit, Life Recaptured, was born from this desire to assist and restore women who have been victimized by traffickers by providing homes that will help victims reclaim the life that had been taken from them.

Brandy sought out training from Project Rescue and Selah Freedom, two of the most prominent sex trafficking rescue organizations internationally and in the U.S. She spent six and a half years being mentored and trained by these organizations and continues a mentoring relationship with both organizations.

Brandy not only received training and created Life Recaptured, but she is also deeply devoted to bringing Life Recaptured’s Awareness Training opportunities to the community and building positive partnerships with Law Enforcement, State Legislators like Congressman Bill Posey and former Speaker of the House Steve Crisafulli, Brevard County Clerk of Courts, Brevard County

Schools, along with many other local, state, and federal organizations. Governor DeSantis' Faith and Community Based Initiative has recognized and supports the efforts of Life Recaptured Inc. and Attorney General Ashley Moody has made Life Recaptured

part of her 100% Club.

Brandy has become a leading voice in the efforts to eradicate human sex trafficking throughout the state of Florida.

REGISTER for the 2023-24 Awards Breakfast Gala by clicking HERE.

Once you are on the registration site, please follow these guidelines:

Corporate Members get ONE FREE ticket (CLICK "Corporate Member Free Ticket" to register that individual)

Corporate Members get ONE DISCOUNTED ticket (CLICK "Corporate Member Discounted Ticket" to register)

Small Business Members get ONE DISCOUNTED ticket (CLICK "Small Business Discounted Ticket" to register)

Individual Members and additional Corporate and Small Business attendees pay the General Admission fee.

Questions?

Email [email protected]

Images and Winners from our 2023 Event:

2023 Awards Breakfast a Great Success; Many Honored

ORLANDO -- "Inspiring" and "memorable" were among the adjectives used by attendees to describe March 24's "2023 Florida Safety Council Awards Breakfast" honoring safety professionals and the safety industry.

Keynote speaker Olja Correa had the audience alternately laughing, then crying, as she recounted her journey from war-torn Yugoslavia to her proud citizenship in the United States and her service in the U.S. Army before joining OSHA a decade ago. She stressed the importance of hard work, "embracing who you are," and never giving up on your dreams.

Following Olja's presentation, Melissa Walsh received the 2023 Sara Griffin-Hughes Award for exemplary safety service to the community. Thiry-three-year-old Melissa, who became a quadriplegic at age 18 after making the decision to drink and drive, now lectures at venues throughout central Florida, warning teens that they do not want to end up in her position. She is an integral part of the Safety Council's Victim Awareness Program. Melissa's powerful story was recounted in the March edition of The Safety Newsletter.

For the 70th year in a row, the Council also recognized superior safety performance by companies and safety professionals in the State of Florida. Dozens of applicants vied for recognition in nine categories.

“We had a great response to this year’s awards’ competition and it’s clear that our members are more focused than ever on building a safe and secure workplace, as well as expanding their own knowledge and impact,” said Chris Earl, Florida Safety Council Executive Director.

Chris and the Awards Committee met on Feb. 28 to select the winners, who were honored for their 2022 safety achievements at the March 24 Gala.

The Florida Safety Council Awards Committee takes great pleasure in announcing the following winners for the 2022-23 safety year:


Outstanding Lost Time Prevention:

Gold--Shimmick CFX Toll Operations

Silver--RUSH Construction

Bronze--Commercial Millworks, Inc.

Honorable mentions:

Dassault Aircraft Services-Stuart

Woodard & Curran Inc. 

 

Lost Time Prevention:

Commercial Millworks, Inc.

Dassault Aircraft Services-Stuart

RUSH Construction

Shimmick CFX Toll Operations

Vecenergy

Vermeer MV Solutions

Woodard & Curran Inc. 

 

Vehicle Fleet Safety:

Gold--Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Silver--Woodard & Curran Inc.

Bronze-- Vecenergy

Honorable mentions:

Ivey's Construction, Inc.

RUSH Construction

 

Corporate Safety Achievement Level 1:

Gold--Ivey's Construction, Inc. 

Silver--Woodard & Curran Inc. 

Bronze--Vecenergy

Honorable mentions:

RUSH Construction 

Shades of Green Resort

 

Corporate Safety Achievement Level 2:

Gold--Collins Aerospace

Silver--Delaware North Companies

Bronze--Nautique Boat Company

 

Corporate Safety Achievement Level 3:

Gold--Pasco County Public Infrastructure Safety

Silver-Westgate Resorts

Bronze--Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom Westside Foods

 

COSS Excellence in Safety Award:

Vermeer MV Solutions---recipient—David Adams

 

COSS Course Scholarship Award:

Shades of Green Resort--recipient—Cory Scott

 

Safety Leadership Award:

The Walt Disney Company--recipient—Joseph Klein


Honorable mentions:

Magic Kingdom Park--Tomorrowland Merchandise--Chris Wolf

The Walt Disney Company--Elizabeth Maclaughlin

Magic Kingdom Park--Fantasyland Merchandise--Brad Koronka

RUSH Construction--Shawn Lucas

Shades of Green Resort--Brad Adams

Vecenergy--Marquis Anderson

Nautique Boat Company--Anna Fullen

The Walt Disney Company--Tim Derolf

Woodard & Curran Inc.--John Sowka

Pasco County Public Infrastructure Safety--Jeffrey Brockman

To access ALL the photos from Friday's Gala and download your favorite,

please click on this LINK.

2021 Winners


Lost Time Prevention Category: Certificate of Recognition

Nautique

RUSH Construction

Vecenergy

Commercial Millworks

Shimmick CFX Toll Operations


Outstanding Lost Time Prevention

GOLD: RUSH Construction

SILVER: Vecenergy

BRONZE: Commercial Millworks


Outstanding Lost Time Prevention: Honorable Mention

Shimmick CFX Toll Operations


Vehicle Fleet Safety

GOLD: RUSH Construction

SILVER: Shimmick CFX Toll Operations

BRONZE: Vecenergy


Corporate Safety

GOLD: RUSH Construction

SILVER: Disney Magic Kingdom Park Tomorrowland Foods/Cosmic Rays Starlight Cafe Complex

BRONZE: Nautique


Corporate Safety: Honorable Mention

Shades of Green

Pasco County Public Infrastructure Branch

Jacobs Technology, Inc. Jacobs Space Operations Group

Mitsubishi Power, LTD.


COSS Course Scholarship

Shades of Green--Ms. Kelsey Stone


COSS Course Scholarship Runner Up

Mitsubishi Power - Mr. Robert Betz


Safety Leadership: Winner

Pasco County Public Infrastructure Branch - Mr. Jeffrey Brockman


Safety Leadership: Honorable Mention

RUSH Construction - Shawn Lucas

Shades of Green - Marie Felton

Nautique - Anna Fullen

Magic Kingdom Entertainment and Imaging - Rachel Quinn

Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World Resort - Mr. Casey Malone

Mitsubishi Power, LTD. - Chris Robinson 

Magic Kingdom Park, Walt Disney World Resort - Mr. Cody Krueger

Disney's Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World Resort - Mehdi Abrache

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