Moles Banquet Honors 2009 Awards Recipients

The Moles Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Construction were presented on Jan. 28 at the Moles’ annual banquet at the New York Hilton.

Martin Herrenknecht won the non-member award. In 1975, Herrenknecht founded the TBM manufacturing company that bears his name with $20,000 borrowed deutschmark. Since that time, Herrenknecht has grown to become a leading TBM manufacturer with machines in nearly every size and configuration. Herrenknecht machines have been used around the world and have mined extensively throughout the United States. Recently two Herrenknecht machines finished the Arrowhead tunnels in California and are due to begin mining the No. 7 line extension in New York City.

The member award went to Richard S. Weeks of Weeks Marine Inc. Weeks began his career with Weeks Stevedoring Inc. in the 1970s. During his tenure, the re-named Weeks Marine has become the largest marine contractor in the United States with an annual volume of more than $500 million. Weeks Marine has completed projects throughout the United States and abroad as well with numerous design-build contracts in Venezuela, Trinidad and elsewhere. Weeks is a past president of the Moles and past president of the Dredging Contractors of America.