Stellar Named an ABC Accredited Quality Contractor for Leadership in Construction Safety, Education and Culture

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (August 12, 2024)—Stellar of Jacksonville, Florida, announced it has earned the Accredited Quality Contractor credential from Associated Builders and Contractors. This marks the sixth year in the company's history that Stellar has earned the prestigious credential for its commitment to corporate responsibility. Only 525 of the nation’s elite merit shop construction contractors earned the credential in 2023.

"We are proud to be a part of ABC's membership and are committed to providing the highest quality construction services to our clients while ensuring the safety and well-being of our employees and the communities we serve." Says Freida Speicher, Stellar’s Director of Quality Assurance.

Launched more than three decades ago, ABC’s AQC credential provides recognition to industry-leading construction firms that have documented their commitment in five areas:

Quality
Health and safety performance
Talent management, including inclusion, diversity and merit
Craft and management education
Community relations

“Every day, the leaders and employees of Stellar put in the work and make the decisions that deliver the highest-quality construction services to their communities and embody the highest level of corporate achievement,” said Michael Bellaman, ABC president and CEO. “Accredited Quality Contractors are top-performing ABC contractor members that set the standard for safety, culture, workforce development, innovation, merit and quality in the contracting community. Congratulations to these outstanding construction companies; you exemplify the best of ABC’s membership.”

In earning the AQC credential, each member company commits to industry-leading health and safety by achieving the Gold, Platinum or Diamond level in ABC’s STEP Safety Management System. Established in 1989, STEP provides contractors and suppliers with a robust, no-cost framework for measuring safety data and benchmarking with peers in the industry, with top performers achieving incident rates nearly six times safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average.

Reaccredited annually, AQC members also make the following pledge: As an Accredited Quality Contractor, our company is committed to providing our clients with the highest-quality construction services, and we care deeply about our employees and the communities in which we build. We are proud to be part of the construction industry and are dedicated to the principles of free enterprise. We commit ourselves to serve our communities and to provide our employees with the skills they need to work safely and productively in order to meet the needs of our clients.

AQC is recognized by the Construction Users Roundtable, an organization founded by leading construction project owners, and AQC members are eligible for ABC’s Top Performers lists, which rank contractors based on work hours. To learn more about AQC and see the full list of accredited quality contractors, visit abc.org/aqc or utilize the ZIP code finder tool. ABC members have exclusive access to the list of Accredited Quality Contractors and more on FindContractors.com.

About Stellar: Stellar is a fully integrated design, engineering, construction, refrigeration, and mechanical services firm serving commercial, industrial, and public sector markets across the United States. More than 750 Stellar employees throughout the country create award-winning food processing plants, refrigerated warehouses, distribution centers, commercial buildings, and military facilities. In addition to its headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida, Stellar operates support locations throughout the United States. For more information, visit www.stellar.net.

About ABC: Associated Builders and Contractors is a national construction industry trade association established in 1950 that represents more than 23,000 members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 68 chapters help members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. Visit us at abc.org.