Expanding Excellence
Corey Audibert Wins 2026 Gary. E. Bird Horizon Award
IRMI honors EXCEL's Good Catch Safety Incentive Program at the 46th Construction Risk Conference
3 min read
At EXCEL, nothing matters more than making sure every one of our people goes home safe to their family at the end of the day. That commitment earned national recognition this week when Corey Audibert, COSM, Vice President of Safety and Risk Management, won the 2026 Gary E. Bird Horizon Award from the International Risk Management Institute (IRMI).
Audibert was honored at the IRMI CRC Awards Lunch during the 46th IRMI Construction Risk Conference for the Good Catch Safety Incentive Program, which he implemented company-wide across all EXCEL worksites. The program is built on a simple idea: every employee can protect a coworker, and every voice deserves to be heard.
Sponsored by Travelers and presented each year at the IRMI Construction Risk Conference, the Gary E. Bird Horizon Award recognizes innovative techniques, processes, and programs that are effective in construction risk management. The award is named for Gary E. Bird, original author of The Wrap-Up Guide and a respected, forward-thinking leader in construction risk management, who lost his life in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The Good Catch program encourages every EXCEL employee to find and report hazards before they lead to an injury or property damage. Employees can report a good catch of any severity, on paper or by phone, by scanning the QR codes on posters at each jobsite. Safety leaders act quickly on every report and follow up with the employee to share what was fixed. That follow-up shows employees their concerns are taken seriously and makes it clear that speaking up will never lead to retaliation. Each month, the top 10 good catches earn a $100 Visa gift card, and one annual winner receives a $1,000 gift card.
Many safety incentive programs reward "zero injury" streaks, which can quietly discourage employees from reporting. Good Catch takes the opposite approach: it rewards people for spotting hazards before a near miss ever happens.
The numbers show the program is working. Compared with the same period the year before, EXCEL has seen a 27.5% reduction in total incidents, a 27.1% reduction in total injuries, and a 33.3% reduction in property damage. The program has received 552 submissions, and 33% of participants have submitted more than once.
"This is something we're proud to share with our clients, and the results of the program speak for themselves," Audibert shares.
That culture of care goes with EXCEL to every project we support. For the owners we partner with, it means crews who look out for one another, hazards addressed before they become incidents, and a partner that treats the safety of every person on site as its first responsibility.
The award judges also praised the program. Jennifer Lee of Travelers highlighted a safety culture where employees "feel empowered to speak up to address and improve operations." Karen Keniff, President of Global Construction at CNA, noted, "Making sure everyone goes home safely—with no injury—remains a critical need in the industry." TJ Lyons of Lyonetics Consulting LLC added, "This should be easy to replicate for any size firm."
Congratulations to Corey on this well-deserved recognition. And to every EXCEL team member who has made a good catch: thank you. Each time you speak up, you protect the people working beside you and help make sure everyone goes home safe.
Read IRMI's full press release: https://www.irmi.com/about-us/press-releases/corey-audibert-of-excel-named-the-2026-gary-e-bird-horizon-award-winner
Audibert was honored at the IRMI CRC Awards Lunch during the 46th IRMI Construction Risk Conference for the Good Catch Safety Incentive Program, which he implemented company-wide across all EXCEL worksites. The program is built on a simple idea: every employee can protect a coworker, and every voice deserves to be heard.
Sponsored by Travelers and presented each year at the IRMI Construction Risk Conference, the Gary E. Bird Horizon Award recognizes innovative techniques, processes, and programs that are effective in construction risk management. The award is named for Gary E. Bird, original author of The Wrap-Up Guide and a respected, forward-thinking leader in construction risk management, who lost his life in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The Good Catch program encourages every EXCEL employee to find and report hazards before they lead to an injury or property damage. Employees can report a good catch of any severity, on paper or by phone, by scanning the QR codes on posters at each jobsite. Safety leaders act quickly on every report and follow up with the employee to share what was fixed. That follow-up shows employees their concerns are taken seriously and makes it clear that speaking up will never lead to retaliation. Each month, the top 10 good catches earn a $100 Visa gift card, and one annual winner receives a $1,000 gift card.
Many safety incentive programs reward "zero injury" streaks, which can quietly discourage employees from reporting. Good Catch takes the opposite approach: it rewards people for spotting hazards before a near miss ever happens.
The numbers show the program is working. Compared with the same period the year before, EXCEL has seen a 27.5% reduction in total incidents, a 27.1% reduction in total injuries, and a 33.3% reduction in property damage. The program has received 552 submissions, and 33% of participants have submitted more than once.
"This is something we're proud to share with our clients, and the results of the program speak for themselves," Audibert shares.
That culture of care goes with EXCEL to every project we support. For the owners we partner with, it means crews who look out for one another, hazards addressed before they become incidents, and a partner that treats the safety of every person on site as its first responsibility.
The award judges also praised the program. Jennifer Lee of Travelers highlighted a safety culture where employees "feel empowered to speak up to address and improve operations." Karen Keniff, President of Global Construction at CNA, noted, "Making sure everyone goes home safely—with no injury—remains a critical need in the industry." TJ Lyons of Lyonetics Consulting LLC added, "This should be easy to replicate for any size firm."
Congratulations to Corey on this well-deserved recognition. And to every EXCEL team member who has made a good catch: thank you. Each time you speak up, you protect the people working beside you and help make sure everyone goes home safe.
Read IRMI's full press release: https://www.irmi.com/about-us/press-releases/corey-audibert-of-excel-named-the-2026-gary-e-bird-horizon-award-winner
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