“Bullwinkle” Recognized With Annual Safety Award

Pipelayer Jose Villalta (left) was awarded the Maryland 2024 Year-End Safety Excellence Achievement Award by Safety Director Dominic Pope (right) for exhibiting the epitome of safety.

When you think of “Bullwinkle”, you may think of a well-intentioned moose who always misses the mark. But at Gaines, we think of safety champion Jose Villalta (affectionately known as “Bullwinkle). Jose showed such a tremendous safety performance this year that he was awarded the Year-End Safety Excellence Achievement Award for 2024.

JOSE VILLALTA – Pipelayer

2024 Year-End Safety Excellence Achievement Awardee – Maryland

Jose has been with Gaines and Company for eight years. He was awarded the Q3 Safety Excellence Achievement Award exhibiting the epitome of safety.

“Again and again, Jose is on top of safety,” said Safety Director Dominic Pope. “He watches his team to make sure everyone is working safely and goes above and beyond to check tools and rigging equipment. He’s the first one to speak up for safety.”

Jose’s Foreman Dave Ruffa added, “Jose always thinks about safety. If he sees something wrong, he will make sure it is good before work continues, and he makes sure his crew members are always safe.”

Dominic, along with a team of other managers, reviews the year’s quarterly safety award winners to identify one year-end winner at both Gaines’s Maryland and North Carolina locations. They look for employees who exceeded safe work expectations and enhanced the company’s safety culture.

“All the winners did such a great job with safety this year that we couldn’t pick just one winner in Maryland,” Dominic said.

Jose shares the honor of 2024 Year-End Safety Achievement Award recipient with Mainline Operator Steve Scott. Both Jose and Steve received an award certificate and safety bucks to use for company apparel and gear.

What’s next for Gaines and Company’s safety culture in 2025?

As for what to expect from Gaines and Company’s safety culture in 2025, Dominic said, “Safety and production are intertwined. They rely on each other for success. As we move into 2025, my goal for our organization is to continue safety mentorship and leadership throughout all levels of our organization. We did well with this last year, and I believe we can push it even further this year.”

Gaines and Company is a full-service grading and excavation company with offices in Maryland and North Carolina. The organization has 70 years of experience in underground utilities, grading and excavating, sediment and erosion controls, and road work. Gaines and Company delivers safe, reliable, turnkey site development services in Maryland, North Carolina, Washington D.C., and Delaware on time and within budget.