ABC’s Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP) awards recognize member companies based on 20 key elements of contractor safety programs, such as management commitment, pre-planning for safety on jobsites, safety training, and resources committed to safety.

Lauren takes pride in both the company’s rigorous safety program and its employees’ devotion to safety in the workplace.  Cody Bryant, Sr. Vice President, said “Our continued success, and the industry recognition of our safety performance is a testament to the commitment of every person at Lauren.  Now more than ever we have to work harder to remove complacency. A champion must still train and practice to maintain their position. As champions of Safety, we must do the same!”

Since 1997, Lauren has provided engineering, construction, and plant modification services to NFS, which manufactures nuclear fuel for the U.S. Navy’s fleet of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and submarines.

With only about eight Governor’s Awards typically given each year, this is a significant accomplishment for Lauren, as construction contractors are not typical recipients of the award.

On March 11th, a team of 11 Lauren employees and friends will set out for a small village called Los Brasiles, near Managua, Nicaragua!  The team is partnering with Imagine Ministry which serves over 100 kids.  Imagine Ministry started in 2008 and includes two schools, feeding centers, rescue homes and a kids camp.

Lauren has been partnering with Imagine Ministry for a while, and in 2015 helped build playground equipment for school and after school programs.  This year, in addition to helping with the kids after school program, the Lauren Team will also participate in some light gardening and construction to help upkeep the facilities.

“Our family has supported missions financially for several years but it has always been something someone else does, and we just hear the stories.  Now we get to be right in the middle of God’s will and that is very exciting,” said Marco from the Human Resource department. Marco and his son Noah will make their first mission trip together to Los Brasiles.

This will be the 4th mission team that Lauren has sent to Nicaragua, with several employees who have been on more than one mission trip with Lauren.  For Stan, Process Engineer in Calgary, this is his second mission trip to Nicarugua.  He said, “the decision to go once again was easy as I consider it a great privilege to participate in such a good work with these disadvantaged kids.”   Stan will take his 10 year old grandson with him, “I am hoping that this will be a positive life-changing experience for him.”  Employees from all Lauren locations and backgrounds go and serve together on the mission field.