Design-build could never have shifted from an alternative approach to the mainstream delivery method it is today without industry leaders dedicated to advancing Design-Build Done Right® and promoting it as a procurement approach of choice. Each year, DBIA honors individuals, agencies and Owners who have advocated for, promoted and engaged in standout design-build work.
Brunelleschi Lifetime Achievement Award
The Brunelleschi Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest individual honor bestowed by DBIA that honors not only a lifetime of accomplishment, but a legacy that continues to influence the future of the industry. The award recognizes individuals whose careers have profoundly shaped the design and construction industry through visionary leadership, enduring influence and transformative contributions to the advancement of Design-Build Done Right® principles and collaborative project delivery.
Recipients of this award have demonstrated exceptional originality, integrity and breadth of impact over the course of a distinguished professional career spanning 30 years or more. Through their leadership, innovation and commitment to advancing the practice of design-build, they have helped elevate industry standards, inspired meaningful progress and contributed to the development and empowerment of future generations of design-build leaders.
Winners will be honored at the 2026 Design-Build Conference & Expo this November in Cleveland, Ohio.
We are no longer accepting nominations for the 2026 Brunelleschi Lifetime Achievement Award.
Congratulations to our 2026 Brunelleschi Lifetime Achievement Award winner
Geoff Neumayr, SE, PE, DBIA!
Geoff brings more than three decades of leadership and influence across the design-build industry, including his work advancing progressive design-build, virtual design and construction, and collaborative project delivery.
He began his career as a structural engineer before moving into project management and later serving as an Owner at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). At SFO, he played a significant role in the airport’s use and advancement of progressive design-build across a major capital program that included Terminal 2, the air traffic control tower and Terminal 1.
His leadership philosophy has consistently emphasized what he calls “collective wisdom,” or bringing together Owners, designers, builders, trades and stakeholders to solve problems collaboratively.
He also has a long history of service to DBIA, including serving as Chair of DBIA’s National Board of Directors in 2021 where he was part of efforts to expand the role of technology and virtual design and construction in design-build. He has also taught progressive design-build and advised Owners and project teams, with a focus on sharing lessons learned and preparing the next generation of design-build leaders.
DBIA is proud to honor Geoff Neumayr as the 2026 Brunelleschi Lifetime Achievement Award winner.
Learn more about Geoff Neumayr’s accomplishments in our Design-Build Delivers Blog.
Distinguished Leadership Awards
These awards recognize individuals who are actively shaping the future of design-build through exceptional leadership, innovation and sustained contributions to advancing Design-Build Done Right® principles and collaborative project delivery practices. Nominees will be evaluated based on the impact of their sustained and ongoing contributions to the industry, including advancing the successful use of design-build, fostering collaboration and industry excellence, and supporting the growth and development of emerging leaders within the design-build community. DBIA recognizes that leadership may be demonstrated in different ways depending on the nominee’s role, discipline and sphere of influence within the industry.
Winners will be honored at the 2026 Design-Build Conference & Expo this November in Cleveland, Ohio.
We are no longer accepting nominations for 2026 Distinguished Leadership Awards.
Congratulations to our 2026 Distinguished Leadership Award winners!
Learn more about their accomplishments in our Design-Build Delivers blog.
Unrelenting Navigator for Governmental Excellence and Results (UNGER) Award
Named after and dedicated to former DBIA President Craig Unger, FDBIA, with over 30 years of federal public service, in recognition of his extraordinary leadership and lasting impact on the industry. This honor is awarded to professionals in the design-build industry who go above and beyond to advance excellence in the Federal sector.
Congratulations to our 2025 UNGER Award winner, Craig Unger, FDBIA
Craig’s leadership journey spans decades of service and accomplishment. He is Principal and CEO of Unger Security Solutions, LLC, a firm he founded after retiring from the federal government in 2003. He served 26 years at the U.S. Department of Justice, including as Procurement Executive for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, before being appointed the Justice Department’s Federal Detention Trustee in 2001. He reached the Senior Executive Service level, served as DBIA President from 2003–2004 and was honored with DBIA’s highest award, the Brunelleschi Lifetime Achievement Award, in 2014. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, published author, lecturer and expert in acquisition management and alternative dispute resolution, Craig has shaped the industry in countless ways.
DBIA’s Executive Director & CEO Lisa Washington, CAE, called Unger’s vision and leadership unmatched. “Craig’s vision and leadership have shaped design-build in the federal marketplace like few others,” she said. “The UNGER Award not only honors his extraordinary contributions but also ensures his sharp insight, deep knowledge and unwavering commitment will serve as an enduring reminder of the tremendous impact of this remarkable leader and of the high bar he has set for us all.”
By naming this award after him, DBIA recognizes what so many already knew: Craig Unger is an unrelenting navigator. He has charted new paths for design-build in the public sector, guided colleagues and protégés with loyalty and confidence and insisted on possibilities where others saw only barriers.
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