Press Release
Corey Audibert of EXCEL Named 2026 Gary E. Bird Horizon Award Winner
Empowering Every Employee to Stop Hazards Before They Start
National Harbor, MD, October 26, 2026—International Risk Management Institute, Inc. (IRMI), proudly announces Corey Audibert, COSM, vice president of safety and risk management at EXCEL, as the recipient of the 2026 Gary E. Bird Horizon Award. Mr. Audibert is honored for his submission, the Good Catch Safety Incentive Program. The program encourages employees to find and report hazards before they cause injuries or damage.
About the Gary E. Bird Horizon Award
The Gary E. Bird Horizon Award, sponsored by Travelers, is presented annually at the IRMI Construction Risk Conference to recognize exceptional achievement and innovative thinking in construction risk management. This prestigious award celebrates innovative techniques, processes, and programs that are effective in construction risk management. The award is named for Gary E. Bird—the original author of The Wrap-Up Guide, which IRMI publishes, and a forward-thinking and respected member of the construction risk management community—who tragically died in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Recognizing Excellence in Innovation
The Good Catch Safety Incentive Program changes safety from a reactive process into a proactive culture. Employees can report hazards of any severity on a paper form or right from their phones by scanning QR codes on jobsite posters. Safety leaders act on every report quickly and let the employee know what was fixed. That follow-up builds trust and shows workers they won't face retaliation for speaking up. Each month, the top 10 good catches earn $100 Visa gift cards, and one annual winner receives a $1,000 gift card.
Many industry incentive programs reward "zero injuries in X days," which can discourage workers from reporting. Good Catch takes a different approach and rewards reporting hazards before a near miss can even happen.
Impact on EXCEL
Compared with the same period the year before, the program has led to the following.
- A 27.5 percent reduction in total incidents
- A 27.1 percent reduction in total injuries
- A 33.3 percent reduction in property damage
Employees have sent in 552 submissions, and 33 percent of participants have submitted more than once.
Judging Panel Comments
"A contractor who has a safety culture that makes every employee, from the office, to the field, to the C-Suite feel empowered to speak up to address and improve operations is a great step forward!"
— Jennifer Lee, vice president/national practice lead, loss sensitive and projects, construction, Travelers
"Making sure everyone goes home safely—with no injury—remains a critical need in the industry. The company's approach makes this inclusive to all employees with a seemingly high take up rate."
— Karen Keniff, president, global construction, CNA
"This should be easy to replicate for any size firm. There is also the opportunity to recognize individual good catches based on the potential for severity. These could be lifesaving events."
— TJ Lyons, safety consultant, Lyonetics Consulting LLC
About IRMI
IRMI is committed to helping our customers save lives and livelihoods as the premier provider of risk management and insurance information, tools, and training. Through education, resources, and recognition programs like the Gary E. Bird Horizon Award, IRMI supports continuous improvement and innovation in safety and risk management.
For more information about the Gary E. Bird Horizon Award and this year's winner, please visit https://www.irmi.com/conferences/construction-risk-conference/gary-e-bird-horizon-award.
Media Contact: Heidi Vincent, (800) 827–4242
