At Irby Construction, caring for our people includes their mental and emotional well-being. During Construction Suicide Prevention Week, we reinforced that commitment through a company-wide conversation, practical resources, and participation in the 2026 Stand Down.

The week’s recognition centered on an all-hands call for every Irby employee, bringing company leadership together to discuss suicide prevention, available support, and the importance of speaking openly about mental health.

To give employees a resource they could keep close at hand, Irby also sent every employee a pocket card with tips for talking to someone who may be contemplating suicide. The cards extended the conversation beyond the all-hands call, providing a reference for moments when someone may be concerned about a coworker, friend, or family member.

In recognition of our partnership and participation in the 2026 Stand Down, Irby received a certificate and badge from ConstructionSuicidePrevention.com. This recognition reflects our involvement in a shared industry effort to raise awareness, encourage conversation, and support suicide prevention throughout construction.

Together, these efforts reinforced a message that applies across every crew, office, and role: looking out for one another includes paying attention to struggles that may not be visible.

Construction Suicide Prevention Week provided a dedicated opportunity to address this issue, but Irby’s commitment to its people carries forward throughout the year. Checking in, making time to listen, and helping someone connect with support are meaningful ways we can continue caring for the Irby family.

A recent story in the Jacksonville Business Journal highlighted Irby’s work with the Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA) on a landmark infrastructure project to raise the transmission lines crossing the St. Johns River at Fulton Cut. Construction will replace six transmission towers and raise wires to 375 feet. This critical upgrade will allow larger vessels to safely access the Jacksonville Port, supporting the continued growth of one of the nation’s largest international trade hubs.

Irby Construction has existing expertise in the logistics and specific needs of river crossing projects. Learn more about our related experience here.

Read the Jacksonville Business Journal story here.

After remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur dropped nearly 30 inches of rain in less than 24 hours on June 18, 2026, in Avoyelles Parish, the Louisiana-based Legend Foundation Services team mobilized. Eighteen crew members traveled to DuPont, Louisiana, on June 23 to lend a hand to a community in need, where floodwaters destroyed homes. For three days, the Legend team worked to haul out furniture, gut flood-damaged homes, and deliver supplies to families still reeling from the disaster. 

The team worked alongside 10 to 15 families, helping them begin the difficult process of salvaging what they could and stripping out damaged walls and flooring so the rebuilding process could start. Among those the team assisted were the families of Legend and Irby employees Chad Mayeux and Jared Lemoine. 

Chad’s wife, Melisa Mayeux, shared her gratitude. “Without their help, we wouldn’t have gotten (the work) done so quickly. Not only did they help us, but they also helped our neighbor rip out their insulation,” she said. “There aren’t enough ‘thank yous’ to express how grateful we are. Chad is truly blessed to be working for a company that cares so much.” 

Jared’s parents also shared sincere words of thanks. “There are no words that fully capture the gratitude our family feels for everything you did for us in the wake of the flooding in Avoyelles Parish,” said Kenny Lamoine. “When 20 inches of water came through our home, it felt completely overwhelming. When your crew arrived to help with debris removal, it brought light to a seemingly endless dark tunnel.” 

His wife Renee continued, “They arrived with smiles, a genuine desire to help, and plenty of laughter. That laughter was a welcome distraction during one of the hardest weeks we’ve had. We will never forget what you did for our family.”

In addition to the physical labor, the crew brought supplies to residents in need and cooked and served more than 400 pulled pork sandwiches to community members. “The Legend Cooking Team” is becoming known for feeding workers and families in the aftermath of disasters–as they did last summer following the floods on the Guadalupe River in Texas.

For Irby Construction and Legend Foundation Services, this is what community partnership looks like in practice. The company does more than build power infrastructure. It’s part of our company DNA to help where help is needed as a contributing member in the communities where we work and live. 

Legend Foundation Services is a division of Irby Construction Company. Based in Geismer, LA, Legend is known for taking on the most challenging foundation projects for electric transmission infrastructure. The company’s work includes vibratory caisson installation, rock drilling, amphibious project sites, and large diameter drilling.

Kind words travel far in our line of work. Long hours, unpredictable weather, and demanding circumstances are all part of the job. So when a customer takes the time to reach out and recognize our people, we take the time to celebrate them.

That’s exactly what happened at the Hobbs-Roadrunner Transmission project in New Mexico, where the Irby team pulled off an amazing feat: 30 miles of wire strung in a single month.

The work spoke for itself, and so did the feedback. A Construction Lead from our customer reached out to Irby leadership with this message:

“I would like to take some time to acknowledge the great leadership from your team that made this challenging project a success, starting with Brandon and Shannon for all their support in helping with communication from multiple teams. Very detailed and easy to work with. We definitely picked the correct contractor for this tough, challenging project. Shane was just like Chris described: on top of it, making sure the roadblocks were removed so all three contractors could continue to move down the right-of-way (ROW). Excellent to work with and is very talented. Saving Chris for last, he did not surprise me with his great communication skills and talent to motivate. The first day, we had all three contractors in the lay down… and he (Chris) delivered the strong message of one team, one goal, and one hard hat. I could immediately tell that the different subcontractors were all bought in. He (Chris) made safety and communication clear, and that working as one unit was the only way we had a chance to pull this off safely and meet our schedule. I was lucky to be a part of this, and pretty sure that everyone will remember this project for a while. It is not too often that three contractors work like this as one team on a crazy schedule. I appreciate the Irby support once again.”

Kudos to the entire Hobbs-Roadrunner crew! Your hard work clearly doesn’t go unnoticed, and we are grateful.

Brandon Grabart, Assistant Project Manager
Shannon Berry, Project Manager
Chris Swindoll, Director of Operations – TX Region
Shane Plantz, Superintendent

On April 30, 2026, Irby Construction brought about 60 members of its project management team together at our headquarters in Richland, MS, for an introduction and training on EcoSys, its new enterprise project controls platform. The gathering marked a significant milestone as we work to modernize our operations alongside scaled growth. 

EcoSys is a project controls and cost management platform designed specifically for capital-intensive industries such as energy, utilities, and construction. The software gives project teams a single, unified system to track budgets, manage change orders, forecast costs, and monitor project performance in real time. 

“The visibility, control, and efficiencies this system offers our team will be a game changer,” said Matt Wymer Director of Business Operations. “This tool is an opportunity to thrive with the resources we need, rather than survive on ad hoc processes we’ve outgrown.”

The investment in EcoSys reflects Irby’s commitment to effectively managed growth. As does the choice to bring the project management team under one roof for training, a significant logistical and financial commitment. By having everyone learn the platform together, Irby is building a shared foundation of skills and processes that will support consistent, scalable project delivery going forward.

Tools like EcoSys position Irby to take on larger, more complex projects with the financial controls and reporting rigor that both the business and its clients require. The Richland training was not just a software rollout; it was a statement of intent, launching Irby to the future.

On April 18, 2026, Irby Construction Company celebrated National Lineman Appreciation Day. This nationally recognized holiday is a time to honor the dedication, skill, and resilience it takes to be a lineman.

At Irby, we hold a deep respect for the men and women who work on the line. They travel long distances, leave home with little notice, and spend time away from their families to answer the call. That commitment keeps power flowing and our industry moving forward, and it doesn’t go unnoticed. As Brad Cameron, Irby Executive Vice President of Operations, put it:

“Our linemen are the backbone of this industry and a big part of what makes Irby proud of the work we do. The job isn’t easy. It means long hours, time on the road, and stepping up when communities need you most. We’re grateful for the men and women who do that work every day and for the teams across Irby who support them.”

To say thank you, Irby gave every employee $75 to spend in the new Irby Company E-Store toward their choice of polos, hats, pullovers, and more.

Irby also ran a dedicated LinkedIn spotlight series honoring some of our incredible linemen and encouraged our community to leave a kind note on our dedicated Thank a Lineman webpage. Head over to Irby’s LinkedIn page to catch the full series.