Carl Petrillo of YCC, Todd Semonite of WSP USA To Be Honored at Annual Moles Awards Dinner
MONTVALE, NJ—Carl E. Petrillo of Yonkers Contracting Company, Inc., and Todd T. Semonite, P.E., USACE (Ret.) of WSP USA, have been selected to receive the 2026 Outstanding Achievement Awards by The Moles, a national heavy construction industry professional organization. The awards will be presented at The Moles’ Annual Award Dinner at the New York Marriott Marquis on Wed., Jan. 7, 2026.
Mr. Petrillo will accept The Moles’ Member Award and Mr. Semonite will receive The Moles’ Non-Member Award. Mr. Petrillo has been at the helm of Yonkers Contracting Company, Inc., for the past 35 years as chairman of the family-owned company, originally founded by his father in 1945.
After graduating Lehigh University in 1962, he joined YCC as an assistant superintendent, where he gained hands-on experience that made him particularly in tune to the value of the company’s employees while advancing up the corporate ladder. The heavy civil contractor has focused on infrastructure projects for both the public and private sectors throughout the tristate. Under his leadership, the company has diversified from a county-level, earthwork contractor to delivering design-bid-build and design-build mega projects.
Mr. Petrillo was inducted into The Moles nearly 50 years ago, in 1976, at the young age of 36. His early projects included YCC’s role as lead partner in a JV with Weeks Marine and Bayshore Precast to construct “Home Port.” a Naval facility authorized by the US Navy. Over two decades later, YCC continues to be awarded major contracts, including the Gowanus Canal CSO (a $329-million JV) and the $517-million design-build replacement of two Bronx River Parkway bridges.
Mr. Semonite, P.E., USACE (Ret.), the Moles’ 2026 Non-Member Awardee for Outstanding Achievement in Construction, is president of the Federal Programs business at WSP USA, a leading engineering and professional services consultancy. In his current position, he leads a multi-disciplinary team that delivers dynamic engineering solutions for U.S. government agencies. The federal programs’ focus includes supporting clients in facilities design, master planning, national security programs, logistics and emergency management, and environmental services.
With over four decades served in the U.S. Army, Mr. Semonite held numerous leadership roles, including Commander of the 130th Engineer Brigade; Executive Officer to the Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe; and Deputy Commander, Task Force Restore Iraqi Electricity. Mr. Semonite also served as deputy commanding general of USACE, coordinating a comprehensive response to Superstorm Sandy.
In 2014, he served as the Commander for Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, responsible for building the 352,000 Afghan Army and Police force. Prior to his retirement from the USACE, Mr. Semonite served as the 54th Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the USACE from 2016-2020, during which time he led the USACE’s construction of 38 alternate care facilities that created 15,000 beds for COVID-19 patients across the U.S.
Mr. Semonite has received the 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) OPAL award for Construction; 2020 Engineering News-Record’s Top 25 Newsmaker of the Year Award; 2020 ASCE President’s Award; 2020 SAME Industry Engagement Award; 2022 Army Engineer Association Gold DeFleury Award and in 2023, was inducted into the National Academy of Construction and awarded the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Golden Eagle Award.
The Moles also announced that Leon Topalian, president & CEO of Nucor Corporation, will be the principal speaker at the Jan. 7, 2026 Awards Dinner.
Published: December 11, 2025.