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Stellar earns ABC Accredited Quality Contractor designation for the 12th time, recognizing excellence in quality, safety, workforce development and culture.
Jacksonville, Fla. (July 14, 2026)—Stellar, an integrated design-build firm, of Jacksonville, Florida, today announced that Associated Builders and Contractors has again named it an Accredited Quality Contractor. This is the 12th year it has earned the prestigious credential for its commitment to corporate responsibility.
“We are proud to be an ABC member, and earning the 2026 Accredited Quality Contractor designation is a significant achievement,” said Stellar Chief Executive Officer Brian Kappele. “Guided by a culture of quality, customer service, best-in-class safety and sustainability, we remain dedicated to delivering excellence for our clients and industry partners.”
Only 832 of the nation’s elite merit shop construction contractors earned the credential in 2025. Established more than three decades ago, ABC’s AQC credential provides recognition to industry-leading construction firms that have documented their commitment in five areas:
• Quality
• Health and safety performance
• Talent management
• Craft and management education
• Community relations
“This industry-leading construction company is among an elite group of contractors, proving they are an employer of choice, provide immense value in the marketplace, prioritize health and safety, and curate an outstanding company culture,” said Michael Bellaman, ABC president and CEO. “The team at Stellar puts in the dedicated work and makes the daily decisions that set the standard for health and safety, culture, workforce development, innovation, market-based compensation, benefits and quality in the contracting community. This credential is also backed and validated by clients and third-party references. Congratulations to Stellar for earning this prestigious credential and thank you for being a trusted, respected and transformational leader in the construction industry.”
In earning the AQC credential, each member company commits to industry-leading health and safety by achieving the Gold, Platinum or Diamond level in ABC’s STEP® Health and Safety Management System. Established in 1989, STEP provides contractors and suppliers with a robust, no-cost framework for measuring safety data and benchmarking with peers in the industry, with top performers achieving incident rates nearly seven times safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average.
Reaccredited annually, AQC members also make the following pledge: As an Accredited Quality Contractor, our company is committed to providing our clients with the highest-quality construction services, and we care deeply about our employees and the communities in which we build. We are proud to be part of the construction industry and are dedicated to the principles of free enterprise. We commit ourselves to serve our communities and to provide our employees with the skills they need to work safely and productively in order to meet the needs of our clients.
AQC is recognized by the Construction Users Roundtable, an organization founded by leading construction project owners, and AQC members are eligible for ABC’s Top Performers lists, which rank contractors based on work hours.
To learn more about AQC and see the full list of accredited quality contractors, visit abc.org/aqc or utilize the ZIP code finder tool. ABC members have exclusive access to the list of Accredited Quality Contractors and more on FindContractors.com.
About ABC
Associated Builders and Contractors is a national construction industry trade association established in 1950 with 67 chapters and 24,000 members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC helps members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. Visit us at abc.org.