PITTSBURGH — The National Safety Council has named John C. Mascaro Jr. to its 2026 CEOs Who Get It list, an annual recognition honoring leaders across the country who demonstrate exceptional commitment to workplace safety and health.

Published in Safety+Health magazine, the list highlights CEOs who are building systems that reduce risk and strengthen communication, investing in tools and training that give teams the confidence to act and creating workplaces where people feel valued, respected and supported. Mascaro was selected as one of only seven CEOs nationwide to receive the honor.

Mascaro’s recognition reflects his hands-on leadership style, strong commitment to employee engagement and people-centric approach to construction safety. His accomplishments include his belief in CEO jobsite visits as a crucial component for reinforcing safety culture, championing innovation within the industry, emphasizing mental health as an essential component of safety, and fostering an environment where employees are encouraged to speak openly and contribute ideas.

“I have learned that ‘we’ are smarter than ‘I’,” said Mascaro. “Together, we’ll develop the best plan and safest means and methods. By compiling knowledge from the construction team, learning from our near misses, and following our motto of ‘planning the work and working the plan’, we strive to have the safest jobsites possible.”

According to the National Safety Council, the seven leaders recognized this year demonstrate that workplace culture is shaped by leadership priorities. They’ve built systems that reduce risk and strengthen communication, so concerns are heard early. They’ve invested in tools and training that give teams the confidence to act. And more than anything, they’ve created workplaces where people feel valued, respected and supported. That combination is what defines a CEO who “gets it.”

For Mascaro, safety leadership begins with direct involvement. The company’s safety director reports directly to him and he is an active participant in monthly HSE committee meetings, project safety recognition lunches, project safety review meetings, incident investigation reviews, annual frontline supervisor training sessions, and the company’s near miss and good catch process.

From having worked in the field himself, Mascaro understands the daily risks and hazards faced by union tradespeople and champions the importance of continuous training, task-specific training, and the latest advancements in personal protective equipment. His hands-on leadership style and willingness to shoulder accountability encourages a proactive approach to safety, sets clear expectations, and empowers employees to speak up when improvements are needed.

In addition, Mascaro developed a safety initiative that allows the company to evaluate safety incidents beyond traditional OSHA logs, experience modification rates, and total recordable incident rates. He created a potential severity level” measurement that is assigned to all incidents, first aids and near misses. Assigning a PSL to every safety occurrence allows the team to track data in real time, identify emerging trends or incidents on the rise, and proactively address potential safety issues.

Honored at the NSC Leaders in Safety awards celebration on May 6, the National Safety Council stated, “These leaders show that when organizations combine operational excellence with authentic human connection, safety becomes more than a value–it becomes a shared promise.”