Rising Stars in the spotlight at building awards

Three young professionals in running for 2026 ProCon Leicestershire property and construction awards

Three young professionals have made the final of the Rising Star of the Year category in the 2026 ProCon Leicestershire property and construction awards.

All three are under 30 years old and work for member companies of ProCon Leicestershire. The Rising Star category is sponsored by Galliford Try and is one of seven in this year’s 23rd ProCon Leicestershire Awards.

The Rising Star of the Year finalists are:

Cory Staton, HSSP Architects

Cory’s positive attitude, the consistently high standard of his work and the contribution he makes to the team are exceptional. He has fully embraced HSSP’s multi sector dynamic to the benefit of himself and the practice.

His leadership and project management skills have flourished. He has developed his technical knowledge and sought increasing responsibility from senior colleagues which has been entrusted to him.

With an ability to manage multiple live projects simultaneously, he prioritises workloads, communicates effectively with clients and consultants, and actively solves problems.

George Pain, Gateley RJA

Throughout his apprenticeship, George has consistently achieved strong academic results while simultaneously delivering value to clients and colleagues.

Despite being early in his career, George has already established himself as a trusted and highly capable Quantity Surveyor, taking a leading role on several significant client accounts and projects.

His ability to understand client objectives and provide practical, commercially focused advice has enabled him to build strong relationships and gain the trust of clients and colleagues.

Nathan Bill, MEC Consulting Group

For an individual still in the early stages of his career, Nathan has demonstrated exceptional progression. His promotion to Associate Director reflects both his technical capabilities and the trust placed in him to lead and grow regional teams.

What sets Nathan apart is his ability to think beyond his job title. He is always willing to help others and has built a nurturing, collaborative culture for his team. For clients, he exercises good judgement, is insightful, engaging and committed to achieving the best results.

His technical insight has proven invaluable on many projects, with multiple clients confirming they view Nathan as an extension of their team, rather than a consultant.

Jon Marston, Managing Director at award sponsor Galliford Try Building East Midlands & Anglia, said: “Galliford Try are incredibly proud to sponsor this year’s Rising Star Award.

“The final shortlist showcases some exceptional candidates and is testament to the depth and strength of the young professionals contributing to our industry in Leicester and Leicestershire. With people at the heart of our business, it is an honour to support this Award and celebrate the talent in the region.”

The 2026 ProCon Awards are backed by two corporate sponsors: Salus and Unique Window Systems. The Leicester Mercury’s Business Live is the media partner.

The other six awards are:

• Small Residential Scheme of the Year, sponsored by Fusion 360 Group
• Medium Residential Scheme of the Year, sponsored by Fusion 360 Group
• Small Non-residential Scheme of the Year, sponsored by Merali Beedle
• Medium Non-residential Scheme of the Year, sponsored by Knights
• Large Non-residential Scheme of the Year, sponsored by Procure Partnerships Framework
• Regeneration Project of the Year, sponsored by NJC Surveys and AR Demolition

All the contenders will be in the spotlight at a Finalist Showcase at the 2025 winner Jewry Wall in Leicester from 6pm on Wednesday October 7.

Finalists and winners will be celebrated at a ceremony on November 12 at Leicester City’s King Power Stadium. Details of all the awards finalists are at: procon-leicestershire.co.uk/procon-awards/2026

Companies keen to attend the Finalist Showcase, the ceremony or to enquire about sponsorship opportunities can contact Allyson Jeffrey on 0116 278 1443 or via email: info@procon-leicestershire.co.uk