FROM START TO FINISH
AGC's 96th Annual Convention kicked off on Tuesday, March 17, 2015, with a bang at Bahia Urbana, an area near Old San Juan that runs alongside the San Juan Bay waterfront. The setting couldn't have been better: the night sky was clear, and the cruise ships docked nearby provided a great backdrop for the evening. While folks filled their plates with a variety of authentic local cuisine, on stage were local performers delivering great music and wonderful dancing. It was a great start to a great week. Folks reconnected with old friends and began networking with new ones. Thanks to the Puerto Rico Tourism Board for hosting this event.
Attendees hit the ground running on Wednesday morning as day one of AGC's 96th Annual Convention kicked off at the Puerto Rico Convention Center. Packed full of entertaining speakers, top-shelf educational sessions and a robust exhibit hall, the schedule kept members moving and information flowing.
President Al Landes jump started the program with his opening remarks which included thanking members, chapters, and sponsors. He reflected on his past year at the helm of the association and introduced the crowd to incoming President Chuck Greco who spoke about his presidential theme: AGC today for a better industry tomorrow. CEO Steve Sandherr followed next and highlighted both the association's recent achievements and its priorities for the year ahead.
Opening Convention Session speaker Ken Adelman captivated the audience with his story of the days surrounding the historic Reykjavik summit between Mikhael Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan. It was a powerful, emotional, and inspiring talk that concluded with a standing ovation.From there, attendees had a variety of educational sessions to choose from, ranging in topics from liability insurance to succession planning, from marketing to drones. If it's trending in the industry, it was on the menu. And, AGC staffers Ken Simonson, Mike Kennedy and Jeff Shoaf provided insight on what's in store for members on the economic, regulatory and legislative fronts.
Networking breaks, lunch and happy hour, all held in the Technology and Construction Solutions Expo, allowed contractors to visit with exhibitors and network with other contractors.
Thursday was the day to celebrate construction. At the Willis Safety Awards breakfast, AGC and Willis honored those construction companies that have demonstrated excellence in safety and health performance. From the 37 finalists, W.B. Moore Electrical was named the Grand Award winner, or "best of the best."
The Alliant Build America Awards took place at lunch and bestowed awards to projects that have excelled in state-of-the-art achievement, excellence in project management, innovation, superior client service, and more. There were 11 merit award winners and 23 Build America winners. JP Cullen received the Grand Award for its Epic Deep Space project in Verona, Wisconsin.
All award winners were honored again in the evening at the Celebrate Construction Gala, sponsored by Willis and Alliant, where gymnasts poured champagne, local music filled the hall, and dancers entertained the crowd.
Whether your company won an award on Thursday or not, AGC certainly made all their members feel like winners. From start to finish.