| February 2017
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In This Issue |
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CAGC Bulletin
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Upcoming Events
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Industry News
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Education & Training
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Member Spotlight
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CAGC Bulletin
 The Builders Foundation awarded five scholarships to Chicago area college students this January. Congratulations to the following students:
- Marissa Banks, a sophomore studying Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of Illinois, is from Algonquin and a member of Kappa Alpha Theta, Society of Women Engineers, and American Society of Civil Engineers.
- Ivan Chavez is a junior studying Civil Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology and is from Cicero. Ivan is a volunteer tutor at the United Neighborhood Organization and also coaches soccer in his spare time.
- Igor Drab is a junior studying Civil Engineering at Bradley University. Igor has worked as a Lifeguard in Wheeling for the past six summers, consistently working his way up the ranks from lifeguard to a Supervisor position.
- Noe Hernandez, a sophomore at Bradley University and Peoria native studying Construction Management with a minor in Business, is an active member of Delta Upsilon and Jiu Jitsu Club.
- Aleczander Martys, a junior studying Construction Engineering at Iowa State University, is a Cadet in the Iowa State Army ROTC program. Aleczander is from Woodstock and a member of the Boy Scouts.
Congratulations to the deserving recipients of the Builders Foundation Scholarship. The Builders Foundation looks forward to its annual Golf Outing Fundraiser this year at Ruffled Feathers in Lemont on July 12, 2017. Save the date to support these and future hardworking students!
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Florida & Nevada Add Most Jobs for the Year; Illinois, Alabama & North Dakota Have Largest Drops; Arizona, Massachusetts & Vermont Top Monthly List; California & North Dakota Have Biggest Drops Thirty-two states added construction jobs in 2016 as a dearth of experienced workers kept contractors in many states from hiring as many employees as they would have preferred, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today and the association’s own survey. Association officials said the new Trump administration could help by including workforce development measures as part of its promised new infrastructure program.
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The Builders Association is proud of the importance that its General Contractor and Subcontractor members place on safety. The Builders Association's Contractor Safety Award Program honors those firms that excel in safety each year at our annual Spring Summit, where we honor many member companies with the Safety Excellence Award, Recognition Award, and Most Improved Safety Record Award. Please note that applications for the AGC's NASA Award Program are due to the Association by tomorrow, February 8.
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 Thank you to all of those who supported our first Suicide Prevention Summit in partnership with CFMA. On February 1, 100 Chicago area construction professionals participated in an afternoon of learning and discussing one of the most pressing mental health issues affecting our industry. The Association has posted various resources to its new suicide prevention webpage highlighting this topic. We encourage all members looking for guidance on suicide prevention and implementing workplace initiatives to visit the site as well as take advantage of the following resources:
Special thanks to our Premium Sponsor, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois.
Many thanks to our Platinum Sponsors: Employee Resource Systems, Chicago Area LECET, CISCO, NECA Chicago & IBEW Local 134. Thank you to our Gold Sponsors: Construction Safety Council, SBHS, and Presence Health.
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Upcoming Events
 Join Builders Association’s CLC to connect, collaborate, and network with the largest group of Chicago area young construction professionals. The CLC will meet at Moe's Cantina (155 W. Kinzie St., Chicago, IL) on February 16, 2017 at 5:30PM.
Register ahead of time online, as walk-in rate increases $10.
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OSHA’s final silica rule has various implications for the construction industry. Join the Builders Association Safety & Health Committee at February’s Contractor Safety Forum to learn how the rule will affect the day-to-day operations of your business. OSHA experts will present on vital aspects of the silica rule, including the origin of the rule; standard requirements; how to identify the OSHA action level and permissible exposure limit; assessing when air sampling is required and how to conduct; medical surveillance requirements; and employers’ training responsibilities.
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 Join Lean Construction Institute for Lean Coffee to learn and support each other in all Lean endeavors! Take part in an open conversation in a safe, small and low-pressure environment about the topics that are relevant to our Lean community. LCI wants to hear about the problems you are solving, the issues you want to solve, and lessons you’ve learned on your Lean Journey. No previous Lean experience is required.
Attendance is free of charge. Breakfast, coffee and fresh juice will be provided.
When: Thursday, March 2, 2017 from 7:30 am to 9:00 am
Where: DIRTT Environmental Solutions
325 N. Wells Street, 10th Floor
Chicago, IL 60654
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 Construction Safety Council will be hosting its annual Construction Safety Conference and Expo on March 6-7 this year at Drury Lane Conference Center in Oak Brook. Safety Sessions will run from 7:30A M-5 PM on Monday, March 6, 2017 and 7:30 AM - 3 PM on Tuesday, March 7. The Expo will be open from 9AM to 4PM.
View the various safety sessions that will take place and register today!
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Industry News
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its final 2017 Construction General Permit (CGP). It takes effect on Feb. 16, 2017, which is when the 2012 CGP expires. As with any reissued CWA discharge permit, there comes new or modified requirements. AGC served its members well by making sure the construction industry’s top issues of concern were heard and vetted. AGC kept the most troubling provisions out – and got some new clarifying language and flexible provisions worked in. Looking ahead, the new language on "joint and several liability" may prove to be contentious and will likely be a key focus of near-term debate and future improvement.
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Not having enough qualified candidates is the number one complaint in filling positions in our industry. But if you’re willing to think outside the box and try a different strategy, you can immediately increase the number of potential candidates from which you can choose and improve the quality and retention of the new hire.
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Education & Training
 The BETF looks forward to hosting all seven AGC Lean Construction Education Units in 2017. Chicagoland construction professionals at all experience levels have taken Lean Education courses through the Builders Education & Training Foundation to acquire the building blocks necessary to transform their projects and companies into lean operating systems. Individuals who have successfully completed all seven units will be eligible to take the Lean Certificate of Management Credentialing Exam.
- UNIT 1: VARIATION IN PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
- Friday, March 10, 2017 from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- $275 BA/LCI Member | $450 Non-Member
- UNIT 2: PULL IN PRODUCTION
- Friday, March 10, 2017 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- $275 BA/LCI Member | $450 Non-Member
- UNIT 3: LEAN WORKSTRUCTURING
- Friday, March 24, 2017 from 7:30 a.m.to 11:30 a.m.
- $275 BA/LCI Member | $450 Non-Member
- UNIT 4: THE LAST PLANNER® SYSTEM
- Friday, March 24, 2017 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- $275 BA/LCI Member | $450 Non-Member
- UNIT 5: LEAN SUPPLY CHAIN & ASSEMBLY
- Thursday, April 27, 2017 from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- $550 BA/LCI Member | $900 Non-Member
- UNIT 6: LEAN DESIGN & PRECONSTRUCTION
- Friday, April 28, 2017 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- $275 BA/LCI Member | $450 Non-Member
- UNIT 7: PROBLEM SOLVING PRINCIPLES & TOOLS
- Thursday, May 25, 2017 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- $550 BA/LCI Member | $900 Non-Member
Register for any of the Lean Construction Education Units online or by submitting this form. Classes are capped at 20 and almost full - don't hesitate!
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Why is security one of the first things you should think about when implementing new software throughout your company? Besides planning, there are very distinct stages that should be followed for a successful rollout of software. These stages help reduce the fear of change and align your teams to the positives of shifting your new processes and software applications. Joseph Little, Construction Training Manager, explains his "no fail" steps to a seamless implementation process including some surprising tips that most businesses fail to include and end up regretting later!
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Member Spotlight
Case Foundation Company, a preeminent North America deep foundation specialist, is pleased to announce Daniel P. Bien as President. Former President, Robert Schock retired on December 31, 2016. The Association extends its best wishes to Bob as he enters this next chapter in his life. Bien brings over 20 years of technical and management experience in caisson foundations. Most recently, he served as the Vice President of the western caisson division at Case Foundation Company. In that role, Bien was progressive in developing new markets while training the next generation of project managers. As a result, the division grew 150 percent in annual revenue. Prior to this, Bien served as project manager on a range of caisson installation projects.
James McHugh Construction Co. is proud to announce the promotion of four members of its senior project management team to Vice President: Dave Bartolai, Carlos del Val Cura, Tom Stuit, and Andy Totten. "We couldn’t ask for four more dedicated or qualified individuals to join our leadership team," said Bruce Lake, President at McHugh Construction. "The achievements these four candidates have amassed during their combined 85 years in the industry are very impressive, and we look forward to even more great things from them in their new roles."
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Sheffield Safety & Loss Control
Siteline Interior Carpentry, Inc.
Chicagoland AGC