On July 1, 2013, more than 75 years after they were individually established, Associated General Contractors of New Jersey (AGC of NJ) and Building Contractors of New Jersey (BCANJ) merged to create Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey, or ACCNJ. Governed by 20 trustees, several of whom have served for years on AGC of America contractor committees, ACCNJ represents large and mid-size contractors and construction managers in virtually every segment of the New Jersey construction industry. As the state chapter of AGC of America, the new ACCNJ holds four AGC of America charters:  building, heavy, highway and utility.

Founded in 1936 and 1937 respectively, AGC of NJ and BCANJ together as ACCNJ combine 400 contractor members and 150 years of experience serving the New Jersey construction community. ACCNJ is the leading construction association in the state and the only organization representing both building and highway contractors in the commercial and public sectors.

"Our members are responsible for billions of dollars in commercial, industrial, institutional and infrastructure projects every year," commented Jack Kocsis, Jr., ACCNJ’s Chief Executive Officer. "They employ tens of thousands of skilled craftworkers statewide. As you look across the New Jersey landscape, you see the works constructed by our members:  highways, hospitals, hotels, bridges, schools, retail operations, rail links, places of worship, power stations, transmission systems, water treatment facilities, R&D labs and corporate complexes."

Like the other AGC of America chapters, ACCNJ is a nonprofit service organization created to support and promote the business activities of its members. The Association negotiates agreements with more than a dozen labor unions, including the Bricklayers, Carpenters, Dockbuilders, Ironworkers, Laborers, Operating Engineers and Teamsters. ACCNJ’s team of government affairs professionals represents the construction industry in local communities throughout New Jersey, at the Statehouse in Trenton and, as a partner with AGC of America, in the Capitol in Washington. On the business front, ACCNJ offers members continual opportunities for development, including safety training, business improvement and scholarship programs.

New Jersey is slowly emerging from the recession and rebuilding after Superstorm Sandy. At the same time, the state’s already dense population is shifting back to urban environments, seeking the convenience of a "village" atmosphere in a revitalized city setting, and putting extra demand on aging infrastructure and transit systems. Several ACCNJ initiatives in the state mirror AGC of America’s efforts nationally, including the movement to find sustainable funding streams for infrastructure rehabilitation and maintenance, and fostering a business-friendly climate for owners and developers. ACCNJ serves as a resource to help members remain competitive, promote their strengths to private owners and developers, navigate the compliance maze of publicly funded projects, and benefit from new public-private partnerships.

"We state unequivocally that ACCNJ is an organization of construction businesses dedicated to quality, integrity, skill and responsibility," Kocsis affirms. "The merger of two established associations means our contractor base can now be heard with twice the strength as before. In solidarity, we complement each other to better represent our members and pursue new endeavors across New Jersey and beyond, all the while raising the standards in construction."