In this installment of the CEO's Video Update, AGC's Chief Executive Officer Stephen Sandherr provides an overview of the many educational, social and network opportunities available during this year's Annual Convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 18-20. For more information, please visit convention.agc.org. It's never too late to register! And please contact Maggie Jaus at jausm@agc.org with any questions or to find out how you can become more involved with AGC of America.

 

In order to better serve the needs of its members, AGC of America recently re-designed its website to a more dynamic and user-friendly format. The new page continues to deliver critical association and industry news, identify the important work AGC of America is doing on behalf of its members, and provide the resources commercial contractors need. All this is done with a clean look and an easy-to-navigate design. Take a few moments to visit the site today.

 

Construction employers added 39,000 jobs in January and 308,000 over the past year, reaching the highest employment total since February 2009, as the sector's unemployment rate fell to 9.8 percent, according to an analysis by AGC of America. Association officials said the job gains come as most construction firms report plans to expand headcounts this year, but worry about growing shortages of qualified workers. "Contractors have stayed busy this winter and expect to keep hiring through 2015, if they can find the workers they need," said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. "The list of projects is growing in most states and most nonresidential segments, in addition to continuing strong demand for apartment buildings." Read the full release here.

 

On Wednesday, Feb. 4, AGC of America made a significant announcement about increases in construction jobs in West Palm Beach and other metro areas during a visit to a local hotel construction project. Officials with the construction group toured the construction project, released the construction employment figures and outlined steps the association and its local chapter, the Florida East Coast Chapter of AGC, are taking to address growing worker shortages. Ken Simonson, AGC chief economist, released the data and outlined steps the association and its chapter are taking to address worker shortages. Brian Lucusky, project manager of Coastal Construction, provided an update on construction of the Hilton Convention Center Hotel. Dennis Gallagher, senior vice president with The Weitz Company, spoke about other projects slated for the Palm Beach area, including a new convention center parking garage. See more photos here.

 

 

AGC Charities hopes you will support it and member-firm Desarrollos Metropolitanos this spring as they work to rebuild the home of wheelchair-bound Army veteran Jose "Rafi" Quinonez. Mr. Quinonenz served our country for over three decades and saw combat with the Special Forces in Vietnam, Somalia, and Iraq. While the decorated combat veteran was serving abroad, thieves looted his family home of all wiring, plumbing and key fixtures. Since his combat wounds have left him largely wheelchair-bound since 1997, Mr. Quinonez has been unable to repair his home, and was forced to live in a shack behind his house. AGC Charities will be joined by a team of volunteers led by San Juan, Puerto Rico-based Desarrollos Metropolitanos to fully renovate Mr. Quinonez's home. Learn More...

 

The AGC Board of Directors put the finishing touches on AGC's legislative and regulatory priorities for the 114th Congress which spans 2015 and 2016. The Board made the final changes to a list that was developed by the AGC Legislative Action Committee in December.  AGC's top priorities are based upon three main objectives: (1) Does it specifically impact a large segment of the construction industry?; (2) Is it timely? Is it likely to be considered by the 114th Congress?; and (3) Is it achievable and stand a good chance of passing? Click here to see a full list of AGC's Top Policy Positions for the 114th Congress. For more information, please contact Jeff Shoaf at shoafj@agc.org or 202-547-3350.

 

In the construction industry, the question whether to buy or lease equipment is often a thorny one. The answer: It depends. Many factors enter into the buy/lease equation. To list just a few, company size and reach, the overall economy, corporate financial goals and objectives, projected equipment utilization, maintenance and repair costs, interest rates, depreciation, taxes, and even geography can tilt a decision to one option over another. Learn More...

 

The sound of hammering and sawing will soon fill the galleries of the Museum of Discovery during its latest project, "Build It Lab," a hands-on exploration into the world of construction. In partnership with AGC Arkansas, the state’s largest association of commercial contractors; University of Arkansas at Little Rock; and Home Depot, "Build It Lab" is being held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on five consecutive Saturdays, Jan. 24 through Feb. 21, and promises to offer visitors an interactive view into the many phases of construction ranging from framing to wiring to painting. Learn More...

 

AGC of Virginia is proud to announce the election of its officers for 2015: Glenn Thompson of W.M. Jordan Co. in Richmond as chairman of the Board; Michael Cagle of MB Contractors in Roanoke as vice chairman of the Board; and Ed Bowman of W E Bowman Construction in Richmond as vice chairman-elect of the Board. Kevin Willis of k2w consulting in Charlottesville will serve as immediate past chairman. Learn More...

 

AGC of Virginia recently announced that Chandler Swope, director of Swope Construction Co. in Beckley, W.V., was selected as the recipient of the association’s Honorary AGC Award. This award is the highest award available from the AGCVA.  It was presented at the association’s Annual Convention in late January. The award recognizes his contributions to the construction industry through the years and for exemplifying skill, integrity and responsibility in his business, community and personal affairs. Swope has been very active for many years in the association, serving as president in 2004, on the Board of Directors from 1991 through 2013, as well as in many other capacities.

 

BOND, a leading 108-year-old construction management firm and an AGC of Massachusetts member, has been hired to provide construction management services for Lawrence General Hospital’s (LGH) new 42,250 sq-ft surgical building as part of a $72 million effort to improve healthcare delivery and expand the reach of the hospital and its services. Learn More...

 

C.W. Driver, a premier builder serving California since 1919 and an AGC of California member, has announced the hire of Gregory Motschenbacher as the director of project development throughout California. Based in the company’s Pasadena headquarters, Motschenbacher will be responsible for building the C.W. Driver professional network and pursuing new project opportunities for all the C.W. Driver Companies. Learn More...

 

PC Construction, an AGC of Vermont member, was recently awarded a $19 million construction project for Vermont’s newest premier boutique hotel, The Taconic Hotel, located in the heart of Manchester Village. Learn More...

 

Sundt Construction, Inc., a full-service general contractor and a member of multiple AGC chapters, was selected as the design-build contractor for the $143 million project, which includes two residential buildings above all ground-floor retail, and an adjacent parking structure. Upon completion, the residence halls will house 608 beds in double-occupancy student rooms, 32 single-occupancy student rooms, three staff apartments and three visiting scholar studios. Learn More...

 

Tarlton Corp., a St. Louis-based general contracting and construction management firm and a member of multiple AGC chapters,has promoted Jeff Freese to project director. Learn More...

 

Join us in San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 18-20, 2015, and gain a comprehensive view of where you are, where you are going and where you need to be to strengthen the educated decisions construction professionals have to make everyday. Learn More...

 

 

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