A Word From AGCVA Chair, Anthony Smith

Fall has arrived! Here in the mountains of Virginia, the leaves have adorned all of their full glory in oranges, reds, and yellows; the nights are crisp and the morning frost covers the pumpkins waiting to greet the young ghosts and goblins hopeful for a sweet treat. It is a beautiful time of the year. For years and years fall represents an end; crops are harvested, summer tourist venues are closed, and we all prepare in our own way for the cold winter days and nights.

However, it is the time of renewal at the AGCVA! Membership renewal has begun – packets were mailed on October 12, but you can also go directly to the website and renew with just a few clicks of the mouse.

We have accomplished a great deal in the last year as we have advocated on your behalf, helped you to grow your business, and connected you with the people and resources to move your business forward.  Your fellow members are realizing this and renewals have already begun rolling in.

If you haven’t already done so, I urge you to renew without delay. There are many challenges for our industry - and there is tremendous opportunity as well.  Our nearly 100 years of history has proven time and again that we accomplish far more when we face both challenge and opportunity together. Our members have a bright future ahead as our community becomes stronger and we continue to work as the leading partner in Virginia’s construction industry.

On October 20 and 21, the AGCVA District Officers Council and the AGCVA Board of Directors met at AGCVA headquarters in Glen Allen.  We provided our incoming district officers with an orientation for their new leadership roles and approed AGCVA's 2023 budget.  A large amount of the Board of Directors meeting was focused on our business plan for 2023, which is a major part of the heart of our mission, designed to help bring this vision of a bright future to life for you. Let’s take a look at the highlights of goals AGCVA has set for the upcoming year and how we all will benefit as members.

Advocate

• We have set a goal of raising $200,000 for the AGCVA PAC. AGCVA staff works tirelessly in Richmond to advocate for our industry, but we need to build our war chest for the upcoming year and beyond. With every seat in the General Assembly up for re-election in 2023, and newly drawn districts, many of which will have hotly contested races, your donation can determine the success of AGCVA PAC. We ask for your help in reaching this goal so that we can do more for you.
  
  
• We strive to be the “first call” for the construction industry. We will continue our public relations efforts, which have been very successful this year, and have drawn a great deal of visibility to the important work AGCVA members do each day. 
  
  
• We will further connect you with one another, with AGCVA events, and with AGC of America by re-engaging with the AGC Connection app. This is a quick and easy way to get information, and connect with other members across Virginia and the nation, so we encourage you to download the app, and be on the lookout for further information coming soon.
  
  
• We will grow our community and in turn expand the influence of the construction industry. Our newly enhanced district toolkit is making it easier than ever to help expand our community. This document outlines all that AGCVA has to offer; our community strengthens with every new member and this toolkit will help to spread the word about why AGCVA membership is beneficial.

Grow:

• Our workforce is key to our members success and these efforts continue to be a top priority. We will continue to focus on local opportunities to help you grow your team and build a robust talent pipeline. Our most recent magazine was published in September; if you have not yet seen it, please check out the digital edition on AGCVA’s website. We’ve brought our workforce partners right to your fingertips, and we will continue to work with them in the coming year, making your hiring concerns a thing of the past. As always, we offer some of the top training programs to help your team deepen their skills and expand their competency, with programs like CQM, PMDP, STP, and more. Don’t forget to check out what AGC of America has to offer in their new virtual program, AGC Edge. It has never been easier or more convenient to support and train your team.
  
  
• We want to be the industry example of inclusivity and opportunity. The DEI Taskforce is continuing their efforts to help make the construction community more inclusive. Also in the latest issue of Virginia’s Construction VOICE, DEI Taskforce Chair Bill Cooper shares his ideas about why these efforts are of critical importance the industry as a whole.
  
  
• Our Virginia BEST Program is truly an industry standard and we want to make sure it is recognized as such. Our active safety program continues to grow. The Virginia BEST Program is seeing added interest and participation from AGCVA members, and our Safety Roundtable conversations will continue in 2023.

Connect:

• AGCVA will continue to support our districts where networking events help you connect with those you do business with (or those you would like to do business with). Additionally, local legislative events help connect lawmakers directly with you, their constituents, providing you the opportunity to help them understand the construction industry as they make decisions. We want to get hard hats on these legislators and get them on our jobsites!
  
  
• We will also continue to offer workforce events, helping you connect with those interested in a construction career that are located right in your own back yard. The key to a robust talent pipeline and a healthy workforce is the development of relationships. We'll continue to offer you opportunities to build those relationships with students, families, and those in your area seeking a career path so that your company can put workforce worries behind you. I encourage you to be on the lookout for these opportunities and make a point to attend.
  
  
• We will be expanding your ability to connect with other members. We are going to focus on offering regional events, where two or more districts will partner to host events. Our focus is to help your network of professional connections grow and thrive; these events are the perfect chance to build new relationships deepen existing ones, and have a great time.
  
  
• We will be shining the spotlight on AGCVA member companies and all that you are doing, by connecting you with awards and opportunities for recognition. AGCVA member companies are some of the most respected organizations in the business, and we are excited to showcase all that you are doing every day to make our industry and our communities a better place.

As I mentioned previously, these are just some of the the highlights from our full 2023 business plan. We have set some lofty goals but I am certain we can achieve these (and more) by working together as an industry and association. So don’t hesitate another moment! Complete your renewal today so that you do not miss out on all of the opportunities coming your way as an AGCVA member.