A Word From AGCVA Chair, Arlene Lee

Wow what a convention! Thank you to all who attended in person and in thought. The opportunity for individuals from companies from across the state to come together, comrades and competitors alike, to be part of something bigger than themselves never ceases to amaze me.

This year’s attendance was up from previous years and broke the 450 mark. The kickoff breakfast was at capacity and the insights by our speaker, Gene Marks, speaking on “Building Value in your Workplace: Tactics and Strategies the Smartest Leaders are Making to Navigate and Grow”, were thought-provoking and well received.

The focus on building resilience in our companies gave everyone a lot to think about and takeaways I’m sure everyone will be putting into practice for months to come. Breakout sessions on AGCVA’s new 401K Program, AI in Construction, I-9 and Immigration, Safety and Behavioral Health, Women in Construction, Family Business Succession, Unveiling VOSH: Transforming Compliance into Safety were packed, on point, and highly relevant for all in the Construction Industry. As an individual that values learning every day, the fact that AGCVA brings such impactful programming from experts in these fields makes me excited to attend.

With hearts full of gratitude, we thanked Don Sproul for his dedication, diligence, and thoughtful leadership over the past year. Don chose to use this year’s convention to turn the spotlight way from himself and onto the resiliency the construction industry holds and for the courage of his wife and all those who have battled breast cancer.

“Think Pink” took on a life of its own and Past Chairs created a fund-raising challenge that in just a few days raised well over $24,000. I am so proud to be part of an organization that doesn’t hesitate to step up and make a difference pouring back into not just our industry but into our communities as well.

I would like to take a moment to thank Brandon and the AGCVA staff; they are the backbone of this organization. They keep the trains running on time even when the rest of us forget there are trains. The 2023 Annual Report notes that AGCVA put on 92 events attended by well over two thousand people, held 66 days of training that were attended by over 325 people, and over 50 legislative bills that were followed and lobbied on. That’s just one year of 99 years at that level of dedication to members!

Is there glass in my hair? Yes, in fact there is. I am so grateful and humble to be the first women Chair for AGCVA, thank you for trusting me to lead. My interest in construction started as a child. I was always designing or building something and as a tween helped my father build a barn. He taught me so many important skills, not just about how to safely use tools but about life and leadership. He taught me the power of listening and understanding things from all sides, and the of power our words to help or to hurt. While my degree from Cornell University is a Bachelor of Science, I also studied Agricultural Building Design, merging two of my favorite things: horses and building. Cornell is also where I met my late husband Chris Lee, the fourth generation of Lee Construction Group, and the 2007 AGCVA Chair. Over 28 years, I learned the inside of the construction industry from him and so much about servant leadership. Tragically, we lost him in December of 2015, and I answered the call to lead. Over the last eight years, it has been quite something to walk in his shoes as CEO of Lee Construction Group and now AGCVA Chair, but that is a story for another day.

This year's Board of Directors and Officers were installed; Don Sproul (as Past Chair), Chris Shifflett (as Vice Chair), and Patrick Barbier (as Vice Chair Elect). We are so excited to celebrate AGCVA’s 100 years that we have already started the planning for the momentous achievement.

Strategic Planning

We are currently in the third year of AGCVA’s three-year strategic plan. The new planning process is in place and we are ready to get to work. This will involve input from all districts along with the Board of Directors and staff. The strategic pillars of Advocate, Grow, Connect and affirmation of core values skill, integrity, and responsibility came out of the last planning process and the aspirational value of inclusivity. The intent is to build on what we have started and refine the next three years of focus.

Advocate

AGCVA continues to strengthen relationships with legislatures. This is particularly important with the recent redistricting and election resulting in many freshman senators and representatives. AGCVA is following and lobbying on over 50 legislative bills this session. Members of the Legislative Committee worked with stakeholders throughout the summer and fall on procurement working with other entities and the state in an attempt to work an acceptable solution.

Grow

The Virginia BEST Program continues to grow. There are 11 companies now who have achieved BEST Level I with several more on the doorstep. Several companies have achieved Level II. Will this be the year we have our first level three? Who will it be? We are currently planning for the first of many “BEST Practices Day."

The Safety Roundtable is going strong and provides a platform to help every company up their safety game. It’s powerful that safety is one place where competitors come together to share best practices. We do want everyone to make it home safely each and every day.

Connect

It’s going to be an exciting year on so many fronts. I invite you to be involved. Whether that be attending events, training, or volunteering; there is something for everyone. We will be celebrating our centennial all year with a crescendo culminating in the 2025 Convention next February.

 

Best Regards,

Arlene Lee

 

Human greatness does not lie in wealth or power, but in character and goodness.
- Anne Frank