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The VOICE of Construction
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Thomas L. Brown Sworn into Leadership Role at Busy AGC of America Annual Convention
By Eddie Sprecco, CEO
Last week in Grapevine Texas, AGC of America met for its 2022 Annual Convention. As the “Voice of the Construction Industry,” a lot of work got done on behalf of AGC’s 27,000 member firms – including selecting new leadership!
This year, a familiar face was selected to the senior leadership of AGC of America: Thomas L Brown, President of Sierra Pacific West, Inc. was sworn in as 1st Vice President of AGC of America. Tom has been an active member of the San Diego Chapter, having served on the Board for many years and as Board President in 2006. He is also the long-serving Chairman of the AGC San Diego Apprenticeship Training Trust – among the largest open shop construction apprenticeship programs in the nation.
At the National AGC, Tom has chaired the Highway and Transportation Division, the Open Shop Committee, and has served on the AGC Charities Board as well as the Political Action Committee (PAC) at local, state, and national levels. With his election to the 1st Vice President position, Tom is slated to become AGC of America Board President in 2024 at the National Convention hosted here in San Diego.
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Another San Diegan assuming a leadership role this year was Jeff Harper, President and Owner of Harper Construction Company, Inc. Jeff is now Chair of the Federal & Heavy Construction Division at AGC of America. Jeff has been a long serving member and Chair of the NAVFAC Committee both locally and nationally, and served as AGC San Diego Board President in 2018.
Congratulations to Tom Brown and Jeff Harper, and thank you for representing San Diego so well!
The 2022 AGC of America Convention was a busy week of meetings and events covering every issue area impacting the construction industry: Workforce Development, Material/Fuel Prices, Regulation, Diversity and Inclusion, PPP Loans, Infrastructure Funding, Labor Unions, COVID, and the list goes on…
AGC of America staff has been a critical asset to the San Diego Chapter and its members as we have navigated the tumultuous past few years filled with unlimited opportunities and pitfalls for the industry. I encourage all of our members to get more involved with AGC of America as your voices will help shape their approach to these increasingly national issues that impact San Diego. There has never been a better time to get involved – with San Diegans in leadership roles, and the next two Conventions planned in nearby locations of Las Vegas and (most likely) San Diego.
Don’t wait until then to get involved, of course. Book those Future AGC Meeting dates on the calendar, and consider applying for the many AGC of America Member Awards that are handed out at the Annual Convention – more on 2022 winners in article below.
For more information on how to get involved in AGC of America, send me an email and let me know what interests you, and we will get you plugged in to the right group. Much more to come on this front until we see you out in Las Vegas at the 2023 AGC of America National Convention!
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AGC San Diego Members Take Home Top Honors
By Dustin Steiner, Vice President Government & Industry Relations
Last week, at AGC’s Annual Convention in Grapevine, Texas, San Diego member firms won four FIRST PLACE awards and one THIRD PLACE award for Construction Safety Excellence.
This year's competition was held in 20 separate categories based upon type of work (building, construction management, heavy, utility infrastructure, specialty, highway, service & supplier), and the number of work hours completed. The following firms won in the AGC San Diego local competition and went on to place in five of the national categories:
Heavy Division
Kiewit: 1st Place - Over 400,000 work hours
Utility Infrastructure Division
Sundt Construction, Inc.: 1st Place
Highway and Transportation Division
Flatiron: 1st Place - Over 800,000 work hours
Building Division
BNBuilders: 1st Place - Over 500,000 work hours
Specialty Division
Helix Electric: 3rd Place - Over 4 million work hours
A special shout out goes to the AGC's Safety Committee Chair Robert Sahagun, BNBuilders, Inc., Vice Chair Jose Martinez, Sherwood Mechanical, and AGC Safety Director, Vince Hundley of SMART Safety Group for getting these safety winners to the finish line.
Congratulations to our award winners and also to the firms that competed in the Annual "Best of the Best" Build America Awards.
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No Shortage of Crises in 2022
By Mike McManus, Director of Engineering Construction & Industry Relations
The good news about the U.S. infrastructure crisis is that help is on the way. The bad news is that it is not expected to have much impact this year or next year. In fact, the crisis is likely to get worse before it gets better. As a reality check, the American Society of Civil Engineers gives American infrastructure a "C-" and notes that there’s a water main break every two minutes in the U.S. and 43% of our roadways are woefully deficient. That should be a wake-up call to work on our infrastructure and quit whining about the “climate crisis.”
Yes, we seem to be heading towards a worsening crisis; thankfully the $1.2 trillion (recently approved by Congress) offers a lifeline for our country and should be a big boost for the construction industry. Revamping the infrastructure is a long-term process though. While relief is needed now in terms of alleviating traffic congestion and quickening the supply chain, it will likely be several years before we begin to see the widespread gains of this planned infrastructure spending.
Government infrastructure funding should be focused in the short term on “shovel worthy” projects, not those that are “shovel ready” as we did during the last Federal stimulus era. Our focus should be on long-term/future-proof, sustainable solutions to address the country’s infrastructure deficit.
Most experts seem to agree that supply chain disruptions are expected to continue well into 2022 and most likely into the following year. Logistics systems are expensive and designed to run at high utilization which means that backlogs explode in nonlinear ways. Adding capacity at any step in the logistics systems (ships, port operations, trucking, warehousing, etc.) moves bottlenecks to the next step. Contractors are experiencing these disruptions on a daily basis.
As we have found out at AGC, businesses need to be mindful of critical systems and processes. With the increasing risk of targeted cyber intrusion and ransomware, we need to adopt robust security models to protect our most vital assets and data. We have found that out firsthand as have many of our members.
Our hope is that the recently approved federal funding will also support more collaboration between government agencies and the construction industry. Effective partnering is a way for government agencies to get the best value for their construction dollars, thereby giving the taxpayers the best value for their hard-earned taxes. The funding from the U.S. government is meant to be a catalyst for other private sector investing, whereby it encourages businesses to expand, make improvements and hire more employees which has a multiplying benefit for our economy.
U.S. infrastructure was in dire need of an overhaul prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the world is a different place in comparison with early 2019, particularly in the context of the labor and material supply markets. Traffic congestion, which decreased during the height of the pandemic, will likely worsen while we wait for these sorely needed infrastructure projects to get underway. Here in California, we have new environmental requirements that require road projects to reduce vehicle miles travelled (VMT) as a result of the project. This equates to a virtual moratorium on road and freeway widening projects in California. How does our economy grow when congestion continues to get worse and government does nothing to fix it?
Port congestion and the global shipping crisis looks to continue and may not ease until 2023 or later according to AGC America. Our leaders need to diversify our supply chain now to build future resilience and avoid relying too heavily on one potentially vulnerable piece of infrastructure, like the chronically congested Port of Los Angeles.
There are widespread shortages of vital commodities but no shortage of crises such as the price of gas, the invasion of Ukraine, and the climate crisis. My vote is we focus on the infrastructure crisis and get this country back on track.
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AGC Members Complete 2022 Technology Survey - Complete by April 6
By AGC Construction Technology Committee
AGC Members, would you like to learn more about technology before using or purchasing it for your company? If so, the AGC Construction Technology Committee would like to be that resource for you - a trusted source who can provide you with information about trends in technology and to help you with the questions you need on new equipment or software.
How can you help us - help you? By completing the 2022 Technology Survey - click here to complete the survey by end of day April 6.
How will completing the survey help? The insight gained from the survey results will help the committee to better inform the membership on technology trends through speakers, articles, and updates.
“Advancing technology solutions within the San Diego construction industry” is the committee’s mission. This mission, along with the results from the 2022 survey, will help the committee to collect, research and share relevant construction technology updates to help member firms make investment decisions for improving their project delivery and technology.
The committee welcomes new members and is looking for IT staff from all member types to join the committee. If you are interested in joining, click here to sign up.
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Room Block Expires this Thursday, April 7 - AGC San Diego Spring Conference La Quinta Resort, La Quinta, CA
The AGC San Diego Chapter’s, Board of Directors Members and Meetings and Events Committee invites members to our 53rd Annual Spring Conference. The Spring Conference has traditionally followed the AGC Board of Directors Spring Retreat. Join us in La Quinta, California at the La Quinta Resort & Club for two nights, beginning with our Welcome Dinner Reception on Thursday, May 5, then a breakfast meeting scheduled for Friday morning, followed by a day of activities.
The Spring Conference schedule includes:
Thursday, May 5:
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AGC Opening Night Dinner Reception - Join Alliant Insurance, Kyne Construction, Inc., Cass Arrieta, and Sherwood Mechanical in hosting the reception
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Hospitality Suite - Join Finch Thornton & Baird, LLP, Hazard Construction, Moss Adams LLP, Old Castle Infrastructure, Trench Shoring Company, Trimble and Tower Glass to support the Hospitality Suite
Friday, May 6:
- Breakfast Business Meeting
- Golf at the PGA West La Quinta Course
- Pickleball Tournament
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Dinner Banquet - Join Marathon Construction, Finch, Thornton & Baird, LLP, and West Coast Group Benefits in hosting the dinner reception
- Hospitality Suite – More Sponsors Needed
AGC members always enjoy this event and the opportunity it provides to develop relationships with our board of directors, as well as other attendees.
Please note that SPONSORSHIPS are needed to help host the Welcome Reception, Saturday Dinner Banquet, and the AGC Hospitality Suite.
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Mike Finch to be Honored at the 15th Annual Boy Scouts Construction and Building Industry Lunch-O-Ree, Thursday, April 7, 2022
Mike Finch, President and CEO of RCP Block & Brick, has been named the 2022"Good Scout of the Year" by the San Diego Imperial Council of the Boy Scouts of America. A luncheon honoring Mike will be held on Thursday, April 7, beginning at 11:30 A.M. at the Paradise Point Resort in San Diego.
The Keynote Speaker this year will be Mr. Randy Jones, member of the Padres Hall of Fame and Cy Young Award Winner.
Mike is the current President & CEO at RCP Block & Brick, a 75-year-old family business started by his father, Marvin Finch in 1947. Mike is proud to be part of an organization that puts the development of people over profits. He loves to mentor young employees at RCP and tells anyone who will listen about the legacy of RCP Block & Brick, and all the cool projects around town that RCP has been a part of. RCP Block & Brick have been AGC San Diego members since 1996.
Mike has served the industry for many years at both the state and national levels. In 2009, Mike served as Chairman of the Board at the National Concrete Masonry Association. As Chairman, Mike and other industry leaders began what became a 13-year endeavor, to enact a Federal Check-Off promotion campaign, overseen by the Commerce Department, that will assist all US concrete block producers with needed funds for training, promotion, and research.
Mike has a passion for serving organizations that are making a difference in forming the lives of our youth. Helping Eagle Scouts attain the highest level in scouting to coaching Little Leaguers that have eventually made it to the highest level of professional sports is something he takes great pride in.
The 2022 Construction and Building Industry Lunch-O-Ree is our industry's annual fundraiser to support the Boy Scouts of America San Diego-Imperial Council. The event has raised over $1.5M to support the San Diego-Imperial Council of the Boy Scouts of America. This year’s chairmen is Bill Haithcock, President of Casper Company.
All funds raised stay in San Diego to help our local scouting program. Over 400 AGC members and guests typically attend the event.
This will be the 15th "Good Scout of the Year" Award presented to the San Diego construction industry leaders. Previous awards have been given to:
Jack Filanc, J.R. Filanc Construction Co., Inc.
Tom Anderson, Bergelectric Corp.
Ted Rossin, Rossin Steel, Inc.
Ron Harper, Harper Construction
Jim Ryan, Executive Vice President, AGC San Diego
Marc & Tim Penick, T.B. Penick & Sons, Inc.
Eric Stenman, Balfour Beatty Construction
Don Adair, Swinerton Builders
Randy Finch, Finch, Thornton & Baird, LLP
Thomas L. Brown, Sierra Pacific West, Inc.
Walt Fegley, Retired
Robert Betz, McCarthy Building Company
Larry McMahon, Alliant Insurance Services
The AGC Board of Directors and the Lunch-O-Ree Committee encourage the industry to attend the event.
Thank you for supporting the Boy Scouts of America.
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Join TEAM AGC in the WALK FOR ANIMALS, May 7, to Support the San Diego Humane Society
By Marcy Knopman, AGC Build & Serve Charitable Alliance Staff Liaison
The Build & Serve Charitable Alliance is a committee made up of construction industry professionals whose mission is to help serve the community, whether through "serve" or "build" projects. Since 2009, the committee has been dedicated in focusing its charitable efforts in the following groups within the community:
- MILITARY
- HOMELESS
- COMMUNITIES
- KIDS
- HEALTH & WELLNESS
- SENIORS
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FIREFIGHTERS
- DISABLED
- ANIMALS
"The San Diego Humane Society creates a more humane world by inspiring compassion, providing hope, and advancing the welfare of animals by keeping healthy and treatable animals from being euthanized"
Since many of us are animal lovers, the committee decided to participate in the "Walk for Animals" on May 7 at Liberty Station and so we created Team "AGC" for members and their families to join in this fun, family, dog friendly event to support all the wonderful efforts of the San Diego Humane Society.
REGISTRATION April 1 - May 6
ADULTS: $30
CHILDREN: $15
REGISTRATION Event Day - May 7
ADULTS: $40
CHILDREN: $20
All registered participants will receive a Walk for Animals T-shirt, free ticket for a pancake breakfast, and enjoy entertainment, dog activities, and Vendor Village!
Since our efforts are more of a hands-on nature, we are not asking participants to engage in fundraising...your registration fee for the event will support programs; however, if you would like to make a personal donation, that is entirely optional.
Any questions, please contact your TEAM CAPTAIN, Marcy Knopman at (619) 592-4527. There are volunteer opportunities, as well, if you are unable to join the team, but would still like to support the event.
WHAT A "PAWFECT" DAY to SPEND WITH YOUR
FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND MAN's / WOMAN's BEST FRIEND!
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6 Months Look Ahead...
May 5-7 - SPRING CONFERENCE - @ La Quinta Resort, La Quinta
May 7 - WALK FOR ANIMALS - Liberty Station
June 3 (date to be confirmed) - AGC/EGCC SPRING GOLF
June 21 - BASEBALL BASH @ Petco Park
July 11-15 - AGC BLOOD DRIVE
July 29 - DAY AT THE RACES @ Del Mar Racetrack
August 5 - AFFILIATE DAY GOLF @ Singing Hills
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EDUCATION/SAFETY TRAINING |
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APRIL CLASSES
April 4-6 Fall Protection 24 hour CPT for EM 385
April 4 Fall Protection Competent Person Refresher
April 5 Stormwater Webinar: COI for removing area
April 8 Microsoft Excel Beginner
April 10-11 OSHA 10 Hour
April 10 Quickbooks for Beginners
April 12 Skilled and Trained Workforce Requirements for 2022 (Lunch and Learn)
April 14-15 USACE CQM-C – CLASS IS FULL/CLOSED
April 15 Microsoft Excel Intermediate
April 18 Quickbooks for Intermediate / Advanced
April 19 Flagger Training
April 20 Construction Business Writing
April 20 Sexual Harassment Prevention Supervisors / Employees (Online Training)
April 21 Bluebeam Revu - 20 Basics
April 21 Fall Protection 8 Hour CPT
April 21 Foreman & Superintendent Bootcamp
April 22 Microsoft Excel Advanced
April 25-27 Fall Protection 24 Hour CPT for EM 385
April 25 Fall Protection Competent Person Refresher
April 25-29 EM 385-1-1 40 Hour
April 27 CPR /First Aid
April 27-28 Blueprint Reading for Construction
April 27-28 USACE CQM-C – LIMITED SEATING
For more information on classes, contact: Becca Schaffer, 619-592-4533
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COMMITTEE/COUNCIL MEETINGS |
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APRIL MEETINGS
April 6 - 7:00 a.m. - Safety Committee - Lakeside
April 13 - 4:00 p.m. - Construction Leadership Council (CLC) @ Bergelectric
April 14 - Noon - Meetings & Events - Lakeside
April 21 - 1:00 p.m. - City of San Diego - Virtual
April 27 - 11:15 a.m. - Airport - Virtual
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AGC East County Facility & Apprenticeship Training Center
10140 Riverford Road
Lakeside, CA 92040
(858) 558-7444
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AGC Government Affairs Office &
Fall Protection Training Campus
6212 Ferris Square
San Diego, CA 92121
2nd floor
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About Monday Morning Quarterback
AGC San Diego Chapter's Monday Morning Quarterback is a "hot off the press" and to the point Monday morning briefing on the important issues facing San Diego's construction industry. It is prepared by AGC Chief Executive Officer, Eddie Sprecco, and Vice President Government & Industry Relations, Dustin Steiner.
Please contact Eddie Sprecco or Dustin Steiner with your comments, or with information that should be conveyed to the industry through this service. Well over 3,000 individuals employed by AGC member firms are part of this system.
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AGC San Diego Chapter, Inc.
The VOICE of Construction
(858) 558-7444
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