AGC Tackles Wide Ranging Issues During Annual Spring Meetings and Conference in Monterey
By: Carol Eaton
2012-05-17
AGC of California held its annual Spring State and Division Board Meetings and Conference on May 2-4, 2012 at the Monterey Plaza Hotel in Monterey. More than 150 AGC members and guests from across the state were in attendance, in additional to nearly 60 AGC student chapter members from seven chapters across the state.
The two AGC Division Boards of Directors tackled a range of topics during their quarterly meetings May 3. During a combined session, the Divisions heard an update on funding and lending practices and what changes are facing the industry from Nancy Tillman of EAST-WEST Bank, while Dennis Huie and a colleague from Rogers Joseph O’Donnell led a discussion of Independent Contractor misclassification, a major issue impacting the construction industry today.
During the Joint Engineering session that followed, transportation and infrastructure funding once again was in the spotlight as Transportation California Executive Director Bert Sandman and Chairman John Franich, Granite Construction, gave a presentation on current funding shortfalls and the need for sustainable funding for transportation n California. Several bills are in the works including one that would place a 1% tax on vehicle purchases. Another presentation by Mike Cherry, Design-Build Manager, Skanska USA Civil, and Ray Trit, Caltrans Office Chief of Special Projects, discussed various project delivery methods that many public owners are now increasingly looking at, particularly CM/GC and design-build.
AGC of California’s Building Division board of directors heard from Mike Stark, Senior Director of the Building Division for AGC of America. Stark noted that AGC projects an upturn in potential construction opportunities in the year ahead. At the national level AGC continues to focus on a range of current issues including IPD and Lean construction, project delivery/educational programs, and sustainability issues among other things.
Both Divisions heard from AGC advocate Dave Ackerman, DGA Associates, who outlined a range of bills in the pipe that have impact to the construction industry.
AGC’s State Board of Directors covered a variety of business issues during their May 4 meeting. AGC of America CEO Steve Sandherr reported on the current political landscape in Washington, D.C. and outlined what AGC is doing to impact the upcoming in national elections. Sandherr was joined by AGC of America Sr. Vice President Paul Diederich, who outlined some of the programs and outreach National is involved in to strengthen the association at all levels.
Just a few of the additional new business efforts and initiatives that were highlighted during AGC’s Spring Board of Directors meeting included the following:
- On the legislative front, AGC Legislative Advocate Dave Ackerman reported that of the thousands of new bills that have been introduced in this session, seven AGC supported bills are still alive. In addition, AGC is trending to have eight to 12 measures on the November ballot. Other notable successes this year have included the saving of the Cal/OSHA Standards Board, the proposed creation of a single agency or transportation in California, and the enacted Transportation Financing Protection Act.
- AGC’s Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has taken greater prominence in the AGC of California this year with the establishment of a statewide steering committee and the integration of CLC members into all statewide Committees, Councils and Districts Boards.
- AGC Student Chapters have also increased their active participation and integration into AGC events and meetings, highlighted by the attendance of nearly 60 students from seven different student chapters at the spring conference. The student had the opportunity to attend a range of training seminars and programs sponsored by the Construction Education Foundation while in Monterey.
- AGC of California has been on the move in the technology front with the introduction of a new “Mobile Web App” among other things.
- AGC’s newest alliances include a newly announced partnership with Zurich, which will offer comprehensive insurance services to AGC members.
- AGC’s State Board passed a motion in support of coalition of businesses on the Monterey Peninsula which is pushing for a solution to the Peninsula’s water supply program through development of a regional water project.
Several AGC Committees and Councils held their business meetings in conjunction with the Monterey conference. Attendees also enjoyed a variety of networking and recreational opportunities, among them golf and croquet tournaments as well as a “Nunan’s Clambake” dinner and closing reception. The events served to reinforce the value of building professional relationships with industry colleagues and emphasized AGC’s motto that “It is Good Business to do Business with an AGC member.”
AGC of California and its districts plan a variety of meetings, events and educational forums during the remainder of 2012 and beyond at the local, regional, state and national levels. The association will hold its
2012 Legislative Day in Sacramento on June 19, and its annual
Fall Conference and Meetings in Indian Wells October 24-26, 2012.
Click here to see both our National AGC guests, Steve Sandherr and Pail Dierderich, address the State Board.
Click here to view the Spring Conference photo gallery.