ABC NHVT News

ABC Member, The Rowley Agency, LLC Announces New Executives to Join Team

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 22:21:40 GMT

Andrei Anghel and Robert Mayo Join The Rowley Agency

The Rowley Agency, LLC is pleased to announce the addition of Andrei Anghel as an Account Executive in the agency’s Benefits Department. Andrei has previous experience guiding clients through complex circumstances in Real Estate and IT. We are excited to see him apply his passion for building relationships to assist our clients in finding the right benefits solutions to fit their needs. A recent grad from UMASS Lowell, Andrei lives with his wife, Stephanie, and their daughter in Newmarket. He will be working out of our Concord office.

The Rowley Agency, LLC also announces the return of Robert Mayo as an Account Executive in the agency’s Property & Casualty Department. Rob brings with him eight years of P&C industry experience from Utica National and Concord Group as an underwriter and four years of agency experience as an account manager with A.B. Gile, Inc. which The Rowley Agency acquired in 2021. Rob is a native of the Upper Valley and a graduate of Bentley University. Rob lives with his wife and son in Plainfield. He will be working out of our West Lebanon office.

Reference
Daniel E. Church
(603) 224-2562

dchurch@rowleyagency.com
https://www.rowleyagency.com

ABC Receives Mental Health Visionary Award for Total Human Health Efforts in Construction

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 16:10:30 GMT

Washington, March 30 – Associated Builders and Contractors today announced it is the 2023 recipient of Construction Working Minds’ Mental Health Visionary Award for its leadership in strengthening total human health in the construction industry. ABC received the award from the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention and United Suicide Survivors International at the 2023 Construction Working Minds Summit, which took place March 27-29, 2023, in Kansas City, Missouri.

“ABC’s most valuable resource is our hardworking, dedicated, skilled workforce—without them nothing gets done,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development. “Construction workers use tools every day, and it is time we give them the tools they need to address mental health and suicide prevention. They will use them."

“Through important partnerships and collaborations, ABC and its members turned their passion for suicide prevention into action in April 2018,” said Sizemore. “This passion was eventually grew into ABC’s Total Human Health Initiative to better reflect the importance of the human in the center of it all. Total human health is focused on building a resilient workforce that is connected though relationships and engaged in performing construction work to a high standard of safety, quality and effectiveness.”

Total human health raises the bar for construction safety by addressing thoughts and preoccupying concerns that everyone experiences in daily life, incorporating:

A whole-person approach to engage a person’s body, mind, heart and soul;
Psychological safety that is respectful and inclusive of a diverse workforce; and
Acknowledgement of the risk of distraction and impairment and responding with appropriate care.

“ABC is honored to be recognized with this award as a leader of total human health and will continue to look deeper into the complexity of conditions that affect the decision-making process of our workforce while performing critical tasks,” said Sizemore. “Regardless of logos, egos and affiliations, our common goal unites all of us—merit shop, labor and regulatory agencies—in creating a zero-suicide industry for the millions of people who make construction their career".

Jenn Avedisian, Senior Project Manager with Chinburg Builders Inc.

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 00:36:55 GMT

Why I chose a career in the construction industry:
I chose a career in the construction industry because I was ready for a change and it was a field I was familiar with having grown up in and around the industry with my father as a home builder. So in 2015 when the opportunity presented itself to move the NH Seacoast to work for the area's leading builder as an Assistant Project Manager, I jumped on it.

What training or education did you need for your current role?
I graduated college with a Business Management degree which has proven to be quite useful in my current role. I also take continuing education classes in supervision, leadership and construction code review. I also tap into the invaluable source of information around me with many of my seasoned construction colleagues willing to teach at any moment.

What is a typical day like in your position?
As a Senior Project Manager, I get to mentor and assist other project managers along with managing my own projects and often acting as a liaison across the company. A typical day in my position can vary depending on the current status of projects and could include schedule and budget review, bidding on new projects, staff training sessions and resource management.

What do you enjoy most about your career?
The greatest enjoyment in my career comes from collaborating with my team and other industry leaders to create amazing places for people to live, work, and play. Knowing that I have improved my community by adding a new structure for housing or refurbished a historic landmark to bring new businesses to life keeps me going in this challenging career.

What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on?
The most interesting project I have worked on thus far was the restoration and renovation of the Frank Jones Brew Yard located in the West End of Portsmouth. As my first big project, I managed everything from structural repair to the high-end finishes in the 1884 House, turning it into a mixed use building of 14 residential apartments on the upper floors with a roof deck and commercial use on the first two levels, including: offices, a restaurant and cocktail bar and hair salon.

What advice do you have for women who want to work in the construction industry?
Go for it! For anyone joining a new industry my advice would be the same; pay attention to the leaders and learn how they do it, ask questions, research topics you're not yet familiar with and keep learning. For women in construction it's crucial to be assertive and confident even when it seems impossible to break through the stereotypes. I've seen a huge improvement over the past 5-7 years in the industry and more change is coming to open doors for women in construction.

Amanda Savage, Business Development Manager with North Branch Construction

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 05:49:42 GMT

Why I chose a career in the construction industry:
I choose a career in construction because of the people and the legacy. There are a lot of self-made successful businesspeople in the industry who inspire me. It's wonderful to drive by a completed building and know that your company had a part in that legacy. There's a lot of pride in the industry.

What training or education did you need for your current role?
I have a degree in business. However, my career did not start in construction. I was hired after college to develop software, but I only stayed in that position for 5 years. After that I wandered into many different industries, such as, fashion, wine, wellness, and workforce development. I've drawn on each of these experiences to help me in my current role in business development.

What is a typical day like in your position?
Connecting with potential clients, networking at events, scheduling meetings, reading zoning board agendas, reading planning board agendas, and reading all the media sources on community developments.

What do you enjoy most about your career?
I love making meaningful connections with people. I try to lead with an honest approach to things. I connect with people and those connections have proven to be the best part of my job.

What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on?
My level of participation in a job is before the contract is signed. I think all of our projects are interesting because I invest in the client and their needs.

What advice do you have for women who want to work in the construction industry?
Don't try to be someone you are not. Ask for help or an explanation on how things work. So many people enjoy talking about what they do and how they do it. Listen and take notes.

Meet the ABC Young Professionals Group Chairwoman, Kayla Costa

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 00:54:59 GMT

Kayla Costa is an Assistant Project Manager with Fulcrum Associates in Amherst, NH.

Costa started in the construction industry as a student at Alvirne High School in Hudson, NH where the school offered many vocational classes students could take. She completed two years of Building Trades and learned the basics of construction from tools and equipment to framing, roofing and siding sheds.

"I wanted to try a field of work that wasn’t a “stereotypical” female role," said Costa. She knew that, working in construction, she would likely be one of the only females in the industry. "But that didn’t stop me. It was something I was interested in and being the only girl did not keep me from learning what I came to learn." Her interest in the field grew from there doing small charity projects and working for Ripaldi Construction as a laborer where she continued to learn and improve her skills.

After graduating high school, Costa knew that she wanted to stay in the construction field but was not sure in what capacity. She originally thought civil engineering and designing bridges and roadways, but discovered that was not the case. In her 2^nd year at Wentworth Institute of Technology, she switched her major from Civil Engineering to Construction Management which ended up being exactly what she was looking for.

In college, she was one of 12 females in a class of over 100 students. The support she got from professors and classmates at Wentworth helped her to excel. "I had two female professors who had both excelled in their careers in the construction industry and were two people I not only looked up to when I was in their classes, but people I continue to connect with today," said Costa. "I got to learn about heavy equipment, estimating, scheduling, surveying, material strength and analysis, project management, construction law and so much more. It has all been extremely helpful in getting me to where I am today." Costa also completed two semesters of Co-Op / internships at Wentworth, one of which was at Fulcrum where she started her internship and never left.

Working with Fulcrum, Costa has had the opportunity to experience different fields including hospitals, restaurants, supermarkets, retirement homes, apartment complexes, lab spaces, etc. She has enjoyed the opportunity to learn about all of the trades through her work on the various projects.

Costa is grateful for the incredible experience she's had and looks forward to the future. "Coming into the industry after college, I was not sure what to expect," admits Costa. "There were a lot of questions that ran through my mind. The big question was, would the industry support me as a female in construction? The answer was yes, maybe not right off the bat, but I got there. Yes, I got support, especially from my co-workers. There have been times where I get questioned, but I always had the backup information I needed and proved I knew what I needed to do and knew what I was doing."

Costa is grateful that she has had the opportunity to work alongside some strong women in the industry who have helped her become the woman she is today. "I hope to provide that kind of guidance and support for other women coming into construction," said Costa.

Working at Fulcrum has also provided Costa the opportunity to be an active member of the NH/VT chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors. She started going to the ABC events in college during her first internship. The events provided great networking opportunities.

It was through ABC that Costa learned of the Young Professionals Group, also known as ABC YPG. YPG was not only a great way to continue to meet others, but it provided a place where she could develop and further her professional development. She became a full-time employee at Fulcrum in 2021 and shortly after applied and was accepted as a member of the YPG Leadership Committee.

Costa really enjoys the opportunity to be part of a group dedicated to supporting young professionals. In 2022 she was voted Vice Chairwoman, which she says, took her position in the committee to a whole new level. "This included lining up Underwriters for the 2022 year, working alongside the Chairman and helping run our monthly meetings," said Costa. "I got to be a main point of contact as we took the 2022 year to continue re-growing the events and education chapter."

Costa is in her third year on the YPG leadership committee and currently serving as Chairwoman. This role also provides her the opportunity to be an Ex-Officio on the ABC Board of Directors. "I now get to be the one to rally the support of the more tenured people in the industry and get assistance in helping make us young professionals feel welcomed and set-up for success," said Costa. "The events and educational classes we set up are a great way for young professionals and seasoned professionals to interact, share knowledge and connect with others who may come from a different trade or field in the construction industry."

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Follow us on LinkedIn and Faceboook more about Women in Construction during WiC Week, March 5-11, 2023.

Resources to Celebrate Women in Construction 2023

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 22:55:00 GMT

This year’s Women in Construction Week (WIC) will be observed March 5-11, 2023.

Women in Construction (WiC) Week is an opportunity to highlight women as important construction industry members. Join us as we raise awareness of the opportunities available for women in the construction industry and the growing role of women in the industry.

How will you recognize the women in your company and our industry this year? Here are a few ideas:

Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook where we will highlight local women working in construction. Click here to see examples from our 2021 campaign. Tag us if you are posting information on your social channels and we will share on our networks.
Give a shout out to the women in your company on social media during WIC Week and use hashtags like these: #wicweekNH, #wicweekVT, #wicweek2023, #NAWIC and of course, #abcnhvt. Here are examples from EnviroVantage, Fulcrum, and Methuen Construction.
Create a graphic to share on social media giving a shout out to the women in your company. You can use a free design program like Canva.com to create the image. We used Canva last year and created images for social media. Check it out and use this as inspiration if you'd like.
Visit the National Women in Construction (NAWIC) Granite State Chapter to see their upcoming programs and events.

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Future Leaders in Construction Coordinate Socks for Soldiers

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 04:24:56 GMT

This winter the 2022-2023 class of Future Leaders in Construction collected 1,000 pairs of socks to donate to local organizations that support veterans. The initiative, named "Socks for Soldiers," was born out of an activity in class. "Students came up with the idea during a class activity. A student suggested the concept, and everyone agreed it sounded like a great opportunity to give back to their local community," said Jennifer Landon, vice president of education and workforce development.

Students worked to collect the socks from their employers, and Landon delivered them to local organizations that work with veterans, including the VA Hospital in Laconia and Easters Seals Veteran’s Count in Manchester.

Future Leaders in Construction is a 12-month program designed for anyone who wants to make a positive impact on work and in life. Whether in the field or in the office, the shared experiences among participants from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences is one of the features that makes this program unique and impactful.

Thank you to the following companies who donated socks for the Socks to Soldiers initiative.

Cobb Hill
EnviroVantage
Fulcrum
Lewis Builders
NuTera Solutions
Optiline
Procon
RM Piper

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Celebrating Safety and Future Leaders in Construction

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 02:02:56 GMT

ABC NH/VT was honored to host a celebration on June 2 recognizing the accomplishments of graduates and participants from the chapter's education and Safety Awards programs. "It’s great to see so many of our members invest in their workforce and be committed to creating a safety culture of excellence," said Joshua Reap, ABC NH/VT president.

This year’s Future Leaders in Construction (FLiC) and Construction Supervision Certificate program were among the largest since the pandemic and had a lot of emerging stars in our industry.

ABC Construction Industry Safety Awards

ABC Construction Industry Safety Awards Program is designed to recognize commendable safety performance of individual firms. The awards intend to convey ABC’s strong support of safety performance in full recognition of the fact that each firm has the responsibility for execution of safety and to ensure an overall safe workplace. There are several categories, following Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code major groups as well as Suppliers.

SIC Code 15, Under 50,000 Personnel Hours

Sullivan Construction, LLC
Turnstone Corporation
Meridian Construction Corporation

SIC Code 15, Under 100,000 Personnel Hours

Fulcrum Associates
Eckman Construction Company, Inc.
Bonnett Page & Stone

SIC Code 15, Under 200,000 Personnel Hours

North Branch Construction, Inc.
Lewis Builders Development

SIC Code 15, Over 200,000 Personnel Hours

ProCon, LLC

SIC Code 15, Over 300,000 Personnel Hours

Methuen Construction

SIC Code 16, Under 50,000 Personnel Hours

R.M. Piper, Inc.

SIC Code 16, Under 100,000 Personnel Hours

St. Pierre, Inc.
Andrews Construction Co., Inc.
Leighton A. White, Inc.

SIC Code 16, Over 1M Personnel Hours

Cianbro Corporation

SIC Code 17, Under 100,000 Personnel Hours

Rose Steel, Inc.

SIC Code 17, Under 200,000 Personnel Hours

1. Damon Insulations Co., Inc.
2. Optiline Enterprises, LLC

SIC Code 17, Under 300,000 Personnel Hours

1. Control Technologies, Inc.
2. Granite State Plumbing & Heating

SIC Code 17, Over 300,000 Personnel Hours

DECCO Inc.
Metro Walls
EnviroVantage, Inc.

Supplier

Wallboard Supply Company - USLBM
Novel Iron Works, Inc.
LaValley Middleton Building Supply

ABC STEP Award

The ABC STEP Safety Management System, the standard for developing world-class safety management systems in construction, is designed to help both large and small contractors evaluate every aspect of their corporate safety and health programs and identify opportunities for improvement.

The companies listed below have demonstrated that they have gone above and beyond in all areas of health and safety excellence performance. In addition to their commitment to world-class health and safety at the highest level of the organization, the leadership team is actively engaged in identifying new innovative ways to keep their employees healthy and safe.

Platinum
Bonnette, Page & Stone Corp.
DECCO, Inc.
Sullivan Construction

Diamond
Fulcrum Associates, Inc.
Structural Associates, Inc.
W.M. Schultz Construction

Bronze
Johnson & Jordan, Inc.
Methuen Construction Co., Inc.
North Branch Construction

Construction Supervision Certificate Program

The ABC NH/VT Construction Supervision Certificate program is designed and instructed by construction industry professionals and subject matter experts. Program participants learn how to better plan, organize, communicate, and monitor daily activities. Participants listed below successfully completed all 10 courses and were awarded a Certificate of Achievement in Construction Supervision.

2021-2022 Future Leaders in Construction (FLiC) Graduates

From emerging leaders to established professionals, FLiC is designed for anyone who wants to make a positive impact on work and in life. Whether in the field or in the office, the shared experiences among participants from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences is one of the features that makes this program unique and impactful.

"It was another outstanding year. It's always exciting to see the progress over the course of the year," said Jennifer Landon, vice president of education and workforce development. "This year's Return on Investment (ROI) projects and presentations demonstrated the growth and development of these future leaders."

Thank you to our sponsors for this year’s FLiC program:

Leadership Sponsor: Lewis Builders Development, Inc.
Team Sponsors: Fulcrum Associate, Inc., Wallboard Supply, Inc., LHR Fire Protection, LLC
Lunch-n-Learn Sponsors: Optiline Enterprises, LLC, Methuen Construction Co., Inc.

Thank you to this year’s FLiC facilitators, Sue Losapio, Sophia Koustas and Jennifer Landon.

Joshua Jacques, Cormack Construction Management
Chris Spirito, Fulcrum Associates, Inc.
Brian Cesiro, H.P. Cummings Construction Company
Tom Christiana, H.P. Cummings Construction Company
Jason Colbeth, H.P. Cummings Construction Company
Gabe McGuigan, H.P. Cummings Construction Company
Drazen Smith, H.P. Cummings Construction Company
Michael Wright, H.P. Cummings Construction Company
Eric Knott, Knott's Land Care LLC
Trevor Colarusso, North Branch Construction
Cody Berthiaume, Al Terry Plumbing and Heating
Bennett Fay, Engelberth Construction
Kevin Horton, Engelberth Construction
Todd Brodeur, Fulcrum Associates
Megan Butcher, Fulcrum Associates
Kayla Gendreau, Fulcrum Associates
Kirk Oby, Fulcrum Associates
Charlie Lanza, Hampstead Area Water Company
Hannah Lloyd, Hampstead Area Water Company
Sean Coleman, Interstate Electrical Services
Frank Fichera, Interstate Electrical Services
Jim Fisher, Interstate Electrical Services
Chris Yasika, JDS Flooring
Kevin Roers, LHR Fire Protection
Greg Malette, North Branch Construction
Amanda Savage, North Branch Construction
Eric Mccrady, Optiline Enterprises
Martin Roy, Optiline Enterprises
Wheaton Weathers, Optiline Enterprises
Nate Rogers, Team Engineering

Offer Benefits for Fathers in Construction to Improve Employee Retention

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 17:45:13 GMT

Written by Doug Ramsthel - Partner and Executive Vice President at Burnham Benefits. Republished with persmission from Construction Executive June 10, 2022, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.

The challenge of finding employees is real across all aspects of the economy, but is particularly severe for the construction industry, which has seen continued significant growth from low interest rates, stimulus monies, increasing real estate values and pandemic inspired projects. The challenge of finding employees, let alone skilled employees, is likely to continue into the foreseeable future. Construction companies need to adapt to this new normal and offer what employees what they truly want.

As the pandemic continued, employees followed a tremendous burst of economic productivity with feelings of fatigue and burnout. This burn-out became widespread enough to earn the moniker “The Great Resignation.” But perhaps a better title is the “Great Reflection,” as employees do some soul searching, re-examining life priorities and the role of work. This may be one reason why the focus on mental health resources has become a much larger part of employee benefits programs.

Many studies show poor mental health and stress increase health care costs for chronic diseases, like high blood pressure, diabetes, as well as short-term health care needs. It is also clear that stress and mental health challenges affect worker productivity. These connections became clearer during the pandemic, resulting in employee benefits programs responding with several valuable resource including, access to free counseling sessions, virtual counseling services and subscriptions to apps for wellness, stress reduction and improved sleep.

INCREASED FAMILY LEAVE BENEFITS

During the last year, a lot of articles have been published about women in the workplace and the challenges faced balancing work and child care needs. Despite the advances of society to provide more equity between men and women, this one area of child care and rearing of newborns still seems to fall more on women than on men. This perspective has begun to shift to seeing a role for men in the child care process, but it has been very slow. Focusing on the health of the family and sources of family stress—namely, child care—could play a major role in reducing worker stress and improving worker productivity.

A very practical way to help families with the caregiving burden and stress is to support and enable the partner to take on more caregiving responsibilities at home. Allowing fathers with newborns to take time off by committing to paternity leave is a very simple way to reduce this burden.

The construction industry is clearly male dominated, and providing paternity leave as an employee benefit could be an innovative way to improve worker productivity, reduce worker stress and ultimately improve the ability to attract and retain skilled workers. It may seem counterintuitive to give workers time off work to take care of a newborn being good for business when every worker and every hour is valuable, but it is an investment that could pay of huge dividends.

In a recent study by McKinsey Global, “A fresh look at paternity leave: Why the benefits extend beyond the personal,” fathers involved in caregiving, and taking time off work to support working moms and partners, can provide significant and widespread advantages to the entire economy. The study concluded that when fathers have time off work to support their partners, overall family stress is reduced and the father (employee) is happier, more productive and has more satisfying and meaningful family relationships. The support for the partner by the father, allows a faster return to work by the partner helping the entire family finances. In this study of fathers who took time off, 79% were glad they took the leave and 71% noticed an improvement in the relationship with their partner.

Offering paternity leave will not immediately have an impact on a worker that is a new father, as company culture must be changed as well. In America, a work-hard culture has made it shameful for workers to take time off for vacation, sick time or really any reason at all. Fostering a culture that supports time off to recharge and focus on family will be a longer-term effort. But this effort should not be intimidating—start now and start small. Give new fathers some time off. It doesn’t need to match what new mothers get off for maternity leave, but a small start can go a long way, even just a week. Begin to create a company culture that encourages time off, assures employees that paternity leave will not have an impact on their career, and supports employee and their families by using more than just paternity leave.

Have You Considered Running for Office?

Tue, 31 May 2022 15:21:33 GMT

As you know, ABC NH/VT works tirelessly as the voice of the merit shop in the construction industry. As you can see by reading our philosophy, we advocate for smart legislation and public policies that promote a robust construction industry in the region.

Here in New Hampshire, that advocacy work comes within the context of state elections that occur every two years, and as you may have already noticed, 2022 is another election year.

There are 424 legislators who are elected to serve in Concord every two years – 400 State Representatives and 24 State Senators. Those legislators have the ability to file and vote on bills, while speaking up on issues critical to the construction industry.

So, why not consider running for office? There is always room for a smart, accomplished and principled member of the construction industry to serve in Concord.

The qualifications to be a State Senator are that you must: (a) be 30 years of age; (b) be a registered voter and domiciled in New Hampshire for at least 7 years; and (c) live in the senate district you are a candidate for.

The qualifications to be a State Representative are that you must: (a) be 18 years of age; (b) be a registered voter and domiciled in New Hampshire for at least 2 years; and (c) live in the town or ward you are a candidate for.

The filing period for all legislative seats opens on Wednesday June 1 and closes on Friday June 10. The primary election is on Tuesday September 13 and the general election is on Tuesday November 8.

The Secretary of State’s website has additional details on filing, and you can contact them directly at 603-271-3242 or elections@sos.nh.gov with any questions you may have.

If you or someone you know is interested, please also let us know, so we can help to answer any questions you have, including whether an incumbent candidate for office is a friend and supporter of the construction industry in New Hampshire.

Finally, if running for office isn’t an option for you, there are other ways for you to help us advocate between now and November. Please drop me a line at Josh@abcnht.org so we can discuss.

With thanks for considering this step in support of our construction industry in New Hampshire.

ABC Members Invested $1.6 Billion in Construction Workforce Education to Upskill 1.3 Million in 2021

Wed, 04 May 2022 19:32:50 GMT

WASHINGTON, May 4—Associated Builders and Contractors member contractors invested $1.6 billion to provide more than 1.3 million course attendees with craft, leadership and safety education in 2021, according to its 2022 Workforce Development Survey, up from $1.3 billion in 2020. The annual assessment quantifies the scope of ABC members’ workforce development initiatives to advance their employees’ careers in commercial and industrial construction to build the places where Americans live, work, learn, heal and play.

Safety education accounted for the greatest share—56%—of total workforce investment. Investment in craft education increased significantly to 34% of the total in 2021, up from 22% in 2020, responding to the need for an estimated 650,000 additional construction workers in 2022. General and construction management contractors boosted their share of the total workforce development investment to 65% in 2021 from 58% in 2020.

“ABC member contractors are building the people who build America by investing billions to cultivate their long-term skill sets, creating a brighter future for their workers and their families,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC’s vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development. “ABC member contractors are investing in flexible, competency-based and market-driven education methodologies to build a construction workforce that is safe, skilled and productive. Continually upskilling our people, our most valuable asset, means the merit shop construction industry is ready to realize the economic gains of the $1.2 trillion 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.”

Every $1 billion in extra construction spending generates an average of at least 3,900 new jobs.

Key findings from the survey include:

ABC member contractors invested an average of 7.4% of payroll on workforce education, or $112,412.
Women in management/supervisory roles ticked up to 19% in 2021 from 17% in 2020, and women in craft/trade roles increased from 14% to 15%.
ABC members educate almost four times as many trade/craft personnel than the next highest positions, field managers/superintendents.
ABC members invested in safety education for 51 employees, on average.
More than half of respondents (61%) reported a labor shortage of severe or very severe, citing an exodus of baby boomers as the top contributor.

ABC’s all-of-the-above approach to workforce development has produced a network of ABC chapters and affiliates across the country that offer more than 800 apprenticeship, craft, safety and management education programs—including more than 300 government-registered apprenticeship programs across 20 different occupations—to build the people who build America.

Industry consulting firm FMI conducted the 2022 Workforce Development Survey from Jan. 4 to Feb. 18, 2022. Aggregated data was derived by calculating the average amount spent on education by each respondent and multiplying that by the total number of ABC contractor members.

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ABC NH/VT Member Companies Are Six Times Safer Than the Construction Industry Average

Fri, 29 Apr 2022 03:37:00 GMT

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) has released its 2022 Safety Performance Report, an annual, comprehensive study of the impact of the STEP Safety Management System and guide to safety best practices on construction jobsites. The national report details the dramatic impact of using proactive safety practices to reduce recordable incidents by up to 84%, making the best-performing companies, such as DECCO Inc., 645% safer than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics construction industry average. The annual study is published to coincide with Construction Safety Week, May 2-6.

“ABC NH/VT and our contractor members understand that our people are our greatest asset, and we will continue to advance world-class safety through valuable resources like the Safety Performance Report,” said Joshua Reap, CEO & president of ABC NH/VT. “It is vital to create a culture of safety for each and every employee to complete their work without incident and go home safe and healthy every day.

The following ABC NH/VT members are STEP Award Recipients:

Bonnette, Page & Stone Corp., Platinum
DECCO, Inc., Platinum
Fulcrum Associates, Inc., Diamond
Johnson & Jordan, Inc., Bronze
Methuen Construction Co., Inc., Bronze
North Branch Construction, Bronze
Structural Associates, Inc., Diamond
Sullivan Construction, Platinum
W.M. Schultz Construction, Diamond

"World-class safety and total human health are integral parts of the culture of ABC STEP members companies—and it shows,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development. “STEP is a crucial ‘step’ any company can take to be safer. STEP Diamond members are more than six times safer than the industry average, achieving an 84% reduction in Total Recordable Incident Rates. ABC annually researches what truly makes a contractor safer than others—and this report quantifies those best practices and results.

ABC’s research on more than a billion hours of work completed by participants in the construction, heavy construction, civil engineering and specialty trades in 2021 identified the following proactive injury and hazard elimination best practices:

New hire safety orientation: Companies that conduct an in-depth indoctrination of new employees into their safety culture, systems and processes based on a documented orientation process experience reduce TRIR by 70% and their Days Away Restricted or Transferred rate by 72% compared to companies that limit their orientations to basic safety and health compliance topics.
Substance abuse prevention programs: Robust substance abuse prevention programs/policies with provisions for drug and alcohol testing where permitted lead to a 70% reduction in TRIR and a 73% reduction in DART rates.
Toolbox talks: Companies that conduct daily toolbox talks reduce TRIR by 76% and DART rates by 79% compared to companies that hold them monthly.
Top management engagement: Employer involvement in safety programs at the highest level of company management produces a 71% reduction in TRIR and DART rates.

ABC has studied how to improve construction jobsite safety through STEP since 1989. Participating ABC member firms measure their safety processes and policies on key components and criteria for best practices through a detailed questionnaire, with the goal of implementing or enhancing safety programs that reduce jobsite incident rates.

The 2022 ABC Safety Performance Report is based on submissions of unique company data gathered from members that deployed STEP in 2021. ABC collects each company’s trailing indicator data as reported on its annual Occupational Safety and Health Administration Form 300A (“Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses”) and its self-assessment of leading indicator practices from its STEP application. Each data point collected is sorted using statistically valid methodology developed by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for its annual Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Survey and then combined to produce analyses of STEP member performance against BLS industry average incident rates. The report demonstrates that applying world-class processes dramatically improves safety performance among participants regardless of company size or type of work.

The ABC 2022 Safety Performance Report is brought to you by ABC Tech Alliance member KPA, which provides safety management software, training and consulting to the construction industry.

STEP participants will be recognized at the ABC chapter’s annual Safety Awards and Graduation event on June 2 in Concord, NH.

Read the report at abc.org/spr.

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Associated Builders and Contractors is a national construction industry trade association established in 1950 that represents more than 21,000 members. Founded on the merit shop philosophy, ABC and its 69 chapters help members develop people, win work and deliver that work safely, ethically and profitably for the betterment of the communities in which ABC and its members work. Visit us at abc.org.

Biden’s Union Giveaway is a Lose-Lose for Taxpayers and NH & VT Hardhats

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 17:50:42 GMT

President Joe Biden’s visit to New Hampshire on Tuesday to tout the benefits of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill will be celebrated by construction union bosses who stand to gain from controversial Biden administration policies. These overreaching policies will cost taxpayers a fortune while undermining critical taxpayer investments in America’s infrastructure.

The Biden administration continues to take a dangerously partisan approach with its union-only policies, meaning New Hampshire and Vermont’s hardworking taxpayers are getting less and paying more. Yet, New Hampshire and Vermont have some of the lowest union rates in the country – because nearly 90% of hardhats choose not to belong to a union.

Taxpayers would be best served by the adoption of inclusive policies that encourage fair and open competition, which help all of America’s construction industry realize the potential of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. We cannot rebuild our nation’s crumbling infrastructure, increase accountability or reduce waste with PLAs.

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Joshua Reap, CEO & President, Associated Builders & Contractors NH/VT, is available for comment and may be reached at 603-717-1282 or Josh@abcnhvt.org.

Taxpayers Beware: Biden’s Union-Only Policies Undermine Infrastructure Investments

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 06:11:30 GMT

Josh Reap, CEO & President, Associated Builders & Contractors NH/VT

President Joe Biden’s visit to New Hampshire on Tuesday to tout the benefits of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill will be celebrated by construction union bosses who stand to gain from controversial Biden administration policies. Yet these overreaching policies are and will cost taxpayers a fortune while undermining critical taxpayer investments in America’s infrastructure.

The Biden administration continues to take a dangerously partisan approach with its union-only policies, meaning New Hampshire’s hardworking taxpayers are getting less and paying more. Back in February, the president signed Executive Order 14063 requiring federal construction contracts greater than $35 million to be subjected to bad policies called project labor agreements. PLAs are jobsite-specific union collective bargaining agreements that direct taxpayer-funded public works contracts to union-signatory contractors, giving unions a monopoly to build projects procured by federal agencies.

This administration’s union giveaway is a lose-lose for taxpayers and its business community and here is why.

First, when the government mandates PLAs, taxpayer dollars are squandered on public works because PLAs discourage competition from construction firms that employ 87% of New Hampshire’ construction workforce who freely choose not to join a union.

PLAs force qualified, local contractors to replace all or most of their current employees with workers from union halls and follow inefficient union rules, creating excessive cost burdens as well as safety and quality risks for high-performing nonunion contractors. Nonunion firms were awarded more than half of the federal government’s large-scale construction projects since 2009, and are more likely to be owned by women and minorities.

Second, for the few nonunion construction workers allowed to work on a PLA project, a third of their compensation is forfeited to union benefits plans unless they join a union, pay union fees and prop up multiemployer union pension plans.

Third, while PLAs create wage theft from nonunion workers, they increase construction costs by 12% to 20%, resulting in fewer construction projects and improvements to roads, bridges, utilities, schools, affordable housing and clean energy projects—and the creation of fewer jobs.

The Biden administration’s rationale for bombarding taxpayers with extra costs through anti-competitive labor agreements is shaky. It claims PLAs improve the quality of construction by employing skilled and highly paid union labor and prevent delays caused by union strikes. But all federal construction contracts are already subject to the Davis-Bacon Act of 1931, which requires contractors to pay government-set wages and benefits at union scale on most federal construction projects with or without a PLA. Construction jobs with PLAs have a mixed track record of strikes, cost overruns, delays and other problems.

Eliminating competition from the majority of New Hampshire’s experienced contractors and construction workers is not the answer to building long-lasting federal construction projects safely, on time and on budget—especially when America’s construction industry is facing a skilled labor shortage of 650,000 people in 2022.

New Hampshire taxpayers know firsthand the benefits of fair and open competition and the perils of government-mandated PLA schemes. Almost a decade ago, members of Associated Builders and Contractors of New Hampshire/Vermont sued to block the Obama administration’s Labor Department from requiring a PLA mandate on the construction of a U.S. Department of Labor Job Corps Center in Manchester.

In 2013, the PLA-free project drew three times as many bidders and bid prices that were 16% less than when the project was previously bid with a PLA mandate. PLA-free bidding saved taxpayers more than $6.2 million and allowed a local firm with local workers to build the project on time and on budget to the satisfaction of the DOL.

For these obvious reasons, when given the option, federal agencies mandated PLAs on just 12 out of nearly 2,075 large-scale federal construction projects since President Obama signed Executive Order 13502 in 2009. EO 13502 encourages the use of PLAs on federal projects on a case-by-case basis in contrast to Biden’s blanket PLA mandate.

Likewise, 24 states have laws restricting government-mandated PLAs on state and local construction projects. In addition, Republican governors are fighting back against other recent Biden administration policies pushing PLAs on federally assisted construction projects procured by state and local governments. Of note, the New Hampshire legislature has an opportunity to pass legislation (S.B. 274) prohibiting government-mandated PLAs and ensuring fair and open competition on state and state-assisted taxpayer-funded construction projects.

Workforce Recruitment Events - NH

Sat, 19 Feb 2022 02:21:26 GMT

Is your company looking for opportunities to connect with students interested in entering the trades? Browse this list of upcoming career fairs. Reach out to us if you have questions or would like to add an event to the list.

Pinkerton Academy - Derry, NH

Reverse Career Fair
Date/Time: May 17, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
A Career Fair that flips the table: Students create displays and presentations that showcase their talents. Employers then have the opportunity to circulate among the booths and introduce themselves to the students whose skills and abilities meet their needs. On-the-spot interview rooms available. Open to any company looking to hire students for opportunities directly after high school and for companies wanting to meet tomorrow's Engineers.

Click here to learn more and register.

Granite State Independent Living - Manchester

Seeking presenters for construction-related careers
Date:
May 24 - 9:30-12:00

Also looking to place students in work-based learning experiences.
To learn more, contact: Amanda Hall, Transition Specialist, Earn and Learn Program, Granite State Independent Living
Cell Phone: (603) 268-5945 | Direct Line: (603) 518-4609

Visit their website at gsil.org

Alvirne High School & Greater Hudson Area Career & Job Fair

You’re Invited to be a Vendor!

Date:May 25, Noon to 4pm
Location:Hudson Community Center (12 Lions Ave., Hudson)

As a valued industry partner with the Hudson School District, we invite you to participate in our first ever Job & Career Fair!Free for vendors.

Noon to 2pm will be dedicated to Students (we will be bussing them in)
2pm to 4pm is open to the General Public

Link to Register

Come setup a table and talk to students and the public about your summer jobs, part time/full time, temporary/permanent and other career opportunities within your organization.
Training providers and post-secondary schools are welcome too.
Email NH Employment Security JobFair@nhes.nh.gov with any questions.

The Power of Mental Health Awareness in the Construction Industry

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 06:21:31 GMT

By Todd Lofgren - Executive Vice President and General Manager, Skanska USA Building
Republished from Construction Executive, November 10, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. Copyright 2021. All rights reserved.

Physical safety is a big part of the construction industry culture, primarily because the dangers of the business are well-known and documented. Until recently, however, mental health issues were often overlooked. The COVID-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty and current political climate have brought mental health issues into the spotlight as companies look to keep their workers safe both mentally and physically.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, construction has the highest suicide rate of all industries and more construction workers die by suicide than by all other occupational injuries combined. Due to perceived social stigma around mental health issues, many individuals suffer in silence rather than seek help from colleagues or professionals.

With the right tools, construction managers can educate and empower workers to address mental health issues head on and build a culture of open communication.

Normalizing the conversation about mental health empowers individuals to talk about it and seek help. The more it is conveyed to employees that it is “okay to not be okay,” the more people will step forward to have open and honest conversations about their mental health. Companies whose leaders and employees have shared their own personal experiences with mental health or substance abuse or misuse lead by example and ultimately create a more open environment for their workers.

Fortunately, more company leaders are taking a proactive role in the conversation around mental health. Prior to the pandemic, many companies began to place more emphasis on the mental wellbeing of employees. On a more national scale, politicians, celebrities and athletes have been stressing the importance of mental health awareness now more than ever, including Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, who withdrew from the U.S. team and individual all-around Olympic events, citing the importance of her mental health.

One of Skanska’s core values is Care for Life. In addition to prioritizing physical safety on all jobsites, Skanska also promotes the general health and wellness of everyone on the team to protect employees, subcontractors and communities. As part of this, Skanska creates many opportunities to have much needed conversations about mental health. During Skanska’s Summer Leadership Workshop series, sessions were conducted about being an advocate for mental health. Employees learned how mental health is a fundamental component of wellbeing; and how to be an advocate for their own and others’ mental health.

Managers can also serve an important role in identifying potential mental health issues by conducting informal check ins with members of their team. Skanska has integrated a daily “stretch and flex” huddle to start each day on a job site, combining physical exercise with daily check-ins. Workers have the opportunity to warm up their bodies, while also grounding themselves mentally before the day starts.

Education is another crucial component. Investing in mental health training programs for leaders and managers is key to helping self-care remain a priority in the workplace. Skanska employees enrolled in the company’s health insurance plan have access to a robust resource center of in-network psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors and other additional services that promote mental health.

Construction safety requires workers to be at their best both physically and mentally so they can complete their tasks safely. Despite dramatic advances in awareness, prevention, intervention and treatment, mental health conditions and suicide prevention are still taboo topics of conversation. Continue to remind individuals that it is okay to show concern and have discussions about how people are feeling. If they are struggling, encourage them to seek assistance. Lastly, executives and leaders in the construction industry should consider their influence to make a positive impact on team members and peers inside and outside the organization.

Top Granite State Business Leaders Call on Senators Shaheen, Hassan to Reconsider Support of Pending Federal Labor Laws

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 22:46:50 GMT

At a press conference hosted by the Associated Builders and Contractors of New Hampshire and Vermont (ABC NH/VT), the Business and Industry Association (BIA) of New Hampshire, the New Hampshire Grocers Association, NFIB NH, and the New Hampshire Retailers Association, business leaders discussed how the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, pending federal legislation in Congress, could negatively impact workers and small businesses in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire business leaders fear that the PRO Act will cause irreparable damage to the state’s economy by harming small and local business as they attempt to navigate a fragile economic recovery. They also say the PRO Act would force employers to hand over private employee information to union organizers and subject them to unwanted harassment at their homes.

“The ‘PRO Act’ completely upends the carefully crafted 70-year balance between labor and management. It will inevitably result in unnecessary conflict between employees and employers. This is the last thing that businesses need as they struggle to adapt and survive to the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.” said BIA’s Interim President, Dave Juvet.

“The ‘PRO Act’ would require employers to turn over employee personal information without their consent” said Josh Reap, President and CEO of the Associated Builders and Contractors of NH/VT. He continued “what’s worse, employers and employees would be precluded from opting out of this requirement and would not have a say in which information was provided, leaving employees without a voice on such a critical issue.”

“The NH Retail Association, 95% of whose members are small NH based retailers, has serious concerns over the destructive impacts of the ‘PRO Act’. Citizens of New Hampshire value our privacy and legislators in both parties have enacted statutes that protect privacy. But the ‘PRO Act’ would strip workers of many privacy rights they currently have, including the right to cast a secret ballot in union elections. The ‘Pro Act’ is just not the New Hampshire way.” said Nancy Kyle, President and CEO of the New Hampshire Retail Association.

Hollie Noveletsky, CEO of Novel Iron Works in Greenland, NH, continued “We have been successful for generations in business because of the commitment and resilience of our employees. After COVID-19 and now out of control inflation, the ‘PRO Act’ would have the federal government dramatically interfere in how we operate – this would only hurt, not help Granite State workers and families.”

“I proudly served my nation and fought for our freedoms, including the freedom to start and grow a business absent untoward government intrusion” said noted combat veteran, Howard Ray of Lyndeborough, NH. He continued, “The ‘PRO Act” would make it far easier for unions to be imposed on companies and workers that don’t require or even want them. I chose my non-union job and my wife chooses to work as an independent contractor. The ‘PRO Act” would change all of that for me and my family just to please DC insiders and union bosses” said Ray.

Senators Shaheen and Hassan have co-sponsored the PRO Act and New Hampshire business leaders are calling on them to rescind their support of the legislation.

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About the PRO Act:

The Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act would drastically overhaul U.S. labor laws for the sole purpose of increasing union membership. The federal legislation takes away workers’ rights by repealing right-to-work laws in 27 states, forcing workers to pay union dues as a condition of employment and mandates that employers turn over the private information of their employees to union organizers taking away their right to privacy. The PRO Act also implements California’s “ABC test” which would force many employers, especially small businesses, to reclassify many independent workers as employees or lay them off which would especially impact work-from-home parents and gig economy workers. It also expands the joint-employer standard which will upend the franchising industry and hurt the small business owners that rely on the franchise business model. Bottomline - The PRO Act would impact nearly every business owner and worker in the U.S.

NCCER Looking for Subject Matter Experts

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 17:29:38 GMT

NCCER is looking for Subject Matter Experts (SME) with an understanding of the Superintendent role to provide feedback on draft materials for a new Superintendent Education Program.

Categories include:

Leadership
Safety
Execution and Contracting Strategy
Contracts/Procurement
Communication
Ethics
Risk Management
Scheduling
Cost Control
Scope Control
Quality
Logistics
Work and Work Planning
Resource Management
Constructability
Human Resources
Document Control/Organization
Claims
Construction Law
Emerging Practices
Value Engineering
Putting IT Together

Contact Jennifer Landon at jennifer@abcnhvt.org or call 603-496-2678 if you would like to submit your name to become a SME or to learn more.