April 28th, 2008

J.R. Filanc San Diego State University Construction & Engineering Management Program (CEM) Presented…

The Distinguished Lecture on Construction Ethics

By Jim Ryan, AGCSD Executive Vice President

On Thursday evening last week, the inaugural J.R. Filanc Distinguished Lecture on Construction Ethics was hosted by the SDSU CEM Program.  This symposium was initiated as part of the $3 million donation to the CEM Program by Jack and Jane Filanc. 

Jack Filanc addressed the attendees, which included a mix of students, AGC members, and university officials. It was clear that Jack’s purpose in making the Symposium part of the bequest was to expose industry leaders and students to the importance of ethics in our industry. 

The keynote speaker was 84-year-old Oscar Boldt, the Chairman of the Boldt Company, a construction company based in Wisconsin.  Mr. Boldt’s message was powerful. His firm has been in business since 1889, under the same family ownership.  It now operates from 12 locations, and is approaching $1 billion per year in sales.  He attributes much of the firm’s success to its long-term commitment to ethics. His message was strong and important.

To be honest, when SDSU approved the program, I suspect that I was not alone in trying to visualize a program in construction ethics. Ethics…we know they are important, but….we are in the most competitive of industries.  In order to survive, sometimes it is necessary to rationalize our day-to-day actions.  An owner short of funds refused to pay; a general that has a bad job “shares” the problem with subs and suppliers; a subcontractor takes advantage of a poorly written specification; a supplier maneuvers a proprietary specification when its not really necessary; a union leader uses “greenmail” to secure work for his union members; a union pickets owners calling the pickets banners; the list goes on and on….  We all get the picture…we all understand.  There are a million “shades of gray.”

So, about half way through the evening, it hit me…in 30+ years in this industry, this was the first time I have experienced  a program in which an industry group has come together for a few hours to focus on ethics in our industry.  It was especially refreshing to see the SDSU CEM students there…and paying attention!

Jack, it was a great idea to sponsor this event. Dr. Ken Walsh, Professor AGC- Paul S. Roel Chair in Construction Engineering and Management, J.R. Filanc CEM Program, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, SDSU, we urge you to make this an annual event.  I suspect our Board will agree to strongly promote and support your efforts concerning this symposium in the future.

Nice job Jack and Ken!

With Good News in Tow, Navy Liaison Committee Members are off to Washington, D.C.

It was Tax Day on April 15, but you would never had known it by the large attendance at AGC’s Navy Liaison Committee meeting.  Over 40 committee members attended the meeting and received good news from the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Southwest Division….$1.7 billion of Military Construction/Capital Improvements in Fiscal Year ’09, $2.3 billion in Fiscal Year ’10, and $1.5 billion in Fiscal Year ’11.    NAVFAC’s construction program is rapidly rising, and includes some major acquisitions:

·         Marine Corps Barracks Recapitalization (FY ’08-12, 45 projects, $1.5 billion)

·         Marine Corps “Grow the Force” Initiative (FY ’07-11, 50+ projects, $1+ billion)

·         Base Realignment and Closure Construction (FY ’07-10, 31 projects, $325 million)

·         DLA Fuel Farm at Point Loma (FY ’08-10, incremental funding, $140 million)

·         CVN Homeporting at Coronado (FY ’09, 1 project, $37 million)

Now it’s off to Washington D.C. for the Annual AGC Federal Contractors Conference.  On Wednesday through Friday, AGC members throughout the Country meet with leaders from the Air Force, General Services Administration, the Corps of Engineers, and NAVFAC.  AGC San Diego is always well represented at this conference…this year with Tex Barnhart (Barnhart, Inc.), Nigel Cary (Cox Construction), Dave Carlin (Soltek Pacific), Diane Dion (I.E. Pacific), Dave Golden (Harper Construction), Jeff Harper (Harper Construction), Bob Mhyre (Straub Construction), and George Rogers (RQ Construction).  Doug Barnhart (Barnhart, Inc), President of AGC of America, also will be in attendance.

Some of the agenda items for the meeting with NAVFAC include:

Military Construction/BRAC/”Grow the Force”

Construction Timetables

Improvements for NAVFAC Project Administration

Update on Privatization Initiatives

Authority of Contracting Officer Representatives

MATOCs and SATOCs Under Legal Scrutiny

LEED Ratings and Building Information Modeling (BIM) – at the request of AGC San Diego

Attendees will discuss what is working well and how NAVFAC is conducting its design build acquisitions; what is not working or could be improved; the top 10 things that make it more expensive to do business with NAVFAC; the five things NAVFAC could do to make its projects more attractive to industry.

Congressional visits are on tap for Thursday, and attendees will have an opportunity to discuss these and other issues important to the industry, such as repealing the 3% withholding tax on government contracts, increasing investment in our nation’s infrastructure, and supporting comprehensive immigration reform.

It is expected to be a busy three days in our nation’s Capitol…

“Politics 101” - Legislative Day in Sacramento, June 18

If you want to see "political action" first hand, please consider attending AGC's Annual Legislative Day in Sacramento on June 18.

Every year, nearly 100 members from AGC San Diego and AGC-California trek to Sacramento to talk "construction" issues with legislators.  This one-day visit to the State Capitol provides an up-close view of the legislative process and allows an opportunity for members to hear from legislative leaders, the Governor's Administration, and other political insiders.

We have received some good reviews from our "first timers" on this trip, and we have a number of AGC Board members who attend every year.  That is a good indication this trip to Sacramento is a good one!

We encourage you to participate in our Legislative Day on June 18.  We have attached a memo/registration form that has additional information.  We hope you will consider participating in this informative trip to our State’s Capitol!

AGC across America is Truly Making a Difference

By Marcy Knopman, AGC Staff Coordinating the AGC’s Backpack Program & RaeMarie Blaha, AGC Staff

AGC of America Chapters from across the United States have joined together to support our troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The Chapters have donated $108,050 (San Diego members have donated $56,000) to date for backpacks that give those wounded heroes the essentials they need to make them more comfortable during their hospital stay.

AGC San Diego Chapter members stepped up to volunteer last Friday, April 25^th to help “build the backpacks” for Rescue Task Force (RTF). There were so many volunteers willing to serve this cause that we had to create a waiting list for all those additional members who wished to participate.

The volunteers from AGC member firms included Kara Adams, Jaynes Corporation; Dana Apodaca, Casper Company; Janeece August, I.E. Pacific, Inc.; Nicole Bavard, Jaynes Corporation; Sandy Brown, Sierra Pacific West, Inc.; Monica Carlin, Soltek Pacific Construction Co.; Terry Case, ThyssenKrupp Safway, Inc.; Jason Donnelly, Trench Shoring Co.; Elias Espino, AGC SDSU Chapter; Eileen Facilla, Johnson, Barnes, & Finch, Inc.; Tesla Gallardo, Casper Company; Don Glover, Enterprise Fleet Management; Dale Harshaw, UnionBanc Insurance Services; Alex Herbert, Data Net Solutions Group, Inc.; Ben Meyers, McCarthy Building Companies; Karen Monroe, Archer Western Contractors, Ltd;  Diane Sandoval, Jaynes Corporation; Meredith Schuler, Burch Construction Co., Inc.; Clint Sharp, McCarthy Building Companies; Jordan Swanson, McCarthy Building Companies; Sherri Summers, EC Constructors, Inc.; Donna Walton, Bilbro Construction Co., Inc.; Debbie Wheat, ISEC,Inc.; Mark Wolfenden, CG Electric, and three AGC staff members that helped facilitate the entire production included RaeMarie Blaha, Rae Krushensky, and Marcy Knopman.

These volunteer “worker bees” assembled 80 backpacks in less than 2 hours.  The first hour was dedicated to unloading boxes of the valuable items for the wounded soldiers, and setting up an assembly line of an array of stations that included toiletries, clothing and footwear, electronics/communications, literature, letters of appreciation, and more. The second hour was the actual “building of the backpacks,” in which some of the team of volunteers had a “shopping list” of items and assembled the contents of the backpacks, where the other team of volunteers packaged and labeled the sizes for sweat outfits, t-shirts, flip-flops, and clothing. 

Each backpack is imprinted with the AGC of America logo of “Skill, Integrity, and Responsibility….the same tenets that our military heroes exemplify daily in their dedication to our country.

Each volunteer left knowing that they, as an individual, played a small part in the big picture of supporting our troops trough Rescue Task Force efforts of “Happy Hearts for Wounded Heroes.”  For more information on all the programs RTF is involved with, go to www.rescuetaskforce.org.
 

Recovering soldier from Walter Reed, Army Medical Center in Washington D.C. takes time to send a heartfelt thank you, “Thank you so much for the backpack and the kind words. They are very much appreciated” Signed Chris Levi.

May 12- Spring Golf – SOLD OUT!

May 20- AGC Mixer at Seau’s ……………………………………………………………………REGISTRATION FORM

June 10- Baseball Bash ……………………………………………………………………………REGISTRATION FORM

July 18- Day at the Races  

August 4- Affiliate Day Golf …………………………………….…..…………………………....REGISTRATION……..EXHIBITORS/SPONSORS

October 11- AGC Family Western Day BBQ……………………………………………………SAVE THE DATE FLYER

October 29 - AGC’s 2008 Southern California Construction Technology Event…………EXHIBITOR PACKET