Inside AGC — May/June 2006

Chapter Corner: Chapter of the Year Awards Honor the Best of 2005

AGC's Chapter of the Year Awards annually recognize AGC chapters that best serve members and further the cause of leading the construction industry. This year's winners showed both creativity and dedication to their members and the overall good of the construction industry.

AGC of California was awarded the 2005 Large Chapter of the Year, an honor given to chapters with an annual budget of more than $750,000. AGC of California led proactive government affairs efforts to secure funding for Proposition 42, which has not been funded since its passage in 2003, and allocated more than $1.3 billion in transportation construction dollars.

AGC of California's Chapter of the Year Award Recipients: (L-R) AGC of California CEO Tom Holsman; AGC Past President Sam Hunter; AGC of California representatives Senior VP Steve Blois, Pam Gray and President Mark Lindquist.	Wyoming Contractors Association's Chapter of the Year Award Recipients: (L-R) WCA CEO Charlie Ware; AGC Past President Sam Hunter; WCA representatives 2005 President Curt Hovet and 2006 President Shane Aulick.

This measure was passed by 70 percent of voters, and AGC members raised more than $3 million to campaign for these efforts. Members also participated in press conferences with the governor during the budget-signing ceremony. AGC of California's Political Action Committee raised more than $130,000 to support construction in 2005.

AGC of California was called upon several times during the year to lead the industry in various regulatory efforts. It helped develop standards for, and was the only provider of, training documents that comply with the California/Occupational Safety and Health Administration heat-stress regulation. AGC of California also successfully advocated for a stay of enforcement for the prevailing wage for on-haul/off-haul trucking.

AGC of California led efforts to educate the current work force and encourage the next generation of workers to join the construction industry. The chapter held two construction career days that attracted more than 1,000 students. The chapter also held more than 25 training sessions, conducted the chapter's first certified Executive Leadership Course in 2005 and sponsored seminars on communications and grass roots involvement.

AGC of California also received the 2005 James E. Cashman Trophy, an award that acknowledges the chapter with the most effective membership program.

The Wyoming Contractors Association received the 2005 Small Chapter of the Year Award, an honor given to chapters with an annual budget of less than $750,000. WCA's strong government affairs team lobbied for and ensured passage of a multi-lane construction bill for Wyoming highways. WCA's PAC is the third-largest in the state, and candidates actively seek WCA's endorsement.

WCA has demonstrated amazing efforts in the area of work-force development and was awarded more than $2.9 million in training grants in 2005. Since 1999, WCA's education foundation has established a regional training center that has trained more than 4,500 students. The foundation also annually awards six scholarships to civil, architectural and mechanical engineering students at the University of Wyoming.

WCA has won an AGC Chapter public relations award, was awarded AGC of America's President's Coin-an honor given to exemplary chapters for the construction of its $1.5 million McMurray Regional Training Center in Casper, Wyo., and won the AGC James E. Cashman trophy in 2002. Operating for nearly 75 years, WCA continues to lead Wyoming as the voice of the construction industry.

The AGC Las Vegas Chapter received the 2005 J. Howard Mock Award, given to the chapter with the best overall net growth in membership, for its 20 percent increase in membership.