Committees

ABC offers all of its members an opportunity to serve on a number of National committees and affiliate organizations. By providing valuable input to the Association's National Board of Directors, committees help establish the policies, priorities and objectives of ABC. Affiliate organizations address issues of concern to the merit shop construction industry.  In addition, the National Chairman may appoint special task forces to study specific issues and make recommendations for action.
 
If you are interested in serving on a committee, click on the volunteer application below.  Please return completed forms to ABC's Director of Chapter Development, Mike Kobylka, at [email protected].  if you are selected to serve on a committee, you will be notified in December. Service terms begin on January 1.  Before submitting your application, please review the committee member job description and the volunteer agreement. 

Volunteer Application 
Committee Member Job Description 
Volunteer Agreement 

In accordance with the ABC financial policy on committee and board travel as outlined in the ABC policy & procedures manual, all requests for reimbursement must be submitted by completing this form and sent together with copies of original receipts within 90 days of the relevant meeting.

Committee travel expenses will not be reimbursed for meetings held in conjunction with the first national board meeting of the calendar year. The typical budget contemplates reimbursing national committee members for two meetings per calendar year.  

Committee Member Reimbursement Form  

 

Chapter Services Committees

Membership Development Committee

Description: The Committee supports the ABC strategic goal to continuously grow and deliver value to a diverse and committed membership. Utilizing a grassroots approach, the Membership Development Committee creates a relationship with chapters built on principles of high trust and collaboration to deliver useful membership development products and services as determined by chapter need and in a data-driven, strategic manner.

Eligibility: The Membership Development Committee is open to all ABC members.


 

 

Government Affairs Committees

Legislative Committee

Description: The committee supports the ABC strategic goal of increasing political influence of the Association to advance the merit shop philosophy and free enterprise. It is responsible for evaluating the Association's government policies as they relate to workplace issues to ensure consistent compliance with those policies. The Legislative Committee is the Association's voice to ensure that ABC continues to be recognized as the premier resource for construction workplace issues before the federal, legislative, executive, and judicial branches. These workplace issues consist of labor-management relations, union market recovery programs, and unnecessary federal government interference in the workplace. The committee will meet at various times during the year to discuss new trends and issues in the industry, evaluate various legislative proposals, develop strategies for legislative initiatives, and establish issue priorities. Committee members may be called upon to meet with members of Congress to educate them on ABC's concerns and the construction industry in general.

Eligibility: The Legislative Committee is open to ABC members who are owners, human resource professionals, and other company officials who deal with workplace issues on a day-to-day basis.

Learn more about the Legislative Committee  

Political Action Committee 

Description: The committee supports the ABC strategic goal to increase the political influence of ABC to advance the merit shop philosophy and free enterprise. The purpose of ABC's Political Action Committee (PAC) is to work within the federal election process to further the goals of the association. This is accomplished through educating ABC members on the importance of political activism and through financial support of merit shop federal candidates. The PAC is governed by a board of 17 members who are appointed by the ABC national chairman on a regional basis to serve a term of three years. The PAC trustees work with the regional vice chairs and chapter leadership to promote political involvement and assist in raising PAC funds. Members of this committee also approve all disbursements based on well-established guidelines, such as voting records of incumbents. 

Eligibility: Potential trustees must demonstrate an interest in national politics, as well as fundraising. Evidence of this interest can be established from the individual’s participation on chapter-level legislative, grassroots, or PAC committees, or in leadership positions, such as national board member or chapter chairman. He or she must also have the support of the board of trustees chair before the nomination is sent to the ABC national chairman for appointment. Per the bylaws, the board shall be composed of 17 trustees serving three-year terms. At least two trustees shall be from each of the eight ABC regions.   

Learn more about the Political Action Committee

Free Enterprise Alliance

Description: The Free Enterprise Alliance (FEA) supports the ABC strategic goal to increase the political influence of ABC to advance the merit shop philosophy and free enterprise. It was founded in 2001 to advocate for the voice of small businesses, as well as open and fair competition. As the issue advocacy arm of ABC, the FEA’s mission has been to educate our members, their employees, elected officials, and the public about the issues important to free markets and open competition. Since its inception, it has fought for these goals through small and large issue advocacy and educational campaigns across the country. The FEA is governed by a board of ABC members who are appointed by the ABC national chair and serve at their discretion. The board works with the regional vice chairs and chapter leadership to promote political involvement and assist in raising FEA funds. Members of this committee also approve all disbursements based on well-established guidelines and deliberation.

Eligibility: Potential trustees must demonstrate an interest in fundraising, as well as national and state politics. Evidence of this interest can be established from the individual’s participation on chapter-level legislative, grassroots, or PAC committees, or in leadership positions, such as national board member or chapter chairman. He or she must also have the support of the board of trustees chair before the nomination is sent to the ABC national chairman for appointment.

Learn more about the Free Enterprise Alliance

 

Member Services Committees

Business Development Committee

Description:  The committee supports the ABC strategic goal to continuously grow and deliver value to a diverse and committed membership.  It works to improve business opportunities for merit shop contractors by becoming the recognized resource for construction users. Activities include developing programs to encourage owners to use merit shop contractors’ services; assisting chapters in implementing successful business development programs; developing programs to help members gain work from each other; communicating in a positive manner with owners and buyers on a regular basis; and recognizing and publicizing outstanding merit shop construction projects and firms through the national Excellence in Construction awards program and the Accredited Quality Contractor program.

In addition, the committee reviews ideas and provides guidance on business partnerships entertained and managed by ABC National. This includes making a recommendation to staff that a specific business proposal would be operationally good for a number of member segments, provide a benefit to members superior to what members could obtain independently, and provide the Association and chapters with significant revenue share with good growth potential over the first few years of the partnership.  Other activities include providing input on the marketing of current programs and working with chapters to maximize program growth.

Eligibility: The Business Development Committee is open to all ABC members with marketing and business development experience.

Inclusion, Diversity and Merit Committee

Description: The committee supports the ABC strategic goal to continuously grow and deliver value to a diverse and committed membership. The mission of this committee is to provide leadership and direction to chapters and member companies to embrace diversity as an empowering competitive advantage through education, awareness, and business practices.

Eligibility: The Inclusion, Diversity and Merit Committee is open to all ABC members.

Learn more about the Inclusion, Diversity and Merit Committee

Diversity Resource Groups

Diversity Resource Groups (DRGs) are voluntary associations of people who have common interests, which may center on race/ethnicity, gender, etc. These groups can play a vital role in articulating, promoting, and supporting the needs and goals of their various constituencies.

Learn more about Diversity Resource Groups 

Standing Committees

Budget & Finance Committee

Description: This Committee monitors and reviews the budget, current financial status, yearly IRS Form 990 information return, and annual audit. It makes recommendations to the Executive Committee and National Board about auditors, investment managers, and policy issues related to the financial management of ABC. It develops tools to assist chapters in financial activities.

Eligibility: Per ABC Bylaws, the Budget & Finance Committee shall consist of the Secretary/Treasurer who shall serve as chairman and at least five members appointed by the Chairman. It shall prepare estimates of income and expenditures, prepare budgets, and make other recommendations regarding finances to the Board.

Learn more about the Budget & Finance Committee

Bylaws & Policy Committee

Description: This committee is charged with maintaining the policies and procedures of the association. It reviews meeting minutes of the executive committee and national board of directors for conformity with the national association's bylaws and policy manual. The committee also acts as adviser to the national chairman upon request.

Eligibility: Per ABC bylaws, the Bylaws & Policies committee shall consist of a chairman and those additional members appointed by the chairman. It shall ensure that all actions by the association are in conformity with the association bylaws and policies & procedures manual. The committee chairman shall serve as the parliamentarian for the association.

Learn more about the Bylaws & Policy Committee

Chapter Development Committee

Description: The committee supports the ABC strategic goal to be an association of high trust, high collaboration, and effective communication to deliver value to our members. The committee is charged with developing and applying benchmarks that will guide chapters to become high-performing. The Chapter Development Committee is responsible for identifying individual chapter capacity and utilizing tools that identify areas of improvement. Tools available include best practices from across the organization,  chapter quarterly report program, chapter standards accreditation process, chapter participation in national activities, and membership trends. Based on this information, the committee proactively provides recommendations to chapters on opportunities for increasing member value.

Eligibility: The chapter development committee is comprised of both members and chapter presidents, each with equal voting rights. A member is required to be the chair of the committee, and members hold the majority of the seats on the committee. All committee members serve at the pleasure of the national chair.

Compensation Committee

Description: The committee annually reviews the compensation of the ABC National President and CEO and any key employees as defined by applicable IRS regulations. The committee reviews data as to comparable compensation for similarly qualified persons in functionally comparable positions at similarly situated organizations. The committee is also tasked with carrying out contemporaneous documentation and recordkeeping with respect to the deliberations and decisions regarding the compensation arrangement.

Eligibility: Executive Committee members, with no conflict of interest in respect to the compensation under review in accordance with applicable IRS regulations, are eligible to serve on the Compensation Committee.

Learn more about the Compensation Committee

Nominating & Certification Committee

Description: The committee requests and receives from chapters the names of candidates for office in the consult with current officers regarding their willingness to serve. The committee also certifies all nominees for elected national office prior to their presentation to the national board of directors, serving as the board of electors, for consideration.

Eligibility: The committee consists of a chairman, the last three past chairmen of the association available to serve, and one chapter chairman who served in that office during the previous year from each of the association's regions chosen by each region. The immediate past national chairman serves as chairman of the committee.              

Learn more about the Nominating & Certification Committee

 

Foundations & Trusts

Construction Legal Rights Foundation

Description: The  Construction Legal Rights Foundation supports precedent-setting legal efforts aimed at preserving and advancing the merit construction principles. The foundation has funded hundreds of cases in cooperation with ABC, ABC chapters, and members. In addition, the foundation funds issue advocacy campaigns which include, ABC national, chapter, and member efforts to ensure fair and open competition for taxpayer-funded construction projects. ABC staff are available to help members and chapters apply.  

Eligibility: Trustees shall be appointed by the chairman of Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. (ABC), a trade association accorded section 501(c)(6) status by the internal revenue service. Each trustee shall hold office for a renewable term of three years and until a successor shall have been appointed by the chairman of ABC and qualify. Each trustee who chooses to serve beyond his/her three-year term may be re-appointed by the chairman of ABC. The number of trustees shall be twelve. A minimum of ten trustees must be current contractor members in good standing with ABC, of which three members shall currently hold or have held positions on the ABC board of directors or a national committee of ABC.

ABC Insurance Trust

Description: ABC insurance trustees set the overall policy and direction of the ABC Insurance Trust program, meet with the insurance company representative to review plan design options, financial results of the program and act in the best interests of the plan participants.

Eligibility: Trustees are selected from participating employers in the plan. 

ABC Services Corps

Description: ABCSC, a wholly-owned for-profit subsidiary of ABC, serves as the publisher of Construction Executive magazine.

Eligibility: The chairman of ABC National, with the consent of a majority of the members of the national executive committee, appoints a secretary/treasurer, two current members of the national executive committee, and three members-at-large to staggered three-year terms. The association’s current Chapter Presidents’ Council chair appoints a chapter president to serve a three-year term in a non-voting capacity. The association president serves ex officio. 

Trimmer Construction Education Fund

Description: The  TCEF's purpose is to raise funds in support of ABC's education and workforce development programs. The TCEF awards grants and scholarships for construction education, training, and safety.

Eligibility: Members shall be appointed by the chairman of ABC National. 

Retirement Committee

Description: The committee shall supervise the investment of the assets of the plan and make all decisions concerning selection and retention of the investment options available under the plan. Accordingly, the committee shall have authority both to select and monitor funds and to appoint investment managers (see definition below). To assist with the process of fund evaluation and investment manager information, the committee shall have the authority and responsibility both to select and monitor an investment advisor. Decisions of the committee on investment policy, the selection of investments and/or investment managers, performance analysis and investment monitoring, etc., may but need not be based on the recommendations of an investment advisor engaged to advise the committee on such matters.  

Eligibility: The chairman of ABC national, with the consent of a majority of the members of the national executive committee, appoints a secretary/treasurer, two current members of the national executive committee and three members at-large to staggered three-year terms. The association’s current Chapter Presidents’ Council chair appoints a chapter president to serve a three-year term in a non-voting capacity. The association president serves ex officio. Agement company) qualified under ERISA, to whom the fiduciaries delegate responsibility for investing and managing plan assets in accordance with this investment policy statement and applicable law. 

Eligibility: Chapter presidents are on a rotation. The executive committee chapter president liaison will serve on the committee for two years and the other nominated chapter president on the committee for a four year commitment. This allows more continuity of knowledge for decisions.

Learn more about the Retirement Committee
 

Councils

Electrical & Mechanical Contractors Council

Description: The Council works to identify and provide ABC initiatives that are tailored specifically to the needs of ABC electrical and mechanical contractor members.

Eligibility: The Council is open to ABC contractor members in the electrical and/or mechanical trade.

Learn more about the Electrical & Mechanical Contractors Council 

Elevator Contractors Council (ECC)

Description: The ABC Elevator Contractors Council (ECC), formerly known as the Merit Elevator Contractors Association of America (MECAA), is a group of ABC members that banded together to advance and grow the merit shop elevator sector of the construction industry.  The group, which started as the ABC ECC and later became a standalone organization, rejoined ABC in 2012. 

Eligibility: Any ABC member in good standing with an interest in advancing the merit shop elevator industry is eligible to participate.

Learn more about the Elevator Contractors Council 

Workforce Development

Workforce Development Committee

Description: The Committee supports the ABC strategic goal to be the leading force in the construction industry for workforce development and education. To align with the Association's strategic plan in the area of workforce development, the Committee delivers industry-leading programs and initiatives. The Committee provides professional development offerings to chapters and member companies. It is also tasked with identifying and developing resources that assist in attracting, engaging, and retaining construction professionals. 

The Committee supports the ABC strategic goal to be the leader in the construction industry for workforce development, education, and the use of innovative education technology to develop highly skilled and safe construction professionals. The Committee delivers industry-leading programs and initiatives by:

  1. Developing resources that assist in attracting and retaining construction professionals
  2. Identifying and promoting education technology to support and enhance education efforts
  3. Promoting the National Student Chapter Network, Construction Management Competition, and National Craft Championships
  4. Promoting skill, education, and professional development offerings to chapters and member companies (i.e., sharing best practices, leadership development, safety, registered apprenticeship, and craft education programs)
  5. Providing input and guidance for staff education and professional development (i.e., Construction Education Professionals Certification), education professionals orientation, and communications efforts 

Learn more about the Workforce Development Committee

Health & Safety Committee

Description:  The committee supports the ABC strategic goal to establish ABC’s members as the “world-class” standard for health, safety, and environment in the construction industry. The mission of the Health & Safety committee is to provide leadership and direction to chapters and their members regarding safety, environmental and health issues. The committee's goals are to save, protect, and enhance the lives of workers and the community; to bring about a renewed commitment to safety and health in the construction industry, and to increase the productivity and competitiveness of ABC member companies.

Eligibility: The Health & Safety Committee is open to all ABC members. 

Learn more about the Health & Safety Committee

Construction Management Competition Committee

Description: The committee supports the ABC strategic goal to be the leading force in the construction industry for workforce development and training. It is a group of project managers whose task is to design the project for the student management competition held annually at institute. Since the focus of the committee is project-based, the meetings tend to be scheduled around the timing of the event. The committee meets both at the ABC national office and at committee members’ offices to coordinate the project for the competition.   

Eligibility: Project managers from ABC member companies are eligible for participation. 

Learn more about the Construction Management Competition Committee

National Craft Championships Committee

Description: The committee supports the ABC strategic goal to be the leading force in the construction industry for workforce development and training. It is a group of craft professionals whose task is to design the craft competition for the national craft championships competition held annually at national convention. Since the focus of the committee is project-based, the purpose of the group's meetings and conference calls is to coordinate projects for each craft within the competition and tend to be scheduled around the timing of the event.

Eligibility: All ABC members, journey-level craft professionals, and above are eligible. Committee positions are on a three-tier system: assistant project manager, project manager, and leadership, which includes vice chair, chair, strategic chair, and past chair. Members may serve up to three years in each tier, for a total of six years, unless asked to serve in a leadership role or remain on the committee to protect the integrity of the competition. Members from the same company cannot be in the same tier. 

Learn more about the National Craft Championships Committee

Construction Technology and Innovation 

Construction Technology and Innovation Committee

Description: The committee supports the ABC strategic goal of delivering technology thought leadership and value to a diverse and committed membership. The committee is directed to understand member needs for technology solutions so that it can deploy the best resources possible to support the innovative needs of ABC’s members.

The committee approves Tech Alliance membership, reviews Tech Marketplace requests, and provides educational and informative resources for ABC members on technology.

Through the committees' educational strategies of understanding member needs, collaborating with technology providers, and providing resources to members, like its annual technology report, it will help our members use construction technology to be safer, win work, and be more profitable.

The committee supports all pillars of ABC’s strategic plan in some capacity, as technology and innovation are integrated into each pillar of our plan to support our members and the construction industry at large.

Eligibility: The Construction Technology and Innovation Committee is open to all ABC members.