The 2018 Design-Build Project award winners were announced at an awards dinner during the Design-Build Conference & Expo, Nov. 7-9 in New Orleans. From university buildings to bridge replacements, this year’s winners are some of the best construction projects in the country. Several ABC members are part of award-winning teams and were honored by DBIA for their accomplishments.

The ABC Western Michigan Chapter announced its first-ever construction technology and innovation conference, which will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Nearly 350 construction industry professionals from cities across the country will gather to be inspired by numerous education sessions, exhibitor displays and live demonstrations—all centered around the advancement of technology.

The ABC Board of Directors elected Tony Rader, telecom vice president for National Roofing Partners, to serve as the 2019 national chair during the association’s annual Leadership Institute in Las Vegas. Ray Zamora, president of AnchorBuilt Inc., was elected chair-elect, and Steve Klessig, vice president of architecture and engineering, Keller Inc., was elected secretary. 

On Nov. 9, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration published a final rule that updates its standard for cranes and derricks in construction to ensure crane operators are qualified to safely operate equipment. The final rule requires employers to train operators as needed to perform assigned crane activities, evaluate them and document successful completion of the evaluations. 

The Construction Legal Rights Foundation supports efforts to preserve, protect and defend the free enterprise system in the construction industry. Watch ABC’s new video to find out how the foundation offers financial support through legal and issue advocacy campaigns. 

Construction prices rose 0.5 percent in October and are 7.9 percent high than at the same time a year ago, according to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data conducted by ABC. Prices for nonresidential construction inputs also increased 0.5 percent on a month-over-month basis and are up by more than 8 percent on a year-over-year basis. 

Last night, Chuck Goodrich, president and CEO of Gaylor Electric Inc. and the immediate past chair of ABC, was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives for District 29, beating Democrat Tracy Roberts for the House of Representatives seat representing Noblesville 65 percent to 35 percent.

While some races have yet to be decided, the American electorate voted for Democrats to take the House majority while increasing the Senate majority held by Republicans. The number of seats controlled by Democrats in the House of Representatives is projected to be around 230 seats, with Republicans holding around 206 seats, giving Democrats a majority of approximately 24 seats.

Eugene Jowers, a Project JumpStart graduate and employee of ABC member Regional Contracting Services, was featured in a Nov. 2 CNBC segment that also ran on PBS Nightly Business Report highlighting ABC’s efforts to attract more workers to the construction industry. 

On Oct. 31, ABC submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency in support of the Affordable Clean Energy proposed rule, officially titled Emission Guidelines for Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Existing Electric Utility Generating Units; Revisions to Emission Guideline Implementing Regulations; Revisions to New Source Review Program. If finalized, the ACE rule would replace the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan with revised emissions guidelines, propose new regulations to direct both EPA and the states on the implementation of emission guidelines and revise the New Source Review program.