Author: Jeanie Clapp

BY JACQUELINE DUDLEY, ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE LEADER, AUSTIN OFFICE, THE BECK GROUP, A MEMBER OF MULTIPLE AGC CHAPTERS Many building owners and tenants are upgrading offices and building amenities to make Return-To-Office (RTO) mandates more amenable for employees wary of abandoning a COVID-era remote work lifestyle. Employers favoring full-time in-person or hybrid work practices contend that office settings boost employee productivity and well-being, increase collaboration and mentoring and strengthen corporate culture. According to a Resume Builder survey, 87% of companies will have RTO in 2025, while 64% said they have already implemented this policy. The survey also noted that many companies…

How to navigate hiring challenges in construction BY KEYAN ZANDY, CEO, SKILES GROUP In an industry where the margin for error is slim and the stakes are high, talent is everything. Our projects are so much more than blueprints on paper — they’re complex, high-pressure endeavors that demand skilled, reliable and motivated individuals working together toward a common goal. Labor shortages and an aging workforce have heightened the need to hire the right people. According to industry data, construction employment has struggled to keep pace with demand, creating significant challenges for project delivery. A single misstep in the hiring process…

It’s a call-to-action for incoming AGC President Todd Roberts, a theme that highlights issues that affect the membership from the soaring houses of our nation’s government to the ones where they tuck in their kids at night. BY AMY DREW THOMPSON Winnfield may be a small town in Louisiana, but it breeds leadership, including three of the state’s governors. So, too, has it raised a captain in the construction industry. But things could have been very different. Young Todd Roberts, today the AGC’s incoming president, could easily be about to take the reins at the nation’s foremost geology association instead.…

BY SEAN GRASBY, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER, U.S. CONSTRUCTION & ENERGY SOLUTIONS, WESCO, A GCA OF HAWAII AND IDAHO AGC MEMBER Contractors have a lot of incentives to utilize environmentally friendly and sustainable practices on their jobsites. Beyond the goodwill and positive impact on society, using more efficient building practices and minimizing waste can streamline operations and bring several financial incentives — from tax benefits and grants, to cost savings from efficiency gains to a reduced risk of regulatory fines. How can contractors incorporate recycled materials, cut down on waste and ensure unneeded materials don’t get thrown out,…

AGC names Doug Edrington 2025 Construction Safety Champion of the Year BY CHRISTINE PREUSLER When Doug Edrington, construction manager at Texas-based TDIndustries, Inc., reflects on being named the AGC Construction Safety Champion of the Year (CSCY), he doesn’t see a personal triumph. To him, the award is the product of a team-wide commitment to the safety and well-being of everyone at his company. “It’s not about me — it’s about the people we protect,” Edrington, who accepted the award in January at the AGC’s Construction Safety & Health Conference in Jacksonville, Florida, said. Each year, AGC of America and Milwaukee…

BY NICK FORTUNA When Ernst Concrete, an Ohio Contractors Association and AGC Georgia member, really needed its old dashcam system to perform, the hardware failed, leaving the company in a bind. Burned by that experience, Ernst Concrete upgraded to Motive’s new dashcams powered by artificial intelligence, resulting in meaningful cost savings and improvements to driver performance, according to Paul Fly, director of risk and safety at Ernst. Several years ago, two truck drivers from Ernst Concrete were involved in separate auto accidents that resulted in costly lawsuits. The truck drivers weren’t at fault, but since the old dashcam system hadn’t…

BY CHRIS PEPPLERTRIMBLE, A GENERAL BUILDING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION MEMBER Recent interest rate cuts are expected to boost 2025 construction, and the Dodge Momentum forecast estimates a 6% increase in the dollar volume of nonresidential construction starts in 2025. Embracing evolving technology solutions is key for contractors as they scale their business in the coming year. In a recent survey of Trimble customers, construction company leaders shared insights into what challenges and trends they anticipate for the year ahead, as well as where they’re likely to invest to make their businesses more efficient, productive and profitable. Below are four key trends…

Industry Insights for 2025 BY A.D. THOMPSON A new not-new president-elect. An ongoing labor shortage. Positive gains in the realm of regulations. Uncertainty as the industry waits to see what will happen with immigration, and what the cost of doing business will be as the prospect of tariffs loom large. Is the membership feeling optimistic? Is there trepidation? “It’s very much a mix,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist, AGC of America. As the new year takes shape, there is always much on the minds of the membership. What’s worth considering? In the wake of a historic presidential election and with…

PLOT platform automates procurement of materials for jobsites By Nick Fortuna There are many rewarding aspects of supervising high-profile construction projects for a leading general contractor, but maintaining the procurement log spreadsheet typically isn’t one of them. Frequently updating the procurement log is an essential duty on large construction jobsites, ensuring that all required materials are ordered on time, get delivered as scheduled and meet the project’s specifications and budget. Properly maintaining that Excel spreadsheet may be tedious and time-consuming, but it’s vital to avoid delays and manage costs. Until recently, maintaining the procurement log took up a large portion…

Construction podcast provides platform for veterans to share their stories BY KATIE KUEHNER-HEBERT Military veterans can bring a host of valuable skills to the construction industry – just ask Adam Stark. After serving in Israel’s Airborne Special Forces, Stark, born and raised in Los Angeles, obtained a bachelor’s degree in business followed by an MBA. Armed with this and his budding real estate experience, Stark then co-founded project management software company Jet.Build. This year Stark began hosting the podcast, The Veterans Who Build Show, featuring military veterans who have successfully transitioned into the development, design and construction sector by leveraging…