Sunday, September 18, 2022

11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

NCLC Registration/Information Desk Open

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

NCLC Welcome from AGC President & State of the Association from AGC CEO

Dan Fordice

Vice President of Fordice Construction Company
2022-23 AGC President

Steve Sandherr

CEO, AGC of America

2:30 PM – 3:00 PM

Break

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Opening Keynote Session 

Where to Turn When the Political Climate Heats Up

Amy Walter

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and Popular On-Air Political Analyst

For more than 25 years, Amy Walter has built a reputation as an accurate, objective, and insightful political analyst with unparalleled access to campaign insiders and decision-makers. Known as one of the best political journalists covering Washington, she is the publisher and editor-in-chief of the non-partisan Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, where she provides analysis of the issues, trends, and events that shape the political environment. A contributor to the PBS NewsHour, she provides weekly political analysis for the popular “Politics Monday” segment and is a featured contributor for the network’s election and convention special coverage events. She is also a regular Sunday panelist on NBC’s Meet the Press and CNN’s Inside Politics, and appears frequently on Special Report with Bret Baier on Fox News Channel. From 2017 until early 2021, Walter was the host of the weekly nationally syndicated program “Politics with Amy Walter” on The Takeaway from WNYC and PRX. She’s also the former political director of ABC News.

Amy Walter speaks with aplomb about the electoral process, congressional culture, and the Washington political scene as a whole. A familiar presence across the media spectrum, her range of topics and expertise provides an engaging, compelling presentation that keeps audiences riveted. Walter discusses not only electoral politics, but also the politics of policy, Washington’s dysfunction, and the people and strategies behind events unfolding in Congress and the White House.

4:00 PM – 4:15 PM

Break

4:15 PM – 5:15 PM

Breakout Sessions

Session 1: Getting Ahead of the ‘Climate Change Policy’ Storm

Join this session for updates and open discussion on climate change policies at the federal and local levels and strategies to ready your members or firms.  Hear about AGC’s climate change initiative and some of the opportunities and challenges members have identified related to operations, equipment, and materials. What do policymakers need to consider when setting climate change policies?  Topics on the table include: climate related reporting, embodied carbon of materials (buy clean), risk and insurance, electric vehicles and equipment—as well as actions the federal agencies are taking.

Ty Edmondson, Co-President, TA Loving Company

Brandon Robinson, CEO, AGC of Virginia

Melinda Tomaino, Director of Environment and Sustainability, AGC of America

Session 2: The Latest on Price Escalation and Supply Chain Disruptions

While some materials costs have declined recently, others are setting new highs. Hear an updated state of market conditions for prices and supply chain disruptions. Hear an all-of-the-above approach that AGC members are taking to communicate up and down the contractual chain to mitigate the risk.  And hear about the successes some chapters and members have had in adding price adjustment terms to their contracts.

Brian Perlberg, Executive Director, ConsensusDocs Coalition

Ken Simonson, Chief Economist, AGC of America

Session 3: Mental Health, Suicide, and Opioids in the Construction Industry: What Can We Do?

As the construction industry continues to tackle mental health, suicide, and opioid addiction, member companies are increasingly looking towards their local chapters for resources and support. This session moves beyond awareness and will spotlight three chapters that have successfully implemented programs to educate and assist their membership – AGC of Washington, AGC of Missouri, and AGC of Colorado.

Moderator: Brandon Anderson, Vice President of Safety, AGC of Missouri

Dave D’Hondt, Executive Vice President, AGC of Washington

Michael Gifford, President/CEO, AGC Colorado

Len Toenjes, President, AGC of Missouri

Session 4: Leveraging AGC’s Value Proposition to Help Engage Members

Are your members joining and taking full advantage of all that membership in AGC offers? Join us and hear from the executives and leadership of two of AGC’s successful chapters who will share how they are leveraging tools, strategies, and resources to recruit and engage members. This informative discussion will ensure that you walk away with tips and best practices to help improve how you connect with members leading to membership growth and higher retention.

Moderator: Les Snyder, Executive Vice President, Infrastructure Construction, Brightline West

Wayne Hammon, CEO, Idaho AGC

Anna Sparrell, Vice President, CM Company, Inc., Idaho AGC

Christopher Szeliga, Senior Vice President, JE Dunn Construction, Austin Chapter – AGC

Phil Thoden, CAE, President and CEO, Austin Chapter – AGC

5:15 PM – 6:00 PM

Break

6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Welcome Reception

Monday, September 19, 2022

6:30 AM – 5:00 PM

NCLC Registration/Information Desk Open

7:00 AM – 8:15 AM

NCLC Breakfast w/AGC’s Legislative Team

Alex Etchen, Senior Director of Government Affairs and Infrastructure Advancement, AGC of America

Jim Young, Senior Director of Congressional Relations, Labor, HR and Safety, AGC of America

Jordan Howard, Counsel, Federal Construction & Regulatory Affairs, AGC of America

Leah Pilconis, Vice President and Counsel for Risk Management, AGC of America

8:15 AM – 8:30 AM

Break

8:30 AM – 9:30 AM

NCLC General Session

Inspired Engagement & Momentum

Melissa Laughon

Partner, Catch Your Limit

For over 22 years, Melissa Laughon, owner of Catch Your Limit, has been embracing fear and working with the vulnerabilities of leaders … it’s where the magic happens. It’s where strategy and people come together to build a different culture and leadership approach to their business – one that has soul, is inspiring and rewarding, and helps guide and grow leaders at all levels. Whether she’s speaking, guiding or facilitating, Melissa inspires authentic change in people. Melissa currently resides in Richmond, Virginia and loves to travel, hike, boat and fish.

By valuing the diversity of perspectives, working through the hard stuff and shifting the task tension, we build a strong, high functioning volunteer leadership culture. In this session, we’ll examine three areas to increase authentic engagement and drive momentum:

  • Strategically leverage meeting time
  • Hone your leadership, listening and facilitation skills
  • Invest in a productive partnership between staff and Board grounded in mutual respect and trust

9:30 AM – 9:45 AM

Break

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM

Breakout Sessions

Session 1: Up Your Leadership Game: Facilitation Hacks to Drive Engagement and Build Trust

When we think of leadership skills, we often think of strategic thinking, change management, problem solving, financial planning, interpersonal skills, etc.  However, one skill that is undervalued and often overlooked is the ability to effectively facilitate conversations, meetings and work sessions in a way that drives engagement and builds trust. In many nonprofit organizations, board leadership is thrust into a facilitation role with little to no training.  In this session, learn key facilitation tools, techniques and skills to take back to your organization:

  • Increase efficiency and ensure actionable outcomes
  • Build trust and drive engagement
  • Cultivate and navigate conflict

Melissa Laughon, Partner, Catch Your Limit

For over 22 years, Melissa Laughon, owner of Catch Your Limit, has been embracing fear and working with the vulnerabilities of leaders … it’s where the magic happens. It’s where strategy and people come together to build a different culture and leadership approach to their business – one that has soul, is inspiring and rewarding, and helps guide and grow leaders at all levels. Whether she’s speaking, guiding or facilitating, Melissa inspires authentic change in people. Melissa currently resides in Richmond, Virginia and loves to travel, hike, boat and fish.

Session 2: Moving from “Now” to “Next” through Innovation

As we emerge from this once-in-a-century disruption, what’s next? Mary Byers, CAE, author of Race for Relevance: 5 Radical Changes for Associations, will help us embrace the pandemic as a catalyst to identify and harness opportunity. Mary will discuss creating an innovative culture; the value of small pilots and experimenting as a “go-forward” strategy; and how to leverage the tailwind provided by COVID.  You’ll be encouraged to replace the “new normal” with a deliberate “next normal” and to adopt “business as unusual” as your mantra going forward.

Mary Byers, CAE

Through highly interactive programs and carefully choreographed retreats, Mary uses compelling questions and thought-provoking techniques to encourage participation and allow associations to gain the input they need from stakeholders. Mary’s presentations and facilitated events strike a chord with audience members and she’s asked back by clients repeatedly.

Session 3: Crossing the Minefield without Blowing Up: How to Effectively Deal with Contentious Industry Issues

AGC Chapters enjoy diverse memberships emblematic of the breathe of the construction industry. Within those memberships, however, there can be fault lines that tend to divide rather than unite. During this session, our speakers will discuss how their Chapters navigated contentious industry issues—involving contract clauses and project delivery methods—before their state legislatures to find common ground within the membership and among other Chapters in their state.

The session will include two panels. The first includes a chapter executive and member leader, who will discuss how the Chapter dealt with legislation that banned pay-if-paid contract clauses: a difficult issue to address between general contractors and specialty contractors.  The second panel includes staff leaders from a highway and transportation contractor chapter and building contractor chapter in the same state who will discuss how they worked together on legislation allowing public building owners to use CM-at-Risk, but prohibiting design-build.

Moderator: Jimmy Christianson, Vice President of Government Relations, AGC of America

Brandon Robinson, CEO, AGC of Virginia

Anthony Smith, Chair of the AGC of Virginia, Vice President, Service Contracting of Virginia

Chad Kleppe, President & CEO, Master Builders of Iowa

Scott Newhard, Vice President for Public Affairs, AGC of Iowa

Session 4: Inspiring Change: How to Create Diversity in Construction Leadership and Why it Matters

Even the best leaders need advice, counsel and oversight from a diverse range of viewpoints. As our industry continues to face new and ongoing challenges – like the workforce shortage – having leaders and board members with a broad set of competencies, multiple perspectives, and a wealth of experiences are necessary for robust discussions of challenging issues. Hear from a panel of Association leaders on how they intentionally crafted their boards to reflect the changing industry demographics, be more responsive and innovative to their members’ needs, and lead the Association into the future.

Moderator: Peter Tateishi, CEO, AGC of California

Dan Fordice, President, AGC of America

Mike Dunham, CEO, AGC of Georgia

Cheryl Walthall, Executive Director, GCA of Hawaii

Tim Worke, CEO, AGC of Minnesota

10:45 AM – 11:00 AM

Break

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Breakout Sessions

Building Division Breakout – The Importance of Collaboration between Architects and Contractors

Join an architect and a contractor as they share and discuss the results the fifth edition of The Architect’s Journey to Specification which focuses on improving the working relationship between architects and contractors and explores how the parties align, differ, and depend on each other.

During the session they will discuss the findings of the report that include topics such as improving the working relationship between GCs and architects by exploring the main friction points in the relationship. They will also share best practices in collaboration for overcoming challenges. This report was sent out to both AIA and AGC members. Representatives from both organizations will provide insights into how each association is committing to improving this relationship for the benefit of the built environment.

Jeff Forbes, Regional Director, The Beck Group

Jeff Forbes is the Regional Director of The Beck Group’s Dallas office, a construction and design integrated firm. Throughout his 37-year tenure at Beck, his technical knowledge, practical approach, and helpful nature have  been refined and now play a key role as he oversees all construction and architectural operations for the Dallas region.

Ken Wiseman, FAIA, Design Principal, CannonDesign

Ken Wiseman is an architect whose professional focus is on creating, conceiving, and making innovative, beautiful, sustainable places. He has been a Design Principal for over 30 years and is a registered architect in multiple states and provinces.  As a Design Principal at CannonDesign, he leads the firms living centered design process for clients. While his primary focus is design leadership, he has served as a member of the Board of Directors and President of the firm where his was responsible for the firm’s design quality and creative methodologies.

Highway Division Breakout – Implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is the most significant infusion of investment in our infrastructure since the enactment of the Interstate Highway System in the mid-1950’s. It provides market opportunities for transportation contractors, heavy contractors, building contractors and utility contractors and most importantly, it demonstrates to our existing and future workforce that there is sustainable work in the years to come. Katie Thomson currently serves as the Director of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Implementation at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and will provide an update on implementation of this law.

Katie Thomson, Director, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Implementation at U.S. Department of Transportation

Katie currently serves as the Director, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Implementation at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). In this capacity, Katie works with internal and external stakeholders to successfully implement approximately $660 billion in new and expanded programs across all modes of transportation over five years. This is Katie’s second stint at DOT. She rejoins DOT from Amazon, where she was Vice President & Associate General Counsel, Worldwide Transportation and Sustainability.

12:00 PM – 12:15 PM

Break

12:15 PM – 1:30 PM

NCLC Lunch Session

A Conversation with Joe O’Dea, an AGC leader turned U.S. Senate Candidate

Steve Sandherr

CEO, AGC of America

Joe O’Dea

Candidate for United States Senate

Joe O’Dea grew up in a working-class family in Denver and got his start in the construction industry at an early age. While a senior in high school, he started working as a construction laborer and went on to become a union carpenter apprentice and journeyman carpenter. His interest in the industry continued into college where he attended the Construction Management School at Colorado State. During his senior year, he left the program to run his own construction company – Concrete Express Inc., an AGC member of the Colorado Contractors Association. His company now employs 300 people and has worked on construction projects across the state, including the Peaks to Plains Trail through Clear Creek Canyon and the reconstruction of the Chatfifield State Park Reservoir in Littleton. Joe is a past AGC chapter president, and he and his wife also own and operate the historic Ironworks and Mile High Station Event Centers near Mile High Stadium in Denver. He is running for the U.S. Senate in Colorado.

1:30 PM – 2:00 PM

Break

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Breakout Sessions

Session 1: Up Your Leadership Game: Facilitation Hacks to Drive Engagement and Build Trust

When we think of leadership skills, we often think of strategic thinking, change management, problem solving, financial planning, interpersonal skills, etc.  However, one skill that is undervalued and often overlooked is the ability to effectively facilitate conversations, meetings and work sessions in a way that drives engagement and builds trust. In many nonprofit organizations, board leadership is thrust into a facilitation role with little to no training.  In this session, learn key facilitation tools, techniques and skills to take back to your organization:

  • Increase efficiency and ensure actionable outcomes
  • Build trust and drive engagement
  • Cultivate and navigate conflict

Melissa Laughon, Partner, Catch Your Limit

For over 22 years, Melissa Laughon, owner of Catch Your Limit, has been embracing fear and working with the vulnerabilities of leaders … it’s where the magic happens. It’s where strategy and people come together to build a different culture and leadership approach to their business – one that has soul, is inspiring and rewarding, and helps guide and grow leaders at all levels. Whether she’s speaking, guiding or facilitating, Melissa inspires authentic change in people. Melissa currently resides in Richmond, Virginia and loves to travel, hike, boat and fish.

Session 2: Moving from “Now” to “Next”, How AGC Chapters are Innovating

As we emerge from the disruption of the pandemic and look forward, what’s next for AGC Chapters? Mary Byers, CAE, author of Race for Relevance: 5 Radical Changes for Associations, will moderate a panel discussion designed to showcase how four AGC chapters have embraced the pandemic as a catalyst to identify and harness opportunities for growth. You’ll hear from both small and large chapters and learn what it takes to create a forward-thinking, innovative culture.  You’ll hear how these chapters are using small pilots and experimenting with new programs to solve big industry problems.

Moderator: Mary Byers, CAE

Michael Gifford, President/CEO, AGC Colorado

Leslie Gower, CEO, AGC of East Tennessee

Meloni Raney, President & CEO, TEXO

Phil Thoden, President & CEO, Austin AGC

Session 3: The Labor Hour: 4 Major Challenges Facing the Construction Industry

Chapters and contractors are dealing with an increasing onslaught of progressive labor policies at both the federal and local levels.  Come listen to updates on several developments and then learn how AGC of America and your fellow chapters have uniquely responded in the best interest of their members.

Discussion topics:

  • Update to the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts regulations
  • Government Mandated PLAs
  • Legalization of Cannabis
  • Wage Theft

Moderator: James Young, Senior Director of Congressional Relations, HR, Labor and Safety, AGC of America

Tom Cuculich, Executive Director, Chicagoland AGC

Peter Tateishi, CEO, AGC of California

Jennifer Woodard, Executive Vice President, AGC of Texas Highway, Heavy, Utilities & Industrial Branch

Timothy Worke, CEO, AGC of Minnesota

Claiborne S. Guy, Director of Employment Policy & Practices, AGC of America

Jordan F. Howard, Counsel, Federal Construction & Regulatory Affairs, AGC of America

Session 4: Top Legal Pitfalls for Chapters to Avoid

Helping to keep your association out of hot water is inherent in your role as a chapter leader, and that certainly includes legal compliance. In this session, Denise Gold and Don Greenwell will outline some common legal traps for trade associations to be wary of, such as antitrust law, intellectual property infringement, unrelated business income tax, and more.

Denise Gold, Corporate & Labor Senior Counsel, AGC of America

Don Greenwell, Executive Director, Kansas City Chapter

3:00 PM – 3:15 PM

Break

3:15 PM – 4:15 PM

NCLC Keynote Session

Creating a Comprehensive Construction Workforce Strategy

Tina Nazier, MBA, CPC, CCM

Director, National Construction and Real Estate Organizational Performance Leader

As the national leader of Wipfli’s Construction and Real Estate Strategy team, Tina works with construction and real estate clients across the country to assist them in getting all they want out of their business. From creating the ideal future vision of the company, to attracting and engaging the right workforce, and ensuring an efficient operation, Tina helps owners and top executives achieve their individual and company ideal future state.

The construction workforce issues are top of mind for all of us in the industry.

This is a complex, multi-dimensional problem with many root causes that requires a comprehensive strategy to address if we are going to make significant progress in solving this in our industry. This interactive workshop will provide AGC leaders with a common framework that unpacks workforce strategy in three distinct phases and provides an opportunity for group discussions to dissect the issues in each phase further. The workshop will close with action items to take this back to the chapter and member level as a new way of thinking about how to address workforce from a comprehensive strategic perspective.

4:15 PM – 6:00 PM

Break

6:30 PM – 7:30 PM

NCLC Chapter Awards Reception

7:30 PM – 9:30 PM

NCLC Chapter Awards Dinner

Tuesday, September 20, 2022

6:30 AM – 11:00 AM

NCLC Registration/Information Desk Open

7:00 AM – 8:15 AM

NCLC Networking Breakfast

8:15 AM – 8:30 AM

Break

8:30 AM – 9:30 AM

NCLC General Session

The “Nothing to Lose” Congressional Insights Panel

Moderator: Jimmy Christianson

VP of Government Relations, AGC of America

Representative Rodney Davis (R-Illinois)

Representative Davis is a five term Republican representing Central and Southwestern Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives. He presently serves as Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, and Deputy Whip for Republican Whip Steve Scalise, and Ranking Member of the Committee on House Administration. Reauthorizations he has worked on include the 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022 Water Resources Development Acts (WRDA), the 2015 Surface Reauthorization bill (FAST Act), and the 2018 FAA Reauthorization.

As a former Congressional staffer and current member of Congress, Rodney has worked to make Congress work and function more effectively through the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. The Modernization Committee has proposed and implemented dozens of reforms, including ones designed to promote transparency, foster bipartisanship, and improve Congressional staff retention and recruitment. Prior to being elected to Congress, Rodney served as Projects Director for Congressman John Shimkus for 16 years.

Representative Kurt Schrader (D-Oregon)

Congressman Kurt Schrader is currently serving his seventh term in the United States House of Representatives. Before being elected to Congress, Schrader, a farmer and veterinarian for more than thirty years, established and managed the Clackamas County Veterinary Clinic in Oregon City and operated his farm where he grew and sold organic fruit and vegetables.

Prior to joining E&C, Congressman Schrader served on the House Committee on Agriculture, where he served on the Farm Bill Conference Committee that successfully passed a five year farm bill, the House Committee on Small Business and House Budget Committee. In the 117th Congress, Congressman Schrader serves on the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, the Subcommittee on Energy, and the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. Schrader is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition, New Democrat Coalition, and the only bipartisan working group in the House, the Problem Solvers Caucus.

Too often Members of Congress hold back what they really want to say in public because of their fear it could hurt them in the next election. That won’t apply to the bipartisan members of the House of Representatives on this panel who—in our humble opinion—will unfortunately not be returning to Congress next year.  During this session, you will have the opportunity to hear from Congressional members on both sides of the aisle who are well-respected, common-sense legislators who cut through the noise and accomplished things for the construction industry, their constituents, and the nation.

9:30 AM – 9:45 AM

Break

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM

Closing General Session

How Chapters Can Create a Welcoming Experience to Grow Membership and Elevate the AGC Brand

Moderator: Toby Crow, Executive Vice President, AGC of South Dakota

Kevin Carey, Executive Vice President, Dynamic Glass, LLC

Anna Stern, Vice President, Tri-North Builders, Inc.

Cheryl Stewart, Executive Director, Inland Northwest Chapter – AGC

Phil Thoden, CAE, President & CEO, Austin AGC

AGC members expect Chapters to deliver vital and compelling value across the country assuring them the opportunities, resources, and regulatory environment they need to be successful.  That means it’s important for AGC and its Chapters to stand strong and be ready when members need help.

Learn how AGC’s Executive Leadership Council (ELC) is empowering and encouraging chapters to leverage the collective strength, unity, knowledge, and influence of the AGC network to elevate member companies, their people, and their communities.

During this session, you’ll hear from top ELC leaders as they share tools and resources designed to help all Chapters become high performing and deliver compelling value.  They’ll be joined by two AGC members to discuss how Chapters can elevate the AGC brand and ensure visiting members receive a warm welcome.  You’ll learn how the simple act of picking up the phone, having a conversation and offering to help a visiting member can help drive membership growth and satisfaction across the brand.  Come with questions and your ideas about how Chapters can work together to deliver outstanding value.

Afternoon

Capitol Hill Visits

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Government Relations Summit

(For chapter execs and staff – separate registration required)

9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Capitol Hill Visits