Spring 2019 Newsletter by ABC Pelican

MERIT SHOP E S S A G E

Pelican Chapter Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.

Touch A Truck

ABC Pelican joined Junior League in March to host 10,000 for an up-close look at trucksand equipment. More on page 18

Newsletter highlights: Gov Abbott visits ABC Pelican......10 Topgolf Tournament......................12 ICC and Membership Breakfast...28 ABC National Convention.............35 STEP and Safety..........................45 Spring Golf Tournament...............47

Spring 2019

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MERIT SHOP MESSAGE Sp ring 201 9 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair Donn Peterson GROUP Industries, LLC Incoming Chair Carlos Guidry Turner Industries Group, LLC Secretary Shawn Worsham Jacobs Treasurer Ryan Girouard Hancock Whitney Vice Chair Governmental Affairs Glen Redd Triad Electric & Controls, Inc. Vice Chair Membership Growth Keith Coleman Beard Construction Group, LLC

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Conrad Bourg Primoris Services Corporation

Ben Brown Turner Industries Group, LLC Scott Callaway Cajun Industries, Inc. Donnie David ISC Constructors, LLC John Freeman Brown & Root Industrial Services Beau Leitner Doyle Electric, Inc. Scott McKnight BXS Insurance Matt Shoriak EXCEL Group

Vice Chair Education Josh Rounds Performance Contractors, Inc.

Lance Arvel GROUP Industries, LLC

Immediate Past Chair Trey Crawford Grady Crawford Construction Co., LLC

BY DONN PETERSON GROUP INDUSTRIES, LLC

Donnie Braud L.S. Womack, Inc.

Vice Chair Member Services Jeff Plauche Boh Brothers Construction Co., LLC

Vice Chair Outlying Areas Wes Mincin Triad Electric & Controls, Inc.

LE TTE R FRO M THE CHAIR ABC PELICAN IS REACHING NEW HEIGHTS

BOARD ALTERNATES

Josh Zumo Cajun Industries, LLC LEGAL COUNSEL Murphy J. Foster, III Breazeale Sachse & Wilson, LLP

MERIT SHOP MESSAGE: Spring 2019 EDITORIAL/DESIGN: Erika Walter EDITORIAL / SUBSCRIPTION / ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ewalter@abcpelican.com | 225.448.3348 This is a publication of the Pelican Chapter, Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc. ABC is a national trade association representing the merit shop construction industry. The Pelican Chapter represents nearly 400 contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and industry professionals and covers 52 parishes in Louisiana. The Merit Shop Message is produced quarterly and distributed digitally to members.

In the beginning……. Wow! What a first quarter it’s been for the Pelican Chapter. We have had some incredible events and experiences both locally and on a national basis as well. Locally, we graduated 155 craft professionals in January and continue to train over 1,800 craft professionals at your training centers in Baton Rouge and Lake Charles. We hosted Texas Governor Greg Abbott in March for a discussion on how to put another Republican back in our Governor’s office. Our very own Eddie Rispone, along with Congressman Ralph Abraham, joined Governor Abbott in leading the discussion on how our state can improve the competition for future economic development. Eddie Rispone, who is aggressively campaigning for Louisiana Governor, outlined some of his ideas on how he will improve our state and lead us when he wins. If you haven’t had a chance to hear Eddie’s ideas and platform, I encourage you to find an event soon and listen to his passion and enthusiasm. Eddie will lead this fine state with a servant’s heart and a compassionate hand! Also in March, ABC partnered with Junior League of Baton Rouge to once again present Touch a Truck at the State Fairgrounds. The weather was good and an estimated 10,000 people gathered to CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 www.abcpelican.org/newsletter

LE T T E R F ROM T H E C H A I R c o n T I NUE D see and interact with all of the equipment our many ABC members volunteered for the event. We look forward to our continued involvement in future years. Your Pelican Chapter Board Leaders just returned from ABC National Convention in Long Beach and brought home some mighty impressive hardware. Our Pelican Chapter members won 10 prestigious awards at the 29th Annual Excellence in Construction Awards Gala. We had nine craft professionals compete in the 2019 National Craft Championships; each of them representing Louisiana’s construction industry and this chapter well.

industry in the future years. And speaking of future leaders, Pelican Chapter’s own Lance Arvel with GROUP Industries won the Young Professional of the Year Award. He beat out two finalists and more than 50 applicants to bring home the honor and a check for $10,000 dollars. We couldn’t be more proud of both the LSU student chapter and the newest Young Professional of the Year. Join me in congratulating all the winners recognized in Long Beach.

………..with a constant eye on the future!

In addition, Congressman Garret Graves spoke to our Young Professionals committee giving them details on upcoming legislation and encouraging them to make their voices heard not only at the voting booth, also by staying in touch with their Senators and Congressman!

In Long Beach, the LSU Construction Management student chapter team placed 3rd overall in the ABC Construction Management Competition. This was the second year in a row LSU placed 3rd, however this year it was by the slimmest of margins, only missing 1st place by less than two points.

We have the Fishing Rodeo and State Convention coming up soon! If you haven’t made your reservations yet, I encourage you to move fast as space is filling up fast. And one last reminder to renew your membership if you haven’t done so. You don’t want to miss out on the many advantages and discounts your ABC membership provides.

The future certainly looks bright for the many young men and women who will be joining our

Until next time, God Bless, Donn Peterson, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ABC’s Pelican Chapter

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TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURES

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 2 Letter from the Chair

11 ABC of LA Fishing Rodeo 13 BR Crawfish Boil 21 Legal update

COVER STORY

LEGISLATIVE SESSION PREVIEW

ABC Pelican partnered with Junior League of Baton Rouge to host 10,000 at a one-day community event

John Walters gives a birds eye view what’s in store for lawmakers and taxpayers in 2019.

23 ABC National updates 30 & 32 Training Center updates 34 & 44 Legislative Day 40 Welcome New Members 49 Letter from the President 50 Upcoming events

BRTC FALL 2018 GRADUATION 155 Louisiana craft workers now have an even more valuable skill set to use in their careers and in life.

REP GRAVES MEETS WITH ABC PELICAN YPS

Our Young Professionals had the opportunity to understand the potential of Louisiana’s economy from Louisiana lawmaker, Garret Graves.

51 Discount programs 52 State Convention agenda 53 2019 Events Calendar 54 Staff contact info 54 Upcoming committee meetings

ABCPELICAN.ORG

YP OF THE YEAR

CRAFT COMPETITION SEASON

Out of 50 applicants, Lance Arvel of GROUP Southwest has hosted three craft Industries was named ABC’s Young Professional competitions for current and of the Year future students.

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GOV E RN M E NTA L R EL A T I O N S U PDA TE

2019 LOUISIANA LEGISLATIVE SESSION BY JOHN WALTERS, ABC OF LOUISIANA Here we go. The 2019 Louisiana Legislative session convened on April 8and will adjourn no later than June 6. This is a fiscal session, so most of the bills will deal with appropriations, the state budget and taxes. Think money. Legislators are allowed to file additional bills until April 18. Bills not within the subject matter (fiscal, local or special) are allowed, but must be prefiled and are limited to five per legislator. You can rest assured that all bills that promote free enterprise, open competition or free market determination will be supported. Likewise, you can expect any bills that seek to threaten our merit shop philosophy and our belief in free enterprise and open competition will be met with staunch opposition. The 2019 ABC of Louisiana Legislative Day and Reception are set for Wednesday, May 1, 2019. Beginning at 2:30p, ABC-LA will be set up in the Capitol’s Memorial Hallway with a reserved area for members to visit with each other, legislators and policy makers about issues impacting our industry during the 2019 Legislative Session. Beginning at 5:30, we have our ABC of Louisiana Legislative Reception at the Jimmie Davis House in Baton Rouge. Our Legislative Reception will again be a dual reception with the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association (LOGA). This is an ABC of Louisiana event and is free to all ABC Bayou and Pelican Members. Please save the date on your calendar and keep your eyes open for registration information.

The ABC Annual Legislative Reception gives you the chance to visit with legislators in a relaxed, social environment. You can discuss issues and bills or simply thank Legislators for committing the service, time and effort it takes to make Louisiana a better state. The legislative day and reception give you the opportunity to “Get into Politics” so you don’t have to “Get out of Business.” We typically have a large turnout of both ABC of Louisiana Members and Louisiana Legislators, and hope to see you there. ABC has backed a bill to increase competition on taxpayer-funded construction contracts by voicing its strong support for the Fair and Open Competition Act (H.R. 1858/S. 907), which will benefit taxpayers by encouraging more qualified construction companies to compete for federal and federally funded construction projects. The bill, introduced by Rep. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), prevents federal agencies and recipients of federal funding from requiring contractors to sign controversial project labor agreements as a condition of winning federal or federally assisted construction contracts. Associated Builders and Contractors passed similar legislation banning union-only Project Labor Agreements (PLA’s) on publicly funded construction projects in 2011.

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abb ot t roun d ta b l e

TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT VISITS ABC PELICAN

March 18, ABC Pelican

We recently had the privilege of hosting the Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, at our Baton Rouge campus during his business and campaign tour around the state. He met with our Members, local business leaders and gubernatorial candidates Eddie Rispone and Representative Ralph Abraham for a roundtable discussion on Louisiana’s business climate. Governor Abbott listened to many of you share the struggles you face when doing business in Louisiana and shared how they do things differently in Texas. “We want Louisiana to do better, because that makes Texas and this country better,” he said. He went on to say that we cannot allow our businesses or lives to be defined by the challenges we face, instead we must define our businesses and lives by the way we respond to the challenges we face. Governor Abbott then held a press conference and toured our training center. During the press conference and his time at our training center, he highlighted how our state can become competitive again (think: less regulation, a better tax code and new leadership), visited with our craft professionals and saw firsthand the career opportunities that exist for the hard-working men and women of Louisiana when the right business conditions are present.

exceptionally qualified candidates running for governor in Representative Ralph Abraham and Eddie Rispone. Both of these candidates will put the needs of Louisianans first, and create an economy that provides high-paying jobs for all.” Texas’ business climate, under Governor Abbott, has set an outstanding example of what Louisiana is capable of with the right leadership in place. This honorable first for our chapter is an event that we can be proud of for years to come.

Governor Abbott is also the Republican Governors Association Vice Chairman, so he, as we all are, has a vested interested in the outcome of Louisiana’s 2019 elections. “Louisiana has all the makings of a strong business sector that should be fueling a robust economy,” Governor Abbott shared in our board room with Members and other leaders in the business community. “However, the governor of Louisiana is holding the economy back…This is causing companies to flee, taking good paying jobs with them. It’s time for a change. Louisiana has two www.abcpelican.org/newsletter

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2 019 S P RING M er i t M i xer

TOPGOLF IS TOPNOTCH!

BY LINDSEY RUSS, PROGRAMS & EVENTS COORDINATOR

Our first ABC Pelican Merit Mixer of the year was a hole in one! We were the first large private event at the brand new Topgolf Baton Rouge, filling the entire third floor for more than four hours. The rain did not stop more than 300 of you from enjoying the new venue, networking, competing, and enjoying some great food and drink. We held two full flights of 144 golfers each for the tournament style competition. With a shoot off at the end with 12 players, only 3 could come out on top! Representing Braun Intertec, LUS, and DOW Chemical our top winners had a great time and took home some custom trophies & bragging rights. “Best Merit Mixer ever!” and “When can we do this again?” were just a few of the comments as we rounded up our first big event of 2019. Overall, a great evening of networking and fun was enjoyed by all. A big thank you to our twenty eight generous sponsors and all of our members who joined us. Cannot wait for the next Merit Mixer in the Fall!

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PELICAN CHAPTER, ASSOCIATED BUILDERS & CONTRACTORS, INC.

2019 BATON ROUGE CRAWFISH BOIL Thurs, May 9 LSU AgCenter Botanic 3:00 p - 7:00 p Gardens at Burden (4560 Essen Lane Baton Rouge, LA 70809)

Join us at this beautiful location in the middle of town for crawfish, open bar, live music and a chance to win a 20-person crawfish boil!

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YP OF T H E YE A R

LANCE ARVEL NAMED NATIONAL YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

MARCH 28, LONG BEACH, CA

Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. has named Lance Arvel, business development with GROUP Industries, the 2019 ABC Young Professional of the Year. Arvel was honored during the Careers in Construction Awards at ABC Convention 2019 in Long Beach. Of the 50 applicants, Arvel was selected as a top-three finalist in January. He was then interviewed by a panel of judges at the ABC Convention about why he embodies the Merit Shop Philosophy. The Young Professional of the Year is chosen based on career achievement, leadership and vision for the future of the commercial and industrial construction industry. “I still cannot believe it,” Arvel said. “National Young Professional of the Year means a tremendous amount because the process taught me so much about who I am. My story shaped the man that I am today. What a great honor to represent my company and my ABC chapter, and I look forward to carrying the torch this year.” Arvel is involved on multiple levels at ABC Pelican and is a well-respected leader. He is a past member of the ABC Pelican Chapter Board of Directors and former chair of the ABC Pelican’s Young Professionals Committee. He also serves as a mentor for the ABC student chapter at Louisiana State University, which placed third overall in the ABC Construction Management Competition last year. Arvel cited the strong mentorship he’s received as a member of the merit shop community as a key component of his success, and he plans to continue personally contributing to the industry in years to come.

Roofing Partners, Coppell, Texas. “Lance has already made significant contributions to our workforce during his nearly two decades in the construction sector and involvement with ABC. We look forward to continuing to follow his successful and innovative career.” ABC’s Young Professionals program aims to shape the future of our industry by supporting the growth of professionals under the age of 40 who are employed by ABC member companies. As Young Professional of the Year, Arvel received a $10,000 cash prize, and of course the bragging rights. The ABC and Louisiana community are better because of Arvel’s passion for the construction industry and the merit shop. We are so very proud of him for his hard work and for bringing home this award!

“The Young Professional of the Year represents the promise of the next generation in the merit shop construction industry,” said 2019 ABC National Chair Tony Rader, telecom vice president of National www.abcpelican.org/newsletter

fa l l 2 01 8 bat o n r o u g e t r a i n in g c e n te r gra duatio n

CONSTRUCTION CAREERS CANNOT BE OUTSOURCED

BY ERIKA WALTER, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Photos courtsey of Eye Wander Photo

155 Louisiana craft workers now have an even more valuable skill set to use in their careers and in life. At ABC Pelican’s Fall 2018 graduation at the L’Auberge in Baton Rouge on January 24, our students and their accomplishments were celebrated and encouraged by national and local leaders, and their family and friends.

After the procession of graduates, ICC Chairman Troy Bergeron of Turner welcomed the graduates and their guests, and gave the highlights from the Fall semester, including: •The Baton Rouge Training Center’s 75% retention rate •Of our nine craft students going to Long Beach to compete in nationals, two are graduates. Ryan Langlois with Excel will represent us in electrical and Alvin Allen with Jacobs will represent us in pipefitting (more on Alvin later) The graduates represented a variety of crafts and levels: •Welding Level 1 – 29 •Welding Level 2 – 7 •Welding Level 3 – 6 •Welding Level 4 – 1 •Electrical – 21 •Instrumentation – 14 •Heavy Equipment Operator – 15 •Millwright – 9 •Construction Site Safety Technician – 17 •Pipefitting – 4 •Project Coordinator – 14 •Mobile Crane - 18 While 155 is an impressive number, it’s important to know that a 15 www.abcpelican.org/newsletter

remarkable story is behind each of the graduates that walked across the stage that Thursday night. Like Sharon M. Ramsey, 62, who graduated in instrumentation. The New Orleans native traveled 120 miles each day, two days a week, after work, for the past three semesters to complete her education at ABC Pelican. Sharon, who was sponsored by Jacobs Field Services, said she enjoyed the education, friendships formed, challenges encountered and whole atmosphere at the training center. Prior to ABC, Sharon worked in vocations such as nursing and accounting. After Hurricane Katrina, Sharon volunteered with People Building Communities to help rebuild her hometown. Through her volunteer efforts, Sharon joined ABC, and because one of her goals is to help others “level up” through continued education, she jumped on the opportunity to learn a new skill set. While she is “not done yet,” Sharon considers herself part of the construction industry and a role model for women in the field. “I tell them don’t be intimidated,” Ramsey said. “If this was available when I was younger, I would have taken this route” because “this industry is so big right now.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

fa l l 2 01 8 bat o n r o u g e t r a i n in g ce n te r gra duatio n c o n tin ue d Another crafter to walk across that stage was Alvin Allen, 32, who had just completed two years of our pipefitting program, and also represented ABC Pelican at the ABC National Craft Competition in March. The St. Francisville native became a student after he learned his employer, Jacobs Field Services, would sponsor him. “I like to build things and pipefitting sparked my interest,” Alvin said. The instructors taught Alvin how to better himself as an employee; he commented that they “taught me how to perfect my fabricating skills. In the field, you don’t have the time to perfect those skills.” Alvin’s days were long because he attended night classes after a full day of work, but he said the education was worth the sacrifice. “I did it and I didn’t give up,” he said. Before Sharon, Alvin and the other graduates walked across the stage, they were fortunate to listen to the President and Vice President of NCCER, which is the training, assessment, certification and career development standard for the construction and maintenance craft professional. NCCER Vice President Steve Greene first began his remarks with the big picture: this is not the end of the journey for you, but the beginning. Greene emphasized the huge opportunity in this industry for the men and women in the room because a craft worker’s job cannot be outsourced to another country.

Greene explained the One-TwoSeven Rule. For the next ten jobs produced in the United States, only one will require a post-graduate degree (a masters or a doctorate), two a college degree, but seven jobs require industry credentials like you have, training certifications or a twoyear technical degree. “They require the technical skills that each of you have,” Greene said. Greene wrapped his remarks by asking the craft workers to remember these five items going forward in their professional careers: 1. Show up to work every day 2. When you show up, be willing to work 3. Take direction 4. Commit yourself to constantly improve your skills 5. Commit to remaining drug free Greene then introduced the president of NCCER, Boyd Worsham, who commended the students on their hard work: “We sure are glad you stuck it out. He took that applause a step further and applied it to the next step for these craft workers: “Opportunity is going to come knocking on the form of coveralls and hard work. Answer the door.” Worsham wrapped the ceremony by sharing with our graduates: “being a craft professional is the thing that I am most proud of.”

Encouraging the graduates with the vital importance of their skills sets, www.abcpelican.org/newsletter

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3/25/2019 3:32:01 PM

YOUN G P ROF E S S I O N A LS G R O U P

YP’S SEE AND HEAR FIRSTHAND LOUISIANA’S POTENTIAL BY: KATIE ROUTH, DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION You and I both know Louisiana is an amazing place to live and work. Rich in culture, traditions, people and natural resources, our state’s uniqueness is something we [rightfully] take much pride in. ABC Pelican’s Young Professionals Group began the year with an up close understanding and look at just how incredible our home is. The YP’s met at the LSU River Studies building, which showcases our state’s working delta, coastal program and research of coastal restoration. The 40 attendees were welcomed by YP Chair Josh Zumo of Cajun Industries and Vice Chair John Freeman of Brown & Root Industrial Services. Zumo and Freeman gave a preview of the 2019 events planned for the group, including some new volunteer opportunities for the group. (If you want to mentor an LSU CM competition student, let me know!) Our YP Chair and Vice Chair then turned the mic over to Glen Redd of Triad Electrics & Controls, who serves as ABC Pelican’s Vice Chair of Governmental Relations. After commending the group on their involvement in the chapter as young professionals, he shared his passion for the construction industry, saying “I enjoy this industry, the opportunities and the challenges it presents…We are blessed to do what we do.” Mr. Glen also emphasized the importance of this election year for

Louisiana. For example, 50 of the 105 House seats will be occupied by new lawmakers in 2020 and 20 of the 39 Senate seats will have new leaders by next year. “How we vote this year sets the trajectory for our state,” he shared. “Stay involved in politics in this state and nation.” Mr. Glen then introduced Congressman Garret Graves (R06), who has represented more than 750,000 people across 13 Louisiana parishes since 2014. Congressman Graves’ expertise is in transportation, infrastructure, energy, coastal restoration and other issues critical to our state’s economy, and he began his remarks by sharing three ways that Louisiana is positively impacting the nation’s economy: 1. Powering the nation through industry. About one-third of the nation’s energy supply comes from the Gulf Coast and through Louisiana. And we have the lowest electricity prices in the nation. 2. Feeding the nation through our natural resources. We are the top producer of shrimp, blue crabs, oysters and crawfish in the United States and we are the largest producer of commercial seafood in the continental U.S. 3. Providing international transportation for the nation through our waterways and ports. The Mississippi River is connected to 31 states and transportation by water is cheap. Couple this with our prime geographical placement CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

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YOUN G P ROF E S S I O N A LS G R O U P CO N T. on the Mississippi River, Louisiana has five of the top 15 ports in the country. “There is nobody who competes with us,” Congressman Graves stated. Congressman Graves then shared that Louisiana’s workforce is one of the most productive, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, we are losing our coastline at a rapid pace, which has local and national implications. “What we do here, the solutions we develop here, it is a new industry for Louisiana,” he said. Transportation projects present issues for our state, the Congressman went on to share. “You know we have traffic problems here…we have worse traffic here in Baton Rouge than Dallas, Denver, Chicago and Houston…it’s because for decades we’ve had a lack of planning and prioritization of projects.” We’ve got to invest our money smarter in transportation and infrastructure projects, the Congressman remarked. Because of the extraordinary amount of work going in to infrastructure, that will directly reflect the work in the pipeline for the construction industry. Congressman Graves wrapped his remarks by saying: “Participate in your government and it’s process.” After a Q&A with the Congressman, the YP’s took a tour of the impressive Lower Mississippi River Physical Model, which is a 90 ft. x 120 ft. movable, physical model of the Mighty Mississippi and is one of the largest of its kind on the planet. The model serves as a planning tool for computer models and field data. Our 2019 kick-off wrapped with a social at Tin Roof Brewery. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this event; hope y’all learned something, met someone new and had some fun!

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LE GAL up dat e

RESERVATION OF RIGHTS? YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SELECT COUNSEL BY:JOHN T. ANDRISHOK, BREAZEALE, SACHSE & WILSON, L.L.P. Unfortunately, accidents and claims arising out of projects will occur and are a major cost of doing business in the construction industry. Construction companies spend enormous sums on layer after layer of liability policies in order to address claims. Often, the coverage is dictated by the Owner of the Project. When premiums are paid, there is an expectation that claims will be covered. However, a troubling trend has developed in the insurance industry whereby a large percentage of claims are effectively denied at the initial stages of litigation so that the insurance company can investigate the claim. In the meantime, the insurance company agrees to provide a defense through the issuance of a reservation of rights letter. This has always presented a dilemma for contractors. The same insurance company that is denying coverage is also selecting and paying for the attorney that will be representing the contractor. More importantly, while the contractor may not have to pay for attorney’s fees and costs presently, the contractor is exposed to an uninsured claim pending the insurance company’s final decision on coverage. Fortunately, Louisiana courts have recognized this inherent conflict of interest and have uniformly held that so long as the contractor objects to the insurer’s selection of counsel at the outset, the contractor is entitled to select counsel of its own choosing and the insurer is responsible for all fees incurred. In Belanger v. Gabriel Chemicals, Inc., 2000-0747(La. App. 1Cir. 5/23/01); 787 So.2d 559, Lexington, the insurer of Gabriel, denied coverage for certain claims. Gabriel hired its own attorney to 21

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defend its interests and demanded that Lexington pay the defense costs incurred, which it refused to do. The Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal held that “If an insurer chooses to represent the insured but deny coverage, separate counsel must be employed. Failure to do so subjects the insurer to the attorney’s fees and costs the insured may incur for defending the suit.” The Court went on to conclude that when coverage is denied, an attorney selected by the insurance company has a conflict of interest under Rule 1.7 of the Rules of Professional Conduct as such representation would “be materially limited by the lawyer’s responsibilities to another client or to a third person”, in this case the insurance company. The Court also held that Gabriel properly assumed control of the defense and was entitled to reimbursement of all attorney’s fees incurred in the defense of the matter. See also Smith v. Reliance Insurance Co. of Illinois, 01-888(La. App. 5Cir. 1/15/02); 807 So.2d 1010.1 In short, under Louisiana law, upon receipt of a reservation of rights letter by a liability insurer, your right to select counsel has been triggered. It is important to notify the insurer immediately of your intent to select counsel, the name of the counsel or firm and demand that all costs be paid by the insurer. In Trinity Universal Insurance, Co. v. Stevens Forestry Service, Inc., 335 F.3d 353(5th Cir. 2003), the Court denied a claim for reimbursement of attorneys fees incurred by an insured on the basis that the insured never objected to the insurance company’s selected counsel.

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Up dat e s f ro m A B C N A T I O N A L FEBRUARY CONSTRUCTION UNEMPLOYMENT RATES DOWN IN 46 STATES YEAR OVER YEAR WASHINGTON, D.C., April 3— Estimated February not seasonally adjusted construction unemployment rates fell nationally and in 46 states on a year-over-year basis, according to an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors. As the February 2019 national NSA construction unemployment rate fell 1.6 percent from a year ago to 6.2 percent, the construction industry employed 222,000 more workers nationally compared to February 2018, according to BLS numbers. “The strength of the February construction employment numbers continued to reflect the strength of construction throughout much of the country,” said Bernard M. Markstein, Ph.D., president and chief economist of Markstein Advisors, who conducted the analysis for ABC. “Unemployment rates in February were lower compared to a year ago in 46 states, unchanged in one—Hawaii—and higher in three— Idaho, Kansas and Louisiana. At the same time, the country and 30 of the states posted their lowest February construction unemployment rates on record.” The national NSA construction unemployment rate fell 0.2 percent from January to February. In years past, a monthly decline has only occurred about a third of the time since the report first began in 2000 (six out of the previous 19 years). ABC HONORS AMERICA’S TOP CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS LONG BEACH, California, March 28—Associated Builders and Contractors honored 92 projects collectively worth nearly $3.7 billion at the 29th annual Excellence in Construction® Awards gala during ABC Convention 2019 in Long Beach, California. The EIC awards program is the industry’s leading competition that honors both general and specialty contractors for innovative and highquality merit shop construction projects. 23

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“ABC members and their employees continue to amaze me with their breadth of skills and craftsmanship,” said 2019 ABC National Chair Tony Rader, telecom vice president of National Roofing Partners, Coppell, Texas. “From schools to manufacturing facilities, medical centers and hotels, this year’s variety of Excellence in Construction award-winning projects show not only the exceptional talent in our industry, but the overall commitment to building safely, on time and on budget. The EIC award honors all construction team members, including the contractor, owner, architect and engineer. The winning projects, selected from entries across the nation, were judged on complexity, attractiveness, unique challenges overcome, completion time, workmanship, innovation, safety and cost. A panel of industry experts served as the competition’s judges. This year’s panel included representatives from the Building Owners and Managers Association International, the Smithsonian Facilities Construction Division, the Construction Management Association of America, Engineering News-Record, the DesignBuild Institute of America and various construction-related firms nationwide. U.S. ECONOMIC GROWTH SOFTENS IN FINAL QUARTER OF 2018, SAYS ABC WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 28– The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 2.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Yearover-year GDP growth was 3.1 percent, while average growth for 2018 was 2.9 percent. “Today’s GDP report confirms continued strong investment in nonresidential segments in America,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Separately, construction spending data show significant expenditures on the construction of data centers, hotel rooms, theme

parks and fulfillment centers. These data also indicate stepped up public construction spending in categories such as transportation, education, and water systems. Despite that, today’s GDP release indicated that investment in nonresidential structures actually declined 4.2 percent on an annualized basis during last year’s fourth quarter. Despite that setback, this form of investment was up by 5 percent for the entirety of 2018. “Undoubtedly, some attention will be given to the fact that the U.S. economy expanded by just shy of 3 percent in 2018,” said Basu. “Unless that figure is revised upward in subsequent releases, it will mean that America has failed to reach the 3 percent annual threshold since 2005. But while much attention will be given to a perceived shortfall in growth, the fourth quarter figure of 2.6 percent signifies that the U.S. economy entered this year with substantial momentum. Were it not for a weak residential construction sector, 3 percent growth would have been attained. Moreover, the data indicate strength in disposable income growth and in business investment. “It is quite likely that the U.S. economy will expand at around 2 percent this year,” said Basu. “Though interest rates remain low and hiring is still brisk, a number of leading indicators suggest that the nation’s economy will soften somewhat during the quarters ahead, which can be partly attributed to a weakening global economy. This won’t unduly impact nonresidential construction activity, however, since the pace of activity in this segment tends to lag the overall economy, and strong nonresidential construction spending expected in 2019. Finally, ABC’s Construction Backlog Indicator continues to reflect strong demand for contractors, which have nearly nine months of work lined up.”

COV E R S T ORY S PR I N G 20 1 9

TOUCH A TRUCK

ABC Pelican partners with Junior League of Baton Rouge to host 10,000 at a one-day community event

BY ERIKA WALTER, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR Since August 2018, Members and staff have been hard at work with Junior League of Baton Rouge to ensure Touch A Truck 2019 was bigger and better as it returned for its fourth year in the Baton Rouge area. We are proud to report that the countless hours of hard work, planning and dedication paid off in a big way by nearly doubling the amount of attendees, compared to 2018. Touch A Truck, which is a one-day experience that gives children and their families an up-close look at trucks, equipment and machinery giving them the opportunity to meet those that protect, serve, and build our state. Touch A Truck is a meaningful event because it is a way to safely interact with multiple industries, pieces of equipment and vehicles that are typically behind CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

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COVE R S T ORy S P R I N G 20 1 9 C O N TIN UE D the scenes or even seen on the road or on construction sites. But more importantly, family-friendly, educational events like these help children and their parents consider possible careers in construction, craft work, emergency response, and other industries. “This is an event where the community works together,” said Tiffany Palmer, Junior League of Baton Rouge chairwoman of 2019 Touch A Truck. “We might compete against each other in business every day, but we all come together to make this happen for the kids.” Leading up to the event, ABC Pelican participated in miniature versions of Touch a Truck at both the Emerge Center and Our Lady of the Lake. We were honored and humbled to help bring the event to the kids who could not attend themselves. They had a wonderful time interacting with the trucks in a fun, safe environment. Our Members took on several roles leading up to and especially during the event. They secured donations, planned creative, new stations for the whole family to enjoy, mapped out the event, donated equipment, educated attendees about the importance of safety in construction, set up, helped out all day, picked up, and cooked up some delicious food. We were so proud of ABC Pelican representation in the ABC Experience Zone; looking across the nearly 90 pieces of equipment on the BREC Fairgrounds, you knew ABC Pelican was a proud part of Touch A Truck. Michelle Hardy of Turner Industries served as the 2019 Touch A Truck Grub Zone Chair. “Touch A Truck is such a great event, kids love it and it’s fun for the whole family,” Hardy said. “Where else do you get the opportunity to climb in and explore anything from a cement truck to an ambulance and CONTINUED ON PAGE 26 25 www.abcpelican.org/newsletter

COVE R S T ORY S P R I N G 20 1 9 c o n tin ue d even a SWAT vehicle!?! As the Grub Zone Chair I oversaw the food and beverage offerings. This year we centralized everything, making it easy for guests to grab lunch, which guests could enjoy in a shaded tent.” Hardy continued: “Turner Industries is proud to be a part of this great event and we are looking forward to next year. In all, twelve local businesses made the Grub Zone a success.” If you are interested in cooking with us for next years’ event, you can reach Hardy at 225.214.2637 or mhardy1@turner-industries. com. Multiple ABC Member organizations are to thank for their incredible efforts in participating this year. We’re talking tens of thousands of dollars in donations and countless volunteer hours from generous members like: Turner Industries, Performance Contractors, ISC Constructors, EXCEL Group, Beard Construction, Cajun Industries, Quality Concrete, ACE Enterprises, Mammoet, Baton Rouge General, 24-Hour Safety, Rene’s Industries, GROUP Industries, Louisiana CAT, Hannis T Bourgeois, Barriere Construction, Bottom Line Equipment, Emery Equipment, Doggett, Great River Industries, Ralph Industrial Electronics, and TNT Crane and Rigging. Josh Rounds of Performance Contractors was integral in executing Touch A Truck in 2018 and 2019. “The only time of year you can see thousands of smiles from people of ALL ages in our local community coming together in support of the Junior League is at the annual Touch a Truck event. I am happy to share that this years event was once again a tremendous success! ABC has had an extremely positive influence on the success of Touch a Truck along with many member companies. Whether CONTINUED ON PAGE 27 www.abcpelican.org/newsletter

COVE R S T ORY S P R I N G 20 1 9 c o n tin ue d it was showing up to cook or to showcase services for the community to bring about more awareness of our industry, member participation has been invaluable. Please consider helping us grow this event in 2020!” If attendees weren’t enjoying giveaways, face painting, or farm animals, then they were listening to music, sitting inside equipment, honking horns, turning steering wheels, playing in the dig zone, thanking first responders, enjoying lunch, snacks and beverages or learning about safety. In fact, the Safety Zone was a new addition this year, all thanks to ABC Pelican. We wanted to ensure that parents and children understand that in our industry, safety comes first, last and always. We took the opportunity this year to educate folks about how we implement safety in the construction industry. The Baton Rouge General and 24-Hour Safety provided safety demonstrations and resources – including vests and hats for the kids—for the whole family to enjoy. Touch A Truck pulls back the veil of our industry for families and for the future of our industry: the kids that attend. It’s also a great way to bridge the gap between local industries and our community to help change the face of the construction industry because a career in construction is in high demand. This was our second year to partner with the non-profit for Touch A Truck, but our first to be the premiere partner. Our hope is to continue this strong partnership for years to come, and we are excited to begin planning Touch A Truck 2020! If you are not already involved, we hope that you and your company will consider participating next year. It’s a meaningful way to serve and give back to a community that each of you proudly build stronger every day.

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ICC & M E M BE R S H I P B R EA K FA S T

PREVIEWING LOUISIANA’S POLITICAL LANDSCAPE IN 2019 APRIL 3, 2019, RENAISSANCE BATON ROUGE The outcomes of Louisiana’s legislative session and elections will shape our state’s future for many years to come. These outcomes are also of vital importance to Louisiana’s merit shop construction industry, business community, and economic future. Recognizing this, ABC Pelican hosted two outstanding keynote speakers at our Spring ICC & Membership Breakfast to provide their take on the future of our state politically, fiscally and economically. Taylor Barras, House Speaker for the Louisiana House of Representatives, took a morning out of his busy schedule to provide Members with a state budget and session update. Louisiana’s legislative session began this past Saturday, and Speaker Barras said he is confident in House Leadership going in to this session, even though this administration may try to take hold of the budgeting power. Speaker Barras explained that the administration is trying to squeeze as much money as possible out of the budget, and then “spend every penny of it.” His stance, along with his Republican colleagues, is this: “You can spend the money, but let’s make sure it’s in the bank first.” The appropriations process is going on now, and the Speaker commended the House Appropriations Committee for doing a quality job. He encouraged ABC Pelican Members to be mindful of the rhetoric around surplus in the budget in the weeks and months to come. “The numbers don’t lie… the surplus is fake…we don’t need to spend every dollar that’s there.”

chairman and founder of ISC Constructors, took the stage. Rispone began his remarks with a commitment to do whatever it takes to make Louisiana number one, to grow jobs, to strengthen our education systems. “We need someone who will not accept the status quo. We need an outsider.” As governor, Rispone said he would attack the budget and recruit the best talent possible over local federal agencies. “We need leadership with skills, experience, a backbone and who is not tied to special interests.” Rispone emphasized the need to focus on vocational training and how strengthening this begins with K-12 education. “We need to invest in [craft training] a way that maximizes job creation in Louisiana…industry would respond immediately.” “I want my 24 grandchildren to stay here,” Rispone said. His plans to run the state would ensure quality talent stayed in Louisiana. If there is one takeaway from our Spring ICC and Membership breakfast, it’s this: We cannot take our eyes off the ball politically this year. We will strive day in and day out for a Merit Shop majority in the House, in the Senate, and in the Governor’s Mansion.

Sports betting, decreasing insurance rates, and the omnibus bill on tort changes to commercial and personal vehicle rates are three items the Speaker encouraged our Members to watch during session. Speaker Barras wrapped his remarks and then ABC Member Eddie Rispone, gubernatorial candidate, ABC Pelican Member, Past ABC National chairman and www.abcpelican.org/newsletter

PELICAN CHAPTER, ASSOCIATED BUILDERS & CONTRACTORS, INC.

PERFECT YOUR TRADE THROUGH CRAFT TRAINING IN BATON ROUGE Established in 1980, ABC Pelican has trained more than 25,000 craft professionals, provided a variety of professional continuing education offerings, and promoted construction as a career to tens of thousands. Perfect your trade with us through nationally accredited curriculum developed for the construction industry!

CRAFT COURSES • NCCER Core • NCCER Electrical Levels 1-4 • NCCER Millwright Levels 1-5 • NCCER Heavy Equipment Levels 1-2

• NCCER Instrumentation Levels 1-4 • NCCER Mobile Crane Levels 1-2 • NCCER Pipefitting Levels 1-4

Pelican Chapter, Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnic origin, religion, sex, handicap, union affiliation or veteran status. Persons who enroll in ABC Training Center courses acknowledge that they are physically fit to participate in these courses. In the event of an accident or injury, participants will hold harmless from all liability and/or loss or damage, the Pelican Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. or its agents. This information is subject to change without notice due to enrollment numbers and requirements. Completion of all or part of a training program does not guarantee employment. While it is our goal to train for the construction/maintenance industry, our primary purpose is to train our members’ employees.

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(Must have at least 3.5 years field experience) •NCCER Construction Site Safety Technician (CSST) •Project Coordinator (three semesters) •First semester: Print Reading •Second semester: Estimating •Third semester: Planning and Scheduling

• AWS Welding Levels 1- 4

About ABC Pelican

19251 Highland Road Baton Rouge, LA 70809

SUPERVISOR CLASSES

Fall 2019 Dates

Spring 2020 Dates

Early Registration: April 1 – 30 (current students only)

Early Registration: October 1- 31 (current students only)

ICC/GBRIA Registration: May 1 – 30

ICC/GBRIA Registration: November 4 - 28

Open Registration: June 3 - 27

Open Registration: December 2 - 19

Semester Begins: August 5, 2019

Semester Begins: January 6, 2020

Hours of Operation: Monday - Thursday, 7:30a to 6:00p

225.752.0088

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BA T ON ROUGE t r a i n i n g c en t e r update

ANOTHER SEASON OF SPRING TRAINING

BY KELLY CARPENTER, DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION The Spring semester is well underway at the Baton Rouge Training Center. Enrollment is currently 1,041 and current students have begun to enroll for the Fall 2019 semester, which begins on August 5, so mark your calendars now. To help garner interest for the Course Choice high school program, the training center hosted an Open House on March 12. Potential students and their parents took tours of the training center and learned of the opportunities available to them in the construction industry while in high school and after they graduate. A big “Thank you” to our contractor members who attended and helped guide students and their parents. Students who apply for the Course Choice program at their high school will be interviewed by member contractors before school is dismissed for the summer.

There is also an expectation to include additional career readiness and exploration classes for high school students. The Baton Rouge Training Center submitted their feedback to the Department of Education on March 14. There are some exciting upcoming opportunities including upgrade training for various crafts including pipefitting, electrical, and millwright to name a few. On April 11, ABC Pelican will host the annual high school craft competition with 108 high school students expected to compete in electrical, welding and carpentry.

Back in February, the Training Center hosted a blood drive with Vitalant (formerly United Blood Services) during the week of February 18. We’re proud that 115 donors participated in the event, and Vitalant collected 138 units, which saves 414 lives. Wow! The Training Center will host another blood drive in the Fall and I’d encourage each of your companies to participate. Aside from regularly scheduled training, the Training Center also hosted two hydroblasting training and certification sessions in January and March. A total of 37 students completed the class. The Training Center hosts hydroblasting training as needs in the industry arise. There will probably be at least two more sessions hosted this year. Training Center staff and contractors also took time to review the Louisiana Department of Education’s Jump Start 2.0 blueprint. The blueprint outlines suggested changes and updates to the current Jump Start program that was established a few years ago. Some of the key points of the blueprint outlined for the different pathways currently approved for the Jump Start program need to correlate with Carl D. Perkins funding opportunities for career and technical education. www.abcpelican.org/newsletter

PELICAN CHAPTER, ASSOCIATED BUILDERS & CONTRACTORS, INC.

JUMP-START YOUR CAREER AT ABC PELICAN WITH ACCELERATED TRAINING ABC Pelican has trained more than 25,000 craft professionals and promoted construction as a career to tens of thousands since it was established nearly four decades ago. Complete your training with us in Southwest Louisiana in as little as 24 weeks.

Questions? Contact: Kirby Bruchhaus, Director of Education (kbruchhaus@abcpelican.com | 337.882.0204) Blaise Theard, Workforce Development Specialist (btheard@abcpelican.com | 337.882.0204)

All accelerated training classes are Monday through Thursday, 8:00a to 1:00p

Electrical Pipefitting Four levels in 24 weeks for $560

About ABC Pelican Pelican Chapter, Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnic origin, religion, sex, handicap, union affiliation or veteran status. Persons who enroll in ABC Training Center courses acknowledge that they are physically fit to participate in these courses. In the event of an accident or injury, participants will hold harmless from all liability and/or loss or damage, the Pelican Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. or its agents. This information is subject to change without notice due to enrollment numbers and requirements. Completion of all or part of a training program does not guarantee employment. While it is our goal to train for the construction/maintenance industry, our primary purpose is to train our membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; employees. 31

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222 Walcot Road Westlake, LA 70669

Heavy Equipment

Welding

Two levels in 12 weeks for $280

24 weeks for $560

Spring 2020 Schedule

Fall 2019 Schedule Level 1: June 24 - August 1

Level 1: January 6 - February 13

Level 2: August 5 - September 12

Level 2: February 17 - March 26

Level 3: September 23 - October 31

Level 3: March 30 - May 7

Level 4: November 4 - December 19

Level 4: May 11 - June 18

Registration Begins: April 1, 2019

Registration Begins: November 4, 2019

Hours of Operation: Monday - Thursday, 7:30a to 6:00p

337.882.0204

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so ut h w e st t r a i n i n g c en t er update

IT’S CRAFT COMPETITION SEASON

BY BLAISE THEARD, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST, SWTC

Spring is here, we are at the halfway point of the semester, and the ABC Southwest Training Center is in full swing. As the Fall semester is quickly approaching, this is an extremely important time for recruiting the next generation of skilled craft professionals. ABC SWTC’s high school outreach has hit an outstanding stride since the top of the year and this outreach will contribute to the need for exceptional craftsmen in the construction industry. More than 250 high school students from across Southwest Louisiana traveled to our campus for various craft competitions over the past two months. The SWTC hosted the District 9 FFA Welding, Small Engine, and Electrical competition on February 28. Louisiana FFA ninth through twelfth grade students from Allen, Calcasieu, Cameron, and Jeff Davis Parish competed for the opportunity to advance to the Area 3 FFA Competition. The competitors were observed on quality workmanship, technical knowledge and safety practices as they vied for a spot in the Area 3 competition. Students from Avoyelles, Evangeline, Allen, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jeff Davis, Acadia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermilion Parish competed in the Area 3 FFA Welding and Small Engine Mechanics. ABC SWTC paired the annual Southwest Jambalaya Cook-Off in conjunction with the Area 3 FFA competition on

March 14. Competition was the name of the game at our Southwest Training Center that day. While more than 100 high school students vied for the top spots in the welding and small engine categories, our Members competed with their Cajun culinary skills in a jambalaya cook-off. We’re proud to have hosted competitions for high school students like these since 2000 and enjoyed having the students and our members on our campus. Many thanks to Scott-Macon Equipment, R&R Construction, Excel, and Performance Contractors for participating in the cook-off. ISC Constructors also deserves a big thank you for providing drinks to all attendees. The high school students were very appreciative, not only for the food, but also for the opportunity to interact with industry professionals. Our dual enrollment welding students were also presented with the opportunity to compete against one another. ABC SWTC hosted a welding competition for each satellite location on March 28 to show off their skills in which they have been tirelessly working on since August. The top four students from each location were asked to perform a horizontal open v-groove weld while being judged on safety, CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 www.abcpelican.org/newsletter

so u th w e st CR A F T CO M PE T IT IO N & J A MB A L A YA CO O K - O F F PH O T O S

The numbers speak for themselves 1,108,935

training units in 2018

1,800+

current member companies

258,773

students trained in 2018

60+

yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience

By putting our tools, technology, safety training and support to work, companies across the U.S. and abroad are working safer and smarter. Learn more about our foundational programs or talk to us about building a customized workforce development plan.

877-345-1253 alliancesafetycouncil.org

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sout hw e st t r a i n i n g c en t er update C O N T. housekeeping, and quality of the weld. Thank you to Turner Industries for assisting with judging the competition. Everyone involved was very impressed with the students and their overall performance. The three competitions play a vital role in the recruitment of high school students. Many of these students will be graduating in May and will have a big decision to make regarding their future. ABC SWTC Fall accelerated classes begin in June and we look forward to training those individuals seeking a bright future in the construction industry.

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ABC N AT ION A L C O N V EN T I O N 20 19 ABC PELICAN MEMBER PROJECTS, CRAFT PROFESSIONALS, LSU CM STUDENTS WIN BIG IN NATIONAL COMPETITIONS MARCH 25-28, LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA

ABC Pelican Members, students and representatives made Louisiana proud at the ABC Convention in Long Beach! We brought home a total of 14 awards from the annual convention, including the prestigious ABC National Young Professional of the Year Award (be sure to check out the story on Lance Arvel’s award at the beginning of this newsletter), ten awards for worldclass construction projects, one award for craft work in instrument fitting, third place in the collegiate Construction Management Competition and third place in the estimating category of the CMC. The LSU Construction Management (CM) team, sponsored by ABC Pelican, took home third place overall and third place in estimating at the 2019 ABC Construction Management Competition (CMC). Preparation for the CMC began in January, when the team received an authentic request for proposal (RFP). Then, on Monday the team submitted their bid, drew out an addendum on Wednesday and took a written exam. LSU rose to the challenge by advancing to the top eight collegiate teams. After advancing to the finals, the LSU team presented their bid and took questions from the judges. The LSU CM team to place in the 2019 CMC includes: Brandon Brignac, Briggs Campo, David Morris, Courtney Tilly, John Davis and Annalise Rabito. We caught up with Team captain and LSU CM Senior Brandon Brignac right after the Careers in Construction Awards. He said he is proud of his team’s hard work and accomplishments.

“This is three years of hard work between LSU CM and ABC Pelican, and the hard work has paid off in a big way,” Brignac said. “The judges said we were by far the most impressive school that they had seen, and that’s very gratifying for me. My team and I are grateful for this experience because it accelerated our careers and provided great networking opportunities. We’ve walked away from this with hands-on, real life experience.” When asked the advice he would give next year’s team, Brignac said: “Seize this opportunity, because this competition sets you apart. It pays off with a profound accomplishment, exposure to the heavy hitters in this industry, and experiences you’ll take with you for the rest of your life.” This was the second year for Briggs Campo, Senior CM student at LSU, to be part of the competition team. Campo was co-captain of the team. “We’re constantly improving. Last year, we won third overall and made a plan that day last year to place overall and in a category. We achieved both goals, and for that I’m proud. I’m grateful for this experience because my communication and people skills are better. I learned countless life lessons in this competition.” ABC Pelican Member companies received an impressive 10 awards for outstanding merit shop construction projects at the 29th annual Excellence in Construction® (EIC) Awards and the ABC Pelican EIC Awards Banquet in December 2018. Only 92 projects were honored at the national level, each CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

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ABC N AT ION A L C O N V EN T I O N 20 19 CO N TIN UE D show-casing the exceptional talent in our industry and the overall commitment to building safely, on time and on budget. Donn Peterson, Vice President of GROUP Industries and Chair of the ABC Pelican Board of Directors, accepted GROUP’s national EIC Award in Long Beach. “It’s humbling to be recognized for meeting the prestigious standards set by our industry’s premier competition,” said Peterson. “But more importantly, it is a privilege to build a better and stronger Louisiana through innovation and quality. Tedious planning, execution and delivering of GROUP’s redesign of the City Hall Plaza was well worth the end result, regardless of the national recognition.” The following ten ABC Pelican Member Company projects received chapter honors in December 2018 and national honors during Associated Builders and Contractors’ 29th annual Excellence in Construction® Awards celebration in California: National Excellence in Construction Eagle Award Winners Cajun Industries, LLC, HE-201D Replacement Project (Plaquemine): To increase operating capacity and overall efficiency at the Olin facility, Cajun was charged with the demolition, removal and replacement of a 500,000-pound heat exchanger located within a highly congested unit. The project was multifaceted from the outset and required over twenty thousandman hours in over two months with a perfect safety record. ISC Constructors, LLC, Honeywell UOP-DSG Electrical Upgrade and Lab Feeder Replacement (Baton Rouge): In October 2017, Honeywell UOP

experienced a critical power failure on a 15KV main feeder that crippled operations for the entire facility. ISC was contracted to perform major facility upgrades, including relocating the temporary feeders to their permanent location, installing new feeders to other critical areas of the facility, and upgrading motor control center and spray dryer equipment. MMR Group, Shell-Olefins Flare Gas Recovery Project (Deer Park, TX): MMR executed the electrical and instrumentation construction on Shell Deer Park’s Olefins Flare Gas Recovery Project. This refinery is among the largest in the US with a capacity of 340,000 barrels of crude oil a day. Construction lasted one year, MMR finished the project on time, with zero safety incidents, and under budget while battling the complications of Hurricane Harvey. Triad Electric and Controls, Inc., Dow Gulfstream Poly B Train 3 Project (Plaquemine): Triad’s $44.8 million contract with Dow Chemical’s Gulfstream Poly B, Train 3 Project in Plaquemine, Louisiana increased in scope by 40 percent throughout the duration of the project. However, Triad was able to overcome significant challenges to complete over 800,000-man hours without any safety incidents and on schedule. Turner Industries Group, Shell Tiger AO4 Heavy Transport (Geismar): The Tiger AO4 project at the Shell Geismar Chemical Plant in South Louisiana required more than 600 pieces of equipment shipped in from all over the world. Turner was called into action to receive seven pressure vessels and transport them to the Shell Tiger AO4 jobsite from the Port of New Orleans. All the vessels were delivered to the site on schedule with zero lost-time incidents and zero injuries.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 37

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ABC N AT ION A L C O N V EN T I O N 20 19 CO N TIN UE D

Home to Baton Rouge’s Most Dynamic Events

National Excellence in Construction Pyramid Award Winners EXCEL Group, Westlake VCM Control Building (Geismar): EXCEL demolished an existing warehouse and replaced it with new blast-rated VCM Control Room facility. The completed project resulted in a state-of-the-art facility, to replace its aging predecessor while providing countless enhancements to ergonomics, life safety, and operational capabilities. Through proven processes, EXCEL and its subcontract teams achieved over 19,500 incident-free manhours. GROUP Industries, City Hall Plaza (Baton Rouge): The redesign of City Hall Plaza satisfies a goal of Baton Rouge Central Green – to develop a network of greenspaces to link several downtown institutions. The improvements included the removal of underutilized and existing hardscapes and their replacement with a large green lawn, elevated crushed granite promenade and shade trees. The redesign also provides improved circulation and ADA accessibility throughout the City Hall and River Center Campus and allows the Galvez Stage to be used from both sides by covering the opening above the underground parking garage north of the stage.

Don’t forget to ask for the Associated Builders and Contractors Rate Account name- Associated Builders and Contractors Rate code- IPK41 | Rate- $109 ● 294 Guest Rooms ● 32,000 sq ft Conference Center ● 17 Meeting Rooms ● Patio Grille and Lounge ● Airport Shuttle ● 1,000+ Parking Spaces ● Full Service Concierge Lounge ● Complementary High Speed Internet ● 3,000 sq ft State-of-the-Art Fitness Center 4728 Constitution Ave. Baton Rouge, LA 70808 Crownebaton.com  225-925-2244

MMR Group: BASF Geismar Electrical Reliability Project (Geismar): MMR provided electrical, instrumentation, construction and execution services for the BASF 700 Bus Replacement Phase of the Geismar Electrical Reliability Project. The objective was to increase capacity and reliability of an existing electrical distribution infrastructure by providing backup power to four existing substations, replacing aging switchgear, and installing new power feeders to mitigate the risk of legacy underground feeder failures. The project was completed on time and without injury. Performance Contractors, Inc., Dow Poly B&D (Bay City, TX): Dow’s Poly B Train 3 and Poly D were two world scale high tech Polyolefins facilities that were built at the operations facility in Plaquemine, Louisiana. Performance provided over 3,000 employees, and installed 85,000 cubic yards of concrete, 12,600 tons of structural steel, 410,000 linear feet of piping, and over 1,500 pieces of equipment. CONTINUED ON PAGE 38

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ABC N AT ION A L C O N V EN T I O N 20 19 CO N TIN UE D This project was a critical component to the overall Dow Gulfstream initiative. Turner Industries: Olin Plaquemine 2018 Turnaround (Plaquemine): This turnaround represented the first time since the 1980’s that the entire Chlor Alkali portion of the Olin Plaquemine facility had been in turnaround status. The ten projects are a testament to the skill and creativity of each team member responsible for these outstanding merit shop construction projects. The National Craft Championships also took place at the ABC Convention. Nine of the nearly 200 competitors were ABC Pelican craft students, and they competed in five of the 12 craft categories. Brian Gordon, ABC Pelican craft student and sponsored by ISC Constructors, Inc., placed third in instrument fitting. “This competition goes from sun up to sundown and displays the exceptional skills, technical knowledge and safety practices of a craft professional,” said David Helveston, President of ABC Pelican. “Louisiana’s finest represented our state’s construction industry well.” These ABC Pelican students competed in the 2019 National Craft Championships: •Electrical: Ryan Langlois, EXCEL Group; Devin Pourciaux, Ernest P. Breaux Electrical; Brady Thibodeaux, Ernest P. Breaux Electrical •Instrumentation: Brian Gordon, ISC Contractors; Timothy Gros, ISC Contractors •Millwright: Michael Cothern, Turner Industries Group •Pipefitting: Alvin Allen, Jacobs Field Service •Pipe Welding: Cade Garafola, Performance Contractors; Josephus Hutcheson, EXCEL Group A big congratulations to each of ABC Pelican’s competitors! You made this chapter, industry and state immensely proud!

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MEM BE RS H IP

GET TO KNOW OUR NEW MEMBERS Spiral Metals Corporation Joseph King 4145 N Flannery Rd #1, Baton Rouge, LA 70814 225.272.6635 www.spiralmetals.com Joined: February 2019 Supplier: Basic Metal Materials & Methods Sponsor: Danielle Gueho, The Cook Hotel & Conference About Spiral Metals: Spiral Metals has evolved from the early 70’s, with new leadership, to become a leading manufacturer of spiral pipe, fittings, and specialty items for the marine and industrial fields. Our commitment for quality and service is extending into the future, with our company now offering complete installation of HVAC systems, dust collection systems, and any sheet metal needs. From design, to manufacturing, and even installation, our team is ready to assist anyone at anytime- regardless of project size.

Cotton Culinary, Inc. Kyle Williams 3010 Country Club Rd., Lake Charles, LA 70605 877.900.4588 https://cottonculinary.com/ Joined: February 2019 Supplier: Catering Sponsor: Kayla Carrier, EXCEL Group About Cotton Culinary, Inc.: Productive individuals need quality fuel to power them through each challenging day. Cotton Culinary provides top-rate food services and catering that will keep your employees, customers or guests happy and energized. With an unwavering commitment to quality, we continue to develop new concepts to appeal to our diverse client base and offer customizable options for any operating environment. Ochsner Health System Kenny Wall 10320 The Grove Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70836 225.405.0428

www.ochsner.org Joined: February 2019 Industrial Professional: Medical Services Sponsor: Jeremiah Johnson, Bottom Line Equipment About Oschner: Ochsner Health System has been providing high-quality clinical and hospital patient care to Louisiana residents since 1942. Our healthcare family—today, comprising more than 18,000 employees and over 1,100 physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties—is driven by our commitment to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate, and that passion is shared with every person who passes through our doors. Milwaukee Tool Matt Byrd 333 Laurel Street, Suite 7N, Baton Rouge, LA 70801 269.957.0970 www.milwaukeetool.com Joined: February 2019 Supplier: Tools Sponsor: Stephen Fertitta, Great River Industries About Milwaukee Tool: Milwaukee Tool is an industry-leading manufacturer of heavy-duty power tools, accessories and hand tools for professional users worldwide. Since the company began in 1924, Milwaukee Tool has led the industry in both durability and performance. With an unwavering commitment to the trades, Milwaukee continues to lead with a focus on providing innovative, trade-specific solutions. Corporate Services, LLC Angie Weidel 3801 Plaza Tower Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70816 225.923.3767 www.corpservice.com Joined: February 2019 Industry Professional: Software App Designer Sponsor: Joe Weidel, Gulf Coast Equipment Services About Corporate Services, LLC: We have rental, service and tracking experience spanning a widewww.abcpelican.org/newsletter

MEM BE RS H IP C O N T i n u ed

GET TO KNOW OUR NEW MEMBERS range of industries, including oil & gas rental equipment and services, truck and trailer rental and leasing, general rentals, heavy equipment rentals, construction rentals, fence rentals, porta potty rentals, waste management, waterjet technologies, medical/hospice equipment rentals, vineyard management, and many more. Corporate Services offers you a total equipment rental, service, and tracking management solution: flexible services and a custom software component that make the management of your equipment and rentals a snap. For more than 26 years, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve helped companies track the revenue, cost, locations and utilization of their assets throughout the world. GEXPRO Kristian Ware 18340 Highland Rd N/A, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 225.754.4560 www.gexpro.com Joined: February 2019 Supplier: Electrical Supplier Sponsor: Aaron Patrick, ISC Constructors, LLC About GEXPRO: Gexpro is a distributor of electrical parts and components for construction, industrial and energy solutions markets. We supply a wide range of electrical supplies and productivity solutions for electricians, contractors and industrial plants. Gexpro carries everything from lighting components, motors, circuit breakers, and tools to electrical wiring, conduit, automation solutions and solar panels. In addition to our online store, we have over 80 warehouse storefront locations throughout the U.S. where customers can find the electrical material they need for their projects as well as product expertise from our experienced staff. Gexpro supports customers across the country to create value, lower their total cost of ownership and run their businesses better. The Bug Man, Inc. Paul Salvant 1946 Wooddale Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 41

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70806 225.923.2847 www.bugmanonline.com Joined: March 2019 Contractor: Pest Control Sponsor: Alyssa Lundy, Peak Media About The Bug Man: At The Bug Man, we pride ourselves in being a leader in pest control and termite protection in the Baton Rouge and surrounding areas. We have served Baton Rouge and its neighbors for over 40 years with pest knowledge as our best weapon. We have four service areas which are located in Baton Rouge, Ascension, Lafayette and New Orleans. Our staff of over 25 technicians totals more than 250 years of pest control experience. The Bug Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s territory stretches as far west as Lake Charles, Louisiana, as far north and east as the LouisianaMississippi state line and as far south as Grand Isle, Louisiana. ReSteel Express, Inc. Michael Stasny 9 Saw Road, Poplarville, MS 39470 662.550.5969 www.resteelexpress.com Joined: March 2019 Supplier: Reinforcing Steel Sponsor: Josh Zumo, Cajun Industries About ReSteel Express, Inc.: At ReSteel Express, our goal is to create customer satisfaction by providing quality reinforcing steel & wire mesh delivered on time. Our success is the direct result of the confidence that our customers place on us, week after week, with repeat orders. Eustis Engineering, LLC Briana Correa 3011 28th Street, Metairie, LA 70002 504.834.0157 www.eustiseng.com Joined: March 2019 Industry Professional: Engineering Sponsor: Ryan Gaubert, Boh Bros. Construction About Eustis Engineering: Eustis Engineering

MEM BE RS H IP C O N T i n u ed

GET TO KNOW OUR NEW MEMBERS L.L.C. is the third oldest continually operating geotechnical firm in the United States, serving clients across the Gulf Coast for more than 71 years. With this unmatched level of knowledge and experience, Eustis Engineering provides highly effective solutions for creating strong, lasting structures on challenging soils. With five locations, staffed by more than 100 dedicated employees, Eustis Engineering is fully resourced for geotechnical projects throughout the region. Our capacity and expertise is unparalleled in the field, allowing us to be a valued partner for important engineering initiatives in Louisiana, Mississippi, Eastern Texas and beyond. JPS Equipment Rental, LLC Kevin Malone 6523 Masonic Drive, Alexandria, LA 71301 318.704.6171 www.jpsequips.com Joined: March 2019 Supplier: Equipment Rental / Sales Sponsor: Jeremiah Johnson, Bottom Line Equipment About JPS Equipment Rental: At JPS Equipment Rental LLC, our mission is to equip the success of our customers by providing the highest quality of service and construction equipment, thereby exceeding the industry standards in customer care and safety. We are committed to always put the customer first by developing and nurturing those relationships while maintain a strong level of professionalism and teamwork. TorcSill Foundations, LLC Dustin Braud 9311 Bay Area Blvd #700, Pasadena, TX 77507 281.825.5200 www.torcsill.com Joined: April 2019 Contractor: Deep Foundations Sponsor: Jeremiah Johnson, Bottom Line Equipment About TorcSill Foundations, LLC: TorcSill Foundations is the premier global provider of engineered helical pile and anchor solutions to

clients in a broad range of markets. Helical piles, also known as helical piers and screw piles, are a proven foundation solution ideal for energy, industrial, and commercial applications. Thompson Engineering, Inc. Garrett Fancher 14635 S Harrells Ferry Rd STE 4A, Baton Rouge, LA 70816 225.384.5260 www.thompsonengineering.com Joined: April 2019 Contractor: Engineering Sponsor: Gus Richards, APTIM About Thompson Engineering: Thompson Engineering is an employee-owned, multidisciplined engineering firm headquartered in Mobile, Ala. Since 1953, Thompson Engineering has earned its reputation of engineering excellence with leadership in projects that define skylines, coastlines and transportation lines. Thompson Engineering has operated in Louisiana since 2002, contributing in many aspects to south Louisianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s disaster recovery program, industrial development and infrastructure, and oil and gas explorations. Peri Formwork Systems, Inc. Gary Harrison 7135 Dorsey Run Road, Elkridge, MD 21075 410.712.7225 www.peri-usa.com Joined: April 2019 Supplier: Engineering Sponsor: Kurt Degueyter, Bottom Line Equipment About Peri Formwork Systems: PERI is a familyrun business in the second generation. For nearly 50 years PERI has been active on the market and has always been a pioneer in formwork and scaffolding technology. What has made us so successful is that in everything we do, we always think first and foremost of the benefits for our customers. A cooperation based on partnership and trust is a fundamental value in our company, which therefore also forms the basis of our customer relationships. www.abcpelican.org/newsletter

MEM BE RS H IP C O N T i n u ed

GET TO KNOW OUR NEW MEMBERS On-Site Medical Solutions Jessica Mehl 37534 Louisiana 30 W Suite A, Gonzales, LA 70737 225.644.6767 www.onsitemed.net Joined: April 2019 Industry Professional: Occupational Medicine Sponsor: Mike Creel, Performance Contractors About On-Site Medical Solutions: Our owners include a board-certified emergency medicine physician who serves as medical director and two board certified family nurse practitioners who have spent their careers in emergency departments as advanced practice providers. Our mission is to provide companies with high-quality, high-value healthcare solutions that improve the overall health and productivity of their employees. Darkhorse Industries, LLC Greg Major 9820 Highway 68, Jackson, LA 70748 225.364.9515 www.darkhorseind.com Joined: April 2019 Contractor: Piling / Concrete Contractor Sponsor: Scott Callaway, Cajun Industries, LLC About Darkhorse Industries: DarkHorse Industries offers the most innovative and efficient solution for cutting deep foundation piles to grade, and a full suite of specialty concrete cutting solutions. Our mission is to provide safe, reliable pile and concrete cutting/drilling/crushing services, with consistent, cost-effective, on-time performance. We strive to meet timelines and exceed expectations, delivering value to customers across the United States. JM Test Systems, Inc. Scott Morrison 7323 Tom Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70806 800.353.3411 https://jmtest.com Joined: April 2019 Supplier: Equipment Calibration & Certification Sponsor: Keith Coleman, Beard Construction 43

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About JM Test Systems, Inc.: Our commitment to accuracy, reliability, quality and service is what will make JM Test Systems stand out for you. We are an ISO/IEC 17025 lab accredited by A2LA, providing NIST Traceable calibration and repair for your test equipment. JM Test Systems complies with ANSI/NCSL Z-540 and ISO 100121. Whether you are looking for new or used equipment, you’ll find it all here. We’re the experts when it comes to test equipment and testing… it’s all we do, and we’ve been doing it successfully for 30 years. We’re here 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Helix Resources, LLC Garrett Clause 5527 W Main St, Houma, LA 70360 985.226.0292 www.helixresources.com Joined: April 2019 Industry Professional: Skilled Labor Staffing Sponsor: Tyler Traweek, ResponsAble Safety Staffing About Helix Resources, LLC: Helix Resources, LLC is a Comprehensive Talent Solution provider. Although our corporate office is located in south Louisiana, our customer base covers a wide range of locations and industry sectors across the continental United States. Team Industrial Services Jeremy Epps 6048 Commerce Pointe Drive, Geismar, LA 70734 225.647.7477 www.teaminc.com Joined: April 2019 Contractor: Industrial Heat Treatment Service Sponsor: Carlos Guidry, Turner Industries About Team Industrial Services: TEAM, Inc. is a global leading provider of integrated, digitallyenabled asset performance assurance and optimization solutions. We deploy conventional to highly specialized inspection, condition assessment, maintenance and repair services that result in greater safety, reliability, and operational and economic efficiency for our client’s most

MEM BE RS H IP C O N T i n u ed

GET TO KNOW OUR NEW MEMBERS critical assets. A professional team of experienced engineers, technicians, and client support personnel backs each service armed with the best on-the-job safety and service training, equipment, and technical support in the industry. Through locations in more than 20 countries, we unite the delivery of technological innovation with nearly a century of progressive, yet proven integrity and reliability management expertise to fuel a better tomorrow. Wood Group USA, Inc. Bryan Knost 6300 Corporate Boulevard, Suite 100, Baton Rouge, LA 70809 225.361.8430 www.woodgroup.com

Joined: April 2019 Contractor: G.C. - Industrial Maintenance Sponsor: Shawn Worsham, Jacobs About Wood Group: Wood is a global leader in the delivery of project, engineering and technical services in energy, industry and the built environment. Interested in becoming a Member of ABC Pelican? Contact Anna, Director of Membership, at azebeau@ abcpelican.com

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STEP L UN C H A N D LEA R N

SAFET Y IS A PROCESS MARCH 14, BATON ROUGE TRAINING CENTER

performance among our member companies, no matter the size of the organization or the type of work they do. In addition to Primoris and EXCEL, other companies that attended the lunch included HR Solutions, BrandSafway, Southern Earth Sciences, Moore Industries, Bottom Line Equipment, 3M Safety, Tradesmen International, PALA and Beard Construction. Ben Fromenthal represented Beard at the lunch and learn.

Safety is not a destination, it’s a journey. And if you did not know, safety is a pillar of our chapter and national trade association, and we believe that safety knowledge is a vital tool in an industry that is filled with potential hazards. Understanding this, ABC created the Safety Training Evaluation Process (STEP) program to provide guidance for creating a better safety program. Established in 1989, STEP’s benchmarks help our members monitor and adjust their company’s efforts in the present to build a safer work environment. In mid-March, many of our Members took the first step in that journey to world-class safety at our STEP Lunch and Learn. Attendees got a first-hand look at the benchmarking and improvement tools, and the different levels available in this program. Primoris Services Corporation kindly gave the informative presentations, as well as the delicious pastalya and potato salad. Katherine Carver with the EXCEL Group attended the lunch and enjoyed the presentations. “STEP is more than a marketing tool to showcase your company safety program,” Carver said. “I learned that if used properly within the participating companies, STEP can help lower insurance rates and reduce the amount of work-related injuries on jobsites.” EXCEL is a proud Diamond Level member in STEP. ABC STEP Members measure their safety processes and policies with 20 management components with the goal of implementing or enhancing safety programs that reduce jobsite incident rates. These excellent processes have dramatically improved safety 45

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“Beard continues to set safety benchmarks for our company, the ABC STEP program allows us to improve our safety performance for our customers,” Fromenthal said. “In addition, it supports our culture of safety for our most important assets, our people.” STEP Diamond Members are 670 percent safer than the BLS industry average, with an 85 percent reduction in BLS average Total Recordable Incident Rate. STEP Platinum Members are 400 percent safer, with a 75 percent reduction in TRIT, and STEP participants are 130 percent safer, with a 23 percent reduction in TRIT. If you’re interested in taking your first step to worldclass safety, apply here today: www.abcpelican.org/ step

RENT IT. LIKE IT. BUY IT. EVERYTHING WE RENT, WE SELL.

VISIT US ONLINE TO VIEW OUR SEASONAL OFFERS!

800.766.4070 www.LouisianaRentalStore.com

866.843.7440 www.LouisianaCat.com

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Spring Gol f T o u r n a m en t

I T N EV E R R A I N S AT A N A B C P E L IC A N G O L F T OU R NA M E N T March 15, Carter Plantation Even though Mother Nature tried her best to dampen ABC Pelican’s Annual Spring Golf Tournament, she did not succeed! Nearly 200 of our faithful members & guests made the trip to Carter Plantation in the rain, lightening and thunder early in the morning in Mid-March. The rain set the first flight back just long enough for everyone to enjoy networking, breakfast and a few more practice swings before hitting the course. Our sponsors were the real MVPs who got to cooking before daylight. 15 Sponsors spaced out around the course (and even more by the Clubhouse) offering delicious food, such as fried shrimp, charbroiled oysters, jambalaya and etouffee, drink and music. All in all, this annual tournament was a hole-in-one. Thank you to our generous sponsors, the golfers and the Carter Plantation staff. Congratulations to our 2019 Spring Golf Tournament winners! Flight One: Longest drive- Garret Sheehan w/ EXCEL Group Closest to the pin- Rourke Feerick w/ Bottom Line Equipment 3rd—Ralph’s Industrial Electronic Supplies 2nd—Workbox 1st— ACE Enterprises Flight Two: Longest drive- Devon Overall w/ Coastal Companies Closest to the pin- David Elbourne w/ FLOWCOR Products 3rd—Cajun Industries 2nd—Richard Oil 1st—Sprint Safety 47

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TURNAROUNDS CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION SPECIALTY SERVICES

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repcon.com info@repcon.com 800-383-8681

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Fr om t he p r es i d en t

ONE. TWO. SEVEN. BY: DAVID HELVESTON, PELICAN CHAPTER, ABC For the next 10 jobs created in the U.S., one job will require a post-graduate degree, two will require a four-year degree, and a whopping seven will require industry credentials earned through short-term education programs or a two-year degree, according to NCCER. Couple this statistic with the fact that an estimated 500,000 construction jobs are open in the U.S. right now, and it is easy to realize we are facing a skilled workforce shortage in this nation. So, what is ABC Pelican doing to shrink this gap and brighten the future of industry? (Hint: there were lots of great examples in this newsletter.) As our cover story illustrated, ABC Pelican’s workforce development efforts start at a young age. Touch a Truck exposed children and their families to various career opportunities in the construction industry through a fun, interactive community event. We hear often that students have already begun to make career choices before high school, so it’s essential that we inform students about opportunities in our industry as early as possible. Through events like Build Your Future Day, we educate local high school students about opportunities in our industry as they are making career and post-graduation plans. We host annual craft competitions for high school students who are gifted in welding, electrical and carpentry. These championships are fierce, and it is great to see the impressive talents of these students. I’m proud to say ABC chapters across the nation educate craft workers with book knowledge and hands-on training. Through both of our training centers, students who are in high school, just beginning their careers, or are eager to improve 49

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their skills can perfect their trade through a nationally accredited curriculum in classes we offer year-round. The skills our students learn are marketable, valuable and transferable. The credentials they earn are portable and recognized industry-wide. Through ABC’s workforce development efforts across the nation, hundreds of thousands of individuals have received technical education in construction fields. ABC Pelican alone has educated more than 25,000 craft professionals since we were established in 1980, and many of you would agree that we are just getting started. As an ABC Pelican Member, what are you doing to shrink the skills gap and to develop the next generation of craft workers? How will you help produce the seven skilled employees necessary to sustain those three professionals with bachelors or post-graduate degrees? Get engaged with ABC Pelican to help us create the skilled workforce for tomorrow. We owe our industry and great nation a well-built future.

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2019 STATE CONVENTION AGENDA, ABC OF LOUISIANA

Wednesday, July 24

More educational sessions!

3:00pm to 7:00pm: 4:00pm: 5:00pm: 6:00pm to 8:00pm: 6:30pm: 5:00pm to 10:00pm:

Convention check-in Hotel check-in Networking and ice breaker session by Emergent Method Welcome Reception Legislative Update Kids Krewe - Welcome Reception

Thursday, July 25

7:00am to 12:00pm: 8:00am to 8:45am: 8:45am to 9:45am: 8:00am to 1:00pm: 10:00am to 11:15am: 11:15am to 12:00pm: 2:00pm to 4:30pm: 6:30pm to 8:00pm: 8:00pm to 8:30pm: 8:45pm:

Convention check-in re-opens Morning educational session: ABC of LA Founders Panel Breakfast with Keynote Speaker: John Schroder, LA State Treasurer Kids Krewe - Breakfast & Activities Educational Session: Construction Law & Insurance Panel Educational Session: Surviving the Multi-Generational Workplace by Emergent Method Family Beach Bash & Volleyball Tournament Family Night (dinner & fun!) Glow party on the deck Fireworks Display

New & improved excursions!

Friday, July 26

Back by popular demand: CASINO NIGHT!

8:00am to 2:00pm: 8:15am to 11:30am: 10:30am to 1:30pm: 11:30am to 1:30pm: 6:00pm to 12:00am: 6:00pm to 7:00pm: 6:30pm to 8:00pm: 8:00pm to 11:00pm:

Kids Krewe - open Buccaneer Pirate Cruise (new this year!) Brewery Tour (same place, new additions) [Paint]Brushes & Brunch (new this year!) Kids Krewe - Parent's Night Out PAC Cocktail Reception Cocktails & Dinner Cruise “Around the World”: Casino & Piano Bar

Kids Krewe activities are included as child care for registered children Ages 2-12. For more information on accommodations, sponsors, activities, etc. please visit abclouisiana.org or contact Lindsey Russ at 225.753.2497 or lruss@abcpelican.com www.abcpelican.org/newsletter

January 10: Installation Banquet (invitation only) 24: BRTC Fall Graduation February 18-21: BRTC Blood Drive 21: Young Professionals Kick-Off 21-22: Critical Issues Summit 28: SWTC FFA District Competition 28: Merit Mixer: TOPGOLF March 12: BRTC Open House 14: SWTC FFA District Competition & Jambalaya Cookoff 14: Free STEP Lunch & Learn 15: Spring Golf Tournament 23: Touch A Truck 24-28: ABC National Convention (EIC Awards Gala, National Craft Competition) April 03: Membership/ICC Breakfast 11: BRTC HS Craft Competition 11: SW Crawfish Boil 12: Young Professionals/Boys & Girls Club Event May 01: ABC of LA Legislative Reception 09: BR Crawfish Boil 16-18: ABC of LA Fishing Rodeo

June 20: BRTC Spring Graduation 26: ABC Legislative Day – DC 27: SWTC Spring Graduation July XX: SW Fishing Tournament 24-26: ABC of LA State Convention August XX: Uncommon Leadership Kickoff XX: BRTC Safety Seminar September XX: SW Merit Mixer XX: BRTC Program Partners Signing Day XX: BRTC Blood Drive 30: Fall Golf Classic October XX: Membership/ICC Breakfast 11: Annual Clay Shoot 24: BRTC Build Your Future Day XX: SWTC BYF Day November XX: CFMA/ABC Construction Forum XX: Gumbo/Jambalaya Cookoff XX: BRTC Craft Competition XX: BR Merit Mixer December XX: Excellence in Construction Awards

19251 Highland Road • Baton Rouge, LA 70809 • 225.752.1415 • 225.751.9470 222 Walcot Road • Westlake, LA 70669 • 337.882-0204 • 337.882.6757 Register for events at www.abcpelican.org or by contacting Lindsey at lruss@abcpelican.com or 225-753-2497 53

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PELICAN CHAPTER STAFF CHAPTER OPERATIONS (225) 752-1415 David Helveston President dhelveston@abcpelican. com Katie Routh Director of Administration krouth@abcpelican.com

Erika Walter Director of Communications ewalter@abcpelican.com Anna Zebeau Director of Membership azebeau@abcpelican.com

FINANCE (225) 752-1415 Kathy Serwan Senior Accountant kswerwan@abcpelican. com

Mikah Armstrong Finance Assistant marmstrong@abcpelican. com

BATON ROUGE TRAINING CENTER (225) 752-0088 Kacie Blanchard Associate Director of Workforce Support kblanchard@abcpelican. com Tiffany Buuck Training Center Administration tbuuck@abcpelican.com

Danielle Labbe Director of Workforce Development dbirney@abcpelican.com Alexis Montelius Training Center Administration amontelius@abcpelican. com

Kelly Carpenter Director of Education kcarpenter@abcpelican. com

SOUTHWEST TRAINING CENTER (337) 882-0204 Kirby Bruchhaus Director of Education kbruchhaus@abcpelican. com Christina Frederick Training Center Administration cfrederick@abcpelican. com Ivelynn Fuselier Training Center Administration ifuselier@abcpelican.com

AP RIL

SW Steering Tuesday, April 9 11:30 a.m. SW Training Center ifuselier@abcpelican.com SW Membership Growth Tuesday, April 9 12:30 p.m. SW Training Center azebeau@abcpelican.com BR Safety Thursday, April 11 7:30 a.m. BR Training Center kblanchard@abcpelican.com

Lindsey Russ Programs & Events Coordinator lruss@abcpelican.com

Janie Arceneaux Director of Finance jarceneaux@abcpelican. com

20 19 UPCO MIN G C O MMITTE E MEETINGS

Education & Manpower Thursday, April 11 2:00 p.m. BR Training Center kblanchard@abcpelican.com Budget & Finance Tuesday, April 16 4:00 p.m. Chapter Administration jarceneaux@abcpelican.com BR Membership Growth Wednesday, April 17 8:00 a.m. Chapter Administration azebeau@abcpelican.com ICC Steering Monday, April 22 12:00 p.m. Chapter Administration kblanchard@abcpelican.com

M AY

SW Safety Tuesday, May 7 11:30 a.m. SW Training Center ifuselier@abcpelican.com BR Safety Thursday, May 9 7:30 a.m. BR Training Center kblanchard@abcpelican.com

Ray Harris Facilities Management rharris@abcpelican.com

Education & Manpower Thursday, May 9 2:00 p.m. BR Training Center kblanchard@abcpelican.com

Blaise Theard Workforce Development Coordinator btheard@abcpelican.com

SW Steering Tuesday, May 14 11:30 a.m. SW Training Center ifuselier@abcpelican.com SW Membership Growth Tuesday, May 14 12:30 p.m. SW Training Center azebeau@abcpelican.com

BR Membership Growth Wednesday, May 15 8:00 a.m. Chapter Administration azebeau@abcpelican.com SW Training Tuesday, May 21 11:30 a.m. SW Training Center ifuselier@abcpelican.com Budget & Finance Tuesday, May 21 4:00 p.m. Chapter Administration jarceneaux@abcpelican.com ICC Steering Thursday, May 23 12:00 p.m. Chapter Administration kblanchard@abcpelican.com

J UN E

ifuselier@abcpelican.com SW Steering Tuesday, July 9 11:30 a.m. SW Training Center ifuselier@abcpelican.com SW Membership Growth Tuesday, July 9 12:30 p.m. SW Training Center azebeau@abcpelican.com BR Safety Thursday, July 11 7:30 a.m. BR Training Center kblanchard@abcpelican.com Education & Manpower Thursday, July 11 2:00 p.m. BR Training Center kblanchard@abcpelican.com

SW Safety Tuesday, June 4 11:30 a.m. SW Training Center ifuselier@abcpelican.com

Budget & Finance Tuesday, July 16 4:00 p.m. Chapter Administration jarceneaux@abcpelican.com

SW Steering Tuesday, June 11 11:30 a.m. SW Training Center ifuselier@abcpelican.com

BR Membership Growth Wednesday, July 17 8:00 a.m. Chapter Administration azebeau@abcpelican.com

SW Membership Growth Tuesday, June 11 12:30 p.m. SW Training Center azebeau@abcpelican.com

ICC Steering Monday, July 29 12:00 p.m. Chapter Administration kblanchard@abcpelican.com

BR Safety Thursday, June 13 7:30 a.m. BR Training Center kblanchard@abcpelican.com Education & Manpower Thursday, June 13 2:00 p.m. BR Training Center kblanchard@abcpelican.com SW Training Tuesday, June 18 11:30 a.m. SW Training Center ifuselier@abcpelican.com Budget & Finance Tuesday, June 18 4:00 p.m. Chapter Administration jarceneaux@abcpelican.com BR Membership Growth Wednesday, June 19 8:00 a.m. Chapter Administration azebeau@abcpelican.com

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SW Safety Tuesday, August 6 11:30 a.m. SW Training Center ifuselier@abcpelican.com BR Safety Thursday, August 8 7:30 a.m. BR Training Center kblanchard@abcpelican.com Education & Manpower Thursday, August 8 2:00 p.m. BR Training Center kblanchard@abcpelican.com SW Steering Tuesday, August 13 11:30 a.m. SW Training Center ifuselier@abcpelican.com SW Membership Growth Tuesday, August 13 12:30 p.m. SW Training Center azebeau@abcpelican.com

SW Safety Tuesday, July 2 11:30 a.m. SW Training Center www.abcpelican.org/newsletter

Pelican Chapter, Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. 19251 Highland Road Baton Rouge, LA 70809

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19251 Highland Road Baton Rouge, LA 70809

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abcpelican.org/newsletter