INSIDEMBI 2023 Winter Edition

Page 1

WINTER 2023
In This Issue... MBI's Perspective - Grand Opening Welcomes Members to New Headquarters Building ..................... 2 Essential Resource - Money Well Spent ....................... 6 Get Involved - Annual MBI Membership Business Meeting 12 Did You Know? MBI Wins National Award 14 Ask MBI - I've Heard My Colleagues Mention the YBuilder Network - What is it? .................................... 35 Safety Tip - 300 Operator .............................................. 38 New Members .................................................................. 41 Calendar of Events 42 Copyright © 2023 Master Builders of Iowa. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Cover Story Building a Safety Champion - Influencing Up 4 Changing culture in a company takes both time and energy. This is especially true with something as broad as safety and is why MBI and its preferred safety provider Construction Safety Services, Inc. (CSSI) have developed a program suited to enhance a strong culture within your company. Winter 2023 Feature Articles 26 ELEVATE - Business & Events Center 2023 Legislative Session Starts in January 7th Annual Construction Week - Highlighting the Construction Industry Graham Construction is Recognized for 100 WORKSAFE Projects Built For You - Winter Conference 2023 MBI Board Develops New 3 Year Strategic Plan 36 8 32 10 18 Essential Partners Featured in this Issue A-1 Mobile Storage Service 7 AssuredPartners 13 Baker Group 17 Elder Corp .......................................................................... 31 Merchants Bonding ......................................................... 37 Star Equipment, Ltd. 39 White Cap/Stetson Building 40
CINDY ADAMS Lead Project Information Specialist 515-657-4388 CAdams@MBI.Build BRANDON BLACK Senior Safety Consultant 515-657-4391 BBlack@MBI.Build CHELSEA DELMOTT Communications Coordinator 515-657-4390 CDelmott@MBI.Build LAURIE DELMOTT Chief Operating Officer 515-657-4383 LDelmott@MBI.Build ADAM DOBRASKA Members Services Associate 515-777-5054 ADoBraska@MBI.Build KURT FIDDELKE Safety Consultant 515-681-5589 KFiddelke@MBI.Build NICHOLE FRY Program & Events Coordinator 515-657-4386 NFry@MBI.Build TOM FULCHER Director of Education 515-657-4395 TFulcher@MBI.Build BEN HAMMES Director of Public Affairs 515-657-4401 BHammes@MBI.Build KIM HODNE Safety Consultant 907-202-6299 KHodne@MBI.Build JULIE KNUDSON Project Information Specialist 712-276-3681 JKnudson@MBI.Build JOE MELTON Director of Safety Services 515-657-4403 LDelmott@MBI.Build CHAD KLEPPE President & CEO 515-657-4382 Ckleppe@MBI.Build CHRISTY MILLER Accounting Manager 515-657-4397 CMiller@MBI.Build ALY MURPHY Member Services Associate 515-657-4380 AMurphy@MBI.Build LANDI SASEK Administrative Assistant 515-657-4402 LSasek@MBI.Build MEET THE TEAM DAVE EATON Safety Consultant 515-777-5054 DEaton@MBI.Build

GRAND OPENING Welcomes Members to New Headquarters Building

As a way to commemorate MBI’s new headquarters building, all members were invited to a grand opening program on October 26th. The event attracted over 300 people giving attendees an opportunity to tour the newly renovated building. MBI used the occasion to recognize key partners, as well as all trade contractors

who helped build the project. A video was also developed to highlight the building process, while paying tribute to those who played a part in this next chapter of MBI. To see the video, check out MBI’s website, under the gallery tab.

While members got a chance to view the future of the Association, MBI also used this program to pay homage to the many leaders who volunteered their time to serve over the years with a special luncheon. Past MBI Board Chairs, some who served as far back as 1987, came together for a reunion as part of the grand opening. During the luncheon, 22 past Board

Chairs were in attendance to pay tribute to their time on the Board and catch up with colleagues from the past. Each chair in attendance was given the opportunity to share a favorite MBI memory from their tenure as chair. Needless to say, some great stories were provided.

2 InsideMBI
MBI'S PERSPECTIVE

A special presentation was also part of the chairman’s luncheon. Many of you may remember the stained-glass panels that hung in the board room at the old MBI office. Those panels captured the signature of every Board Chair since MBI’s inception in 1912. MBI staff realized that this sort of history is something that should not be kept under wraps and away from the public’s view, so it was decided to create an interactive piece that will showcase the entire collection of signatures. A kiosk was designed to hold all of the signature plates in place, allowing everyone who visits the office a chance to view the compilation of signatures and to better appreciate the long history this organization holds. If you ever find yourself at the new headquarters, be sure to check out this kiosk in the main lobby.

Much appreciation goes out to all who helped with the building in creating an industry hub for Iowa’s commercial builders. But more importantly, many thanks to all MBI members who continue to support this organization though their membership investment.

WINTER 2023 3

BUILDING A SAFETY CHAMPION INFLUENCING UP

Changing culture in a company takes both time and energy. This is especially true with something as broad as safety and is why MBI and its preferred safety provider Construction Safety Services, Inc. (CSSI) have developed a program suited to enhance a strong culture within your company.

Through the leadership of Joe Melton, MBI’s Director of Safety Services and CSSI’s Director of Operations, CSSI and MBI have created the Building a Safety Champion program that will guide an individual through subject matter that will enhance and change a participant’s approach to individual and company-wide safety practices. Joe and his team see this program as a way to instill practices aimed at building safety cultures within a company.

The Building a Safety Champion series is structured similarly to other MBI leadership programs in which attendees will need to commit to multiple training sessions over a number of months. In this instance, the program will have three separate one-and-a-half-day sessions spread out over three months. Like MB Eye on the Future and The Leadership Experience, Building a Safety Champion will provide intensive training in a classroom setting, as well as allowing for ample small group interaction.

With an overnight stay, the program also allows for networking and interaction amongst other individuals who are charged with creating a safety culture within their respective companies.

The audience for this program may or may not be the person charged with safety. Rather, the approach we have taken is asking companies to identify the person within their company who is most capable of creating momentum to establish a safety culture. Again, in many instances this might not be the person charged with handling day-to-day safety for a company but instead is the person who will create the spark that starts the fire (probably not the best analogy when talking safety, but I think you get my gist.)

The program is built in three phases:

1. In the first session, we build upon the foundations of a robust safety program and a strong safety culture. Participants come away with a substantial list of leading indicators to return to their organizations.

2. In the second session, we take a deep dive into incident analysis, investigation, risk assessment, root cause analysis tools, and Severe Incident and Fatality (SIF) evaluations.

3. In the third and final session, we establish the most critical component of what defines a true Safety Champion and that is influential leadership. When we reflect on those individuals who have had a lasting impact on our lives and careers, there are some common attributes. These individuals typically possess the skill to get a group of individuals to work in such a manner that perpetuates teamwork and not in a manner where they are told or ordered to properly perform a task, but rather because an individual inherently wants to.

4 InsideMBI

A key component to enhancing our ability to become more influential in the three major components of life - which are work, home, and community – is our ability to influence change even when we may not have authority to do so. We reference this skill as “influencing up”. This attribute is what separates an individual from being referred to as a “boss” and instead as a “leader”.

Why influencing up?

When we evaluate successful projects, careers, and relationships, there is typically one common theme - there was an individual(s) that was able to bring a group together and facilitate compromise. When we breakdown the lines of influence, there are three primary avenues of influence. First - influencing down the chain of command. Secondinfluencing across the aisle. And third - influencing “up” the chain of command.

Influencing down the chain of command has its own set of skills and challenges, though in its simplest form is not an overly complicated task. Influencing across the aisle references influencing our equals, counterparts, and those not reporting directly to ourselves. This line of influence presents a unique task and requires tactfulness. Some of the greatest accomplishments in history involve individuals who possessed the ability to influence without authority.

An example would be General Eisenhower’s ability to influence joint military operations with the UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill during WWII.

Influencing up is a rare skillset where we specifically reference our ability to influence decision-makers with whom we may directly report to, or who are in a leadership role we directly or indirectly report through. Influencing these decision-makers requires attributes that structure conversations to be ones of intention, patience, and compelling.

When we are successful at building up more safety champions within the industry that have enhanced their ability to influence situations without authority, we will have increased the overall effectiveness, efficiency, and quality of projects completed. Our goal with Building a Safety Champion is not only for employees to return home the same if not better than when they came to work, but more importantly the desired outcome is for all to return to their respective homes and communities and apply those skills that were evident throughout their best projects. Ultimately, when we are successful in building strong communities and homes, the work portion of our lives will fall in line, allowing us to have built a solid foundation for those future generations to reach their full potential.

WINTER 2023 5
BUILDING A SAFETY CHAMPION Enhance the Safety Culture! April 13-14, 2023 | May 11-12, 2023 | June 8-9, 2023 WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES ANOTHER OPENS WINTER CONFERENCE JOE MELTON CONSTRUCTION SAFETY SPECIALISTS, INC.
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY SPECIALISTS, INC. REGISTER FOR THIS SEMINAR AT WWW.WINTERCONFERENCE2023
KIM HODNE

TOOLBOX SAFETY MEETING

A common denominator for all business is cost. Is their value in conducting a Toolbox Safety meeting?

The meeting has merit and is an opportunity to strengthen a company’s workplace safety program, but it has to make sense and more importantly be effective. It must not be viewed by management as a waste of time and money and employees need to embrace and participate in the effort. At the end of the day, it’s about safety communication, not just checking a box to fulfill a policy. It’s a time to reinforce our commitment to a safe and healthy workplace. To introduce new gear that improves safety, review existing policy or simply discuss relevant hazards on the jobsite and how to address those hazards.

For new employees toolbox safety meetings are a chance to learn and ask questions, for veteran employees it provides an opportunity to teach, to share their experience in safe work practices which usually start with, “we had this guy working one time…” or, “I remember this job we were doing three years ago and…”. Sharing knowledge on a topic that’s relatable and relevant goes along way in not only safety, but team building and trust.

The problem I most often hear out in the field on toolbox talks is there are no new topics and nobody wants to lead the talk. Let’s face it, not every leader in the field is comfortable speaking/teaching to a crowd, even if its small and well known to them. So, let us first address the issue of safety topics. I realize there are only so many times we can talk ladder safety, slip trips and falls or PPE, but I also know there are a great many relevant “other” safety issues to discuss. When was the last time we talked about compressed gas cylinders, housekeeping, eyewash stations, pneumatic nail gun safety or hearing protection? Options and variety are key to a good program. MBI & CSSI have over 150 topics to choose from, all easily delivered in under thirty minutes which includes time for Q&A. The task of conducting the talk can be shared between crew members, if someone is good with handling compressed gas cylinders. The one who is well versed in use/safety of nail guns can teach it. Utilize the talent on your team. It’s not an hour-long power point training class. It’s a 10-15-minute conversation that is important to the safe operation of the jobsite everyone's a part of.

Professionally speaking, I believe it is money well spent when done genuinely with purpose and buy-in by all levels. Resource and moral support from the front office through delivery in the field without it perceived as burdensome or time wasted. Consistency is key, planned by leadership and expected by the crew. And just as important are topics or issues that resonate/matter to the team, gets their attention and allows for input. Over the years I’ve seen the good and the bad, the successful and not so successful and the ones that work are the programs that engage the crew in a meaningful way. It has to be relevant. If it’s not, well then it’s not money well spent.

6 InsideMBI
ESSENTIAL RESOURCE

A-1 Mobile Storage Service, Inc. 2482 197th Ave. Manchester, IA 52057

Phone: (563) 927-4254 Fax: (563) 927-4008 www.a-1storage.net

A-1 Mobile Storage Service offers storage and office space solutions to our customers through the leasing and selling of storage containers and mobile offices. We serve a wide variety of customers including construction, government, health care, commercial, residential, industrial, and entertainment venues!

A-1 Mobile Storage Service also maintains a complete fabrication shop where we customize shipping containers to our customers’ specifications. The most popular modifications include our ground level offices, as well as roll up door options.

A-1 Mobile Storage Service has been serving the Midwest for 20+ years and growing rapidly. With our dedicated group of employees we assure your deliveries will be “Where You Want It, When You Want It”. It’s not just our slogan, it’s our mission.

Master Builders of Iowa strives to be the essential resource for Iowa’s construction industry and a valuable component of that effort are those companies who support MBI’s programs and events. Through the exclusive “Essential Partners” recognition program, MBI strives to recognize our industry supporters, while adding value to those companies’ sponsorship dollars who take leadership roles in sponsoring MBI events and educational opportunities. The company listed has contributed over $3,000 in sponsorships to the Master Builders of Iowa in the past year. These companies are an important part of MBI’s success and we couldn’t do it without them! For more information on becoming an MBI “Essential Partner,” please contact Chad Kleppe at CKleppe@MBI.Build / (515) 657-4382 or visit

WINTER 2023 7
MBI Essential Partner

During the process of designing MBI’s new headquarters, one of the requirements was that there was a space large enough to convene our training sessions onsite. The specifications were that there was to be enough room to hold 72 with classroom seating. The other requirement was that if you were going to conduct onsite training for 72, you had to have a parking lot large enough to accommodate that, plus staff, plus a few visitors – all at the same time.

So that is exactly what we did! Yes – we have a training facility large enough to hold 72 in classroom seating AND onsite parking (to accommodate 104 to be exact). Not only did we require a space for us, be we required a space for you. We wanted to be able to provide the membership with an affordable space that could be utilized for meetings, banquets, office retreats or holiday parties.

So we are pleased to announce to the Membership . .. .

ELEVATE Business & Events Center! Elevate is a 1750 sq. ft. space with an extended area for pre-function gathering and catering set up area. The space provides ample opportunities for flexible set up and seating accommodations with a variety of set up styles based on your needs. We are conveniently located right off I-235 in West Des Moines for you and your guests.

ELEVATE is equipped with drop down screens, ceiling mounted projectors, video and camera capabilities, acoustical ceiling tiles and your choice of seating. Also available upon request: stage; whiteboard; flipcharts; display TVs; podium; microphones/lavalier; portable bar; beverage packages and catering services.

ELEVATE is ready and perfect for your next company meeting, training session or even your company’s holiday party. The space can be booked during normal business hours or after hours.

To reserve space at ELEVATE Business and Events Center, please contact Program & Event Coordinator Nichole Fry – (515) 657-4386 or NFry@MBI.Build.

Session began on Monday, January 9, 2023 this year and as usual, Gov. Kim Reynolds conducted her Condition of the State on the following day where she released her budget to the public. The final adjournment date is targeted for April 28, 2023, marking the 110th day of the calendar session. The 110-day goal is easily missed a lot of times, depending on how well people are “playing in the sandbox.” Now that the midterms elections are over, there are ample opportunities and education ahead for MBI as we approach session. There are many new lawmakers, and getting to know these individuals is always an interesting part of the process!

The Government Affairs Committee met on Thursday, December 8th and provided a set of recommendations that went before the MBI Board of Directors. Those recommendations provide the roadmap for MBI’s public affairs team in what we hope to achieve legislatively to make the construction and business climate in Iowa even more favorable to our members. This year, (after the passage of the CM at-Risk legislation last year), contains a narrowly-focused agenda that puts us in front of tax policy changes more than anything.

We also anticipate a full robust discussion around a sales tax proposal dealing with double taxation on sistercompany transactions, tax increment financing, Iowa economic growth programs, tort reforms and of course, the Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund. MBI will play some

LATIVE

SESSION STARTS

LEGIS IN JANUARY

sort of a role in all of these discussions and will have many conversations revolving around infrastructure investment and good public policy.

Like years past, MBI will maintain a constant presence at the State Capitol during the 2023 session and will work hard to keep members apprised of what is going on under the Golden Dome. Currently, over 700 members subscribe to MBI’s weekly e-mail news bulletin called the Legislative Focus. If you want to receive this electronic update, please email Ben Hammes at BHammes@MBI.Build to sign up. The Legislative Focus is a short and quick read that will keep you informed of “all things construction” at the Iowa Capitol and is distributed on Fridays. We will also be reaching out to the membership periodically through our podcast and videos, and have incorporated 3 Breakfast Club meetings that are all legislatively focused to provide updates on the session.

It's an exciting time for policy and political nerds like myself, and I hope that this 2023 legislative session is another positive one for MBI members. Please stay in touch if I can be of any assistance.

10 InsideMBI
2023

T H E CL UB BREAKFAST

These meetings are FREE to members and are an excellent opportunity for networking with colleagues followed by a presentation that is of relevance to the membership at our facilityELEVATE Business & Events Center.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday, February 7, 2023 | 7:30 am - 9:00 am Tuesday, April 4, 2023 | 7:30 am - 9:00 am Tuesday, June 6, 2023 | 7:30 am - 9:00 am Tuesday, August 1, 2023 | 7:30 am - 9:00 am Tuesday, October 3, 2023 | 7:30 am - 9:00 am

To register for one or all of these events, or to sponsor one of these events, please reach out to Ben Hammes at BHammes@MBI.Build.

WINTER 2023 11

Annual MBI Membership Business Meeting

The Association’s Annual Membership Meeting is scheduled to be held Tuesday, February 28, 2023 at The Iowa Events Center. Please note that the meeting will be a breakfast and is being held in conjunction with the Build Iowa Award presentation. You and others from your firm are invited to attend this informative breakfast meeting. The Membership Meeting is an important meeting that all MBI members should attend to learn about the current initiatives designed to improve member performance, new services to add value to your membership investment, and industry relations to promote a favorable business environment for the construction industry.

This is the time, when the MBI Nominating Committee places into nomination their recommendations for appointments to the MBI Board of Directors and a vote of the membership is taken. We also present recognition honors to Board and Council members who have completed their term of service.

The highlight and namesake of this event is the presentation of the 2023 Build Iowa Award that will honor an individual who best exemplifies the tenets of our organization; Skill, Responsibility, and Integrity throughout their career in Iowa’s commercial building industry.

Come and enjoy breakfast with your colleagues and hear about how your Association is working for you!

To register for the MBI Membership Meeting go to www.MBI.Build/WC

12 InsideMBI
GET INVOLVED

AssuredPartners

4200 University Ave., Ste. 200 West Des Moines, IA 50266

Phone: (515) 244-0166 Fax: (515) 244-9535 www.assuredpartners.com

AssuredPartners merged with LMC Insurance and Risk Management in 2020. AssuredPartners is the 11th largest independent insurance broker in the USA. With 350 Physical locations, and 7500 employees AssuredPartners can provide property casualty, surety bonding, employee and executive benefits, retirement plans and a full range of claim management and loss control engineering services. With a construction industry focus- we understand the challenges faced by MBI members and we have solutions.

Master Builders of Iowa strives to be the essential resource for Iowa’s construction industry and a valuable component of that effort are those companies who support MBI’s programs and events. Through the exclusive “Essential Partners” recognition program, MBI strives to recognize our industry supporters, while adding value to those companies’ sponsorship dollars who take leadership roles in sponsoring MBI events and educational opportunities. The company listed has contributed over $3,000 in sponsorships to the Master Builders of Iowa in the past year. These companies are an important part of MBI’s success and we couldn’t do it without them! For more information on becoming an MBI “Essential Partner,” please contact Chad Kleppe at CKleppe@MBI.Build / (515) 657-4382 or visit

WINTER 2023 13
MBI Essential Partner

DID YOU KNOW

- MBI Wins National Award!

This past September, MBI’s Chairman of the Board Paul Koester (Koester Construction) and the Board’s Vice Chair, Randy Clarahan (Mortenson) traveled to Washington, DC, to accept the J. Howard Mock award. This was in recognition of MBI achieving the highest net percentage increase of members from the previous year amongst all 89 state chapters of the Associated General Contractors of America. MBI’s membership grew nearly 15% from 2021. In fact, MBI has achieved a membership number of 460 members, which is the highest membership total in the history of this organization. For those of you who don’t know, MBI was founded in 1912, one month before the sinking of the Titanic.

This impressive membership growth is a combination of a number of efforts. First is our retention strategy. For 2022, over 95% of MBI members renewed their membership. This is a true measure of the value component that firms see in MBI.

10FOLD

ALL STAR CONCRETE, LLC Johnston, IA www.allstarconcreteiowa.com

BAKER INTERIOR SYSTEMS

Des Moines, IA

AG STATE Albert City, IA www.agpartners.com

AMERICAN MARKING INC. Des Moines, IA www.americanmarkinginc.com

BOSCH FINANCIAL, INC. Cedar Rapids, IA www.boschfinancialinc.com

Like any expenditure, a company wants a return on investment and affiliation with MBI is a sure bet.

Another important aspect of our membership growth was our dedication to bringing on new members. In fact, there are 61 new firms who joined MBI this past year. Without this sort of industry wide support, MBI would not have been able to achieve its membership goals. As 2022 draws to a close, we would once again like to recognize those firms who are new to MBI:

AGRILANDS

ALAIR HOMES West Des Moines, IA www.alairhomes.com/des-moines

AMERISURE SURETY Farmington, MI www.amerisure.com

B&B MASONRY & RESTORATION Davenport, IA www.bbmsnry.com

CANAM STEEL CORPORATION Oak Grove, MO www.cscsteelusa.com

CMBA ARCHITECTS Sioux City, IA www.cmbaarchitects.com

14 InsideMBI
ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEERING Ames, IA www.10foldarchitecture.com
FS INC. Winterset, IA www.agrilandfs.com

COMMERCIAL SUPPLY CO. Des Moines, IA www.commercialsupply.com

EMBARK

West Des Moines, IA www.embarkit.com

GALAXY CLEANING SERVICES, L.L.C. North Liberty, IA www.galaxy-cleaning-services.com

HERITAGE INTERIORS LLC

Urbandale, IA www.heritageinteriorsflooring.com

INSITUFORM TECH., LLC

Chesterfield, MO www.insituform.com

JC TOLAND PAINTING

Des Moines, IA wwwjctoland.com

LATIMER ASSOC. INC DBA ASI SIGNAGE Grinnell, IA www.asisignagelatimergroup.com

MULLEN COMPANY LLC

Sioux City, IA

CONCRETE STRATEGIES Johnston, IA www.concretestrategies.com

FORMATION GROUP, INC. Grimes, IA www.formationgroup-us.com

GALLAGHER West Des Moines, IA www.aig.com

DSM CONSTRUCTION SERV. Urbandale, IA www.dsm-property.net

FORVIS

West Des Moines, IA www.forvis.com

GLOSSER SYSTEM INSTALLERS, LLC West Des Moines, IA www.glossersysteminstallers.com

E&H RESTORATION, L.L.C Davenport, IA www.ehrestoration.com

FREDRIKSON & BYRON, PA Des Moines, IA www.fredlaw.com

GOETZ CONCRETE CONST. CORP. Milan, IL www.goetzconcrete.com

HOPKINS ROOFING, INC. Pella, IA www.hopkinsroofing.com

IOWA IRRIGATION Huxley, IA www.iowairrigation.com

KLINGER PAINT COMPANY Cedar Rapids, IA www.klingerpaint.com

LOCKTON COMPANIES Kansas City, MO www.lockton.com

MURPHY ELECTRIC DBA MURPHY TOWER SERVICE Carlisle, IA ww.murphytower.com

HULL COOPERATIVE ASSOC. Hull, IA www.hullcoop.com

IOWA SKILLED TRADES Johnston, IA wwwiowaskilledtrades.com

KLOUBEC EARTHWORKS, LLC Amana, IA www.kloubecearthworks.com

MANICHESTER LEASING SERVICES. INC. Urbandale, IA www.manchesterls.com

NEWCOM TECHNOLOGIES INC. Des Moines, IA www.newcomtech.com

INDUSTRIAL STEEL ERECTORS Davenport, IA www.industrialsteelerectors.com

JORDISON CONSTRUCTION Urbandale, IA www.jordisonconstruction.com

KRAUS-ANDERSON Minneapolis, MN www.krausanderson.com

METAL DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC. Anamosa, IA www.metaldesignsystems.com

ON TRACK CONSTRUCTION, LLC Nevada, IA www.ontrackconstructioniowa.com

PARADIGM CONSTRUCTION

Polk City, IA www.prdgmconstruction.com

REVO ASSET MANAGEMENT

Irvine, CA www.revotrack.com

SPECTRA BUILD Wapello, IA www.spectra.build

PRIME CONSTRUCTION SERVICES

Davenport, IA www.primecoservices.com

RIVERSIDE TECH. INC. (RTI) Omaha, NE www.1rti.com

STEEL ERECTORS OF IOWA LLC Des Moines, IA

VISION ELECTRIC Bondurant, IA www.visionelectricus.com

WOLF CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, INC. West Des Moines, IA www.wolfconstruction.net

PULLMAN SERVICES Kansas City, MO www.pullman-services.com

ROOFING REPRESENTATIVES

Cedar Rapids, IA www.roofingrepresentatives.com

T&T SPRINKLER SERVICE Grimes, IA www.tandtsprinkler.com

ZIEGLER CAT Bloomington, MN www.zieglercat.com

RASMUSSEN GROUP Des Moines, IA www.rasmussengroup.com

SENECA COMPANIES

Des Moines, IA www.senecaco.com

TK ELEVATOR Omaha, NE www.tkelevator.com

WINTER 2023 15
16 InsideMBI MBI Wishes You a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Baker Group

1600 SE Corporate Woods Drive Ankeny, IA 50021

Phone: (515) 262-4000 Fax: (515) 266-1025 www.thebakergroup.com

Baker Group is the Midwest’s leading full-service commercial and industrial specialty contractor. We design and install mechanical, electrical sheet metal, automation, security and fire alarm systems for corporate offices, data centers, research laboratories, educational, industrial, medical, and governmental facilities. Clients choose Baker Group for cost-effective new construction, additions, and renovations using delivery methods from fast-track design-build, to traditional plan and spec methods. Baker Group supports clients for the life of their building, offering professional maintenance and operational services 24/7/365.

Master Builders of Iowa strives to be the essential resource for Iowa’s construction industry and a valuable component of that effort are those companies who support MBI’s programs and events. Through the exclusive “Essential Partners” recognition program, MBI strives to recognize our industry supporters, while adding value to those companies’ sponsorship dollars who take leadership roles in sponsoring MBI events and educational opportunities. The company listed has contributed over $5,000 in sponsorships to the Master Builders of Iowa this year. Essential Partners are an important part of MBI’s success and we couldn’t do it without them! For more information on becoming an MBI “Essential Partner,” please contact Aly Murphy at AMurphy@MBI.Build / (515) 657-4380 or visit www.MBI.Build/essential-partners. MBI appreciates Baker Group’s gracious and continued support!

WINTER 2023 17
MBI Essential Partner

7th

Annual Construction Week Highlighting Our Industry

During Construction Week, companies, service providers, and their partners recognize the hard work of those individuals who help create our built environment. This recognition takes many forms, including highlighting workers, distributing appreciation gifts, hosting company outings, and more!

Construction Week 2022 was a huge success! As always, we had a blast getting to spend time on four jobsites and getting the chance to thank many construction workers, while providing meals to show our appreciation. The Governor was able to attend one of the events on Construction Week to sign the Construction Week proclamation.

The first event to kickoff Construction Week was at the Capitol, a Neumann Brothers jobsite. We provided lunch and thanked numerous workers on the project. The Governor graciously came outside and spoke to the crowd, as well as signed the proclamation. The second event was held at a Mortensen jobsite in Coralville, where we were able to provide the employees breakfast and thank them for their excellent work in the industry. The third event was a breakfast at a jobsite for Graham Construction in Des Moines. Lastly, we were able to provide lunch at a Rinderknecht Associates jobsite in Cedar Rapids. We had a fantastic time at each event getting to chat with workers and thank them for the outstanding work that they do.

Being able to highlight the construction industry and make sure that it always receives positive exposure is something that MBI is very passionate about. The importance of the industry is certainly unquestioned, and we love to give credit where credit is due, and that is with every single construction worker. Next year’s Construction Week will be here before we know it, and we look forward to continuing the tradition of hosting these events in the future.

18 InsideMBI
WINTER 2023 19
Juan Carlos Aguilar Keen Project Solutions Field Superintendent 25 Years in the Industry Joe Albrecht W.A. Klinger, L.L.C. Superintendent 34 Years in the Industry Josey Bales W.A. Klinger, LLC Superintendent 15 Years in the Industry Donald Bebb Merit Construction Superintendent 15 Years in the Industry We asked our member firms to submit exceptional field workers for us to ‘shine the spotlight on’ throughout the week. Thank you to the following members of our industry for the contributions they make in building our communities! We also want to thank their companies for supporting our workforce development initiatives and the seventh annual Construction Week celebration! Dennis Brown Estes Construction Warehouse Manager 28 Years in the Industry Michael Brown Russell Assistant Superintendent 5 Years in the Industry Chris Buck Thompson Foreman 26 Year in the Industry Barry Buddi Thompson Foreman 15 Years in the Industry Dusten Carrington Graham Construction Company Carpenter 6 Years in the Industry Nathan Charleston Vision Electric Licensed Journey Electrician/Foreman 5 Years in the Industry Steve Clausen Dave Schmitt Construction Laborer 21 Years in the Industry Blake Conway Vision Electric 1st Year Electrical Apprentice 1 Year in the Industry Mike Becker Peters Construction Field 20 Years in the Industry Kevin Bellis Heartland Finishes Painter 34 Years in the Industry Dusty Bessman Story Construction Crane Operator 24 Years in the Industry Nicholas Bloker Ahern Fire Protection Construction Superintendent 24 Years in the Industry

2023 FIELD WORKER SPOTLIGHTS

20 InsideMBI
Mike Coomes Heartland Finishes Carpenter 22 Years in the Industry Felipe Curiel L&L Builders Concrete/Carpenter Finisher 25 Years in the Industry Steve Curry Bush Construction Senior Superintendent 40 + Years in the Industry Jack Daily Tri-City Electric Data Foreman 26 Years in the Industry Eric Fink Peters Construction Field Years in the Industry Aaron Fletcher-Boggs Vision Electric Foreman 10+ Years in the Industry Joe Galinis Koester Construction Superintendent 35 Years in the Industry Adam Gates Dave Schmitt Construction Foreman 27 Years in the Industry Chuck Geyer Bush Construction Project Superintendent 35 Years in the Industry Jeff Guenther Estes Construction Superintendent 27 Years in the Industry Mike Hamilton W.A. Klinger, L.L.C. General Foreman 17 Years in the Industry Scott Hanisch Thompson Senior Systems Installer 22 Years in the Industry Mynor “Tony” Del Cid Vision Electric Foreman 5+ Years in the Industry Gilbert DeLeon Weitz Tecnico, LLC General Foreman 10 Years in the Industry Ryan Doty Ahern Fire Protection Service Superintendent 16 Years in the Industry Luis Espinoza W.A. Klinger, L.L.C. Carpenter 13 Years in the Industry
WINTER 2023 21
Steve Harger Koester Construction Superintendent 32 Years in the Industry Adam Hawxby Estes Construction Superintendent 32 Years in the Industry Nick Hecker Bush Construction Senior Superintendent 30 Years in the Industry Dustin Houser Thompson General Foreman 24 Years in the Industry BJ Kelly Bush Construction Project Superintendent 23 Years in the Industry Jeremy Kies Keen Project Solutions Project Superintendent 29 Years in the Industry Kevin Kimmel Estes Construction Senior Superintendent 22 Years in the Industry Eli Kinsel Peters Construction Field Years in the Industry Kyle Kirby Tri-City Electric Superintendent 14 Years in the Industry Shawn Lafler Graham Construction Company Carpenter Foreman 11 Years in the Industry Jake Lambrecht Tri-City Electric Journeyman Wireman 10 Years in the Industry Hunter Lee Larson Construction Company Inc. Laborer 3 Years in the Industry Mark Hulsing Graham Construction Company Carpenter 38 Years in the Industry Bob Hungate Tri-City Electric Field Foreman 27 Years in the Industry Garrett Johnson Story Construction Construction Worker 6 Years in the Industry Aaron Jones-Neely Heartland Finishes Carpenter 9 Years in the Industry
2023 FIELD WORKER SPOTLIGHTS
22 InsideMBI
Reid Leeper Story Construction Construction Worker 2 Years in the Industry Ryan Leihsing Russell Superintendent 22 Years in the Industry Jacob Lossing The Weitz Company Trade Specialist 7 Years in the Industry Ben Lucas Woodruff Construction Construction Worker 1 Year in the Industry Austin Mead L&L Builders Concrete/Carpenter Apprentice 10 Years in the Industry Allen Mead L&L Builders Field Foreman 20 Years in the Industry Chris Mead L&L Builders Concrete/Carpenter Finisher 12 Years in the Industry Dan Meerdink Interstates Superintendent 30 Years in the Industry Bryan Mericle Woodruff Construction Crew Lead 9 Years in the Industry Kevin Mericle Bush Construction Senior Superintendent 40 Years in the Industry Doug Mill Dave Schmitt Construction Operator 27 Years in the Industry Ethan Miller Interstates Foreman 7 Years in the Industry Luis Magana L&L Builders Concrete/Carpenter Finisher 19 Years in the Industry Richard McAllister Story Construction Foreman 35 Years in the Industry Frank McBrayer Keen Project Solutions Superintendent 22 Years in the Industry
2023 FIELD WORKER SPOTLIGHTS
Allen Mead L&L Builders Field Foreman 20 Years in the Industry
WINTER 2023 23
Josh Morehead Russell Foreman 20 Years in the Industry Shay Mortenson K&W Electric, Inc. Journeyman 4 Years in the Industry Bill Neil Cardinal Construction Project Superintendent 20 Years in the Industry Dan Ness Dave Schmitt Construction Laborer 13 Years in the Industry Shawn Osterloh Koester Construction Superintendent 17 Years in the Industry Quinton Patton Larson Construction Company Inc. Laborer 3.5 Years in the Industry Bob Pfeffer Graham Construction Company Carpenter 29 Years in the Industry Tyler Postello Thompson Journeyman 21 Years in the Industry Shane Promes Interstates Journeyman 4 Years in the Industry Kenny Randolph The Weitz Company Laborer Foreman 24 Years in the Industry Tom Reid Vision Electric Foreman 29 Years in the Industry Mike Reiland Weitz Industrial Carpenter Superintendent 4 Years in the Industry Mike Nicolay Larson Construction Company, Inc. Ironworker 10 Years in the Industry Kelly Nuckolls The Weitz Company Finisher - Cement Masons Master Foreman 33 Years in the Industry Cory Oliver Graham Construction Company Laborer 27 Years in the Industry
2023 FIELD WORKER SPOTLIGHTS
Chad Osborn Tri-City Electric Field Foreman 26 Years in the Industry
24 InsideMBI
Micah Reuscher K&W Electric, Inc. Apprentice 3 Years in the Industry Bill RIce Heartland Finishes Taper 20 Years in the Industry Miguel Ruiz W.A. Klinger, L.L.C. Carpenter 9 Years in the Industry Calvin Schneider Interstates Journeyman 7.5 Years in the Industry Ben Spilde Woodruff Construction Superintendent 8 Years in the Industry Garett Stanton Dave Schmitt Construction Laborer 2 Years in the Industry James Stapleton Keen Project Solutions Foreman 10 Year in the Industry Jake Starbuck Peters Construction Field 2 Years in the Industry Thomas Steele Koester Construction Laborer 4 Years in the Industry Mitch Stuefen Heartland Finishes Carpenter 10 Years in the Industry Brady Sullivan Peters Construction Field 3 Years in the Industry Cornelio Trinidad Cruz Story Construction Crew Leader 14 Years in the Industry Jeremy Shipley Koester Construction Superintendent 23 Years in the Industry Chuck Smith Keen Project Solutions Field Superintendent 33 Years in the Industry Quentin Smith Russell Assistant Superintendent 8 Years in the Industry
FIELD
Eugene Smith Russell Superintendent 45 Years in the Industry
2023
WORKER SPOTLIGHTS
WINTER 2023
Nic Turner Woodruff Construction Superintendent 6 Years in the Industry Anne Vankirk Estes Construction Superintendent 22 Years in the Industry Pete Vonk Interstates Foreman 19 Years in the Industry Jim Walters Cardinal Construction Craftsperson 29 Years in the Industry Mike Wood Graham Construction Company Labor Foreman
32
Years in the Industry Ryan Zorn Rinderknecht Associates Superintendent 23 Years in the Industry Scott Walters Cardinal Construction Project Superintendent 21 Years in the Industry Roxie Wenner Larson Construction Company Inc. Laborer 8 Years in the Industry Brian Wickman K&W Electric, Inc. Laborer 6 Years in the Industry
Challenge members of the project team to understand project budgets, elevate individual and team performance, understand customer dynamics, and even have a little bit of fun! Register your team today by visiting www.MBI.Build/events Project Managers & Project Supervisors A High Performing Leadership Series February 2-3, 2023 February 16-17, 2023 2023 ELEVATE Business & Events Center 2023 FIELD WORKER SPOTLIGHTS
Jordan Wims Woodruff Construction Laborer 4 Years in the Industry

CONGRATULATIONS!

GRAHAM CONSTRUCTION

CONGRATULATIONS!

CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

PROJECTS
WORKSAFE

Is Recognized for WORKSAFE PROJECTS

Back in 2012, when MBI and Iowa OSHA got together to create a unique, Iowa-only partnership that would provide a higher degree of safety focus on a projectby-project basis, little did we know that ten years later we would be nearing 1,000 projects enrolled (current number is 962 projects so far).

Likewise, we certainly did not anticipate an individual company embracing the program and making it an important part of their company’s safety strategy. However, one company has done just that and recently enrolled its 100th project in WORKSAFE. In this instance, the MBI Board of Directors and the Board of Directors of Construction Safety Services, Inc. – MBI’s preferred safety provider – are pleased to announce that Graham Construction Company has hit the milestone of 100 projects enrolled in WORKSAFE. This achievement is a testament to Graham Construction’s focus on safety and a dedication to a company culture that

champions safety responsibility. This starts at the top and permeates through the entire company.

Graham’s first WORKSAFE project was enrolled back in March of 2013 and was a project at the Mercy Medical Center campus in Des Moines. Since then, Graham has used WORKSAFE on projects throughout the state of Iowa on a variety of construction scopes and spanning a wide array of different clients. Fast forward to today where the 100th project is a Broadlawns Medical Clinic project on the Drake University campus in Des Moines.

To recognize this achievement, CSSI and MBI presented Graham Construction with a special banner during a ceremony commemorating the 100th WORKSAFE project. Iowa Labor Commissioner Rod Roberts was on hand to show Iowa OSHA’s appreciation for Graham Construction’s willingness to partner on so many projects. Also, MBI’s President and CEO Chad Kleppe provided remarks, noting that while CSSI and MBI near 1,000 projects enrolled in WORKSAFE since the program’s inception, equally impressive is that one out of every 10 WORKSAFE projects have been done in partnership with Graham Construction.

On behalf of MBI and CSSI, we congratulate Graham Construction on this great achievement and we appreciate their trust in CSSI to provide first-class safety services. To learn more about WORKSAFE, please contact Joe Melton, CSSI’s Director of Operations – Joe@IowaCSSI.com.

WORK SAFE

CUSTOMIZED TRAINING

Are you in need of training, but struggling to schedule this in the timeframe needed? We can help!

Training on Demand is just that! "On Demand" MBI and our safety partner - Construction Safety Specialists, Inc. (CSSI) will provide you with high level trainers and speakers that will present your workforce with elevated training when and where you need it.

Request training at the time and location that best suits you!

For more information about our Training on Demand model or to request training, please contact Tom Fulcher at TFulcher@MBI.Build or (515) 657-4395.

InsideMBI

Elder Corp 5088 E. University Ave. Des Moines, IA 50327

Phone: (515) 266-3111 Fax: (515) 265-4565 www.eldercorp.com

Elder Corporation employs upwards of 275 people, and although most of what we have done lies hidden under the asphalt of highways, the concrete of buildings, and the grass of parks and sports fields, the solid foundations we’ve built in these places has ensured that they will last for decades.

Master Builders of Iowa strives to be the essential resource for Iowa’s construction industry and a valuable component of that effort are those companies who support MBI’s programs and events. Through the exclusive “Essential Partners” recognition program, MBI strives to recognize our industry supporters, while adding value to those companies’ sponsorship dollars who take leadership roles in sponsoring MBI events and educational opportunities. The company listed has contributed over $5,000 in sponsorships to the Master Builders of Iowa this year. Essential Partners are an important part of MBI’s success and we couldn’t do it without them! For more information on becoming an MBI “Essential Partner,” please contact Aly Murphy at AMurphy@MBI.Build / (515) 657-4380 or visit www.MBI.Build/essential-partners. MBI appreciates Elder Corp’s gracious and continued support!

WINTER 2023 31 2022 MBI Essential Partner
32 InsideMBI WINTER CONFERENCE 2023 February 28th - March 1st | Iowa Events Center - 730 3rd St. | Des Moines, IA ELEMENTS WC 2023 Register Today at www.MBI.Build/winterconference2023

BUILT FOR YOU!

In our role within Iowa’s commercial building space, We take a great deal of pride in providing a wide array of opportunities and services for all facets of the industry. Providing education, safety, networking, and a legislative voice for contractors and designers throughout the state is no small feat, but the MBI team and our valuable volunteer leaders work tirelessly to make it happen.

Once a year, we all have the opportunity to gather for jam packed days full of education, safety, networking, and recognition events designed for the entire industry…all in one location! This, of course, is the Master Builders of Iowa Annual Winter Conference that will be held February 28 - March 1, 2023 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.

Following up on the 2022 conference which marked a successful return to the Iowa Event Center, the 2023 conference is slated to be one of our best ever. Taking some of the lessons learned from 2022 and incorporating some enhancements to the event, we will have something of value for every attendee. From topnotch presenters and motivating keynote speakers to a hall packed with vendors. You don’t want to miss this event!

Exhibitors? Yes, We Have Exhibitors!!

One of the features of The Iowa Events Center that is appealing for this event is the space…lots and lots of space. This facility provides an impressive floorplan that will accommodate over 80 displays and

exhibits. Everything from equipment, material, goods and services to even some interactive displays and simulators!

We’re Famous for This!!

Tuesday night will feature our famous Construction Industry Reception! Be our guest to complimentary food and beverages while visiting all the exhibits, mingling with your clients and POTENTIAL CLIENTS, seeing friends from around the state you haven’t seen for a while, and have lots of opportunities to win great prizes.

Conference Theme - Elements

In 2022, our theme paid tribute to “The Many Faces of Construction”. For 2023, the theme is “Elements” an acknowledgement to all of the products and materials that make up the commercial building industry and the awesome projects that are created every day.

Through the construction of the new MBI headquarters and Elevate Business & Events Center in West Des Moines, the MBI staff got a first hand look at the wide array of materials and products that make up our new home. From the visible (and impressive) steel wall when you enter the building and the glass walls that make up every office and meeting space to the unseen structural steel, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing components, they are all essential for a successful project. As you peruse the event brochure, you will see photos of industry materials and even the word “Elements” scattered throughout. Can you find them all?

WINTER 2023 33

Awesome Keynote Speakers!

We are extremely proud to be able to bring top rated speakers from around the country with very timely and relevant topics, tools and certifications, moving and inspirational messages, and pure entertainment. Keynote highlights this year include:

Iowan and Performance Coach, Jordan Montgomery who consults executives at Fortune 500 companies, professional athletes, and sales people. Jordan will present “The Leader Everyone Loves to Follow” as part of the Build Iowa Breakfast. He will help current, future, and aspiring industry leaders become effective and inspirational leaders who employees want to follow, regardless of your role.

At the Masters Award Luncheon, Author & Performance Expert, Alan Stein Jr. will deliver “Raise Your Game - Maximize Your Individual Performance, Contribution, and Significance”. Where attendees will discover practical strategies to heighten self-awareness, create winning habits and routines, improve productivity, and much more.

Motivational speaker and tragedy survivor Candace Carnahan will present “See Something, Say Something” at the Safety Awards Luncheon on Wednesday. Candance will recount her incredible story of triumph over tragedy and remind us that we all have the capacity to change or even save a life.

MBI Member Advantage!

Don’t forget about the MBI Member Advantage Pricing Package. MBI members can purchase the package by paying $800 for the 1st person, $700 for the 2nd person, $600 for the 3rd person, and $500 for the 4th person. This will get each person into the two educational sessions of their choice on Tuesday. Then anyone after the 4th person can attend any of the educational sessions on Tuesday at no additional cost.

The more people you send –the better the deal! (Does not include any of the Breakfast or Lunch Events)

There’s an App for This!

For the 3rd consecutive year, MBI will be deploying a “Winter Conference Event App”. Once you are registered you will be prompted to download this free event app which has a multitude of uses.

1) All of your seminar materials for you to access electronically while at the conference.

2) Overall schedule and location of each event.

3) Information and details about each event and speaker.

4) Exhibitor and sponsor information at your fingertips.

5) In app game/information about all the prizes you could win.

6) Access to MBI staff to quickly answer your questions.

7) Much more!!

If you are looking for branding and marketing opportunities at this year’s conference, please contact Aly Murphy – AMurphy@MBI.Build.

For more information on the conference or for assistance in registration, hotel accommodations or fees please contact Nichole Fry – NFry@MBI.Build.

We look forward to seeing you and your company employees at the 2023 Annual Winter Conference!

MASTER BUILDER DESIGNATION

Earn credits at the Annual Winter Conference!

There is no fee to enroll if you're an MBI Member.

Toenroll,visitwww.MBI.Build/MBD

34 InsideMBI
2023 WINTER
CONFERENCE

Y YBUILDER

Over the past three years, dozens of young AEC professionals have connected through the YBUILDER Network – Young Builders Unite In Linking, Developing, & Enhancing Relationships. The program was developed by MBI to fill the gap in Iowa’s professional networks by providing young employees in the commercial construction industry with a way to connect with one another. This network is exclusive to 22-35-year-old contractors, service providers, suppliers, architects, engineers, developers… anyone active in the commercial construction industry!

By joining the network, participants have access to a number of exclusive events and perks. New for 2023, we’re introducing educational, networking, and community-focused events in addition to the social activities the network has typically held!

YBUILDERS will also have the opportunity to join two new committees, allowing them to lead the network while building their professional experience. The Membership Committee members will serve as ambassadors for the YBUILDER Network, engage new members, and identify growth opportunities. The Programming Committee will lead on-site at events, foster member attendance, and help identify social, community, and professional development opportunities.

For the past couple of years, over 80 young professionals representing a variety of firms have joined, and we’re looking forward to the roster continuing to grow! We encourage our younger members to join this growing network – sign up by visiting www.MBI.Build/ybuilder.

If you have any questions regarding the YBUILDER Network and events, please contact Aly Murphy at AMurphy@MBI.Build / (515) 657-4380.

WINTER 2023
ASK MBI
I’ve heard my colleagues mention the YBUILDER Network – What is it?

MBI Board Develops New Year Strategic Plan3

Every three years, the MBI Board will take time out to participate in a two-day retreat with the intention of developing a road map for the next three years. This strategic planning process identifies key objectives that are of the utmost importance to the industry. This past summer, the Board concluded that MBI should target four specific areas that are outlined on the following four objectives:

- Invest in new, more effective programs for attracting people for craft, professional and executive careers.

- Provide leadership on the development and implementation of the new Construction Manager @ Risk statute.

- Become the most influential force among those involved in and impacted by Iowa’s building industry.

- Become the most trusted source in Iowa of construction-related knowledge, best practices, innovations and trends.

All of these strategic objectives were developed with a Core Focus of advancing the commercial building industry, along with Core Values of being engaged professionals, in service to others.

With four key objectives identified, the Board then moved forward with developing multiple goals related to each objective. Winnowing down even further, the Board next goes through a process of approving respective action items tied to each goal. This is where the proverbial rubber hits the road and staff implements a broad array of tasks and projects.

This round of strategic planning was the first time the three-year strategic plan was aligned with goals and measurements outlined through the EOS® process. You may recall EOS® (which is short for Entreprenurial Operating System) is MBI’s guiding process that tracks progress and holds staff accountable to measurements related to quarterly, annual, three-year and ten-year targets. MBI started its EOS® journey in April of 2020, which was in the middle of the previous three-year strategic plan. With a fresh slate of objectives, goals and action items this time around - all of which now align with our EOS® targets – members should expect to see great results as part of this most recent plan.

InsideMBI

Merchants Bonding Company 6700 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266

Phone: (515) 243-8171 Fax: (515) 243-3854 www.merchantsbonding.com

With a 90-year reputation for consistency, common sense underwriting and providing first class experiences, Merchants Bonding Company has grown to be among the top surety writers in the United States and the largest provider in Iowa (SFAA, 2021).

Merchants has almost exclusively focused on surety bonds for 90 years. Unlike other insurance companies with multiple lines of business, Merchants has honed its expertise in contract and commercial surety bonding. We are recognized among the industry’s finest, achieving an A.M. Best Rating of “A” Excellent or better since 1958.

Merchants is licensed in all 50 states, maintaining more than 20 offices across the United States including our home office in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Master Builders of Iowa strives to be the essential resource for Iowa’s construction industry and a valuable component of that effort are those companies who support MBI’s programs and events. Through the exclusive “Essential Partners” recognition program, MBI strives to recognize our industry supporters, while adding value to those companies’ sponsorship dollars who take leadership roles in sponsoring MBI events and educational opportunities. The company listed has contributed over $5,000 in sponsorships to the Master Builders of Iowa this year. Essential Partners are an important part of MBI’s success and we couldn’t do it without them! For more information on becoming an MBI “Essential Partner,” please contact Aly Murphy at AMurphy@MBI.Build / (515) 657-4380 or visit www.MBI.Build/essential-partners. MBI appreciates Merchants Bonding Company’s gracious and continued support!

WINTER 2023 37 MBI Essential Partner

OPERATORS

Recently I have surpassed certifying 300 equipment operators. Equipment operators have included counterbalance forklift, telehandler, skid steer, boom lift, and scissor lift. I have certified these operators as an iVes Certified Trainer. Qualified training continues to be an issue in all industries. Qualified training takes time, money, and a passion for what is being trained. As a tradesman, the most common form of equipment training is a salesperson or rental company showing a video, giving a test, and giving out a certificate. There are even more tradesmen that are only trained by trial and error or by other tradesmen that were not properly trained.

By not committing to the proper time, money, and training for equipment operators; employers are not setting their employees up for success. The qualified training will provide the operator with the knowledge and skill to operate the equipment safely, confidently, and effectively. By doing so we enhance the safety of the jobsite, and industry. Equipment operating is not common sense and just because you can drive a car does not mean that you can operate any piece of equipment. Certifying operators should come from skilled, trained, non-bias, qualified trainers have experience AND are certified training to help operators identify and mitigate hazards that might present themselves while operating equipment.

Tradespeople are our most valuable asset in the construction industry. They are the tool that we have the most opportunity to invest, and in this current climate facing difficulty in retaining employees, this type of investment can be the differentiator in an

employee staying with an organization that wants to invest in their future. We do not have people lining up outside our offices wanting to go work in the conditions the industry sets for them, and when we do, we provide them with the bare minimum training or a “just check the box” mentality training. The industry needs to change the way we think about training that we provide for our tradespeople.

OSHA regulations require employers to train their employees on all equipment that they operate. These training requirements may be different depending on the equipment that is to be operated. But as a whole, the basic requirements include formal instruction, practical training, and an evaluation of the operator’s performance in the workplace.

I became an iVes certified equipment operator instructor because it was the best training course available and I want to provide the industry with the most knowledge I can. By doing this, it makes the industry safer and should save companies money because operators will understand the limits of their equipment. Operators are less likely to damage the equipment, damage property, or injure themselves or anyone else.

Have you been properly investing in your tradespeople? Have you been setting your tradespeople up for success? Have you been just checking the box? Are you even in compliance with OSHA and ANSI? Have you evaluated the training you are providing for your tradespeople? CSSI is committed to providing the best training out there and have the passion to make all industries safer places to work. We do this by providing certifications for the classes that are offered, setting standards and going above and beyond the minimum requirements. We have partnered with the industry's best for curriculum and trainer validation. When someone wants something built and truly want the best, time and money become no option, they find the best contractor. Are you providing the best training so that you have the best tradespeople, so you are the best contractor?

38 InsideMBI 300
Safety Tip

Star Equipment, Ltd. PO Box 8438 Des Moines, IA 50301

Phone: (515) 283-2215 Fax: (515) 283-0295 www.starequip.com

Star Equipment, Ltd. is Iowa’s number one source for high-quality construction equipment. Familyowned by the Bowmans since 1968, Star Equipment offers expert service and unsurpassed product knowledge for contractors across Iowa and parts of Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, Illinois, and Missouri. Star specializes in light to general construction equipment, as well as specialty products to fill the needs of our customers.

When asked what Star sells, the answer is PRODUCTIVITY. We bring you cutting edge technology and the know how to tailor it to your specific needs. We provide you with the most uptime of any rental company in Iowa. When knowledgeable people help you make informed decisions and provide you high quality equipment with unsurpassed service, you get PRODUCTIVITY.

Star Equipment has four locations providing sales, service, and rentals of construction equipment in Iowa. They feature brands such as: Takeuchi, Mustang, Gehl, Manitou, Multiquip, Allen Engineering, Sullivan Palatek, Husqvarna, Wacker Neuson, IMT, Schwing, Elliott, Topcon, and many others. – Contact us today!

Master Builders of Iowa strives to be the essential resource for Iowa’s construction industry and a valuable component of that effort are those companies who support MBI’s programs and events. Through the exclusive “Essential Partners” recognition program, MBI strives to recognize our industry supporters, while adding value to those companies’ sponsorship dollars who take leadership roles in sponsoring MBI events and educational opportunities. The company listed has contributed over $3,000 in sponsorships to the Master Builders of Iowa in the past year. These companies are an important part of MBI’s success and we couldn’t do it without them! For more information on becoming an MBI “Essential Partner,” please contact Chad Kleppe at CKleppe@MBI.Build / (515) 657-4382 or visit

WINTER 2023 39
MBI Essential Partner

YEARS

2205 Bell Ave. Des Moines, IA 50321

White Cap / Stetson Building Products, LLC www.constructionsupplygroup.com www.whitecap.com www.stetsons.com

Phone: (515) 243-6286 Fax: (515) 243-0363

White Cap and Stetson Building Products, A Construction Supply Group Company has combined to better serve you. Our goal with this integration is to ensure minimal disruption in your service while bringing to life the many benefits the combination of our two industry-leading businesses will create for you. The cultural alignment of White Cap and CSG is a foundational element of this integration. Both White Cap and CSG have team-driven cultures that are 100 percent focused on serving our customers with excellence. Our mutual commitment to being Better Together and Building Trust on Every Job™ by providing you with exceptional service.

Master Builders of Iowa strives to be the essential resource for Iowa’s construction industry and a valuable component of that effort are those companies who support MBI’s programs and events. Through the exclusive “Essential Partners” recognition program, MBI strives to recognize our industry supporters, while adding value to those companies’ sponsorship dollars who take leadership roles in sponsoring MBI events and educational opportunities. The company listed has contributed over $3,000 in sponsorships to the Master Builders of Iowa in the past year. These companies are an important part of MBI’s success and we couldn’t do it without them! For more information on becoming an MBI “Essential Partner,” please contact Chad Kleppe at CKleppe@MBI.Build / (515) 657-4382 or visit

40 InsideMBI
MBI Essential Partner

WELCOME!

New Members:

Associate Members

American Marking, Inc. 846 5th Avenue Des Moines, IA 50309 (515) 282-0495 www.americanmarkinginc.com

B&B Masonry & Restoration 2728 N Clark Street Davenport, IA 52804 (563) 388-6790 www.bbmsnry.com

Bosch Financial 4027 Glass Rd. NE Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 (319) 362-0054 https://www.boschfinancialinc.com/

CMBA Architects 302 Jones Street, Ste. 200 Sioux City, IA 51101 (712) 274-2933 https://cmbaarchitects.com/

Concrete Strategies 7901 Birchwood Ct., Suite 108 Johnston, IA 50131 (573) 301-0548 www.concretestrategies.com

DSM Construction Services 3035 99th St. Urbandale, IA 50322 (515) 619-8814

FORVIS

1401 50th St., Suite 350 West Des Moines, IA 50266 (515) 223-0159 www.forvis.com

Galaxy Cleaning Services 10 Alydar Dr. North Liberty, IA 52317 (319) 471-7069 http://www.galaxy-cleaning-services.com/

Glosser System Installers, LLC 5825 Fairway Dr. West Des Moines, IA 50266 (515) 802-7147 www.glossersysteminstallers.com

Hull Cooperative Association 1206 Railroad Street Hull, IA 51239 (712) 439-2831 www.hullcoop.com

Industrial Steel Erectors 2728 N Clark Street Davenport, IA 52804 (563) 355-7202 www.industrialsteelerectors.com

Lockton Companies 444 W. 47th Street Kansas City, MO 64112 (816) 960-9000 www.lockton.com

Manchester Leasing Services, Inc. 2771 104th St., Suite I Urbandale, IA 50322 (319) 231-9531 www.manchesterls.com

Metal Design Systems, Inc. PO Box 370 Anamosa, IA 52205 (319) 362-7454

General Contractors

Kraus-Anderson 501 South 8th Street Minneapolis, MN 55404 (612) 332-7281 www.krausanderson.com

NewCom Technologies

6000 Grand Ave. Des Moines, IA 50312 (515) 633-1500 https://newcomtech.com/

Paradigm Construction 960 Pelican Dr. Polk City, IA 50226 (515) 954-8124 www.prdgmconstruction.com

Prime Construction Services 1328 W. 76th Street Davenport, IA 52806 (563) 884-7500 www.prdgmconstruction.com

Riverside Technologies, Inc. 748 N. 109th Ct. Omaha, NE 68154 (866) 804-4388 www.1rti.com

Roofing Representatives 328 Westridge Drive SW Cedar Rapids, IA 52404 (319) 533-5960 http://www.roofingrepresentatives.com/

You could earn rewards for referring someone to join MBI! Visit www.MBI.Build/referrals to learn more!

WINTER 2023 41

Upcoming Training & Events

January

January 30 - February 2

OSHA 30 Hour Construction - Nevada

Attendees of the 30 Hour Construction Industry class will receive a high-level safety knowledge from a field leader perspective to understand and implement OSHA regulations and requirements on their jobsites. Instruction will be blended learning with lecture, interactive presentations, group activities and "live" demonstrations that include real life day-to-day scenarios, developing pre-plans, the importance of learning and adhering to proper safety procedure, as well as practical understanding of why safety conscious behavior is vital for each and every worker on the job site.

Upon completion of this course, attendees will receive a course completion card.

Nevada

January 31

ESOP - A Path to Employee Ownership

If your company is considering an Employee Stock Ownership Plan or ESOP, this informative webinar will give you what you need to know to determine if an ESOP will work for you. Topics to be addressed include an introduction to ESOPs, transaction feasibility, financing options, and an overview of a typical ESOP transaction. This webinar will also discuss how selling to an ESOP impacts the seller, the employees, and the sponsor company.

February 1

How and When to Talk to Workers About Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

This session will focus on when AND how to talk to construction workers about behavioral health. Learn techniques to break stigma around mental health and to create psychologically safe and mentally healthy workplace cultures. We will highlight specific opportunities to talk to construction workers about mental wellbeing, substance use disorders, opioid risk reduction, and suicide prevention.

Emphasis will be on how to encourage employees to access an Employee Assistance Program, use crisis hotlines, or tap into community-based non-profit and social service organizations. In addition, we will include an overview of the LEARN Saves Lives® model for engaging workers in discussion around suicide prevention.

WDSM | Virtual

February 2-3

Project Managers and Project Supervisors

Success of a construction team, project or company often boils down to a few key components that, if carefully combined, can lead to great accomplishments where everybody wins. Employees, companies and customers can all win with the proper combination of teamwork, leadership, communication, accountability, personal responsibility, budgeting and quality control on every project, every day. A large portion of the responsibility for these areas falls on the project’s leadership team of project managers and project supervisors. This integrative leadership program will challenge members of the project team to understand project budgets, elevate individual and team performance, understand customer dynamics, and even have a little bit of fun in the process. This is an outstanding opportunity to put members of your project team in a teamwork atmosphere of learning and professional growth.

WDSM

February 7

MBI Breakfast Club

Join MBI members at the MBI Headquarters for a cup of coffee and a pastry and spend some time networking with colleagues at our new MBI Breakfast Club. Beginning at 7:30AM, we’ll gather for some light networking and then lead into a morning program that will include a few announcements on what’s coming up for MBI followed by a presentation that is of relevance to the membership.

WDSM | Virtual February

CSSI Top 10

15

This webinar will share the top 10 safety hazards that were found over the past three plus years and will share best practices in correcting them. Safety professionals, project managers, superintendents, and more can join fellow MBI members for this important webinar where we will dive into the hazards and provide valuable solutions.

MBI Members-Only Webinar

42 InsideMBI
additional information or to register for any of these events, visit
For
www.MBI.Build/events.

February 28- March 1

Annual Winter Conference

Each year, come late February, construction colleagues from throughout Iowa and the Midwest come together for MBI’s Annual Winter Conference. This event attracts over 1,500 contractors, suppliers, service providers, design professionals, students and pretty much any other person involved in one way or another with the Iowa commercial building industry. The event is a great networking opportunity, as well as an educational and training program that goes beyond anything else offered in this state. Needless to say, it is MBI’s signature event!

Held in Des Moines, IA

March 7

Prevent the Fall

In this webinar, our CSSI authorized Fall Protection trainers will discuss the multiple layers of training requirements from authorized users to competent persons. They will discuss best practices for effective training and the ANSI standard requirements for persons performing, supervising, and certifying fall protection activities, and systems. The trainers will discuss options and upcoming opportunities organizations can utilize to help expand their employee’s knowledge and competency.

MBI Members - Only Webinar

March 15

(MBI LIVE) Primavera P6 - Managing Schedule Errors

A project schedule with many tasks and relationships will usually incur some user error, such as missed activity relationships or loops in logic. In this course, we will start by looking at Primavera P6’s schedule Log File, which will identify all errors that should be corrected before finishing the baseline schedule. Here, you will learn how to manage and correct a wide variety of common scheduling errors, including negative float, negative lag, and out-of-sequence activities.

MBI LIVE Online Training

March 22

(MBI LIVE) Primavera P6 - Resource & Cost Loading

Cost loading a schedule allows project managers to make forecasts for their projects’ targets - and track whether they are under or over budget as the project progresses. In this course, you will learn how to perform basic and advanced cost loading within Primavera P6, using resources, roles, and expenses. Beyond the basics of creating and assigning resources and roles, you will also learn how to account for non-uniform distributions of work using curves and future bucket planning. With a fully resource loaded schedule, this course will also cover how to analyze the cost and unit information with both spreadsheets and graphs - allowing you to track your budget and resource usage throughout the project’s lifecycle.

MBI LIVE Online Training

March 28

Influencer - The New Science of Leadersip

In this interactive workshop we will explore beyond corporate perks and charismatic personalities to teach a method for changing ingrained human behavior. Leaders will learn how to achieve better results by changing human habits that are extraordinarily difficult to alter— especially those that mire down teams and organizations. Drawing on the skills of the world’s best change agents and five decades of social-science research, Influencer teaches why people do what they do and how to help them act differently. The in-person experience of Influencer is an engaging classroom course rich with group discussion, real-time practice, and group support and coaching.

March 29 (MBI LIVE) Primavera P6 - Interface Customization & Layouts

In order to utilize Primavera P6 to track a variety of project, activity, and resource data, you will need to be able to customize the interface configuration using layouts. The use of layouts lets you view and save different configurations of data, allowing you to switch from a cost loading view to an activity code view with just a few clicks. In this course, you will learn how to customize the P6 interface by adjusting the toolbars, menus, and tool shortcuts that appear. Looking at the Activities, Projects, and Resources screens, you will also learn how to customize the appearance of a single screen and save it as a layout for reuse.

MBI LIVE Online Training

43
PRIMAVERA P6 User Training Join MBI and Industry Colleagues to take your use of P6 to the NEXT LEVEL! Register Today at www.MBI.Build/Events
February

March 29 - 30

OSHA 10 Hour Construction

Attendees of the 10 Hour OSHA class will walk away from this training with a knowledge of OSHA requirements, the importance of learning and adhering to proper safety procedure, as well as practical understanding of why safety conscious behavior is vital for each and every worker on the job site. Each participant will receive an OSHA wallet card signifying completion of the course.

Waterloo March 30

Adult First Aid | CPR | AED Certification Training

This Adult First Aid/CPR/AED course incorporates the latest science and teaches attendees to recognize and care for a variety of first aid emergencies such as burns, cuts, scrapes, sudden illnesses, head, neck, back injuries, heat and cold emergencies and how to respond to breathing and cardiac emergencies for victims about 12 years and older. In addition, this interactive course teaches skills that participants need to know in order to provide immediate care for a suddenly ill or injured person until more advanced medical care arrives to take over. The hands-on skills training portion of this course will give attendees the knowledge and confidence needed to respond to breathing and cardiac emergencies, while teaching how to provide care for victims of sudden cardiac arrest through the safe use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). Successful attendees will receive a certificate for Adult First Aid/CPR/AED valid for two years.

Waterloo March 30

Build Iowa Career Fairs - Des Moines

For the last several years, MBI has been working hard to assist our members in solving their workforce shortage issues through the Build Iowa initiative. Part of this process has been acting as an intermediary to connect MBI members with students, educators and parents at the Build Iowa Career Fairs. We offer up booth space FREE of charge to any MBI member (space is limited), and provide an open flow format for students to engage with contractors. And the best part? We will feed a FREE lunch to all students and teachers who attend.

April 11 - Cedar Rapids April 18- Cedar Falls

MBI Breakfast Club

Join MBI members at the MBI Headquarters (4100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines) for a cup of coffee and a pastry and spend some time networking with colleagues at our new MBI Breakfast Club. Beginning at 7:30AM, we’ll gather for some light networking and then lead into a morning program that will include a few announcements on what’s coming up for MBI followed by a presentation that is of relevance to the membership.

March April

April 6

(MBI LIVE) PROCORE For Superintendents - Documents & Reporting

Superintendents run the day-to-day operations of our construction sites and Procore is the best tool to help them do that. Controlling construction documents and tracking progress for all schedules and trade costs are the most vital tools in a Super’s kit but all too often the process of setting up those Directories and Reports are a mystery they don’t have time to figure out how to handle on their own. This class is designed to show how easy that setup and control can be.

April 11

Stand Down, Embrace the Trench In this webinar, we will be discussing the hazards and mitigation techniques involved with Trenching, Excavation, and shoring activities. The speakers will discuss firsthand experiences of what can go wrong during these operations and how a company can protect itself and its employees. Training requirements and options will be discussed, along with common best practices.

MBI Members - Only Webinar

44 InsideMBI
April 4

Building a Safety Champion

Designed to help enhance the safety culture within a company by empowering managers and safety leaders, Building a Safety Champion is MBI’s newest leadership development program. This program will attract those individuals who are not only safety conscious for themselves and every member of their team, but who are also in a position to create fundamental changes with their company. The curriculum for this program will guide attendees through subject matter that will enhance and change their approach to individual and company-wide safety practices.

April 20

(MBI LIVE) Procore For Superintendents - Photo Controls & Integrations

A picture is worth a thousand words, right? That’s never truer than on a construction site, where photos are tied to every step of the build. Tracking and finding the right picture, from the right date, of the right location, and issue or log file is a struggle for all of us. Procore makes the process of controlling your project photos and sharing them with necessary parties a simple process that all construction Superintendents need to understand and setup on each of their projects.

MBI LIVE Online Training

April 25 - 26

Competent Person - Fall Protection

This two-day course educates students on the various components of a worksite fall protection program and will also help develop the skills required of a Competent Person. Participants will learn course content through a combination of direct classroom instruction and multiple workshops. The course material will provide students with an engaging and enjoyable learning environment.

April 27

(MBI LIVE) Procore For Superintendents - QAQC Inspections, Observations, & Punch Lists

Superintendents need to document, notify, and track resolution of hundreds of problems, potential issues, injuries, incomplete or poorly finished work items and much more. Controlling that immense amount of information across dozens of trades and sub-contractors can be daunting. Procore has built-in tools for tracking all construction issues, notifying the necessary parties, and coordinating responses that makes a Superintendent’s life much easier. This class covers Procore’s Inspections, Observations, and Punch List features and how simple they can be to use.

MBI LIVE Online Training

BUILD IOWA 2023 Career Fairs

April 28

Blueprint Reading - Session 1: General Construction/ Civil/Project Delivery Methods

This session will provide the participant with an introduction to the life cycle of a construction project from project conception, through design, construction, and project closeout. Participants will learn about project delivery methods, such as the traditional Design-BidBuild, as well as alternative delivery methods, including Design-Build and Construction Management. Roles of the various parties in each delivery method will be discussed: owner, architect, engineer, contractor, and subcontractor.

April 28

Blueprint Reading - Session 2: Architectural/Structural

This session will focus on the reading and use of architectural and structural plans and specifications including standard symbols, plan organization, specification organization; use of standard architectural scales; architectural plan views, details, elevations, and sections; use of architectural schedules, notes, and symbols; structural foundation plans; and plan reading for structural building systems, including precast concrete, structural steel, site cast concrete, and masonry.

WINTER 2023 45 April 13 - 14
FOR MBI MEMBERS TO ATTAIN A BOOTH
March 30 | Des Moines April 11 | Cedar Rapids April 18 | Cedar Falls No CHARGE
To register, visit www.mbi.build/events

MBI’s mission is to be the essential resource for improving member performance and promoting a business environment favorable to the construction industry.

4100 Westown Pkwy West Des Moines, IA 50266 (515) 288-8904 info@MBI.Build | www.MBI.Build

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.