May 2013, Vol. 68 No. 5
Features
2013 PCCA Convention: Fun-Filled, Information-Packed
The Power & Communications Contractors Association recently held its 68th annual convention in Naples, FL, where 332 members and their families soaked up industry education and training, handled association business and enjoyed the company of friends and colleagues from all around the country.
Held at the casually spectacular Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club, the convention featured a keynote address by former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, the always-popular Construction Industry Roundtable, a detailed and upbeat utility construction industry overview, an uplifting Prayer Breakfast and a bustling Associates Exhibit.
Education is always the centerpiece of PCCA meetings and outgoing President Tommy Muse was keen to uphold that tradition. He enlisted fellow Carrollton, GA, native Dr. Shirley Garrett to hold a session on effective communication and her common-sense approach and heartfelt wisdom were big hits in the crowded session room. Muse also tapped FMI’s Chris Daum to share his wealth of industry knowledge and quirky sense of humor with PCCA members who are always eager to hear his short- and long-term views on the markets in which they work. Daum, Sr. Managing Director of FMI Capital Advisors Inc., delighted the PCCA crowd with favorable outlooks for the power and telecom markets as well as for the overall U.S. economy.
Roundtable
PCCA members filled two tiers of seats for the biannual PCCA Construction Industry Roundtable. Tom Harter, Engineering Associates Inc., provided a report from the American Communications Engineers. His outlook was largely positive, though he noted that there is a lot of uncertainty in the industry. He is very optimistic about the rural fiber-to-the-home market, saying that there should be “tons of work out there when everything lines up.” Jerrod Henschel of Michels and John Fluharty of Mears updated attendees on PCCA’s efforts to ensure that wage classifications on prevailing wage projects match up with the work actually being performed on those projects, as well as an outreach to the Department of Transportation about hours-of-service rules during non-official emergencies. The roundtable concluded with an information-packed report from economist Mark Bridgers of the Continuum Advisory Group, who added to the positive tone but also noted several factors to be wary of, including poorly performing politicians, volatility caused by implementation of the new health care law and a regulatory environment that makes it difficult for utilities to implement long-term strategies.
Former Attorney General Ashcroft devoted much of his keynote address to the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, his actions on that day and his role as the nation’s top law enforcement official following the attacks. He was on a plane to Milwaukee, WI, when the first World Trade Center tower was hit, and they immediately landed, refueled, and headed back to Washington, D.C. Ashcroft told the people on his plane, “The world will never be the same.” He said that the terrorists sought to “take the heart out of America,” but the exact opposite happened because while Americans may seem hopelessly divided, “we are united at the core. And that was never more evident than in our unified response following 9/11.”
During the convention, PCCA thanked outgoing President Muse for overseeing one of the most successful years in association history, welcomed new President Glen Amerine of Amerine Utilities Construction, and honored Winston Weaver, Jr., of Rockingham Construction, Harrisonburg, VA, for decades of dedication to PCCA and its Annual Prayer Breakfast.
PCCA members also enjoyed many fun times in Naples, knocking golf balls around, exploring the Everglades and the Gulf Coast, and enjoying the company of colleagues who share many of the same challenges and concerns in their businesses. PCCA’s next event is the 2013 Mid-Year Meeting, July 7-10 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, CO.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
PCCA, (800) 542-7222, www.pccaweb.org
2013-2014 PCCA Board of Directors
New PCCA officers are: President Glen Amerine, Amerine Utilities Construction Inc., Great Bend, KS; President-Elect Steve Sellenriek, Sellenriek Construction Inc., Jonesburg, MO; 1st Vice President Timothy Killoren, CCI Systems Inc., Iron Mountain, MI; 2nd Vice President Todd Myers, Kenneth G. Myers Construction Co., Green Spring, OH; Treasurer Jim Dillahunty, Henkels & McCoy Inc., San Dimas, CA; and Secretary Larry Pribyl, MP Nexlevel LLC, Maple Lake, MN.
General Directors include: Craig Amerine, Amerine Utilities Construction Inc., Great Bend, KS; David Aubrey, Okay Construction, Princeton, MN; Robert Breeden, ElectriCom, Paoli, IN; Ed Campbell, Henkels & McCoy, Pomona, CA; John Fluharty, Mears Group Inc., Rosebush, MI; Mark Frosaker, MasTec North America Inc., Shevlin, MN; Matthew Gabrielse, Gabe’s Construction Co. Inc., Sheboygan, WI; Jerrod Henschel, Michels Corporation, Brownsville, WI; Chase Lapcinski, Push Inc., Rice Lahe, WI; Rob Pribyl, MP Nexlevel LLC, Maple Lake, MN; Heath Sellenriek, Sellenriek Construction, Jonesburg, MO; Don Stephens, Tjader & Highstrom,
New Richmond, WI; and Lindsley Thulin, Michels Corporation, Brownsville, WI.
Past President Directors are: Kevin Mason, ElectriCom, Paoli, IN; and Tommy Muse, Aubrey Silvey Enterprises Inc., Carrollton, GA.
Associate Directors are: Tony Briggs, Vermeer Manufacturing, Pella, IA; Marty Ferguson, FS3 Inc., Annandale, MN; John Hale, Jr., John Deere, Moline, IL; and Jameson Ringger, NESCO LLC, Bluffton, IN.
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