Russell Hamley, President, Associated Builders & Contractors of Greater Houston
The fun thing about writing an article for a publication like BIC Magazine is that you need to write it about two months before the audience will read it.
I am writing this in September, and you will probably be reading this after the election. Most articles in BIC are about a company or a service provided by that company. There are also news articles about things that have happened in the industry, new contracts awarded, job hires and promotions, or good advice on how to run your company better or be more productive or safer in your job.
I typically write about what the Houston and other ABC chapters are doing and how they can make your construction company better. But at this point, I am not sure exactly what services we will be allowed to perform even by the end of this year. The COVID-19 shutdowns have affected what the ABC chapters are doing and how they are delivering services.
Our first member benefit is to educate and train the industry. In Houston, we use our affiliate, the Construction and Maintenance Education Foundation (CMEF), to deliver the best craft training programs available. Their programs use the highly coveted NCCER curriculum, which is run by the industry for the industry. All instruction is provided by experienced craft professionals using the latest techniques and tools. While COVID-19 nearly put us out of business during the summer, ABC training is back and following the proper requirements from the CDC.
In addition to our craft training programs, ABC offers a number of management, supervisory and foremen training programs. Some are customized for the commercial or industrial sector and all are updated with the latest in management techniques. These programs have been utilized by many members to allow their key personnel to move up to higher levels of responsibilities and performance. While guidelines and restrictions for COVID-19 have restricted live instruction, ABC has adapted to virtual training. We discovered it is not quite the same as in-person training, but most of the information is getting to students in a manner they can comprehend. Our classes have continued even after local lockdowns were lifted.
Our second major service to members is to supplement and support safety. Our highly recognized safety management program, Safety Training Evaluation Process (STEP), has a record number of contractors applying for this distinction. Houston leads the country in the quantity of STEP contractors and the highest number of safety recognition achievements. Although COVID- 19 canceled our recognition program, we compensated with a drive-by parade as our members came to the office to pick up their STEP awards.
Contractors know ABC as the place to network and meet their next clients, customers or subcontractors. ABC holds the best events, from golf to sporting clays, poker and fishing tournaments. While they may just look like fun and games -- nothing wrong with that -- most people who attend are making important contacts for future work. Nothing wrong with that either. Once again, COVID-19 has forced us to modify, postpone or cancel most of those events this year. Waving at someone on the computer screen is not quite the same as shaking the person's hand and looking him or her in the eye.
As I write this article, I am not certain if ABC will be back to performing our services in the normal, most productive way in November or still working from a modified schedule and format. I do know, however, ABC will be working for the industry in some capacity. Our programs and services will still be available to members and nonmembers, and we will continue to support the construction industry through our offerings.
For more information, contact Russell Hamley at (713) 523-6ABC [6222] or r.hamley@abchouston.org.
