Associations - Page 104

ASA Midwest Council Elects 2016-17 Officers, Board of Directors

Published on

The American Subcontractors Association (ASA)-Midwest Council recently elected its officers and board of directors for 2016-17.

Amy Heeger
Amy Heeger

Amy Heeger, president of AME Constructors was elected as 2016-17 chapter president. Heeger succeeds Kevin Douglas of Freeman Contracting, and will serve a one-year term which began July 1 and will expire June 30, 2017.

Heeger, who has been a member of ASA since 2011, will be the first women president for the ASA Midwest Council.

“I am looking forward to a great year and am honored to have been elected to lead such a fine organization. Heeger said. “The ASA Midwest Council will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2017, and it will be my privilege to serve during such a milestone for our chapter.”

Val Perales of Bazan Painting Co, was elected vice-president. Jennifer Church of United Rentals was elected secretary, and Mark O’Donnell of Schmersahl Treloar & Co., CPA’s will serve as the association’s treasurer for a three-year term.

Members of the 2016-17 Board of Directors also include: Tom Henson, Affton Fabricating and Welding; Jeffrey Loebner, Envirotech; Brian Hayden, Hayden Wrecking; Christopher O’Hagan, J. D. Kutter Insurance Associates; Richard Russell, Sachs Electric Co.

The American Subcontractors Association (ASA) Midwest Council is a construction trade association made up of quality specialty contractors and suppliers serving the construction industry and the community in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area and southern Illinois.

IFMA St.Louis Honors Members, Facility At National FM Day Celebration

Published on

Members of the St. Louis Chapter of IFMA (International Facility Managers Association) gathered to recognize two industry members and the facility of the year. Held on Wednesday, June 15, at the Moonrise Hotel in the Delmar Loop, the awards were presented during the chapter’s celebration of National FM Day. Started in 2008, FM Day underscores the value and contributions of facility managers in St. Louis and around the nation who ensure that commercial buildings provide a safe, healthy and productive environment.

Award recipients were:

Distinguished Member Award: Michelle Hoff, Business Development Representative, Paragon Certified Restoration

Hoff was recognized for her contributions to IFMA St. Louis. She chaired the chapter’s recent annual Golf Classic. Additionally, she oversaw marketing for the area’s Industry Expo, which brings building owners, facility managers and suppliers together to discuss common issues and trends. Chapter members lauded her ability to collaborate and find new opportunities that benefit the facility management industry.

Achievement in Facility Management Award: Jacqueline Mattingly, FMP, Workplace Strategy Management, Monsanto

An 18-year veteran in developing and leading complex projects, Mattingly works with senior leadership to identify opportunities to increase performance. As a team leader at Monsanto, she has been an integral part of the global company’s improved service performance. This included launching a new software program earlier this year to streamline office allocations at the company’s St. Louis corporate campus. The new system allows the end user to review and follow all work orders, significantly reducing cycle time and improved service levels. The software also ties directly into Monsanto’s other operating systems.

Facility of the Year: Shriners Hospitals for Children – St. Louis

The new replacement hospital opened in June 2015 not far from its first St. Louis location. The 90,000-square-foot facility represents an extreme departure from a traditional 24/7 full-service hospital. It now operates primarily as an outpatient center with just 12 in-patient beds. Serving a nine-state region, many patients travel several hours to receive the hospital’s specialized care. Hotel-style guest rooms accommodate parents and their children for these visits. Its high-tech, high-touch design features brightly colored décor, interactive technology to engage all regardless of physical abilities, and an accessible playground for children with special needs.

 

IFMA St. Louis offers its members a learning and networking environment among its diverse membership, and supplies its members with the tools to achieve their professional goals.

Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA to the Rescue!

Published on

On a dangerously sweltering day when much of downtown St. Louis was without power, the Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA came to the rescue for an organization that specializes in rescuing stray animals.

It all began on June 16, 2016 after a massive outage left 2,100 Ameren Missouri customers without power downtown, including Stray Rescue of St. Louis.   The animal shelter nonprofit was desperate to find a way to protect 200 dogs in kennels from the rising temperature in its building at 2320 Pine St.  It reached out to the public and dozens of volunteers came by to foster the dogs in cooler spaces as work was underway to restore power.

“The public response was great, but we were at a loss on how to protect the remaining dogs in our shelter,” said Randy Grim, executive director of Stray Rescue.  “Then the Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA stepped up and came to the rescue.”  The Electrical Connection is a partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1 and the St. Louis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA).

The labor-management partnership donated a large commercial generator and the services to install it.  “The Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA is a great asset to the St. Louis community, providing not only great skills and safety to power our region, but also helping the community in times of need,” said Grim.  “We are so grateful for their generous donation.”

More information on Stray Rescue can be found at www. http://www.strayrescue.org/

Members of the Electrical Connection provide safe and reliable electrical construction, maintenance, repair and replacement services in Missouri and nationwide. More is online at www.electricalconnection.org.

Photo coutesy of the St. Louis Labor Tribune

Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA Make Homes Safer for Low Income St. Louisans

Published on

140 IBEW Local 1 Electricians Team with 23 NECA Contractors to Help Rebuilding Together St. Louis.

Nearly two dozen St. Louis low income families living with electric hazards and outdated electrical systems now have safer homes with upgraded electrical installations thanks to the Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA partnership.  The partnership mobilized an IBEW/NECA team that donated services and materials to help Rebuilding Together St. Louis make improvements to 23 homes in North St. Louis and North St. Louis County.  The work was performed by 140 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local One electricians who teamed with 23 electrical contractor members of the St. Louis Chapter, National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA).

This was the 13th consecutive year that the Electrical Connection partnership volunteered in the annual Rebuilding Together home repair campaign.   Since 2003, the IBEW/NECA partnership has supported Rebuilding Together by donating more than $800,000 in labor and materials to improve more than 450 homes for low-income, disabled and elderly St. Louisans.

“The Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA partnership is invaluable to our efforts to improve the lives of low income families in our region,” said Dave Ervin, executive director, Rebuilding Together St. Louis. “Some of the electrical conditions we find in these homes are just deplorable and extremely hazardous to anyone living there.”

Among the many issues that the Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA partnership repaired were ungrounded outlets, extension cords used for permanent wiring, a lack of ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) switches and outlets, overloaded panel boxes, open splices, fixtures with charred or burned wires and more.

“A lot of the issues we encounter seem to be just shoddy work performed by people who lack the skills needed to perform electrical work,” noted Frank Jacobs, business manager, IBEW Local 1.  Douglas R. Martin, executive vice president of the St. Louis Chapter, NECA, concurred.  “There’s a reason why Electrical Connection IBEW/NECA is a staunch supporter of the National Electrical Code, which is the standard for safe electrical installations that function properly. Always check credentials and leave electrical work to licensed professionals who follow the code,” said Martin.

The Electrical Connection offers the largest number of licensed commercial and residential electrical contractors and skilled electricians in the region with a searchable data base at www.electricalconnection.org.

Dave Roth, business representative and treasurer for IBEW Local One, orchestrated the volunteer initiative.  Participating electrical contractors, who donated 23 service trucks and tools, included:

  • American Electric and Data
  • Bathe Electric Co
  • MR Bathe Electric
  • Bell Electrical Contractors
  • Branson Electric Co.
  • BRK Electrical Contractors LLC
  • Concept Electric Services LLC
  • Electric Limited
  • Fusion Electric
  • Grasser Electric
  • Guarantee Electric Co.
  • Hanenkamp Electric
  • Jag Electric
  • Kaemmerlen Electric
  • Kaiser Electric
  • Kay Bee Electric
  • Northwest Electric Co.
  • Pioneer Electric
  • RJP Electric
  • Sachs Electric Co.
  • Sanderson Electric
  • Schaeffer Electric Co., Inc.
  • Summit Electric

Members of the Electrical Connection provide safe and reliable electrical construction, maintenance, repair and replacement services across Missouri, the nation and the world.  Find a contractor near you in the Electrical Connection contractor database.

SIBA Announces New Board of Directors and Staff

Published on

The Southern Illinois Builders Association recently announced the names of its board of directors and staff for the current year. The purpose of the Southern Illinois Builders Association is to advance the construction industry through strengthening its members by enabling them to do collectively what they cannot accomplish on their own. They offer a full range of services and programs to provide value to their members in Southern Illinois.

Click on the URL below to review the new Board & Staff list.

SIBA Board & Staff 2016

ASA Midwest Council Hosts St. Louis Construction Showcase & BBQ

Published on

Free event scheduled for June 15th in Queeny Park

The American Subcontractors Association (ASA) Midwest Council has assembled more than 70 companies to participate in its 4th Annual St. Louis Construction Showcase and BBQ on Wednesday, June 15th in Queeny Park.  The event is free for all to attend! Visit www.asamidwest.com for a full list of exhibitors scheduled to be in attendance.

The free event is open from 2:00-7:00 p.m., with judging of the BBQ competition to begin at 5:00 p.m.  Attendees will be able to visit with companies that represent all aspects of the St Louis construction industry, while enjoying some fantastic FREE BBQ samples and refreshments.

“The event provides an ideal opportunity for anyone in the construction industry to network and experience the latest innovations in construction technology, software, equipment, tools and supplies,” said ASA Midwest Council president Kevin Douglas. “We are looking forward to a great turnout and are excited about the more than 70 companies already signed up to exhibit at the annual showcase.”

New this year, ASA’s Showcase & BBQ will play host to the Bricklayer 500 Regional Competition.          The winner of the Missouri SPEC MIX BRICKLAYER 500 Regional Qualifier will advance to compete at the World of Concrete in Las Vegas in January 2017. Come and cheer on Missouri’s most skilled bricklayers as they battle for 1st place, and a free trip to the World of Concrete in Las Vegas.  The Bricklayer 500 Competition will take place during the ASA Showcase & BBQ on June 15th at Queeny Park.

For more information about the FREE TO ATTEND ASA Construction Showcase & BBQ, visit www.asamidwest.com or email info@asamidwest.com

About American Subcontractors Association – Midwest Council

The American Subcontractors Association (ASA) Midwest Council is a construction trade association made up of quality specialty contractors and suppliers serving the construction industry and the community in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area and southern Illinois. The ASA Midwest Council’s purpose is to improve the construction process through active participation in education, advocacy and cooperation. For more information about the ASA Midwest Council, visit www.asamidwest.com or contact executive director Susan Winkelmann at 314-845-0855.

Carpenters Back Carnahan for Lieutenant Governor

Published on
/

The Missouri Carpenters Union is supporting former U.S. Representative Russ Carnahan in his bid to become lieutenant governor.

“Our more than 22,000 members have been working tirelessly to fight back against “right to work” and other attempts to erode the gains we have battled so long to win,” Al Bond, the Carpenters’ executive secretary-treasurer, said.  “Whether fighting for improved funding for dilapidated roads and bridges, or improving health care for our veterans, Russ’ priorities have always been squarely focused on making government work for average Americans.  He is a friend to hard-working families and champions the same issues and ideas we’re fighting for.”

According to the Carpenters Regional Council, Carnahan is stressing the need for better education, from early childhood to grade school and college, is committed to helping those starting and growing their own businesses, and believes government can, and should, do better to strengthen Missouri’s middle class.

Founded in 1882, the St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council represents more than 22,000 skilled tradesmen and women across Missouri, Kansas and southern Illinois.

Drivers’ Pension Fund Going Broke

Published on
/

Last Friday, the executive director of the Central States Pension Fund sent a letter to retirees and covered workers announcing that the fund will be broke in less than 10 years.

 

St. Louis area construction employers, who have drivers, contribute to the Central States Pension Fund.

 

The letter from fund director Thomas Nyhan followed the US Treasury Department’s rejection of a rescue proposal from the trustees of the pension plan.

 

John Moellering, a construction law expert at Lewis Rice LLC, said the Central States Pension Fund was one of the first, and certainly the largest pension fund to apply for a rescue plan under the Multi-Employer Pension Reform Act of 2014. Before that law, pension funds could not cut benefits to retirees. Under the law, distressed funds can file an application with the Treasury Department to cut or “suspend” benefits in order to keep the fund solvent. By any definition, the Central States Pension Fund is distressed.

 

Moellering said, “The Central States fund pays out $3.40 for every dollar that comes in. The net ouflow is about $2 billion a year.”

 

“It is in a death spiral,” he said.

 

In September, the fund’s trustees proposed to cut benefits to current retirees an average of 23 percent, although some retirees would see cuts of as much as 59 percent.

 

The law, Moellering said, “has a sliding scale on how much you can reduce pensions for different groups to make it equitable..”

 

If the Treasury Department had approved the plan, it would have gone retirees and workers for a vote. If they had voted it down, the Treasury Department could have imposed it anyway. Since the Treasury Department rejected the rescue plan, however, there will be not vote.

 

Moellering said that he was surprised that the Treasury Department turned down the proposal. There are few options left.

 

“Normally, the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation is a backstop for retirees who lose their pensions when their funds fold, but it doesn’t have the wherewithal to pay out on the underfunded Central States plans,” he said.

 

More than 400,000 retirees get pension checks from the Central States Pension fund.

 

“The fact that the federal government’s multiemployer pension insurance program, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), is also running out of money means our participants may see their pension benefits ultimately reduced to virtually nothing when the Fund runs out of money,” Nyhan wrote to retirees.

 

“The whole multi-employer pension arena is very troubled right now,” Moellering said. “The model was fine when it started, with more people contributing than were collecting, but as industry has matured, it no longer works. You can only squeeze participating employers so much, especially when they are competing with numerous employers who don’t contribute to the fund,” he said.

SMPS-St. Louis Announces Its 2016-2017 Board of Directors

Published on

SMPS-St. Louis recently announced their 2016-2017 Board of Directors.

The following slate has been elected by acclamation as the 2016-2017 SMPS St. Louis Chapter Board of Directors. The following individuals will commence their terms in office on September 1, 2016.

President: Amanda Bohnert, S. M. Wilson & Co.
President Elect: Catrina Cook, Spellman Brady & Company
Immediate Past President: Jessica Davila, CPSM, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Treasurer: Cindy Hausler, CPSM, Mackey Mitchell Architects
Treasurer-Elect: Jennifer Bradshaw, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Secretary: Cheryl Vancil, Oates Associates Inc.
Communications Director: Courtney Kinamore, S. M. Wilson & Co.
Programs Co-Directors: Kristyn Newbern, Access Engineering, LLC and Shane Harris, Professional Service Industries, Inc. (PSI)
Membership Director: Alec Gleason, TOKY Branding + Design
Education Chair: Megan Hinrichsen, Development Strategies
Special Events Chair: Nora Bresnahan, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.
Sponsorship Chair: Shannon Egger, Ross & Baruzzini
Student Chapter Liaison, Dave Scarmana, Lawrence Group

SMPS was formed in 1973 in St. Louis by a small group of professional services firm leaders who recognized the need to sharpen skills, pool resources, and work together to create business opportunities. Today, the organization represents a dynamic network of 6,000+ marketing and business development professionals from architectural, engineering, planning, interior design, construction, and specialty consulting firms located throughout the United States and Canada. Please visit our website at www.smps-stl.org.

Celebrate The Renovated St. Louis Riverfront at “Picnic On The Riverfront” on June 2nd

Published on
/

The Event, which will include a 2,016-foot-long community picnic table and fireworks display, will kick off season of events for residents and tourists

Few construction projects get feted with a giant picnic, but BSI Constructors transformation of the St. Louis riverfront by the Arch is one of them. Great Rivers Greenway, the City of St. Louis, CityArchRiver Foundation and other partners are going to celebrate the completion of the project on Thursday, June 2, St. Louis’ largest ever community picnic, complete with a 2,016-foot long table with chairs.

The picnic is open to the public. The official ribbon cutting on June 2 will begin at 5 p.m. on the overlook stage along Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard. Afterward, attendees can explore the nearby Mississippi Greenway, enjoy local music and educational activities for kids and purchase dinner from food trucks and other vendors. People are also welcome to bring their own picnic meal. An interfaith blessing will kick off dinner at 6:15 p.m., followed by an aerial photo of all the picnickers. The event will end with a brief fireworks display at 8:30 p.m.

The renovation of the 1.5-mile stretch of riverfront includes the recently rebuilt Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard and extension of the Mississippi Greenway from the Biddle Street Trailhead south to Chouteau Avenue, with protected walking and biking paths. The entire riverfront was elevated an average of almost two feet to limit flooding, returning more days of the year back to the community for walking, riding bikes, sightseeing and special events. While the historic elements were preserved, such as the cobblestones lining the levee; new amenities such as benches, bike racks, lights, power outlets and a street-level stage will make the space more inviting for events and programs.

The construction, which is wrapping up, is on track to meet or exceed minority participation goals with 32 percent participation by minority-owned business enterprises and 19 percent participation by women-owned business enterprises. Fifty-one percent of construction contracts were awarded to disadvantaged business enterprises. Workforce participation is also on track to meet the goal of 14.7 percent minority workers.

“The riverfront is a place where everyone is welcome, and it was important that the construction of the project reflect that, too,” said Carey Bundy, Project Manager for Great Rivers Greenway.

 

1 … 102 103 104 105 106 … 109