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Charlyce Ruth to Open AGCMO Office in Springfield

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Contractors to Help Continue Annual BuildMYFuture High School Event

Charlyce Ruth, former chief executive officer of the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield, has been named District Representative for Southwest Missouri by the Associated General Contractors of Missouri.  The announcement was made by Leonard Toenjes, CAE, president of the 500-plus member statewide organization.

“We are thrilled to have someone of Charlyce’s expertise and experience to represent us in southwest Missouri,” said Toenjes. “We saw her departure from the HBA as the perfect opportunity for us.  We already have several members in this area of the state and there is tremendous demand for our training, certification and safety programs. A large portion of AGCMO membership is heavy highway, so there is particular demand from that sector.  Also, her experience in workforce development and recruitment through the BuildMYFuture and other events is a perfect match with our strategic priorities.”

Ruth joined AGCMO, effective July 1, and already has hit the ground running. AGCMO currently has offices in Jefferson City and St. Louis, and plans to open a third office in Springfield soon.

Ruth noted, “I’m looking forward to this new opportunity to continue to serve the construction industry in Springfield.  I how have a chance to help heavy, highway, and infrastructure contractors continue to build a great quality of life in Southwest Missouri.”

Ruth, who holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Whitworth University in Spokane, WA, joined the HBA in 1999 and served as CEO from April 2014 until June 2020.  Prior to that, she served as office manager for Andrea Development Group, Inc. and worked in various administrative positions at Dameron Color Labs and D-Lan Health Care, Inc., all in the Springfield area.   In Seattle, she worked as an office manager for Tobb Construction Co., Inc. and was a full charge bookkeeper for FloScan Instrument Co., Inc.

She currently serves as treasurer of the local board of directors for the National Association of Women in Construction. In 2010 she received NAWIC’s Vesta Award for Outstanding Women in Construction.

Commenting on the appointment, Toenjes added that Ruth’s background aligns well with AGCMO’s top three strategic initiatives – workforce development, legislative advocacy and membership growth.  “Our industry is on the front lines of training and recruiting new workers, fixing our state’s and nation’s infrastructure, and strengthening the entrepreneurs who comprise the bulk of our membership.  I know Charlyce will help propel forward all three of those efforts in this area.”     

AGCMO is the leading voice of the construction industry in Missouri, representing over 500 commercial, industrial, heavy and highway contractors, industry partners and related firms in 110 counties throughout Missouri. www.agcmo.org

    CARES Act Provides 4 Possible Reasons to File an Amended Return

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    Submitted by Schmersahl Treloar

    The $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act delivers good news to individuals and businesses, including valuable tax-relief measures. Some of that tax relief is retroactive. These provisions can affect 2018 and 2019 returns that have already been filed. One retroactive provision can, in some cases, go all the way back to 2013. Some taxpayers that file amended returns may receive a tax refund from prior years.

    Here’s a summary of four retroactive CARES Act provisions that can potentially benefit you or your business entity after amended prior-year returns have been prepared and filed.

    1. Liberalized Rules for Deducting NOLs

    Business activities that generate tax losses can cause you or your business entity to have a net operating loss (NOL) for the year. Many businesses are currently operating at a loss. But there’s a bright side: The CARES Act significantly liberalizes the NOL deduction rules and allows NOLs that arise from 2018 to 2020 to be carried back five years.

    That means an NOL that arises this year can be carried back to 2015. In addition, an NOL that arose in 2018 can be carried back to 2013. Such NOL carry-backs allow you to claim refunds for taxes paid in the carry-back years. Because tax rates were higher in pre-2018 years, NOLs carried back to those years can be especially beneficial.

    1. Better Depreciation Rules for Real Estate QIP

    The CARES Act includes a retroactive correction to the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) that allows much faster depreciation for real estate qualified improvement property (QIP) that’s placed in service after 2017.

    QIP is defined as an improvement to an interior portion of a nonresidential building that’s placed in service after the date the building was first placed in service. However, QIP doesn’t include any improvement for which the expenditure is attributable to the enlargement of the building, any elevator or escalator, or the internal structural framework of the building.

    The retroactive correction allows you to claim 100% first-year bonus depreciation for QIP expenditures placed in service in 2018 through 2022. Alternatively, you can depreciate QIP placed in service in 2018 and beyond over 15 years using the straight-line method.

    Amending a 2018 or 2019 return to claim 100% first-year bonus depreciation for QIP placed in service in those years may result in a lower bill for the tax year the QIP was placed in service. It may even generate an NOL that can be carried back to a prior tax year to recover taxes paid in that prior year.

    You could also amend a 2018 or 2019 return to claim 15-year straight-line depreciation for QIP placed in service in those years. That might not create an NOL for 2018 or 2019, but it would still lower your tax bill for those years.

    1. Suspended Excess Business Loss Disallowance Rule for Noncorporate Taxpayers

    An unfavorable TCJA provision disallowed current deductions for so-called “excess business losses” incurred by individuals and other noncorporate taxpayers in tax years beginning in 2018 through 2025. An excess business loss is one that exceeds $250,000 or $500,000 for a married joint-filing couple. The $250,000 and $500,000 limits are adjusted annually for inflation.

    The CARES Act suspends the excess business loss disallowance rule for losses that arise in tax years beginning in 2018 through 2020. Amending a 2018 or 2019 return to reflect the suspension of the excess business loss disallowance rule could result in a 2018 or 2019 NOL that could then be carried back to a prior tax year to recover taxes paid in that prior year. Or it could just lower the 2018 or 2019 tax bill. Either way, you’ll come out ahead.

    1. Liberalized Limit on Business Interest Expense Deductions

    Another unfavorable TCJA provision generally limited a taxpayer’s deduction for business interest expense to 30% of adjusted taxable income (ATI) for tax years beginning in 2018 and beyond. Business interest expense that’s disallowed under this limitation is carried over to the following tax year.

    In general, the CARES Act temporarily and retroactively increases the taxable income limitation from 30% of ATI to 50% of ATI for tax years beginning in 2019 and 2020. There’s no change for tax years beginning in 2018. Amending a 2019 return to reflect the liberalized taxable income limitation rule could result in a 2019 NOL that can be carried back to a prior tax year to recover taxes paid in that prior year. Or it could just lower the 2019 tax bill. Either way, you’ll come out ahead.

    Special complicated rules apply to partnerships and LLCs that are treated as partnerships for tax purposes.

    Important: Taxpayers with average annual gross receipts of $25 million or less for the three previous tax years are exempt from the business interest expense deduction limitation. Certain real property businesses and farming businesses are also exempt if they choose to use slower depreciation methods for specified types of assets.

    To Amend or Not to Amend?

    The four retroactive tax-relief measures provided by the CARES Act can impact prior tax years for which returns have already been filed. Amended returns can allow you or your business to benefit from these changes and recover taxes paid in prior years. Contact us if you have questions, need more information or want to authorize us to start preparing amended returns for you or your business.

    32-hour live-streaming event to feature ‘Living Room Talent Show’

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    What – Streamathon for St. Louis

    When- Friday, April 10th starting at 4PM. Ends midnight, April 11th.

    Where – Online at www.StreamingforSTL.com with additional access via Facebook and other social media platforms.

    Features include:

    –          Living Room Talent Show – St. Louisans can show off their unique skills live from their homes during the event.

    –          Sit Down Comedy Show – Local and national comedians will perform their acts virtually during each hour of broadcast.

    –          Cooking demonstrations, fitness tips, restaurant of the hour feature, trivia contest, lip sync challenge and much more. All fed from participant’s homes and living rooms.

    –          Special guests and surprise co-hosts.

    Viewers can donate throughout the event to help small & independent businesses in St. Louis.

    Performers, participants and businesses in need can submit information through the website.

    All funds raised throughout the Streamathon will support local organizations and will be awarded as $1000 gifts per organization.

    Streamathon funding goal is $100,000/100 businesses.

    The Streamathon is presented by NexCore Coworking St. Louis.

    Industry COVID-19 Cancellations & Postponed Events

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    St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers Annual Awards Gala

    Given the circumstances surrounding COVID-19, we are postponing our Annual Awards Gala until August 2020. The Board made this decision last Friday prior to the latest announcement recommending to postpone or cancel and was hoping to have a new date before our announcement to postpone. We are working with the venue on a rescheduled date and will communicate the new date as soon as possible. We will have the ability to still honor all our award finalists and enjoy networking time with each other when it’s safe to do so.

    If you have already purchased a ticket or table, we hope you will join us at the rescheduled date. We will hold all payments for the events for the postponed date. If you require a refund, please email us at info@slccc.net. As for future events, further communication will be sent. All committee meetings will be conducted over conference calls or cancelled. Please see specific communications for those meetings.

    Thank you for your understanding and know your support for the SLCCC is very important to us! On behalf of our Board and Staff, be safe!

    St. Louis Council of Construction Consumers Fundraiser Golf Tournament

    As with many other events including our Gala, we have rescheduled our Golf Tournament to August 31st. It’s our hope this pandemic will be over and public safety and health restored. We also hope you will be able to join us on this new date!

    UPCO Career Expo Scheduled for March 12th Cancelled

    Masonry Institute of St. Louis

    Due to the rising concerns over COVID-19 and the rapid developments that have occurred over the last 24 hours, we have made the difficult decision to cancel today’s Career Expo out of an abundance of caution.

    We encourage anyone interested in applying for a job at The UP Companies to visit theupcompanies.com/careers to submit a resume online. Thank you for your understanding.

    In response to COVID-19 national health guidelines and local St. Louis City and County Executive Orders, the Masonry Institute of St. Louis (MISL) is announcing the following changes to currently scheduled events:

    April 8, 2020  –  Code Official Seminar  –  2018 Masonry Special Inspections  –  Postponed

    April 15, 2020  –  Engineering Seminar  –  TMS 402 Appendix C Limit Design Method  –  Postponed

    April 22, 2020  –  Architectural Seminar  –  Masonry Project Tips: Design & Detailing  –  Postponed

    Helmkamp Construction Distributes Maximum Impact Donations

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    Rob Johnes (President & Owner of Helmkamp Construction), Tori Freeman (Sr. Development Manager at JDRF), Kristina Linden (Development Manager at JDRF), Kevin Feldott (Superintendent at Helmkamp), and Brandon Howard (Superintendent at Helmkamp)

    Although Helmkamp Construction Co., a local business since 1938, has supported many charities over the years, it has been a long time goal of current and former owners to create an employee guided program that allows the company to give back in an organized, consistent, and impactful manner.

    Last July, the general contractor introduced the Helmkamp Cares Foundation, with the intent to better direct their focus and culture on the type of local business they aim to be… a good neighbor who cares about the community.

    Helmkamp President, Rob Johnes, gave an overview of the new foundation by saying “The Helmkamp Cares Foundation is comprised of an employee-based committee to manage the charitable requests that we receive on a regular basis.  Helmkamp would like to be able to give everyone support, but it’s simply not possible to do so.  Helmkamp Cares will allow us to allocate and focus charitable giving based on the initiatives our employees are collectively most passionate about.”

    Nicole Lanahan (Executive Director for Got Your Six Support Dogs), Kyle Vahling (Assistant Project Manager at Helmkamp Construction), and Recon (Got Your Six Support Dog Mascot)

    Jen Jackson, Marketing Director & Chair for the Helmkamp Cares Foundation said “It was important to us when creating the program that we found meaningful ways to help out local organizations where we live and work.  That’s how the Maximum Impact Awards were created.  All employees were surveyed about causes that meant most to them.  Our committee reviewed those and chose three deserving organizations for our inaugural 2019 Maximum Impact Awards.  They were the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Alton Memorial’s Health Services Foundation Cancer Patient Programs, and Got Your Six Veterans’ Support Dogs.  All three of these organizations received $20,000 from Helmkamp Construction.”

    Additionally, Johnes announced at the company’s annual holiday party that Helmkamp Construction had its most successful year in business in 2019.  To celebrate, all employees (and their spouses) were given $500 in play money called “Helmkamp Bucks” and asked to distribute them among seven additional charities that were selected by their peers on the foundation committee.  Those Helmkamp Bucks were tallied and turned into real donations totaling $50,000.  The seven organizations that benefitted from Helmkamp’s year-end giving celebrations included: The Alzheimers Association, Fisher House St. Louis, Haven House, Meals on Wheels, MS Society, National Children’s Cancer Society, and the Ronald McDonald Charities of St. Louis.

    In 2018, Helmkamp Construction Co. donated $80,000 to charitable organizations in celebration of their 80th year in business in the metro-east area.  In 2019, charitable spending was over double that at almost $170,000.

    “It was such a pleasure for us to learn more about the great work of the JDRF, Got Your Six, and Alton Memorial Hospital’s cancer patient programs and to be able to help them do that work,” said Jackson.  “Rob (Johnes) is committed to leading Helmkamp with the top 2 things in mind being safety and philanthropy.  Keeping our employees and customers safe on the job site and being able to give back is what he calls success.  As employees, that leadership gives us all something to feel really great about.”

    Pictured at top: Kristen Ryrie (AMH Manager of Foundation and Development), Rusty Ingram (Director of Business Development for AMH), Jeanne Truckey (Development Office Coordinator), Bruce Hartich (Treasurer for AMH Foundation Board of Directors), Toni Brummett (Oncology Nurse at AMH), Mike Farrell (Business Development Manager at Helmkamp), Brian Bechard (Director of Pre-Construction at Helmkamp), Kevin Feldott (Superintendent at Helmkamp), David Braasch (President at AMH), BJ Williams (Superintendent at Helmkamp), Donna Campbell (Asst. Nurse Manager for Infusion Center at AMH), Cole Hagen (Project Manager at Helmkamp), Dr. Gregory Vlacich (Clinical Director of Radiation Oncology at AMH), and Brad Goacher (Vice President at AMH)

    Since 1938, Helmkamp Construction Co. has built relationships based on quality, integrity, and safety leadership.  Helmkamp is the builder of choice for the repeat, professional buyer of construction in Industrial, Building, and Life Science markets.  Helmkamp self-performs excavations, concrete foundations and slabs, structural steel, rough and finish carpentry, labs, millwright equipment installations, and laser alignment/precision leveling.  To learn more, visit www.helmkamp.com.

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