June 2010

ABC of Metro Washington's TEAM News helps you get, and stay, involved by keeping you informed about the activities and important goings-on in the chapter’s committees, task forces, and programs.

Community Service Committee
Board Liaisons:  Bruce Eppard, SunTrust Bank, bruce.eppard@suntrust.com, and John Barry, John E. Barry Plumbing & Heating Corp., jjwrench@aol.com
Committee Chair: Paula Mararac, Oncore Construction, LLC, pmararac@oncoreconstruction.com
Staff Liaison: Judy Gretsch, director of communications, jgretsch@abcmetrowashington.org
www.abcmetrowashington.org/Get_Involved/Community_Service

The committee is working on the following projects:

Craft Training Committee
Board Liaison:  Lou Wicklein, Kogok Corporation, lwicklein@kogok.com
Committee Chair:  Pat Gordon, Mallick Plumbing & Heating, Inc., pgordon@mallickplumbing.com
Staff Liaison:   Jason Roberts, director of education, jroberts@abcmetrowashington.org
www.abcmetrowashington.org/CraftMasters_Training

Play for the July 19th golf outing at Lansdowne Resort & Golf Club is sold out!  Cocktail hour networking and dinner only tickets are still available. Register Online

• The class's fourth meeting (in May) was the class-organized social outing at Top Golf in Alexandria, VA.  Their fifth meeting (June 29th) was a work session on public speaking and presentation skills lead by Darryl Glick of Dale Carnegie Training.
• The group will be holding their first project site tour (their sixth meeting) on September 29th at the U.S. Institute for Peace in Washington, DC.
• The LDP students are also already busy working on committees, attending various ABC events, and getting involved in supporting our chapter’s activities in order to earn their class credits toward graduation.

While the committee did not meet recently, Chairman Baskin has been actively involved in ABC’s challenge to recent prevailing wage rate activities at both the state and federal level.  ABC is questioning the methodology used in creating the new rates and the actions by the Department of Labor in using the Maryland rates without undertaking their own survey and following their own rules of procedure.  ABC is working with the Maryland Transportation Builders and Materials Association on this issue.

The committee is proud to introduce the following new management education offerings.  Registration information will be available soon on the website calendar.

• The New Economy and the 401(k) Plan on September 24 with presenters Sharon King of Lanigan, Ryan, Malcolm & Doyle and Scott Davis of Early, Cassidy & Schilling.
• A five-part Government Contracting Series where registrants can sign up for one, a couple or all five sessions
• September 16th - Understanding New Federal Ethics and Compliance Requirements presented by Reggie Jones of Smith, Currie & Hancock and Scott Vossler of Foulger-Pratt Contracting
• September 30th - The Benefits and Limitations of the SBA & Other Agency Mentor/Protégé Relationships presented by Reggie Jones of Smith, Currie & Hancock
• October 5th - Developing Compliant Federal Subcontracting Plans presented by Reggie Jones of Smith, Currie & Hancock and Mitch Filipowicz of HITT Contracting
• October 13th - Buy American Act: Understanding the Requirements presented by Reggie Jones of Smith, Currie & Hancock
• October 26th - Debriefings and Bid Protests on Federal Construction Procurements by Reggie Jones of Smith, Currie & Hancock

The committee sponsored a very successful fundraiser for Delegate Dereck Davis, raising over $14,000 for the Chairman of the House Economic Matters Committee.  Special thanks to Brian Mattingly, Goldin & Stafford, for hosting the reception.  The committee recently sent a letter to Governor O’Malley expressing concern about speculation that the State was considering the imposition of Project Labor Agreements on several state projects.  The committee also has sent out a questionnaire to the two major gubernatorial candidates asking their position on the major issues of concern to ABC members.

The committee is hosting a reception for Senator Nancy King in conjunction with Henley Construction.  The event will take place on July 22nd.  Senator King has been a good friend to ABC and is in a spirited and competitive race with a sitting Delegate who is not friendly to ABC.

• The official retention period is over.  As of 07/12/10, our chapter's retention rate is 84.5% of members and 84% of dues dollars renewed.
• So far for 2010, our chapter has also recruited 38 new members.  At this time last year, we had recruited 45 new members.  We are just 32 new members from reaching our goal of 70 new members for the year.
• The Annual Prospect Breakfast was held on May 14th, and the Annual Telegrowth Membership Drive was held on June 3rd and 4th.  Paul Barry of Facchina Construction Company chaired our 2010 Membership Campaign.  The effort resulted in commitments from 30 firms to join our chapter.  As of 7/12/10, 11 Telegrowth contacts have paid/joined.  The committee will work throughout the rest of the year to get the other commitments (and many more hot prospects generated through the drive) to join. 
• If you know a firm that should join ABC of Metro Washington, please contact Barb Smith at 301-595-9711 or bsmith@abcmetrowashington.org.

Board member Kenny Mallick of Mallick Plumbing & Heating shares a laugh with Maryland Local Legislative Chair Don Spence of Greenburg, Spence & Taylor at the June Dinner Meeting.

Project Labor Agreement (PLA) Task Force
Board Liaison/Task Force Chair:  Mike Burlas, Miller & Long Co., Inc., mikeburlas@millerandlong.com
Staff Liaison:  Bob Zinsmeister, director of government affairs, bzinsmeister@abcmetrowashington.org
www.thetruthaboutplas.com/

The task force successfully coordinated ABC’s testimony and attendance at the June 30th hearing regarding the DC PLA legislation, Bill 18-650, “The District Employee and Trade Stimulus Amendment Act of 2010.”  This bill would mandate both Project Labor Agreements and Labor Peace Agreements on all construction projects in the city over $200,000 that receive any form of government assistance.  Through the chapter’s efforts to bring a show of force against the bill, opponents outnumbered the proponents by about 3:1.  In addition to panels presented by partner groups such at DCBIA and the Green Building Council of DC, City Council members heard testimony from three ABC panels as to why PLAs are bad for the city, the industry, and the workforce.  The chapter’s panels were made up of representatives from chapter leadership, members that are Certified Business Enterprises (CBEs), and District residents who are employed by member companies.  The hearing lasted approximately 9 hours.

The committee continues to encourage members to submit applications for the 2010 Safety Training and Evaluation Process (STEP) program.  STEP applications can be submitted anytime throughout the year.

The committee continues to gear up for the Annual Scholarship Fund Golf Outing that will be held on September 24th at Whiskey Creek Golf Course in Ijamsville, MD.

Kurtis Meyer, David McDowell, Nick Valentino, and Zach Hohns of Manganaro Midatlantic enjoyed the June 30th ABC.XYZ Summer Event at Strike Bethesda.