Stronger than Ever: CAGC Young Leaders Program
Over the last several years we have continued to see exponential growth in the Carolinas AGC (CAGC) Young Leaders program, and this is a true testament to the impact that this group can have on individuals and companies. Getting involved in the CAGC Young Leaders has been one of the best decisions I have made, and I am thankful for my company being so supportive — especially as I begin my term as CAGC Young Leaders Program Chair.
I am pleased to report that we closed 2021 with our highest membership to date — with over 220 members — and this year we have set a goal of 275 members. So, if you are a young leader or have young leaders in your company, I encourage you to get them involved.
What a wild ride these last two years have been for all of us in the construction industry! As we reflect on the past couple of years, the Carolinas AGC (CAGC) Young Leaders program had to adjust quickly just like the rest of our industry. In person meetings, events, and training opportunities quickly became virtual meetings, and for a time other conferences and networking events were all together canceled. A new term was also coined “Zoom Fatigue!” While there is no doubt that virtual meetings of all kinds are here to stay for certain applications, it sure is nice to sit across a table and look at others in the eye while you are talking to them. Who knew how much we would miss a simple handshake!
The CAGC has had to navigate through uncertain times over the last couple of years and I would like to thank all the staff and Board members for their hard work and dedication to help CAGC and our industry. Over the last 101 years we know that CAGC has encountered many obstacles, but none quite like the last couple of years. The CAGC leadership never wavered and kept the well-being and success of our industry and the member companies in the forefront of everything they did.
As we push forward in 2022 to get back to some sense of normalcy, we were grateful to be able to host our Young Leader Conference in Charlotte, NC in person last November, and tied it in with the association’s 100th Year Centennial Celebration, which was postponed due to COVID-19 situation. It was great to see all the Young Leaders in attendance at the Centennial Celebration — and you really could see that the future of the Association is bright!
We have a lot of events planned throughout the Carolinas for Young Leaders, including networking, Lunch & Learns, leadership development, and a 2-day YL Conference in Charleston, SC on November 10-11, 2022.
For more information on YL events, please visit www.cagc.org/cagcyoungleaders. I look forward to all the challenges that we will face in the upcoming year and know that as we grow together, learn from each other, and create lasting relationships, this group of Young Leaders will have lasting impacts on the CAGC for years to come.
The Carolinas AGC Young Leaders group is made up of Carolinas AGC members under 45 years of age. To learn more, please email Chelsea Andujar.
Dale Schmidt, Carolinas AGC Young Leaders Program Chair, is a Project Manager with State Utility Contractors, Inc. in Charlotte, N.C.
