Will Construction Return or is this the “New Normal?”
We will return to normal, but no one knows when. Government officials walk a timing tightrope. Open too soon and the virus might return with a vengeance. Open too late and the economic system might collapse. According to recent polls, people remain content with the lockdown for the time being. Support for the status quo will…
Women Construction Forum: Making an Impact through One-on-One Connections
Launched in 2019, Women Construction Forum (WCF) is comprised of women contractors, architects, engineers, project managers, business owners and other construction professionals who are involved in both residential and commercial construction in the Upstate region of South Carolina. The relatively small group began holding meetings in Greenville in March 2019. They hope to expand their…
Evolving Women in AEC: M. Ginger Scoggins, President, Engineered Designs, Inc.
Engineered Designs, Inc. is a Raleigh-based, full-service plumbing, HVAC, and electrical design firm. President M. Ginger Scoggins, PE, CxA, CEM, LEED AP was one of four Triangle-area women recently highlighted in a series of communications – themed Evolving Women in AEC – distributed by Chix Dig It – Celebrating Women in Construction founder Patricia Lucas Smith. These…
ABC Carolinas Chapter Announces Amy Sullivan Hicks as New President/CEO
Charlotte, N.C., April 29, 2020 – The Board of Directors for Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of the Carolinas (ABC Carolinas) announced today that Amy Sullivan Hicks has been named the chapter’s new President and CEO. Sullivan Hicks will assume her new role on Monday, May 4, 2020. With a construction and development industry career…
Business Trends in Construction: What’s on the Horizon?
My former business partner has kept a framed picture on his wall for his entire career, or at least for the 30 years I have known him. It is a picture of an older man, wizardly in appearance, who is staring intently into a large crystal ball. When I first saw this picture, I asked…
Local Safety Stand-Downs Focus on “Slowing the Spread”
Contractors in the Carolinas joined industry peers nationwide in hosting COVID-19 jobsite safety stand-downs on April 23 as part of a regionally coordinated effort by ABC Carolinas. Individual employers brought their respective workforces together to review safe work practices and protocols, with the common goal of keeping workers safe and slowing the spread of the…
Are There Better Ways to Attract New Talent to Your Construction Firm?
Even though the construction industry continues to make improvements in technology, offers great compensation and benefits packages, creates opportunities for upward mobility and boasts bountiful jobs available for both genders, why aren’t more young people entering the industry? One primary reason is that construction careers simply have not been adequately promoted to America’s youth. It’s up…
Evolving Women in AEC: Andrea Moffat, President, Moffat Pipe
Moffat Pipe is a heavy highway utility contractor based in Wake Forest, N.C. with specialized expertise in shoring, tunnels, water and sewer lines, and other infrastructure projects. Founder and President Andrea Moffat was one of four Triangle-area women recently highlighted in a series of communications – themed Evolving Women in AEC – distributed by Chix Dig…
Clemson Senior Corban Williams Wins AGC’s National Essay Competition
The AGC Education and Research Foundation gives two prestigious national awards annually – one to an educator who exemplifies excellence in the field of construction education, and the other to a senior-level student who submits the winning essay in the 2020 James L. Allhands Essay Competition. Corban Williams, a senior in Clemson University’s Construction Science and Management…
Commentary: Changing Behavior that Leads to Bad Choices
GroundBreak Carolinas is always looking for industry experts to weigh-in on important topics such as workforce development, safety and the economy. Responding to this safety related question is Tony Morris, safety manager for CarolinaPower, a leading electrical contractor with four offices in South Carolina. The construction industry’s approach to safety is beginning to shift after many…
