The 44th Annual MBCEA Conference was held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on April 25-28. The exhibit hall opened to a great crowd with contractors and erectors there to learn new applications, see new products and make new contacts.
The keynote speech was delivered by columnist and author Gene Marks and titled “Tuning your Business for the New Economy.” Marks offered lots of interesting stories and good advice. Everyone walked away with something to think about, including ideas they could implement now to finetune their business.
The conference’s second day provided several additional education sessions and finished with a round table discussion. The assembled panel of experts included Tim Seyler, S & S Structures, Blandon, Pa.; Steven Webster, Dutton & Garfield Inc. Hampstead, N.H.; and Bob Ketenbrink, Spacemark Inc., Decatur, Ill. In addition, Josh Quinter of Kaplin Stewart, Philadelphia was available to provide legal expertise, Stephen Rodgers of Nevada Safety Consultation and Training Section, which is a service of the Nevada Department of Business and Industry, offered OSHA expertise and Dave Bergholz from Chief Buildings, Grand Island, Neb., represented the manufacturers’ perspective. At the annual awards ceremony Friday evening, Webster formally inducted the following new board members:
• Steve Olson, Rigid Global Buildings, Houston
• Tim Clark, Zartman Construction, Northumberland, Pa.
In addition, Seyler, who is immediate pastpresident of MBCEA became president of the Metal Buildings Institute. Gary Smith, Thomas Phoenix International Inc., Easthampton, N.J., was recognized as the new president of MBCEA.
Shortly after being inducted president, Smith loosened his tie, let down his hair and said, “get ready to roll.” Smith is a charismatic leader, passionate about the metal building industry, including the people who build and the techniques they use.
Smith is never afraid of a good challenge. Several years ago he questioned why there was no formal apprenticeship program for the assembly of pre-engineered buildings. Many people told him it could not be done; he would be stepping on too many toes. The naysayers merely strengthened his resolve.
Smith not only developed and received approval from the State of New Jersey Department of Labor for an Apprenticeship program for his company, but also took his program to Washington, D.C. The Metal Buildings Institute is now authorized by the U.S. Department of Labor to administer “National Guidelines for Apprenticeship, Assembler Pre-engineered Metal Buildings.”
Smith’s enthusiasm for his new role was evident as he pumped up the audience about recent MBCEA accomplishments and plans for the future, which include a complete overhaul of the MBCEA website, an updated newsletter that is distributed once or twice a month, and several new programs and projects that are in the works and will be reported on shortly.
The highlight of the evening was the Annual Building Awards.
This year, the judges selected two Buildings of the Year. Burk Erectors, Battlefield, Mo., and Q & Co., Springfield, Mo., were selected for the John Deere Building in Strafford, Mo. This 277,000-square-foot warehouse featured a continuous clerestory to provide natural light to the interior, which reduced lighting needs and energy costs.
Thomas Phoenix International and Schlosser Steel Buildings, Hatfield, Pa., shared the honor for the House of Sports in Ardsley, N.Y. Erecting the 117 1/2-foot clear span frames and all their bracing and sub-framing components required special planning and consideration as the cranes were required to reach up and over the structural and pre-cast floors leaving the operators with no view of the loads being set.
Ray Barbieri, of RJB Contracting Inc., Torrington, Conn.; Danny Sell of DWS Structures, Kernersville, N.C.; and Brian Young of Construx Inc., Plymouth, N.H.; were formally recognized as Pioneers in the Metal Building Industry. Barbieri is a concrete construction contractor who has won numerous awards. He has worked to support the cancer center in Torrington and currently serves as president of the New England Chapter of the MBCEA. Sell is a contractor and erector who sold and erected his first building in 1974. He has held numerous leadership positions with the MBCEA and his local chapter. He is known for his wise counsel and considered a leader in his field. Young is a contractor and erector who has held many leadership positions in industry and his community. He received the Award of Excellence of the Associated Builders and Contractors, New Hampshire/ Vermont chapter and was a founding member of the Plymouth, N.H. Economic Committee.
The final award of the evening was particularly touching. The Robert and Beverly Ketenbrink Service Award (aka the Oil Can Award) is given annually to an individual or individuals who have truly made a difference to the industry, and are known to go above and beyond the call of duty in promoting the metal building industry and mentoring fellow members. This year’s recipients, Wade and Barb Hobbs of Uni-Bilt Systems and Universal Erectors, Lithia, Fla., are much beloved members of the MBCEA and are well-known for their many contributions to industry.
