I am having a ball as president of the Metal Building Contractor and Erectors Association (MBCEA); it is good to be the boss.
What is even better is to work with such a great group of people. I know I am only as good as the people I associate with, so I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge a few people who have truly stepped up in the last few months. In my column in the March issue of Metal Construction News and at the National Conference I issued a call for more chapters. Chapters are the perfect forum for metal building contractor and erectors to come together for professional development.
Current chapters in the Mid-Atlantic, Carolinas and New England frequently offer subsidized training classes, industry speakers and networking/ social events. For example, the Carolinas hosted a three-day event in June that included education and information sessions, legal and business advice, and a roundtable on the economic effects of the new insulation code, as well as a golf outing and awards ceremony.
Most contractors and erectors are small, hard working businesses. We know what we need to do, but don’t always have the time or money to do it. Chapters provide the economies of scale, the power of a group who share a common interest. There are plenty of great quotes about teamwork and group dynamics, but I like this one from Alexander the Great: “Remember upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all.”
So I issued this call for chapters and started banging on my drum. Guess what? I am thrilled to report quite a few heard me loud and clear. In Texas, MBCEA Director Steve Olson of Rigid Global Buildings, Houston, didn’t have to twist Tony Fuentes’ arm to lead a new Texas Chapter. “This is a great opportunity for Texas contractors and erectors to network and share in the cost of training” says Fuentes of Premier Steel Buildings, Kingwood, Texas. There has been interest in the past, but until Olson and Fuentes got together, not the commitment to “git ‘er done.”
Kansas has had a chapter but it needed an overhaul. MBCEA Director Kelly Burk of Burk Erectors Inc., Battlefield, Mo., organized a planning meeting for the soon-to-be new and improved Mid- West Chapter. Involved in this process are Andy Huber of A. L. Huber Construction Inc., Overland Park, Kan.; Sandy Fowler of G F General Contractors Inc., Union, Mo.; and Fadel Alsoudi of Evans Building Co. Inc., Wichita, Kan. They hope to cover a big territory, rotate meetings and trainings around so the benefits are accessible to all. They are full of enthusiasm and good ideas. I know they will deliver a strong result.
Washington and Oregon are certainly not far behind. Ben Ferguson of Pacific Insulated Panel LLC, Arlington, Wash., and Chuck Grouws of CHG Building Systems Inc., Renton, Wash., are working to get a North West Chapter started. My last email from Ferguson said, “We are making progress and have folks committed to serving on the board.” There is a wave of enthusiasm that is contagious. The existing core chapters of the Southeast, Carolinas, Mid-Atlantic and New England are excited to share and aid these start-ups.
I also want to acknowledge Tula Thompson (Bay Insulation Systems, Kansas City, Mo.), Andrew Logue (Chief Buildings, Grand Island, Neb.), Ben Ferguson (Pacific Insulated Panels), Anthony Diver (Tamora Building Systems, Aston, Pa.), Josh Quinter (Kaplin Stewart, Philadelphia), Orris Schlabach (Northeast Structural Systems, Mount Eaton, Ohio) and Fadel Alsoudi (Evans Building Co., Wichita, Kan.), who have formed a sub-committee for the good of all metal building contractors and erectors- but that my friends is a subject for another day.
In closing, my challenge to all is “Speak Up!” Get involved and stay involved. Join a trade association, attend your chapter meetings, go to the national conference. Throw your name in the ring for a committee or a sub-committee or the board. Stick your neck out, get out of your comfort zone. The rewards to you personally and your business will surely follow.
Gary T. Smith is president of Thomas Phoenix International Inc., Eastampton, N.J., and an outspoken supporter of apprenticeship, training, safety and education for the Metal Buildings Institute. Smith is one of the original founders of the MBCEA-MAD and Trustee of the MBI. He can be reached at gtsmith@thomasphoenixintl.com.
