March 2024

ABC Keystone Leadership

2024 Executive Committee:

Chair of the Board John Lehmann Poole Anderson Construction, LLC

Chair-Elect

Guy Kingree IMC Construction

1st Vice Chair Steven Kearns James Craft & Son, Inc.

2nd Vice Chair Ed Engle Smucker Company

Secretary Jeff Witmer Pathway Business Advisors

Treasurer Timothy A. Kershner, CPA Walz Group

2023 Chair Steve Conway Pyramid Construction Services, LLC A Quandel Company

2024 Board of Directors:

Robb Beiler Wohlsen Construction Company

Jeff Bright Offit Kurman

Roger S. Brubaker MVE Group

Scott Duke The Witmer Group

Joe Finkey Martin’s Flooring

Michael L. Fiore Leonard S. Fiore, Inc.

Brian Floyd EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants

Ken Funk Arthur Funk & Sons, Inc.

John H. Hykes II B&B Integrations

Anthony Leer Leer Electric, Inc.

Matthew Shehan Benchmark Construction Company, Inc.

Patrick Snyder First Commonwealth Bank

Lee L. Summers, Jr. C Mechanical Services

Jan L. Wagner Wagman Construction, Inc.

Nora Brooks Weder mulá group

Scott Wengrenovich Murray

Rebecca

John Lehmann President, Poole Anderson Construction

THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX

Our industry continues to see a major impact from labor shortages which currently stand at an approximate 500,000 deficit nationally and 30,000 deficit for Pennsylvania. ABC Keystone is taking on this challenge with an outside-the-box approach to bring about opportunity to help toward solving this challenge.

According to Stephanie Larkin, V.P. of Education, Safety & Workforce Development at ABC Keystone, "With an unprecedented number of job openings in the industry, construction companies must consider looking to nontraditional populations to find talent.” Our workforce development efforts continue to expand across all channels, including:

Reentrants: Persons with a criminal history often have access to trades training while incarcerated, allowing them to quickly come up to speed if hired. ABC Keystone has been working with county and state correctional institutions to create pathways from incarceration to registered apprenticeship.

Refugees: Refugees and legal immigrants are another source of untapped talent. We have been working closely with Church World Services to educate our members on the definitions, legal status, paperwork and reporting surrounding hiring refugees.

Veterans: It can be difficult to translate military skillsets to civilian construction careers. This year, the Workforce Development Committee will prioritize working with the veteran community to bring this talent into the industry.

We will continue to pursue our traditional recruitment pathways through articulation agreements with the high schools, career and technical centers and community-based organizations in our footprint. Our yearly Construction Wars events for middle school students will be held March 19-21, while All ‘bout Construction Girls Camp will be held in June. We will take advantage of every opportunity to share our pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs and provide access to hands-on career awareness and exposure.

“This is an exciting time to be involved in the workforce development activities at the Chapter,” said Ms. Larkin. “There are so many moving parts to our efforts. We can connect with a wide variety of potential talent and truly make a difference not only for our members, but for our fellow citizens.”

LET'S CELEBRATE WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION!

When I entered this industry in 1978 it was basically an all-male industry. Except for the accounting office or the administrative assistant pool, it was hard to find a female employee. Here we are 46 years later and for the month of March we celebrate Women in Construction. Yes, we have come a long way, but we also have plenty of room to grow.

Let’s review a few statistics we see here at Keystone. Our 2023-2024 apprenticeship class consists of slightly over 3% women. Those students are spread across six of our trades. In the last three years we graduated twelve women to journeyperson status. Beyond graduation, we have seen several of them continue to take additional training and move into larger roles with their companies. While this figure may appear to be a drop in the bucket, we’re proud to say the number of females in our trade classes is increasing each year.

Looking to the future, our middle school and pre-apprenticeship programs show impressive data. For pre-apprenticeship we are seeing as high as 20% female participation. At our middle school program, Construction Wars, half the attendees are female. The programs are designed as career awareness programs.

With the numbers we see, our Apprenticeship numbers should certainly grow.

The trade side is not the only area where we see growth in participation. We continue to witness an increase of women in estimating, project management and serving as project executives. These types of positions often lead to company ownership. Yes, ABC has several businesses owned and run by women. We are blessed to see women of all levels participating on committees and

contributing to the success of this association and our construction industry.

What has transpired over my last 46 years has inspired a new generation of young women to embrace the opportunities the construction industry has to offer. Join me in celebrating all that have embraced it and all that continue to contribute to our great industry.

The Excellence in Construction Awards Gala celebrates the best in merit shop construction, honoring the most outstanding construction projects and contractors of the year for their remarkable achievements in leadership, safety, and innovation. ABC Keystone invites your company to showcase your work in the Excellence in Construction (EIC) Awards program. This program recognizes and publicizes the outstanding work performed on projects built by ABC Keystone members.

Entering your projects in the EIC Awards program is a great way to market your company’s high-quality work and gain public recognition for the project owner and your team who put it all together. Join the hundreds of free enterprise companies recognized as the “Best of the Best” in the construction industry. Winners at the Chapter level are eligible to move on and enter their projects in the National Excellence in Construction Awards.

2024PROJECT OF THEYEAR

Insider’s Guide to EIC Entries

by appointment only, please contact emily@abckeystone.org

12

Intent to Submit Form Due

14

All Entry Materials Due

JUNE 28

STEP Application Due Submit Award Acceptors

STEP membership is a scoring factor in ABC Chapter and National EIC Awards

OCTOBER 11 NOVEMBER 7

2024 EIC Awards Gala

Emerging Leaders

TODD KAUFFMAN

SALES & MARKETING, SAHD METAL RECYCLING

Q:

Tell us a little bit about your company.

Sahd Metal Recycling is a leader in recycling industrial scrap metals and demolition materials in Lancaster, PA! We are a third-generation family-owned business that continues to be a recycling leader while investing in green technologies, equipment, and training to maintain our status as a community leader.

1045 Lancaster Avenue

Columbia, PA 17512

www.recycleyourmetal.com

(717) 314-3727

todd@recycleyourmetal.com

Would you like to be featured in the next Emerging Leaders Spotlight?

Contact:

Emily Winslow emily@abckeystone.org

Q:

What’s an interesting fact about your business most people don’t know?

An interesting fact about our business is that our customers can take specific steps to clean their material to maximize its value! You’d be surprised at all the little things you can do to help make more profit!

Q:

How many years have you been with your company?

I’ve been with Sahd Metal Recycling since June 2021, a little over two and a half years!

Q: Q:

What is the best business advice you’ve ever received?

Be cool about things and take opportunities. Don’t be afraid to fail, success doesn’t come from being comfortable. Comfortable is being uncomfortable!

What is the best part about the work you do?

It is being able to network and make long-lasting relationships, as well as finding our customers' pain points and giving them the service they deserve!

Todd Kauffman Sales & Marketing Sahd Metal Recycling

CELEBRATE WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION WEEK!

Women are making significant headway into the traditionally male-dominated construction trade, from business ownership to skilled trades. Today, women represent a little more than 10 percent of the construction industry, and the number of women entering construction-related trades has been steadily increasing for decades.

Women’s job growth in construction is nearly five times faster than in the field overall. In 2019, the share of women working in construction hit a 20-year high.

Women entering construction jobs are breaking the misconception surrounding gender-specific roles. By diversifying the workforce, women benefit the individuals involved and their teams, organizations, industries, and society.

One of the primary benefits is creativity and innovation. Women bring a unique perspective that can enrich a male-dominated industry, leading to new ideas and better problem-solving. They provide a new pool

of skilled workers. Additionally, their participation in the industry aids in the decrease of the skills gap that construction faces.

Women in Construction Week occurs during the first full week in March every year. It is a time to highlight all the great initiatives and work of women within the industry. Likewise, it is a time that brings to the fore the opportunities that are available to women in construction. Women in Construction Week traces the history of women in construction, their challenges, and the ways they’ve been able to overcome them.

At ABC Keystone, we are committed to putting the best talent in the construction field. Welcoming all people—where employees are limited only by their potential and desire—is the essence of the merit shop philosophy, and that’s who we are. To learn more, visit abckeystone.org

https://nationaltoday.com/women-in-construction-week/

JIM WILLSHIER

ABC KEYSTONE, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

DO ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES?

As spring looms, so will the primary election that sets the stage for the 2024 election this fall (our primaries are April 23). Every cliché continues to be thrown at this election cycle: everything is at stake this year, elections have consequences, people will vote with their feet, and incredibly, all of them are true.

The "why" for the stakes this year moves beyond the political division we see around us and the number of unresolved issues we see in daily headlines. We are on an endless merry-go-round of who stays in office (over ten special elections for both state legislative chambers last year). That also maintains a question of who has a majority in the House, albeit a very slim majority of 1 Republican to Democrat every time. Even though some want that job, there is an equally embarrassing game of "not it" to decide Speakers of the House in D.C. Not to mention the most widely discussed presidential election and all that comes with it.

So yes, this year's elections will affect our state and national politics. What to do about it is not anything but shocking. Republicans and Democrats should both be able to embrace merit shops as not only job creating but also celebrating

choice. For democrats, the philosophy is a choice of what to do with one's life for one's career. Both parties can support fairness and level playing fields for anyone. That doesn't even bring up the fact that our members are made up of an overwhelming majority of the construction industry that chooses not to join a union and wants state/federal rules that don't penalize that decision. Anyone who wants to join a union is welcome to, but that shouldn't create a different set of rules for how the business is done.

Our responsibility is to learn about each candidate and meet them going into the primaries to educate them about our issues and our values. There should be no excuse for any candidate not to know where we stand. ABC Keystone will soon release information on those incumbents who have supported the merit shop through their leadership in the legislature this past year. Please stay tuned for that information and use it to help decide who to vote for and what key votes to thank them for or ask why they didn't support ABC.

APPRENTICESHIP UPDATE

NEW ROOFING PROGRAM LAUNCHES AT ABC KEYSTONE

ABC Keystone's Roofing Apprenticeship Program launched in October 2023. Today, there are 15 roofing apprentices from Detwiler Roofing & David M. Maines Associates, Inc. enrolled in the program. The roofing apprenticeship program is geared toward aspiring construction professionals seeking to learn essential roofing skills in a specialized program.

Michael Hanna, of Detwiler Roofing stated, "Establishing trade recognition with this program can indeed provide numerous benefits, both for the individuals involved and the roofing industry as a whole. It offers valuable training, knowledge, and opportunities for growth on and off the job. It helps to shape skilled professionals but also contributes to the overall advancement and sustainability of the roofing industry."

Roofing is a 2-year apprenticeship program that requires 144 RTI classroom hours per year and a total

of 4200 OJT on-the-job-training hours. Once both are completed, the apprentice will earn their journeyman credentials from Labor & Industry. Roofing registered apprenticeship meets RCO requirements that many contractors that seeing on scale jobs in many areas

Over the course of the program, students will focus on OSHA 10, aerial lift, and rough terrain certification. Apprentices will also be trained in the following modules:

• Intro to Roofing

• Roofing Safety

• Drawings in Roofing

• Intro to Steep-Slope Roofing

• Intro to Low-Slope Roofing

• Substrates, Decks, and Roof Insulation

• Sheet Metal in Roofing

APPRENTICE INSIGHT

Emma Moore | CARPENTRY 3A

What made you choose the trade you are learning?

I enjoy seeing the way buildings and homes are put together and seeing all the planning, materials and work that really goes into constructing the world we live in.

What is one thing that surprised you about the trade you are learning?

How important math is!

What is your favorite thing you have learned in your apprenticeship program so far?

I’ve enjoyed learning how to lay out walls, and I enjoy learning continuously how to read blueprints.

What motivates you to work hard?

My goals are to make a comfortable future for myself and my family.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 5 years, I hopefully see myself as a foreman or acting foreman.

How did you learn about ABC Keystone?

Through my company, Warfel Construction, and my schooling at the Lancaster County Career and Technology Center.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I enjoy line dancing and the outdoors, like hiking and fishing.

Warfel Construction

SAVE THE DATE

Join us for a one-of-a-kind experience as we bring together industry professionals from the construction industry for ABC Keystone’s first annual Safety Summit. The Safety Summit features access to the most up-to-date information and resources on construction safety and health. You’ll have the opportunity to interact with experts in the field, learn from their experience, and discover new tools that will help you create a safe working environment.

May 22, 2024

8:00 am – 5:00 pm

ABC Keystone

135 Shellyland Road Manheim, PA 17545

The event will kick-off with a keynote address from Joseph Hileman, Training Specialist from Blue-U Defense. The day will also include break-out sessions on construction safety, vendors, STEP Luncheon and a happy hour/networking hour to end the event.

Keynote Speaker:

Joe Hileman

Co-Founder and Training Specialist for Blue-U Defense

PRESENTING

SPONSOR

SAPPHIRE SPONSOR

PREMIER SPONSORS

ELITE SPONSORS

DIAMOND SPONSORS

CARLA DOYLE

MANAGING PARTNER

carla.doyle@dalecarnegie.com

(443) 909-8665

www.mid-atlantic.dalecarnegie.com

Tell us about Dale Carnegie.

Dale Carnegie was founded in 1912, inspired by one man’s belief in the power of self-improvement. Since then, it’s evolved into a movement that’s crossed borders and generations, showing thousands of organizations and millions of people how to create positive change and successful growth. Today, Dale Carnegie is a global organization with professional development courses in 35 languages across 80 countries. Over 100 years of proven success have made Dale Carnegie the industry leader in professional training and development.

How did you get involved with Dale Carnegie?

In 1983, a friend heard that the Dale Carnegie Leadership Institute of Washington, DC, was hiring and got me interviewed in my senior year of college. My mother raved about Dale Carnegie’s book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” I was fortunate to be hired without prior experience and have been here for 40 years.

What is the best part about the work you do?

The transformational results people experience through our talent development programs and the people I work with who make it all happen!

What is the best business advice you’ve ever received?

Take action: Your future depends on what you do today!

After work, you'll find me...

Unwinding with my family and white lab, Finley.

Did you know???

Dale Carnegie’s world-famous book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” was written in 1936 and is even more relevant today. The Library of Congress ranked it the 7th most influential book in American history, and at the New York Public Library’s 100-year celebration, they listed it as one of the top 10 most checked-out books of all time.

For inclusion in future issues of the Merit Shop Spokesman, please send your Membership Spotlight to emily@abckeystone.org

FEATURING EMERGING LEADERS TAILGATE PARTY!

$25

Join us for a night of fast cars, lots of action, and fun!

Presented by:

EVENT SCHEDULE

5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Tailgate Party

5:30 pm Gates Open for Attendees 7:30 pm

Racing Begins!

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

Burkey Custom Services

Matt Forrer, President

506 Morgantown Road Reading, PA 19611

www.burkeycustomservices.com

(610) 375 - 8591

mforrer@burkeyconstruction.com

Sponsored By: Joe Finkey, Martins Flooring

Delta Electronics

Dan Cremins, Senior Business Development Manager - Northeast

46101 Fremont Blvd. Fremont, CA 94538

www.deltaww.com/en-US/index

(845) 549 - 8645

dan.cremins@deltaww.com

Offit Kurman, PA

Jeffery C. Bright Esq., Principal

240 North Third Street, Suite 1101 Harrisburg, PA 17101

www.offitkurman.com

(717) 724 - 4600

jeff.bright@offitkurman.com

SteelSafe Storage Solutions, LLC

Joe Weisbecker, President

2938 Columbia Ave

Lancaster, PA 17603

Central PA Military Contracting Corporation

Jason R, Tood, President

223 Pineview Drive Palmyra, PA 17078

www.cenpamil.com

(717) 376 - 5022

jason@cenpamil.com

Sponsored By: Ken Funk, Arthur Funk & Sons, Inc.

HPS Specialties, LLC

Josh Hippensteel

Outside Sales - Central PA 1302 Rising Ridge Road, Suite 8 Mount Airy, MD 21771

www.hpsspec.com

(717) 321 - 5387

jhippensteel@hpsspec.com

Penn Fire Protection

Done Rowwe, Project Manager

1768 Route 522 Selinsgrove, PA 17870

www.pennfire.com

(570) 374 - 5087

don@pennfire.com

Iron Eagle Excavating, LLC

Randall Weaver, Owner

110 Brittany Lane Lititz, PA 17543

www.ironeagleexcavating.com

(717) 821 - 3863

randall@ironeagleex.com

Sponsored By:

Timothy Kershner, Waltz Group

Schlouch Incorporated

Don Swasing, COO PO Box 69 Blandon, PA 19510

www.schlouch.com

(610) 926 - 7070

dswasing@schlouch.com

www.steelsafestorage.com

(717) 435 - 6200

steelsafestorage@gmail.com

USI

Anthony Staffieri, Vice PresidentEmployee Benefit Consultant

4507 North Front Street Harrisburg, PA 17110

www.usi.com

(717) 458 - 9845

tony.staffieri@usi.com

MARCH

ABC KEYSTONE EVENTS

3/11 Dynamic Crew Leadership

3/12 Winter Regional Construction Wake-up Call – Lancaster Region

3/19 Motivating Fellow Employees

Part of the Leadership 2.0 Series

3/19 ABC Bluebeam Courses: Free Launch Webinar - Virtual Event

3/19 - 3/21 Construction Wars Presented by Milwaukee Tool

3/20 HR's Strategic, Operational & Administrative Roles

Part of the Human Resources Management Academy - Virtual Course

3/27 HOT TOPIC SEMINAR: Davis Bacon Final Rule

BEWARE of What You Don’t Know – Hybrid Event

NITTANY VALLEY OFFICE

3/14 The Power of Understanding Conflict & Games Playing

Part of The Power of People Series - Virtual Course

3/26 Competent Person for Jobsite Safety Inspections

3/28 Meet the Generals

Career Development Education, Safety Training & Networking

APRIL

ABC KEYSTONE EVENTS

4/1 SalesWorks!

4/2 Adult AED, CPR & Basic Medic First Aid

4/2 Construction Estimating Principles & Application - Live, Online Course

4/2 - 4/3 Infection Control Risk Management (ICRA) 16-Hour Certificate Course

4/3 Building Accountability

- Part of the Professional Development Series

4/4 2024 ABC Northeast Regional Conference

- Hosted by ABC Keystone

4/4 Bluebeam Baseline Basics - Virtual Event

4/5 Electrical Safety - OSHA & NFPA 70E

4/9 Networking, Refferals & Strategic Alliances

- Leadership Development

4/10 Human Resources Contractor Peer Group

4/10 Bluebeam Material Takeoff & Estimates: Basics - Virtual Event

4/11 Bluebeam Material Takeoff & Estimates: Advanced - Virtual Event

4/12 Rough Terrain Forklift Training

4/12 ABC Keystone Night at Williams Grove Speedway featuring Emerging Leaders Pre-Race Tailgate Party

4/15 Adult AED, CPR & Basic Medic First Aid

4/15 Electricity for Refrigeration & HVAC

4/16 Negotiating for Win-Win Outcomes - Part of the Leadership 2.0 Series

4/16 Bluebeam Revu for Admin Professionals

- Virtual Event

4/17 HOT TOPIC SEMINAR – Getting Paid: Improving Payment & Cash Flow (The Lawyer’s Perspective)

- Hybrid Event

4/17 Employment Laws, Compliance, and Minimizing Risk

Part of the Human Resource Management Academy - Virtual Course

4/17 Reading Construction Documents

- Virtual Event

4/17 Advanced Blueprint Reading 4/17

4/18 Executive Leader Contractor Peer Group

4/23 Spring Mixer Presented by: Barley Snyder

4/26 Mobile Elevated Work Platform (Ariel Lift) Training

Spring Mixer - Nittany Valley

The Power of Communications Part of The Power of People Series - Hybrid Event

Adult AED, CPR & Basic Medic First Aid

60

55

#ABCMeritShopProud

Saxton & Stump adds Associate to Business and Corporate Group

Saxton & Stump is pleased to announce the hire of associate Maxwell J. Luing, who is part of the firm’s Business and Corporate Group. Luing is based out of the firm’s Charleston, S.C., office and will also be supporting clients in the firm’s Pennsylvania and New Jersey offices focused on business and securities law. The Harvard Law School graduate started his career on Wall Street in New York City, working at large capital management and investment firms before joining Saxton & Stump.

Barley Snyder Announces 2024 Leadership Changes

“We are pleased to welcome Max to the firm as we continue to grow our business and corporate group. Max’s education and years on Wall Street make him an asset to the team, particularly in the specialty area of securities law,” Saxton & Stump CEO James W. Saxton said. “As our client base grows, there is more of a need for attorneys who focus in this complex practice area. Having Max on the team will provide even more value and expertise to our clients.”

Luing graduated magna cum laude from Connecticut College where he played varsity lacrosse and was named three times to the college’s conference allacademic team. Saxton & Stump’s Business and Corporate Group provides experienced and practical advice in all stages of the life of our business clients, from startup to securing vital financing, managing growth and expansion, critical customer and supplier relationships and joint ventures, mergers, and acquisitions, preparing for a sale or transfer and, if necessary, winding down and dissolution. The group regularly counsels’ clients through a variety of general business and corporate matters across diverse industries, including manufacturing, distribution, retail, healthcare, nonprofit, professional and other services.

The firm’s management committee, which is responsible for the leadership of the firm and the achievement of its long-range goals, is led by Jennifer Craighead Carey who has been a member of the committee since January 2021 and became the firm’s managing partner effective January 1. Partners and incumbent management committee members Kimberly J. Decker and Troy B. Rider will serve alongside Craighead Carey and newly elected management committee members John T. Reed and Jeremy D. Frey. Partner Paul W. Minnich cycled off the committee on December 31 after four years of service.

“As managing partner, I look forward to working alongside these dedicated and talented professionals in leading our exceptional firm,” said Craighead Carey. “It is an exciting time, and I have full confidence that we will continue the firm’s success into the coming years.”

Jeff Lobach, who was the firm’s managing partner through the end of 2023, added “I am grateful for the invaluable contributions of our management committee and for the support of our entire team during my ten years as managing partner. I have no doubt that Barley Snyder will continue to grow and thrive under our capable and energetic new leadership.”

CMC, Incorporated, a commercial mechanical contractor based in Gap, PA, is pleased to announce that Eric Hodgdon has joined the company’s ownership team. Hodgdon, of Peach Bottom, was hired in 1997 and has held positions as Construction Foreman, Estimator and Project Manager. In 2018, he was named Director of Operations and will continue in that position.

For inclusion in future issues of the Merit Shop Spokesman, please send your press releases to:

Rebecca Wolf, Director of Marketing & Communications at rebecca@abckeystone.org

Presented by Sponsorships Available!

Axemann Brewery

2042 Axemann Road

Bellefonte, PA

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Clipper Magazine Stadium

650 N Prince Street

Lancaster, PA 17603

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm