MY GOALS AS YOUR NEW CEO

MY GOALS AS YOUR NEW CEO

BY JEFF SHOAF CEO | ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS OF AMERICA

One of the great things about this association is how much AGC and its chapters are like a family. This organization is where you meet up with your brothers, sisters, and cousins in the industry. It’s where you talk about your job and about making a difference in the world and in your family. This is why so many of you have given so much of yourselves to make the industry attractive to the next generation.

I have spent much of the past three decades helping support this family, first in running AGC’s government affairs operation and more recently serving as chief operating officer. Earlier this year, I had the honor to take over the role of administering this family when I became AGC’s chief executive officer. Serving as the new CEO is a challenge that I am eager to accept and anxious to fulfill.

It has been a real honor to work with our former CEO, Steve Sandherr, for nearly 30 years. For every one of those years, he operated as a leader who inspired the staff to deliver for the members. His leadership created a great team at AGC. That team is hard working, passionate and innovative.

One reason for that passion is the opportunity to represent an industry that positively impacts every person’s quality of life. The accomplishments inspire us to tackle the many challenges we face, including workforce shortages, environmental rules, regulatory burdens, and the actions (or more likely the inaction) of Congress.

My goals as your new CEO are to navigate the transition and achieve the goals contained in the AGC Board of Directors business plan. Those goals include continuing to successfully advocate for the needs of the industry, address the industry’s ongoing workforce shortages, find new ways to support member and chapter engagement, and improve the range of products, programs and services that we offer.

My first big decision was choosing the person to take my former spot. I selected Jimmy Christianson, the current head of AGC’s Government Relations Department as the next AGC Chief Operating Officer. His commitment to the organization, the members and the staff, will help keep the organization on track.

AGC is an exceptional organization with a great history and greater potential. Moving forward, we are going to continue advocating for you. We will continue our efforts to help develop the industry’s workforce. We will keep providing world-class education programs. And we will keep finding ways to make it easier for you to engage with your national association and play an active role in helping build an even better industry.

To accomplish that, we are going to listen to members, work closely with chapters like the General Building Contractors Association of Philadelphia, and enhance our network of influence in Washington and across the country. You, the members, are constantly looking for ways to improve your businesses and deliver even better projects. Likewise, we are eager to keep finding ways to better serve the members and represent this industry.

That is one reason I have devoted quite a bit of time during my first few months as CEO to traveling the country, visiting many of our outstanding chapters and talking to members. Even though I have been with AGC a long time, it is still inspiring to learn about all that our chapters are doing. And I am always overwhelmed by the passion the members have for their work and this association.

I truly believe that the more we listen, coordinate, and broaden our influence, the better we will be able to anticipate the next big industry threats and the next great industry needs, and continue to have your back by figuring out how to turn the challenges of today into the opportunities of tomorrow.

As much as I want to, I haven’t yet been able to visit every chapter or talk to as many members as I would like. That is why I invite you to reach out with your thoughts and suggestions. If there is something we are doing you don’t understand, just ask. And if there are things we are doing you love, please let us know as well.

My goal is to make sure AGC continues to have a positive impact on the people like you who power the construction industry, and for the AGC family to remain strong, healthy and successful.