BAKERSFIELD
3340 Allen Rd.
Bakersfield, CA 93314 (661) 631-5777
CONCORD
5151 Port Chicago Highway Concord, CA 94520 (925) 822-0366
FRESNO
5704 S. Toyota Place Fresno, CA 93275 (559) 442-8989
HAYWARD
4125 Breakwater Avenue Hayward, CA 94545 (510) 786-9506
RENO
12905 Old Virginia Road Reno, NV 89521 (775) 348-0140
SACRAMENTO
8565 Elder Creek Road Sacramento, CA 95828
(916) 383-7475
SALT LAKE CITY
1135 S. Pioneer Road Salt Lake City, UT 84104 (801)886-0586
SAN JOSE
2969 Daylight Way San Jose, CA 95111 (408)224-1052
SAN LUIS OBISPO
635 Tank Farm Road San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (805)543-0113
TURLOCK
2800 N. Golden State Blvd. Turlock, CA 95382 (209)632-5084
SANTA ROSA
3963 Santa Rosa Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95407 (707) 523-2350
SAN FRANCISCO 255 Selby Street San Francisco, CA 94124 (415) 642-2350
President Ron Bianchini, Preston Pipelines, Inc.
VP/President-Elect Kevin Hester, McGuire and Hester
Secretary/Treasurer Dale Breen, Midstate Barrier, Inc.
Sec/Treas-Elect Juan C. Arrequin, Bay Line Cutting & Coring, Inc.
Kelly Attebery, F & M Bank; Tom Barr, Ghilotti Bros., Inc.; Bryn Burke, Dees Burke Engineering Constructors, LLC; Teresa Dias, Peterson Trucks, Inc.; Kurt Eddy, Pavement Recycling Systems, Inc.; Greg Goebel Jr., Goebel
Construction, Inc.; Alan Guy, Anvil Builders; Jeff Peel, Steve P. Rados, Inc.; Joe Sostaric, The Conco Companies
United Contractors Committee Chairs
Associates: Teresa Dias (Associate Director), Peterson Trucks, Inc. | Kelly Attebery (Associate Director-Elect), F & M Bank |
Caltrans: Michael Ghilotti (Chairman), Ghilotti Bros., Inc. |
Legislative: Rob Layne, O.C. Jones & Sons, Inc. | Political
Action (PAC): Chris Young (Chairman), D.W. Young
Construction Co., Inc. | Safety & Insurance: Robert Sabin, Harbor Linx, Inc. | Attorney Roundtable (ART): Facilitated by Mark Breslin | SF City Contractor Liaison: Mike Ghilotti (Chairman), Ghilotti Bros., Inc., Miguel Galarza (Chairman), Yerba Buena Engineering & Construction, Inc. |
Scholarship: Trony Fuller, West Coast Sand & Gravel | Southern CA Steering
Committee: Steve Concannon, Pavement Recycling Systems, Inc.
UNITED
Mark Breslin, Chief Executive Officer; Emily Cohen, Executive Vice President; Tejel Patel, Executive Assistant to CEO; Julie Hinge, Executive Assistant to EVP; Victor Sella, Vice President of Labor Relations; Clay O’Neal, Regional Vice President, Southern CA Operations; Dave Jenkins, Contractor Services, Southern California; Ruby Varnadore, Labor Contracts Manager; Lucia Mixon, Senior Labor & Member Services Specialist; Sandra Kaya, Administrative Specialist; Sue Weiler-Doke, Labor Relations Consultant; Melissa Gutwald, Director of Finance & Operations; Denise Ramirez, Online Services Manager; Emmy McConnell, Senior Accountant; Michelle Hannigan, Bookkeeper; Angelica Gouig, Director of Events & Education; Christine Traina, Event Manager; Rachel Oraa, Event Assistant; Avanti Mehta, Education Assistant; Marissa Miller, Marketing & Communications Manager; Michelle Vejby, Publications Manager; Eddie Bernacchi, UCON Chief Lobbyist; Christopher Lee, Safety Consultant; Drew Delaney, Mike Buckantz, Regulatory Consultants
LEAD UP
Two Words
THE LEADERSHIP EDITION
Cover Headline “Two Words,” and several two word phrases, taken from Bill Treasurer’s book, “Leadership Two Words at a Time.” Read Bill’s article on page 20.
Yesterday I interviewed a highly capable, welleducated, and probably overly qualified candidate to work at UCON. As is my custom, I always ask about their “why.” Why us? Why is this good for you? And the response that came back reflected both UCON’s underlying values and leadership ethos.
The candidate said, “when looking at your ad, the words ‘Relentlessly Committed’ jumped out.” When I asked why that mattered, she was pretty blunt. “Every organization has passionate people. Everyone talks about innovation or culture or growth. Sometimes it’s true, sometimes not. But when you say UCON is Relentlessly Committed that sends a message.”
Man, that fired me up. Boiling down what you stand for and having someone feel it is what they are looking to be a part of—that’s what we aspire to. Relentlessly Committed are two words that
reflect our leadership state of mind, our operational philosophy, and our culture of performance.
For UCON, as we enter 2023, our Relentless Commitment is in service of you and is reflected in important ways that create major value for our membership and the industry. We are:
• Relentlessly Committed to the Service and Care of our Members.
• Relentlessly Committed to the Union Construction Industry.
• Relentlessly Committed to Creating Industry Leaders.
• Relentlessly Committed to Aggressively Advocating for the Industry
Relentlessly Committed is also a future game plan for UCON and should be for you too. It must be a leadership mindset if we want to attract the talent of the future.
By 2025, 75% of the active U.S. workforce will be Millennials. A
powerful and somewhat shocking number. The remainder will be mostly younger Gen Z workers. To lead them effectively, they have to buy in and what I have found (despite a lot of reports to the contrary) is that they don’t want it easy. They want their work and efforts to matter. They thrive on a value system and performance model that has high expectations. Most of my team are Millennials and they are FOR SURE Relentless. And Committed. And they are not going to tolerate the old “we’ve always done it that way” mindset. It goes beyond a slogan or marketing message—the outcome has to matter.
So as an industry leader, ask yourself this. What is the “relentless level” in your organization? What is the “commitment level” in your organization? Does it show up in performance? In extra effort and work ethic? In retention? In constant striving for something more for your people and the work they do? All of
SERVING THE NEEDSOF OUR MEMBERS WHILE BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF INDUSTRY LEADERS. UCON MISSION STATEMENT
these are important factors in the success of the business, but they are not always tangible or easy to identify. I guess it is probably easier to see it when it isn’t there. Relentless Commitment is not always an easy thing to live up to, nor is it an easy place to work or an easy organizational path.
Your UCON Board, staff, and members together will continue a path of growth and influence in 2023. We will continue to offer to our members and the industry a dynamic, intense and over the top effort to create positive change. It is a vital part of our mission. And those two words are there to reflect our actions. We have found no better approach. And finally, with our privilege of serving some of the most demanding and performance-driven leaders in the construction businesses, we owe you the absolute best effort we can possibly generate. Relentlessly Committed. Always.
s UCON expands our labor relations coverage within the State of California, we continue to maintain our core values. verything we do is in support of:
Improving conditions for union contractors Keeping our members competitive Distributing the latest information and changes that impact our
Providing resources and assistance to every level of our member’s
At UCON, it is our contractor members that develop the labor relations policies and strategies we implement, and decisions are
made through transparent and democratic processes. Contractor members select the issues and lead the discussions on what needs to happen. This leadership, as well as our relationships with our union partners, is the foundation for us to successfully navigate the challenges facing our industry.
Now that the bulk of our labor contract negotiations are completed for their current cycles, UCON is looking forward to the next couple of years where we can really focus on building stronger relationships with our union partners. The reality is that most of the issues our industry is faced with cannot be resolved through collective bargaining. Industry Partner Meetings (IPMs) provide a way for contractors to develop and foster relationships with their union counterparts while talking about common issues facing both union contractors and labor. They create opportunities for discussion between labor and management outside of bargaining sessions, and to potentially tackle specific industry challenges from a partnership perspective, like skilled labor shortages, non-union competition, and creating more work opportunities. More importantly, these partnership forums create a valuable opportunity to connect with the who’s who of labor relations and construction in California. Previous participants will tell you that this opportunity to develop relationships with industry influencers is what really pays off in the long run.
UCON has started up our IPMs in person again this year with meetings in Southern CA with the Laborers and OE12—stay tuned for more on those in an upcoming issue.
Additional meetings in both Northern CA and Southern CA are being set up this year. We will be reaching out to contractors to participate once the dates are finalized. UCON is actively recruiting and developing the next generation of construction talent and industry influencers, and IPMs are a great way to gain experience quickly, accelerate into leadership, and develop relationships with both union partners and industry peers.
If you are interested in getting involved with UCON labor relations, please contact me at vsella@unitedcontractors.org, (925) 967-2470.
The following wage and fringe benefit increases will be effective in June or July of 2023 for the Master Agreements for the crafts listed below. These total amounts are for bidding purposes only. UCON will notify our members on how the increases are to be allocated as soon as that information is confirmed.
Carpenters (Northern CA)
Carpenters/Pile Drivers (Southern CA)
Cement Masons (Northern CA)..............
Cement Masons (Southern CA)..............
Laborers (Northern CA).............................
Laborers (Southern CA)............................
Operating Engineers Local No. 3..........
Operating Engineers Local No. 12.........
Pile Drivers Local No. 34...........................
Teamsters (Northern CA)..........................
* As of the publication date of this magazine, new rates for a successor agreement have not been negotiated.
NOTE: Iron Workers increases are now January 1 of each year. Increases for 2023 already went into effect; for 2024, they will be $2.75 for Zones 1 & 2, $2.35 for Zone 3 and $1.80 for Zone 4.
Effective January 1, 2023, the Legislature has amended Labor Code section 1720.3 to require prevailing wages to be paid on public works projects for on-haul trucking of materials used for “paving, grading, and fill material” if the “individual driver’s work is integrated into the flow process of construction.”
For example, if a truck carrying material from offsite distributes Aggregate Base Rock (AB) over the subbase on a public project, the driver of the truck must be paid prevailing wages even if the AB is graded by others. Contractors will need to coordinate with suppliers of such materials to ensure that the suppliers track their driver hours and submit certified payroll reports.
Whether the prevailing wage laws apply to construction trucking is a complicated subject, enough so that the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) has a web page with frequently asked questions regarding this issue (https://www.dir.ca.gov/OPRL/FAQ_Hauling.html)
Labor Code section 1771 provides that prevailing wages “shall be paid to all workers employed on public works.” For many years, nothing in the Labor Code or in case law specified whether drivers of trucks delivering material to a public works project were “workers” who must be paid prevailing wages.
In 1976, in OG Sansone Co. v. Department of Transportation, 55 Cal. App. 3d 434 (1976), the California Court of Appeal addressed whether offsite trucking could be subject to the prevailing wage laws. In OG Sansone, the prime contractor used truckers to haul “Class 3
aggregate subbase materials from locations not on the project site, but located adjacent to and established exclusively to serve the project site pursuant to private borrow agreement” with third parties. Following decisions under the federal Davis-Bacon Act, the Court ruled that the truckers should have been paid prevailing wages, reasoning:
the materials were applied to the process of highway improvement, almost immediately after the drivers arrived at the site. The delivery of materials was an integrated aspect of the ‘flow’ process of construction. The materials were ‘distributed over the surface of the roadway’ with no ‘rehandling’ out of the flow of construction. The drivers were ‘executing such highway improvement’ and hence performing ‘work under the contract.’
In 2007, in Williams v. SNSands Corporation, 156 Cal. App. 4th 742 (2007), the Court of Appeal revisited the issue of whether prevailing wage laws apply to offsite trucking. The Court ruled:
We conclude that what is important in determining the application of the prevailing wage law is not whether the truck driver carries materials to or from the public works project site. What is determinative is the role the transport of the materials plays in the performance or “execution” of the public works contract.
The Court held that in determining whether a driver should be paid prevailing wages, the trier of fact should consider:
whether the transport was required to carry out a term of the public works contract; whether the work was performed on the project site or another site integrally connected to the project site; whether work that was performed off the actual construction site was nevertheless necessary to accomplish or fulfill the contract.
In answering these questions, the Court examined whether the off hauling was “an integrated aspect of the `flow’ process” of the project.
The Legislature also has acted to clarify that certain kinds of offsite trucking would be subject to prevailing wage laws. In 2012, the Legislature added Labor Code
Continued on next page
section 1720.3 which provided that “hauling of refuse from a public works site to an outside disposal location” would be subject to prevailing wage requirements. In 2016, in SB 836, the Legislature added Labor Code section 1720.9, which provided that “the hauling and delivery of ready-mixed concrete to carry out a public works contract” would be subject to prevailing wage requirements.
In its 2022 term, the Legislature enacted AB 1851, which Governor Newsom signed on September 29, 2022. AB 1851 amended Labor Code section 1720.3 to require prevailing wages to be paid on public works projects for the on-haul of materials used for “paving, grading, and fill material” if the “individual driver’s work is integrated into the flow process of construction.”
The Legislature enacted AB 1851 because it was concerned about two Supreme Court rulings that had disapproved the Sansone and Williams court decisions discussed above. In Mendoza v. Fonseca McElroy Grinding Co., Inc., 11 Cal. 5th 1118 (2021), the California Supreme Court ruled that prevailing wage laws did not apply to mobilization work in transporting heavy machinery to and from a public works site. The Court rejected the approach taken in Sansone and Williams, which was premised upon whether an activity is integrated into the flow process of construction, because that “approach ignores the carefully crafted definitions of public work contained in the prevailing wage law. Moreover, it is not entirely clear what it means for an activity to be integrated into construction or other defined public work.” The Supreme Court disapproved Sansone and Williams to the extent that these cases interpreted Labor
Code section 1772 to expand the statutory definition of “public works.”
Busker v. Wabtec 11 Cal.5th 1147 (2021), decided the same day as Mendoza, the Supreme Court reiterated that it had rejected the approach embodied in Sansone Williams. The Court ruled that work on train rolling stock would not be subject to prevailing wage laws.
Section 1 of AB 1851 states that it is the “intent of the Legislature in enacting paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 1720.3 of the Labor Code to restore, as of the effective date of this act, the holding of O. G. Sansone Co. v. Department of Transportation (1976) 55 Cal.App.3d 434, and its subsequent interpretations, as it relates to the on hauling of materials used for paving, grading, and fill onto a public works site.”
Before the Supreme Court decisions in Mendoza and Busker, many contractors already were paying prevailing wages for some categories of on-haul trucking. According to the Legislature, AB 1851 represents a return to what the law was before August 2021.
Going forward, you should carefully evaluate whether your on-haul of materials will be subject to prevailing wage laws. Key factors to consider include:
• Are the materials being brought on site “paving, grading, and fill material”? Lumber or other material not used for paving, grading, or fill will not be subject to Labor Code section 1720.3.
• Is the “individual driver’s work … integrated into the flow process of construction”? Cases and DIR rulings decided using the integrated flow process test of Sansone may provide some guidance about specific situations.
Some suppliers and trucking companies may never have been aware of prior prevailing wage requirements for material on-haul. With the passage of AB 1851, we expect the DIR and labor compliance officers to become more focused on ensuring compliance with prevailing wage laws for offsite trucking. We recommend that you discuss AB 1851 with your estimators, project managers, and superintendents and that you work with your suppliers and trucking companies to ensure that they will pay prevailing wages and timely submit certified payroll reports when required.
This article is intended to provide information about changes
The local team you know and trust, with the CA footprint to cover all your work.
UCON’S 2023 PRESIDENT
What do you hope to accomplish this year as President of UCON?
Continue to establish UCON as the best contractor association in the state. Additionally, to ensure that the 811 service/process is fair to both excavators and operators. In Southern California the tickets response to markered in the field on time (within 48 hours) is less than 20%, in the north it’s under 45% this costs contractors delays. Advocate for directing some of our gas tax infrastructure funds to have Caltrans increase attention to highway infrastructure that could help contractors’ employees that live further away from project sites in the metro areas get to work and home easier improving their quality of family life.
What is your favorite thing about being a UCON member?
The camaraderie. Competitors by day and the fellowship for common causes the rest of the time. The association brings together new contractors with contractors that have been in the association since its inception. This creates a fantastic fellowship of the best and brightest thought processes for all members.
What do you feel are the most significant issues facing the industry?
One of the most significant issues we are all concerned about is the craft labor secession. We need to recruit from high schools and junior colleges and promote excellent career opportunities
in the trades. Additionally is safety for all employees. With recessionary time looming, workers comp cases seem to rise. We need help from our union craft partner to help train and make sure the members are fit and safe to perform the task they are dispatched for (we shouldn’t expect when we request a general laborer to wrestle with a ninety-pound jackhammer all day, to get a sixtysomething with a couple of years left). But most of all, ensure all our employees have an equally good work and life balance.
What do you love about working in this industry?
I love that every day brings new challenges, learnings, rewards, and some setbacks to be worked out/taught. When you’re in this industry long enough, you find that all the guys you went to with/for the above aren’t there, and the next thing you know, your that guy to a younger generation. It is incredible and rewarding.
Who was your most impactful mentor?
So many. I was fortunate when I started in this industry. My brother and I were equipment owneroperators and quickly became in somewhat high demand, so we were able to work with sometimes several project management/superintendent teams a week. I was able to see the best of them and the worst and everything in between. We both often talk about how incredibly fortunate that was. In a short time, we were able to see what motivated/ worked very well and what didn’t work at all.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love spending time with my high school sweetheart/wife (we have been together for 44 years and married 39 in April, she is my rock!) and our family. We enjoy being grandparents. I still enjoy riding dirt bikes. We ride mountain e-bikes (almost like dirt bikes) and our Road Glide Harley (together), love going on date nights in our 1970 corvette convertible, and taking our grandson out in our 1934 4-door Ford Phaeton convertible (parade car).
Dedication to family, career, and life’s adventures have prepared you for this distinguished, leadership UCON role. You’ve been a leader, natural problem solver and entrepreneur since your teens, all attributes that lend to special insight, knowledge, and a wealth of experience needed in the industry, UCON and the board. Over the years, you have gained many more life lessons than I had in when I became the UCON President in 1999.
With great persistence and determination, you successfully solved problems and got the job done. The problems facing UCON, may not be yours, but affect the overall health of the industry, an industry we care so much about. This ever-expanding industry consistently has obstacles and issues to be resolved, UCON, the board, and now you, will represent and lead the association and tackle any hurdles as they arise. It was only a matter of time before you became President to help focus and guide with sound solutions.
As you lead and motivate, remember to bring ideas and people together for a consensus. Actively listen and make sure all voices are heard, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the ideas, diversity and support surrounding you. Digest those ideas, the “brain trust” will expand or vet the issues.
As you know, the United Contractors has an extremely capable and energetic staff, focus on the direction and/or tasks your board is trying to accomplish, remember to delegate and move forward to the next issue, the UCON staff can take it to the finish line. And know you have the support of the past Presidents to guide and advise. This year will go very fast and before you know it, you’ll be transitioning to the next President.
Are you involved with any other volunteer/charitable organizations?
I volunteer as a board member on the California Underground Safety Board on behalf of UCON and our industry. The charitable organizations closest to our hearts (I will humbly not name them) are returning veterans and children’s hospitals.
On a personal note, I know how much you would have wanted to share this great industry accomplishment with our dad; always carry with you how extremely proud he and I are of you, as are the rest of our family; together we know you will make an exceptional President.
Wishing you the best, your always supportive and favorite (only) brother,
Dave Bianchini is formerly with McGuire and Hester, Ron’s brother, and UCON’s Past President, 1999
Every year UCON Past Presidents gather to help welcome the new president and share their thoughts, which are great reminders for leaders everywhere. UCON’s Past Presidents continue to help prepare and empower the incoming President, Ron Bianchini, Preston Companies, for the job ahead by sharing their lessons and wisdom:
Mary A. Ramos, Ramos Pipeline, Inc. (Retired) EUCA President in 1993
“I have been retired for many years but look back on my time as the 1993 EUCA president with great pride. Ron, you are president of an organization that has profound positive influence on the future business health of its members. Listen, gather information and know your fellow board members have confidence in your ability to lead. The year will go quickly but this opportunity to serve our industry will leave a fantastic historical mark on your life. Your time and efforts will bring boundless rewards to the members you serve. Wishing you the best.”
Rob Doud Harbor Linx
UCON (EUCA) President in 2001
“Ron, best of luck to your year as President of UCON. The year will go fast so pick your goals wisely and get a good jump start on them now. The professionals at UCON are the best in the industry, make them a part of your journey and seek their assistance. My most powerful memories were the interaction with other board members at meetings and socializing after board meetings. Create an atmosphere where leaders in the industry share their struggles and provide their advice openly.”
Casey Fogli Concrete Contractors, Inc. UCON (EUCA) President in 2009
“Congratulations Ron, UCON has again selected a great Board President. You are surrounded by an amazing UCON staff and a great Board of Directors. With all of those around you and your proven leadership skills, you are sure to advance the industry and the UCON membership. Enjoy the year, it will go by in the blink of an eye.”
Jeff Jones Jones Brothers Enterprises Inc. (Retired) UCON (EUCA) President in 2000
“I was a bit overwhelmed when I was elected to be the President of EUCA/ UCON in 2000 to say the least. I had concerns that the duties of running my company and the responsibility of being the President of EUCA/ UCON would be to much for me to handle. Mark and his staff at that time gave me so much support during that year that I soon realized I was going to get through it just fine. Fast forward to 2023 and being retired I look back at what an honor and privilege it was to serve as President of EUCA/ UCON for that year. Enjoy your year—it will be something you will always remember and you will make many lasting relationships through it.”
2015
“Congratulations Ron on becoming the new UCON President. It was a great honor for me to be elected by my peers to not only to the Board, but President of UCON. You have now reached the highest rank in the organization. You will be surrounded by high achievers including your Board and UCON Staff which will be at your side for every step of the way. Rely on them as they will support you as well as guide you to continue the traditions of this great organization.”
Rusty Hoseley Hoseley Corporation UCON President in
2015
“Motivate and encourage the team to speak up and participate. Spend a lot of your time actively listening to the talent which surrounds you. Have a good time!”
Past Presidents at the council meeting (2022)—(left to right): 2022 UCON President Joe Sostaric, The Conco Companies; Ron Bianchini, Preston Companies; Charles Wall, Brosamer and Wall, Inc., Mike Hester, McGuire and Hester, Mark Serrano, Eagle Rock Industries; Bruce Daseking, McGuire and Hester, Mark Breslin, UCON CEO, Dave Bianchini, McGuire and Hester (formerly D.E. Bianchini, Inc.); Michael Ghilotti, Ghilotti Bros, Inc.; Andrew Vasconi, Casey-Fogli Concrete Contractors, Inc. (formerly A.J. Vasconi, Inc.); Chris Young, D. W. Young Construction, Inc.; Rusty Hoseley, Hoseley Corporation
Underground wet and dry utilities, cabling, signals, and lighting; soils testing, management, and disposal; and fill site management.
Congratulations, new leader, you’ve joined the leadership ranks at an exceptionally complicated time. The world in which you will lead is fraught with touchy political divisions, economic disparities, generational tensions, and racial disharmonies. More leaders are having to lead remote teams across larger geographic distances, presenting unique challenges with onboarding new employees, giving performance feedback, building esprit de corps, and nurturing healthy relationships. The traditional stability of
consistently applied standard operating work protocols has also been upended. Now individual exceptions are common, tailored to accommodate each person’s extenuating life realities. You’ll struggle to treat everyone fairly, yet individually. Letting one person work from home three days a week to care for an immunocompromised parent may make sense to you, but it may not make sense to the healthy single person you require to be onsite every day. You’ll be seen as exceedingly fair or unfair, depending on who benefits from policy exception.
While the realities facing new leaders are unprecedently novel, challenging, and anxiety-provoking, the meager amount of support and training that has historically been provided to new leaders remains, sadly, unchanged. Most leadership books are written for you, they’re written for the alreadyexperienced senior leaders, despite representing only a tiny fraction of the leadership ranks. The more urgent and unique needs of firsttime and mid-level leaders like you go largely unaddressed. Advising a senior execs to “establish a clear organizational value proposition” is sound guidance. Giving the same advice to a new project manager who is frantically trying to keep her under-resourced team on task is a ridiculous waste of time. New leaders aren’t trying to go from good to great, they’re just trying to survive till the end of the week.
Most new leaders are wholly unprepared for the unique challenges of transitioning into their first leadership role. Getting promoted into a leadership role is often the reward for delivering exceptional individual performance. A high-potential person gets noticed for working harder and producing
more than their peers and gets tapped to lead a team. But very few new leaders are given training to equip them with the foundational skills necessary for effectively leading others. Instead, new leaders strain to figure things out with minimal support. As many seasoned leaders can attest, when you move into your first leadership role, nobody hands you a playbook.
Complicating the plight of new leaders is the fact that leading others has always been terrifically hard. Unlike when you were an individual contributor, you are now responsible for the output and performance of people, and people can be petty, selfish, unreliable, hyper-sensitive, and whiny. Grownups can act like big babies. Not all the time, mind you, but definitely when they don’t get their way, and, certainly, more than should be expected of adults. Too often the biggest inhibitor of great results isn’t lack of resources or a clear plan, it’s the idiosyncratic personalities of team members clashing with one another or pulling in different directions. Your leadership approach with one person may be met with openness and gratitude. The same approach with another may be met with crossed arms and burning resentment. All this becomes a diversion from the work at hand, and you’ll spend an inordinate amount of time nursing bruised egos and hurt feelings. Leaders lead people and people can be a pain in the rear end.
Complicating matters further, you’ll be under intense pressure from your bosses to produce more fulsome
results. Your knowledge needs to be broader and deeper than just what’s on your own to-do list. You have to know more about the business itself, and all of its operational parts. You have to interact with other team leaders who might be competing with you for limited resources. Whatever work/life balance you used to have gets subsumed by the insane workload. All of this is far more exhausting, frustrating, and just plain hard than when you were knocking out tasks on your to-do list. Yet, here you are, thrust into the most daunting job you’ve ever had with virtually no support.
voluntarily take themselves off the management track and go back to being individual contributors or specialists. Some may carry lifelong stigmas as failed leaders.
Despite this being a particularly challenging time to move into a role that has always been particularly challenging, new leaders should heed this simple advice: hold on! Much of the hardship you’ll suffer through is entirely preventable. Most of what you need to succeed as a new leader comes in the form of personal attention, strong advocacy, and sound guidance.
Over the course of the last 30 years, I’ve been privileged to have worked with thousands of leaders who successfully navigated through the new leader challenges you’re now facing. I’ve recently catalogued the important lessons that they’ve shared with me in my new book, Leadership Two Words at a Time. It’s one thing to become a leader, it’s an entirely different thing to successfully endure as a leader.
Here are a few key lessons worth applying:
At least initially, it is common for new leaders to flounder as they face the job’s complexities and contend with complicated people. If you flounder, you may start to question yourself and find your confidence shrinking. The excitement you had about finally becoming a leader may give way to a sense that your work is becoming a joyless burden and you aren’t cut out to lead. Some people who get to this point
Leadership starts with selfawareness and self-discipline. You’ve got to lead yourself really well. You’ve got to know what your good at, and what you’d be wise to hand off to others. You’ve got to have a deep value system that can help you weather tough people and situations. You’ve got to manage and prioritize your time. If you can’t lead yourself, what qualifies you to lead others? Continued on next page
...NEW LEADERS SHOULD HEED THIS SIMPLE ADVICE: HOLD ON!...MOST OF WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED AS A NEW LEADER COMES IN THE FORM OF PERSONAL ATTENTION, STRONG ADVOCACY, AND SOUND GUIDANCE.
People want to be led by leaders who are confident and humble. Always remember that you are not “better” than the people you are privileged to lead. Never be arrogant. Practice humility by asking people for their input and then listening to, and heeding, their advice.
Developing your people is a prime responsibility. Invest at least 15 minutes every two weeks with each person who reports to you. You go to them. Don’t focus on the status of projects and tasks. Instead, check in with them, asking how their doing, how things are on the home front, and what you can do for them. The 15 min will dramatically strengthen the relationship and build mutual respect and loyalty.
Innovation is the lifeblood of business. People will extend themselves, experiment, and take risks if you make it safe to do so. Don’t bite people’s heads off when they make forward-falling mistakes. Don’t intimidate or stoke people’s fears. Invite feedback and thank people when they give it to you. Psychological safety is just as important as physical safety.
Support your boss’s success. Earn their respect by being candid, keeping them updated, and giving them helpful feedback. Look out for stuff that they might be missing.
admire. Have them share about big decisions they faced, and the factors they considered when facing them. Join a professional association and broaden your network. Keep on ongoing journal to document your leadership lessons.
Despite being a particularly challenging time to be in a role that has always been particularly challenging, by taking hold of your own leadership development, and applying some of the road-tested advice above, you’ll be able to navigate through the new leader transition. You may not have been handed a leadership playbook, but you’re traveling along a path upon which many other leaders have progressed. Leadership has always been about facing challenges and rising to the occasion. Now it’s your turn to step up.
Edited from Leadership Two Words at a Time, by Bill Treasurer. Bill Treasurer is a bestselling author, leadership coach, exhigh diver, and courage-building pioneer, www.CourageBuilding.com
Bill also teaches UCON’s Executive Leadership Training program for those at the highest levels of leadership—if you are interested in more information on this program, contact Tejel Patel, EA to UCON’s CEO, at tpatel@unitedcontractors.org.
Bakersfield 3105 Gateway Ave (855)376-5050
Dublin 6400 Sierra Ct, Ste G (844)829-1910
Fresno 4569 E. Home Ave (888)585-8137
Napa 10 Enterprise Ct (800)675-2656
Oakland 425 Market St (877)689-7223
Sacramento (I-50) 8400 24th Ave (800)267-1444
Sacramento (I-80) 5425 Stationers Way (844)717-8579
San Carlos 1691 Bayport Ave (888)700-3349
San Francisco 200 Florida St (877)686-7223
San Jose 630 Quinn Ave (800)619-4723
San Rafael 1151 Andersen Dr (888)454-8282
Santa Clara 605 Laurelwood Rd (877)685-7223
By Sue Dyer, Sudyco.com
Have you ever been baffled by what makes one project team unmistakably high performing, and another team, with similar caliber members, fall short of success? This has been a question I’ve studied for over 35 years. I wanted to know; how can we assure our projects succeed?
The good news I’ve found, is that it does not cost one more cent to be highly successful, over being unsuccessful—in fact it may cost less. Let me explain.
Excellence requires TRUST. Without trust, excellence is just not possible. And this applies to owner’s, contractor’s, subcontractor’s, and designer’s businesses. You bring your culture to EVERY project you do. And who creates the culture on your project? The leaders!
The leader has helped the team get on the same page. The team uses the design to document a clear understanding of what is going to be installed each step of the way. Shop drawings match what is to be installed and are corrected if things change. Everyone knows what they are going to do, have the tools and ability to perform the work (i.e. access, laydown, materials, enough people, etc.). They would not arrive on site only to be surprised that someone ordered the wrong tile, or the girder is too short, or the shop drawings don’t match the plans, etc. The team has clearly worked together as ONE team to coordinate their efforts – before they start working, so they are not constantly disrupted by surprises that could/should have been known.
We’ve all been on a project where the leader is just not helping the team succeed. In fact, they are likely creating a hostile, fearful, dysfunctional culture where the team works really hard to not get swept away in failure.
I’ve facilitated partnering on over 4,000 construction projects. Here is how I’ve seen a high trust construction leader create a high-trust, excellence-based culture, and how it plays out.
With the leader’s encouragement, the team checks and double checks to make sure things are right using mockups, modeling, testing, measuring, and checking to make sure equipment and materials are ready (and enough). They don’t spend time arguing for not having mockups (I see this fairly often), then being surprised when the material doesn’t work, is wrong, not enough, etc. For example, they do a water test of the windows before they are installed, they do a test strip to make sure that the mix, equipment, application, and weather produce a good result.
Quality for your project should be determined within your design—when the budget and finishes are decided. But quality of workmanship is determined by the team. I’ve seen highly skilled craftspeople not be able to do
THE GOOD NEWS I’VE FOUND, IS THAT IT DOES NOT COST ONE MORE CENT TO BE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL, OVER BEING UNSUCCESSFUL—IN FACT IT MAY COST LESS.
environment where everyone on the project is looking for things that could become a problem and encourages these to be brought up as soon as seen. The entire idea is to capture potential issues and resolve them BEFORE they impact the project. The leader wants to stop the team from becoming reactionary to each new problem that comes up.
If I had a dime for each extra dollar, it cost a project, for when a project leader told me, that we would just wait to the end to solve the project problems—I would have millions of dollars. To be high-trust and highperforming, means you work to identify, resolve, plan, and install, before you are forced to stop or change direction.
The highest performing teams have a strategy for building the project (scope). The leader can (or has someone who can) wrap their mind around the entire project and visualize how it is going to be built within the time frame and budget. They are not “hoping” that we will get there.
Continued on next page
I have seen so many projects that are like a rudderless ship on a voyage. They don’t have a clear, and agreed upon plan, for how they are going to get to their destination. I hear owner’s and CM’s often say that they contractor is just trying to create change orders—sure some may do so—but I see more often I don’t see the leader (or someone on their behalf) who knows how to put all the pieces together to optimize the success of the project. Instead, they just do the work that is in front of them, most often surprised by things that pop up and don’t work.
A high-trust, high-performing team learns from the problems they hit, so they can improve. the leader must set the stage for this to happen—or people will just clam up. If there are repetitive operations, the trusted leader works to make each one better and better (much like you would in a manufacturing process). These high performing teams look to continuously improve—they openly share their problems and solutions so the entire team understands and can learn to improve. They don’t react to each new issue/problem as if it is brand new and never been seen before, so they just keep making the same mistakes over and over.
High performing leaders and teams embrace learning. Learning from each other, from the problems so they can create new ways to do things. They don’t allow blaming to take them down a road to failure. They love to learn how to create better teams, be a better leader, and how to do things that have never been done before—to become extraordinary.
None of these high performing team behaviors are possible without a high trust leader who knows how to create team trust. In fact, your will only be as good as the level of trust you develop. Think about it. If the team
doesn’t trust each other enough to be open and honest, they you aren’t going to have honest communication and it will be impossible to get cooperation or collaboration so that you can have good coordination and problems solving. Without alignment of everyone toward your common purpose, you are drifting along hoping to succeed.
Excellence does not cost more. It is created by the continuous improvement atmosphere that you, as a trusted leader create within your project team. Not a culture of protection and fear, but one of collaboration and commitment. High performing teams are more fun, do extraordinary things, and manage the inherent risks we have on our projects!
This is why I feel so strongly that each person working on a project needs to know how to be a trusted leader, who can build a high trust atmosphere that fosters communication, cooperation, collaboration, co-creation, coordination, and success. Without this, you are just hoping that the stars will align for you.
Sue Dyer trains construction leaders to become elite trusted leaders who create a high-trust, high-performing project team that produce extraordinary results. To enroll in Sue’s free No More Claims Masterclass go to sudyco.com/masterclass and enroll in the upcoming class. Make 2023 the year you decide to move the dial on your leadership skills. Sue is also the host of the Lead with Trust podcast and has launched Bringing Women into Construction, a series discussing our industry’s workforce, the shortage on talent, and how bringing a more diverse workforce into the industry could be a solution to this national issue. Listen to the first episode, featuring UCON EVP Emily Cohen at unitedcontractors.org/lead-with-trust
Take advantage of UCON’s Professional Development programs, specifically curated for our members:
• 40+ Classes: Leadership, Safety, Compliance, HR, Construction Specific and more.
• Most classes are FREE to UCON members!
• Over 4,300 individuals from over 230 companies registered for courses in 2022!
We have highlighted the upcoming classes for February and March in this issue. See UCON’s full Professional Development catalog and/or register at: www. unitedcontractors.org/calendar
UCON’s ongoing professional development courses support member skill development, leadership capacity, and problem-solving. Participants are more effective in the workplace, make meaningful contributions to teams, and advance their careers. They lead, manage, influence, coach, and elevate others.
For any questions regarding UCON’s programs, contact Angelica Gouig, Education Manager, via email at agouig@unitedcontractors.org or (925) 362-7309.
By Angelica Gouig, Director of Events and Education
9
Thursday, February 9; 2:30pm-4:30pm
Instructor: Carol Cambridge, The Stay Safe Project Class Style: Virtual Class Limit: Unlimited
Cost – Member: FREE
Non-member: $100
Effective and Fun Even if You’re an Introvert
Tuesday, February 14; 2:30pm-4:00pm Instructor: Eric Anderton, Construction Genius
Class Style: Virtual Class Limit: Unlimited Cost – Member: FREE
Non-member: $100
Tuesday, February 28; 2:30pm-3:15pm
Instructor: Victor Sella, United Contractors
Class Style: Virtual Class Limit: Unlimited
Cost – Member: FREE
Non-member: $100
94%of employees say that they would stay at a company longer if it simply invested in helping them learn. (Source: Gallup)
See UCON’s full class catalog on our website:
UNITEDCONTRACTORS.ORG/ CALENDAR
7 Succession Planning for You and Your Manager
Tuesday, March 7; 2:30pm-4:30pm
Instructor: Brenda Wells, Dale Carnegie Class Style: Virtual | Class Limit: Unlimited
Cost – Member: Free | Non-member: $100
9 The First 90: How to Guarantee New Leaders Succeed
Thursday, March 9; 2:30pm-4:00pm
Instructor: Eric Anderton, Construction Genius Class Style: Virtual Class Limit: Unlimited
Cost – Member: Free Non-member: $100
14 Everything You Need to Know: CBA Subcontracting Rules
Tuesday, March 14; 2:30pm-3:30pm
Instructor: Victor Sella, United Contractors Class Style: Virtual | Class Limit: Unlimited
Cost – Member: FREE | Non-member: $100
15 Fearless Field Leader (Southern CA)
Wednesday, March 15; 4:30pm-8:00pm
Instructor: Mark Breslin, United Contractors
Class Style: In-person | Class Limit: 75
Cost – Member: Early-Bird $210; Standard $225 |
Non-member: Early-Bird $310; Standard $325 (Early-Bird pricing expires February 15)
Location: Sheraton Cerritos Hotel 12725 Center Ct. Dr. S, Cerritos, CA 90703
28 Everything You Need to Know: Overtime & Special ShiftsNorthern CA
Tuesday, March 28; 2:30pm-3:30pm
Instructor: Victor Sella, United Contractors
Class Style: Virtual
Class Limit: Unlimited
Cost – Member: FREE
Non-member: $100
30 Supply Chain Management
Thursday, March 30; 2:00pm-5:00pm
Instructors: Stephane McShane, Maxim Consulting Group
Class Style: Virtual Class Limit: Unlimited
Cost – Member: FREE
Non-member: $100
The Closed Captioning & Translation now available for most UCON courses! Automatically translate courses into over 30 languages in the UCON App on your desktop or mobile device.
• Desktop—Click the CC icon in the bottom right hand corner; select your language preference
• Mobile —Click the CC and settings icon in the bottom right hand corner; select your language preference using the settings ( ) icon
We can’t wait to see you this year! Add the following events/dates to your calendar:
THURSDAY FEB 16
CRAB FEED
Marriott, San Ramon
It’s Crab Season—so put on your plastic bibs and belly up to the table to crack some crab. This is an evening of food, fun, and friends. With over 700 people attending, you might make a few new ones! Come for the crab and stay for the camaraderie.
MONDAY MAR 20
THURSDAY
MAY 4
UCON’S PUBLIC WORKS SUMMIT
Hilton, Anaheim
This summit connects Southern CA contractors and public works agencies, allowing attendees to build relationships, engage with peers, and learn about industry opportunities (see page xx for more information)
Wente Vineyards, Livermore
The Scholarship Throwdown Fundraiser raises money for our Scholarship Program, which has awarded over $300,000 to over 250 deserving students during the past twenty years!
THURSDAY JUN 22
THURSDAY AUG 3
MONDAY AUG 28
UCON’S BEACH BASH
The Huntington Beach House, Huntington Beach
Join us for the second annual UCON Beach Bash— a casual evening of great friends, food, drinks, and music at the beach.
ANNUAL BBQ & CHILI COOK-OFF
Location TBD!
UCON’s largest industry event provides the opportunity to network with over 1,500 of your peers and create new relationships. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!
SOUTHERN CA GOLF CLASSIC
The Huntington Club, Huntington Beach
Hosted in partnership with Twining, this golf tournament is a sellout raising funds and awareness for two great charities, Helmets2Hardhats and Construction Angels.
By Christine Traina, Event Manager
Bayonet & Black Horse Golf Club, Seaside
This UCON tradition is named for an Associate Member who loved the association almost as much as he loved golf. Grab a foursome and enjoy this scramble-style golf tournament on a beautiful course.
The Claremont Hotel, Berkeley
Our Government Advocacy Fundraiser is the biggest fundraising event UCON hosts each year to support our grassroots advocacy efforts. It allows UCON to maintain a presence, voice, and agenda in Sacramento and Washington D.C.
Have questions on any of UCON’s events? Contact our events team at (925) 855-7900, or email Christine Traina, Event Manager, ctraina@unitedcontractors.org, or Rachel Oraa, Events Assistant, roraa@unitedcontractors.org.
• BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH AGENCIES
• ENGAGE WITH YOUR PEERS
• LEARN ABOUT INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE LA 2028 OLYMPICS
REGISTER/SPONSOR: WWW.UNITEDCONTRACTORS.ORG/CALENDAR SCAN TO REGISTER
Join UCON’s Safety & Insurance Committee: Meets via Zoom—open to all members statewide!
Engaged members monitor and advocate for the industry on Cal/ OSHA issues through UCON’s Safety & Insurance Committee, which meets approximately every six weeks via Zoom. The committee is comprised of safety directors, vice-presidents of safety, and senior safety personnel from member companies with an average of 2535 companies participating.
If you are interested in getting involved, or have questions, contact Julie Hinge, (925) 967-2466, jhinge@unitedcontractors.org. Register to
attend: www.unitedcontractors.org/calendar
The committee is open for all UCON members. Share the information below with your safety professional.
UCON Safety & Insurance Committee Meeting Dates:
February 22, 1:30pm-3:00pm
Topic: Workplace Injury & Illness Loss Prevention—Safety and Workers’ Comp Best Practices | Presented by Michael Heffernan and Jamie Mantzouranis, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc.
Upcoming committee meetings. All meetings take place from 1:30pm - 3:00pm—add to your calendar:
xx April 5
xx May 17
xx July 12
xx September 13
xx October 25
xx December 6
Joining a UCON Committee is a great way to get involved and make a difference.
Register and view meeting topics (and sign up for UCON events) at: www.unitedcontractors.org/ calendar.
Gather your safety information from last year’s 2022 projects and apply for UCON’s Statewide R.E.A.L. Safety Awards , honoring the safest companies in our industry by R ecognizing E xcellence, A wareness, and L eadership in safety.
All contractors are eligible to apply. Applications are available online through March 31, 2023 at unitedcontractors.org. For more information, contact Julie Hinge, (925) 967-2466, jhinge@unitedcontractors.org
We’re always on your side. Supporting you from demo at after-sale support
Long-term reliability. Building partnerships that will last a lifetime.
Over 35 years of experience. Connecting you with top tier equipment.
United Contractors (UCON) is pleased to announce the appointment of Emily Cohen, EVP, to the California HighSpeed Rail Board of Directors by Toni Atkins, Senate President pro-Tempore.
The California High-Speed Rail project aims to connect major cities across the state with fast, sustainable, and
environmentally friendly transportation options. The Board of Directors sets policy directives for the planning, design, construction, operation, and overall success of the state’s high-speed rail system.
“I am honored to have been selected for this role and am looking forward to working with the Board of Directors to advance the high-speed rail project and find ways to deliver this project to the State of California effectively,” commented Emily Cohen, UCON EVP.
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DAYLIGHTING
POTHOLING
POLE REPLACEMENT
JANUARY/FEBRUARY
United Contractors would like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank the following companies who are celebrating their anniversary of membership with our organization in January and February:
51 YEARS – 1972
Associate Member:
Peterson Cat
Thomas Lum
50 YEARS – 1973
Associate Member:
Gladding, McBean & Co.
Mike Blumenstein
48 YEARS – 1975
Associate Member:
R.C. Fischer & Co.
Dennis Sewell
47 YEARS – 1976
Contractor Members: Mountain Cascade, Inc.
Duke Fuller
Walter C. Smith Co., Inc.
Michael DeBenedetto
42 YEARS – 1981
Associate Member:
Papé Machinery
Benjamin Harrison
39 YEARS – 1984
Associate Member: United Rentals Trench Safety
Scott Chapman
38 YEARS – 1985
Contractor Member:
D.W. Young
Construction Co., Inc.
Christian Young
36 YEARS – 1987
Associate Member: McInerney & Dillon PC
William McInerney, Jr.
33 YEARS – 1990
Associate Member: Bay Area Barricade Service, Inc.
Craig Songster
30 YEARS – 1993
Associate Member: Jifco, Inc.
Jay Forni Jr.
29 YEARS – 1994
Contractor Members: Goodfellow Bros. California LLC
Brian Gates
RGW Construction, Inc.
Bill Stewart
Talus Construction, Inc.
Sharon Alberts
Associate Member:
JHS CPAs, LLP
Jim Kepke
28 YEARS – 1995
Contractor Member:
Ghilotti Bros., Inc.
Michael Ghilotti
Associate Member: Moss Adams LLP
Dave Heier
27 YEARS – 1996
Contractor Member: Beliveau Engineering Contractors, Inc.
Lawrence Beliveau
26 YEARS – 1997
Contractor Members: Pacific States Environmental Contractors, Inc.
Bob McCarrick
Viking Drillers, Inc.
Sherry Montoya
Associate Member: Ritchie Bros., Together with IronPlanet
Wayne Settle
25 YEARS – 1998
Contractor Members: Doyle’s Work Company, Inc.
Billy Holler
Viking Construction Company
Randy Jenco
24 YEARS – 1999
Contractor Members: Farwest Safety, Inc.
John Ashe
Performance Equipment, Inc.
Chris Young
23 YEARS – 2000
Contractor Member:
Ray’s Electric
Greg Gruendl
Associate Member: Leonidou & Rosin Professional Corporation
Bob Rosin
19 YEARS – 2004
Contractor Members: Striping Graphics
Tony Lane
Western Traffic Supply, Inc.
Ed Ibanez
18 YEARS – 2005
Contractor Member: Rosendin Electric, Inc.
Rick Guzman
Associate Member: Cushman & Wakefield
Ted Gallagher
17 YEARS – 2006
Contractor Members: Disney Construction, Inc.
Rick Disney
Midstate Barrier, Inc.
Dale Breen
Robert A. Bothman Construction
Brian Bothman
16 YEARS – 2007
Contractor Member: California Trenchless, Inc.
Michael Jardin
Associate Member: Granite ConstructionMaterials Division
Ross Kashiwagi
15 YEARS – 2008
Contractor Members: Con-Quest Contractors, Inc.
Paul Loukianoff
GSL Construction
Michael Walker
Pacific Coast Drilling Company, Inc.
Aaron Sykes
Valentine Corp.
Robert Valentine
SpenCon Construction, Inc.
Steve Stahl
Associate Member: PACE Supply
Scott Groves
14 YEARS – 2009
Contractor Member: Graniterock
Paul Cianciarulo
13 YEARS – 2010
Contractor Member: ABSL Construction
Luis Allende
Associate Member: National Trench Safety, LLC
Dan Dutcher
12 YEARS – 2011
Associate Members: Advanced Stormwater Protection, Inc.
Jason Griffin
Equip Appraisers LLC
Rob Nowacek
11 YEARS – 2012
Contractor Members: Anvil Builders
Alan Guy
Hooker Creek, Inc.
Scott Shongood
Mountain F. Enterprises, Inc.
Marcos Gomez
Mozingo Construction, Inc.
Phil Gianfortone
Pacific Excavation, Inc.
Jim Paxin
Associate Member: Command Alkon
Eric Ownby
Sunbelt Rentals
Tiffanie Mendez
10 YEARS – 2013
Contractor Members: D-Line Constructors, Inc.
Matt Certa
Odyssey Environmental Services, Inc.
Mike Moore
Associate Member: Oles Morrison Rinker & Baker LLP
Robert Leslie
Ramos Oil Co., Inc.
Robert Feder
TYS, LLP
Tobin Moon
9 YEARS – 2014
Contractor Members: Golden Gate Constructors
Rich Gates
Marina Landscape, Inc.
Robert Cowan
Associate Members: Cal Safety, Inc.
Kevin Karrick
Newfront
Bryan Martin
Continued on next page
In 2021, LIUNA’s commitment to training and apprenticeship in California included:
635,709 HOURS OF TRAINING
4,782 CLASSES PERFORMED
1,881 APPRENTICESHIP GRADUATES
26,957 STUDENTS TAUGHT
8 YEARS – 2015
Contractor Member: Cratus, Inc.
Liam Finnegan
Hoseley Corporation
Rusty Hoseley
7 YEARS – 2016
Contractor Members: Blue Iron Foundations & Shoring, LLC
Melissa Baker
BrightView Landscape Development, Inc.
Tom Donnelly
Gonsalves & Santucci, Inc.
dba The Conco Companies
Joe Sostaric
Associate Members:
Carpenter Rigging Group
Bruce Yoder
Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation
Luis Lester
Fisher Phillips
Jason Geller
Heritage Bank of Commerce
Wendy Talamantes
5 YEARS – 2018
Contractor Members: Concrete Demo Works, Inc.
Ed Flores
Innovate Concrete, Inc.
dba Innovate Engineering
J. Ramon Ramirez
Power One LLC
Jason Cline
R&S Construction Management Inc.
Teera Nuntaworanuch
Associate Member:
Troutman Sanders LLP
James Diwik
4 YEARS – 2019
Contractor Members: C&N Reinforcing, Inc.
Juan Perez
Independent Structures, Inc.
John Langum
Nor-Cal Concrete, Inc.
Joe Ardave
Outcast Engineering Inc.
David Coakley
Associate Members:
Bubba’s Lowbed Service LLC
David Nisich
3 YEARS – 2020
Contractor Members: C&N Reinforcing, Inc.
Juan Perez
Independent Structures, Inc.
John Langum
Kiewit Infrastructure West Co.
Tim Gleaves
Live Oak Utility Infrastructure, LLC
Peter Worhunsky
R & M Paving Contractors, Inc.
Anthony Selway
Sequoia Civil, LLC
Michael D. Betti
Toro Enterprises, Inc.
Sean Castillo
Associate Members:
Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance
Lindsay Machacek
First Vanguard Rentals & Sales Inc.
Robert Merwin
Hilti
Simone Zatti
Hoge Fenton
Alay Yajnik
LaLonde Equipment Rental
Brian Lalonde
Primax Shoring, Inc.
Max Kadiu
U-Rock Utility Equipment Inc.
Mark Paduveris
2 YEARS – 2021
Contractor Members: Action Sweeping Services, Inc.
Dianna Paris
Capitol Barricade
Dave Sherman
Capitol Traffic Services, Inc.
Jorge Torres
Ground Control Inc.
Ameet Patel
Kiewit Foundations Co.
Mike Meduna
Statewide Safety Systems
Don Nicholas
Steelhead Constructors, JV
Kevin Ramstrom
Western Water Constructors, Inc.
Ken Kreischer
Associate Members: Allen Construction Group LLP
Hiromi Young
Davillier-Sloan, Inc.
Jake Sloan
1 YEAR – 2022
Contractor Members: Cal Stripe Inc.
Steve Fleener
DPI Inc
Brittany DeFreitas
G. Bortolotto & Company, Inc.
Robert Bortolotto
GSW Construction Inc.
Gary Silveria
Radix Services, LLC
Jeremy Beal
Associate Members: The Family Business Institute
Kevin Albanese
EXCAVATION OF SOIL IS DANGEROUS WORK and can lead to severe injuries and even death if the excavation process is not properly addressed. National Trench Safety has a full complement of excavation support systems as well as engineering and training services to ensure you have the equipment needed to perform the job safely and effectively.
4.8
OVERALL SATISFACTION LEVEL WITH UCON MEMBERSHIP
99%
A 99% retention rate reflects the level of return on investment UCON contractors receive.
98%
98% of contractor members would absolutely recommend UCON to a peer or colleague.
RATED
UCON STAFF OVERALL SERVICE & RESPONSIVENESS
56 New Members in 2022
4.8 OUT OF 5
10,000 +
LABOR ADVOCACY/ CONTRACTOR SERVICES
HELP DESK:
Assisted with 10,000+ calls/ emails this year:
4.7
• Labor disputes and grievances
• Public works/prevailing wage compliance
• Payroll advisory; employment law
• Trust fund issues
• Pre-job conferences and more
LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY:
Fighting to protect your marketshare, improve the business environment, and increase infrastructure funding across the state, by working to support bills and elect legislators that elevate the union construction industry.
4.7
COMMUNICATIONS OF INFORMATION & INDUSTRY UPDATES; UCON EVENTS:
4.7
10,000+ DOWNLOADS FROM OUR CONTRACTOR RESOURCES
2,100+ USERS OF THE UCON APP; NINE STATEWIDE EVENTS—2,880+ PEOPLE, OVER 390 COMPANIES
LEADERSHIP & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
4.7
4,300+ individuals from over 260 companies participated in UCON’s in-person and virtual 70+ professional development courses in 2022.
