The Kansas Milestone | Winter 2021

THE KANS AS

MILESTONE Winter 2021

BACK TOGETHER AGAIN IN 2022

Registration now open for in-person KCA Convention

THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION FUNDING

KDOT studying road usage charge as alternative to motor fuel tax

DEVELOPING OUR NEXT WORKFORCE HirePaths campaign takes a different approach

KCA

KANSAS CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

GET MORE WITH MURPHY With 31 locations offering a full complement of equipment, parts inventory, service technicians and field service capabilities - We are ready to serve you!

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KCA

KANSAS CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

Winter 2021

18

Volume 1, Issue 2

On the cover:

OFFICERS

KCA members gathered in 1926 for their annual convention. Join us January 26-28 when we'll be back in person for our 99th Annual Convention at the Sheraton in Overland Park.

Chris Spray, President Venture Corporation Scott Anderson, Vice President Hamm, Inc. Chris Rech, Treasurer A.M. Cohron & Son, Inc. Curt Mauler, Immediate Past President L&M Contractors, Inc.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Trey Bowen, Director-at-Large Superior Bowen Asphalt Company, LLC Chad Girard, Director-at-Large APAC Kansas, Inc. - Shears Division Shane Ham, Supplier/Service Division Foley Equipment Co., Inc. Mike Hoffman, Grading & Railroads Division Alan’s Excavating, Inc. Heather Jantz, Director-at-Large MJE, LLC Kevin Koehler, Director-at-Large Dustrol Inc. John Koger, Jr., Supplier/Service Division Koger Agency, Inc. Travis Rose, Director-at-Large Bridges Inc. Jeff Shaw, Utility Infrastructure Division APAC Kansas, Inc. - Shears Division Josh Smith, Director-at-Large Klaver Construction Co. Jeanne Waisner, Rigid Paving Division Koss Construction Co.

STAFF

Michael White, Executive Director mwhite@webuildkansas.com Jamie Lane, Director of Member Services jlane@webuildkansas.com Nancy Delgado, Administrative Assistant ndelgado@webuildkansas.com

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 3

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President’s Message: Building Kansas rests on building our workforce Looking Back, Looking Forward Transportation issues in the Legislature Habits of Success Best practices in employee retirement plans The Future of Transportation Funding KDOT explores road usage charge Why Mental Health Matters Now For Construction Leaders Member News: Awards, recognitions, promotions & more Engaging Parents A new approach to workforce development Back in Person Registration open for KCA's 99th Annual Convention The Extra Mile: A message from KCA’s Executive Director Published bi-annually by the Kansas Contractors Association

800 SW Jackson, Suite 100, Topeka, Kansas 66612, 785.266.4152 EDITOR: Stephanie Mullholland, stephanie@webuildkansas.com

A lot more than asphalt.

In the 1970s, Orville "Butch" Spray got his start with a handful of employees and a small asphalt plant in Larned, Kansas. Over time, he and our dedicated team of industry experts have grown Venture Corporation into one of the state's largest asphalt contractors. Today, we do a lot more than just asphalt paving. With more than 150 employees, four portable plants, and production of over 900,000 tons of asphalt annually, we can do everything from parking lots and running tracks to highways and interstates.

(620) 792-5921

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w w w.Ve n t u r e C o r p K s . c o m

PRESIDENT ’ S MES S A G E

Building Kansas rests on building our workforce

BY CHRIS SPRAY, VENTURE CORPORATION KCA PRESIDENT In the summer issue of The Milestone, I wrote about the three pillars we have committed to tackling together over the coming years. One of those pillars, arguably the most critical to our future, is workforce development. If we are to fulfill our responsibility to "build Kansas" and grow our businesses, we must act now to build our next workforce. Our new workforce development task force, chaired by Chris Rech, has already begun meeting and brainstorming ideas for our next steps.

You don't need a bachelor's degree to land a high-paying job. One of the barriers we have to overcome is the notion that students need a fouryear degree to land a high-paying job. Our industry is proof of that. In fact, Georgetown University released a report in October that indicates a shift: a growing number of people without a bachelor's degree are now out-earning those with one. That's because the training path for a number of jobs in high-demand sectors – like the construction industry – often involves technical college or apprenticeship programs. One of the report's authors, said these findings show that "you have to go to college" isn't always the best advice for high schoolers.

Only about 25% of Kansas jobs need a bachelor's degree. According to data from the Kansas Department of Labor, about one-fourth of the jobs in our state call for a four-year degree or more.

However, the vast majority of parents have the expectation that their children will attend a fouryear college.

To that end, KCA is a founding partner in HirePaths.

HirePaths is a statewide workforce development initiative that targets parents as their children's best career counselor. It's focused on helping parents recognize that a four-year degree isn't always the answer and that their children can find rewarding, successful careers in skilled trades. Read more on Page 14 in our interview with HirePaths.

You don't have to start your career buried in student debt. KCA has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships over the years to help offset student debt for our next workforce.

In fact, it's scholarship time again! If you know a student pursuing a degree in the construction field, visit WeBuildKansas.com/scholarships to download the packet. Applications are due January 31, 2022.

Now, there's a new game-changer to help Kansas students offset debt. Earlier this year, the Legislature passed the Kansas Promise Act and designated construction degrees as one of the eligible programs. Under the Act, any Kansas high school graduate may attend an approved program at a Kansas technical college, community college or four-year university tuition free so long as they complete a work/community service requirement during school and remain in Kansas to work for at least two years after completion.

It's exciting to see these bold new initiatives emerging in Kansas. It's even more exciting to see them driven, in part, by KCA's leadership. But, we're just getting started.

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U NDER THE D O ME

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD

A conversation with Transportation Committee leaders on what's happened in transportation and what's ahead Passage of the Eisenhower Legacy (IKE) Plan and restablizing transportation funding were handsdown the victories that transportation leaders in the Legislature consider pivotal for the industry.

"The IKE Program was two years is the making. I had the privilege of presenting it to the Appropriations Committee and then carrying it on the House Floor," said long-time House Transportation Chair Rich Proehl. "What an honor to be involved and to see it pass overwhelmingly."

Rep. Shannon Francis, who chairs the House

Transportation Budget Committee, pointed to the budget work that led to making IKE possible.

"When I was first elected to the Legislature, the state was in a financial crisis," said Francis. "As the crisis deepened, every available penny of transportation funding was being swept to the General Fund.

We were putting two-inch overlays on roads that needed substantial rehabilitation. All T-Works modernization projects had been put on hold. Our roads were in the worst condition in decades. In 2017, the Legislature took action to address the revenue problems created by the 2012 tax cuts. Those were

Blaine lives and owns a law practice in his hometown of Ottawa. He has served in the Kansas House for nine years, the past three as Speaker Pro Tem. Here’s what we asked Blaine when we sat down for four questions: As transportation people, we have to ask – what was your first car?

A 1974 Ford LTD.

4

QUESTIONS WITH

BLAINE FINCH House Speaker Pro Tem

You got an early start in public service and gained some national attention for it. Tell us about that.

It actually started right out of high school. I saw things in my community that I thought could be better and so I ran for city commission. My dad and I still joke about the fact

difficult votes for many, but today’s IKE Program would not have happened without the groundwork that was done back then to stabilize funding."

Looking ahead, transportation leaders share similar concerns about making sure the current budget surplus doesn't result in decisions that could endanger the health of the state budget and, ultimately, transportation funding.

Modern advances in vehicles are also on the leaders' minds.

"Autonomous trucks may be the wave of the future," said Proehl. "This is an issue that could very well come up in 2022.

The technology is here, but our statutes require some work."

Francis said, "another issue that must be addressed soon is electric vehicle (EV) fuel taxes. EVs don’t pay the fuel taxes that transportation funding is based on. With the advent of Ford’s F-150 lightening EV, I’m concerned that this problem will rapidly come to a head."

In terms of priorities, the chairmen are looking at both shortterm and long-term infrastructure needs.

For Proehl, that includes "finishing the T-Works projects and continuing the IKE Plan. I am especially happy with revisiting the pipeline every two years as projects of importance change over time."

"One of my priorities is to develop a rural longer-term freight corridor plan," said Francis. "Kansas feeds the world and needs a strong transportation backbone for our economy, our quality of life and the safety of our citizens."

that he was pretty sure I'd lose. I won that race and, at 19, was elected mayor. At the time, it made headlines as one of the youngest mayors in U.S. history.

You’ve been a vocal champion for infrastructure.

What stands out as the biggest accomplishment for transportation during your tenure?

Clearly, passage of the IKE plan is a tremendous win for the industry and one that I was proud to help get done. I remember working as a local official advocating for improvement of US-59 as part of the transportation plan passed 20 years ago. So it was exciting this time to be a legislator working for passage of a new plan for our state’s future.

Transportation Leaders in the Legislature Sen. Mike Petersen represents the 28th district in Wichita/Derby.

He has served in the Kansas Senate since 2005 and is entering his eighth year as Senate Transportation Chair.

Chairman Petersen is an industrial electrician.

Rep. Richard Proehl represents the 7th district in Labette County. He has served in the Kansas House since 2005 and is entering his eighth year as House Transportation Chair. Chairman Proehl is a banker at Labette State Bank in Parsons.

Rep. Shannon Francis represents the 125th district in Seward County.

He has served in the Kansas House since 2015 and is entering his fourth year as Transportation Budget Chair. Chairman Francis is a property manager.

Another one of your accomplishments is the Kansas Promise Act. Where'd you get the idea for this and what do you hope it will lead to?

The Promise Act is modeled on a similar law from Tennessee. We know that workforce is a critical need for many businesses, the construction industry included. By making a pathway to community college or technical or trade education available for every Kansas graduate, the hope is to strengthen our workforce, improve our business climate, and help future generations find good jobs to support their lives and their families.

HABITS OF SUCCESS

What are some employees and employers doing right?

BY KEVIN TESSMER, RETIREMENT PLAN SPECIALIST, IMA WEALTH, INC. When it comes to achieving retirement goals, what are some employees and their employers doing right? The Empower Institute seeks to answer this question in their white paper, Scoring the Progress of Retirement Savers.1 The study, which includes more than 4,000 workers aged 18 to 65, identifies specific employee actions, or “habits of success,” that correlate with significantly higher projected lifetime income in retirement.

The study found that the median projected income replacement among participants was 64%. In other words, participants are on track to replace 64% of their current income in retirement. However, when Empower looked at the impact of specific behaviors, they saw a wide gap between those who plan and those who do not.

What are the habits of those most successful and how can employers help their employees meet their retirement goals?

ous

The two foundational habits of success are saving and saving enough. Current savers have a median income replacement percentage that is a full 25 percent higher than those employees who are not actively saving in their employer’s retirement erving plan. Further, participants who contribute 10% or s owners in more to their employer’s retirement plan had a isionsmedian andretirement income replacement over 100%.

goals.

There are three key areas employers can focus on that are likely to have the most impact on their employees: holistic

Personalization: Personalized help provided through plan options like managed accounts or financial wellness tools increase a participant’s confidence, utilization, and results.

As the Retirement Plan Advisor for The Kansas Contractors Association, we’re focused on helping members improve their 401(k) plan offerings.

Opportunities exist to achieve meaningful participant outcomes. As you assess your 2022 goals, we would welcome the opportunity to be of service to you and your employees. Contact me at (913) 802-6977 or kevin.tessmer@imacorp.com for a complimentary consultation.

Read the complete white paper, Scoring the Progress of Retirement Savers, from Empower at https://docs.empowerretirement.com/EE/EMPOWER/DOCS/Scoring-the-Progress-ofRetirement-Savers.pdf.

1

Kevin Tessmer is a Retirement Plan Specialist for IMA Wealth, Inc. in our Kansas City location.

Prior to joining IMA Wealth, Inc., Kevin served as Managing Director of Workplace Solutions for MassMutual and Regional Vice President for Nationwide.

He graduated from Miami University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing.

He earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®) designation through Fi360. Kevin holds the FINRA Series 6 and State registrations 63 and 65.

The statements and opinions expressed are those of the individual and not necessarily those of IMA Wealth, Inc. (“IMAW”). Material presented herein is gathered from what we believe are reliable sources and should not be regarded as complete analysis of these subjects. IMAW cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any statements or data. All content is for general information purposes only and does not take into consideration your individual circumstances, financial situation or needs, nor does it present a personalized recommendation to you. Content is not intended to provide legal, accounting, tax, ERISA, or investment advice. No investment strategy, such as diversification or asset allocation, can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in periods of declining value.

and ® Wealth has been Automation: Plan design features such asKevin autoTessmer, AIF enrollment and auto-escalation drive higher mplement retirement progress scores. nce 2001.

Retirement Plan Specialist

913-302-3339 Kevin.tessmer@imacorp.com

Education: The more employees know about specific financial needs in retirement, the more Contractors likely they are to take action to meet these needs.

mine the overall plan.

KCA PAGE 6 KANSAS CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

Investment advisory services are offered through IMA Wealth, Inc., an investment advisor registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). IMA Wealth, Inc. is also an SEC registered securities broker-dealer, Member FINRA, and an insurance agency. This is not a solicitation or offer to sell investment advisory services, securities, or insurance except in states where we are registered or where an exemption or exclusion from such registration exists. All written content is for general informational purposes only.

9393 W. 110th St, Ste 600

$

,

More than $500,000 in scholarships and counting.

APPLICATIONS FOR KCA CONSTRUCTION SCHOLARSHIPS DUE JANUARY 31 A number of Kansas newspapers recently picked up the story of KCA's investment in scholarships for students pursuing a degree in the construction field. That investment has totaled more than $500,000 over the past 33 years.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2022-23 academic year. Scholarships range from $500 to $2,500. Kansas high school and college students who are enrolling in an eligible program at a Kansas technical, community or four-year college may apply.

Visit WeBuildKansas.com/scholarships to download the application packet. The deadline for applications is January 31, 2022.

CONED

Kansas Construction Education Foundation

KCA PAGE 7 KANSAS CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

ROAD U S A G E CHA R G E

The Future of Transportation Funding

BY JULIE LORENZ KDOT SECRETARY

The recent passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation (BIL) underscores transportation’s essential role in our nation’s long-term economic growth. And it shows that how we deliver on these investments may need to be different than in the past.

As part of this legislation, more than $7.5 billion will be invested on electric vehicles and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. This investment is not without merit. The transportation sector is the top greenhouse gas emitter of all economic sectors and reducing emissions in this industry is important. Additionally, six automakers (Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Jaguar, and Land Rover) have all pledged to end sales of gas and diesel vehicles by 2040.

This has major long-term implications for transportation infrastructure funding. In Kansas, for this fiscal year, about 41% of our total revenues are from state and federal motor fuel taxes. We project that to fall to only 25% by 2045.

That’s a potential decline of hundreds of millions for our roads and bridges if we do not find an alternative funding source. This is not unique to Kansas as other states will face the same loss of revenue and have begun discussions about how to address it.

This year, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) launched a voluntary, multi-phase study to explore how a road usage charge (RUC) system could help fund transportation investments. A RUC is a funding approach where drivers pay to use the road based on miles driven instead of based on how much fuel they burn. It is sometimes referred to as vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fees or a mileage-based user fee (MBUF). To date, RUC

research has been primarily focused on the East and West coasts, which means we lack a clear understanding of how a potential RUC policy would impact Midwestern communities whose transportation patterns and industry needs may be quite different from the country’s coasts.

The study is being funded through a federal grant and will provide an important Midwest rural, agricultural and freight industry perspective to the national conversation.

Throughout the multi-phase study, KDOT will be seeking volunteers to engage in activities and provide feedback to inform the design of the pilot study.

The Kansas Contractors Association is an incredibly important stakeholder in the transportation, highway, and utility construction industry. At KDOT, we believe your voice in this matter offers a pivotal perspective for how it could impact your members, industry, and our rural communities.

The first opportunity to get involved is participating in a short statewide survey and sharing it with your networks. The survey is available on the study webpage – https://www. ksdotike.org/RUC-study – and will be open through the end of the year. You can also signup for email updates to stay informed of future input opportunities such as workshops and pilot recruitment.

To date, we’ve had over 780 survey respondents and about 300 Kansans sign up to participate in the study. We want contractors to have input in this process too. It would be very beneficial to have perspectives from you all as citizens, with your personal vehicles, and with your business fleets.

Partnerships are essential for delivering transportation and we look forward to working with you to secure stable funding, which will allow us to save lives, reduce mobility costs, and strengthen our communities through infrastructure improvements.

KCA PAGE 9 KANSAS CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

WHY MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS NOW FOR CONSTRUCTION LEADERS

BY CAL BEYER AND BEN WILLIAMS

Historically, talking about mental health in the workplace (and even more so on jobsites) was taboo. Mental health is a personal issue, a family matter, a community concern, and a societal challenge. Why has it not been a workplace issue?

Stigma and Shame

Stigma is a major barrier that keeps people from acknowledging that they are not ok. Stigma is a fear of the unknown combined with a fear of judgement from others or fear of consequences – both real and perceived. Stigma remains a barrier that keeps people from either offering or seeking help. Stigma elicits excuses, enables denial, and encourages rationalization.

Acknowledging that help is needed has been seen as a sign of weakness rather than as a sign of strength. Stigma and shame go hand in PAGE 10

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hand. Where stigma and shame exist people are uncomfortable or afraid to talk about mental health which leads to people suffering in silence.

Rising Workforce Risks in Kansas

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP.org), in January 2021, Kansas was ranked 17th in the frequency of suicide with a rate 30.1% higher than the national average. For comparison, Kansas is ranked 36th in population size among all states according to World Population Data from 2020. The AFSP reports that more than “five times as many people died of suicide than in alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents." Moreover, data from the America’s Health Rankings for 2020 from the United Health Foundation suicide in Kansas increased 41% between 2009-2018.

There are other clues pointing to a rising level of risk

in Kansas. Data from the America’s Health Rankings for 2020 from the United Health Foundation shows approximately 19.9% of the adult population in Kansas experiences challenges with depression.

And, in August of 2021, the Kansas Department of Health reported overdose deaths statewide had increased by over 24% in 2020 over 2021. These data points are similar to national trends.

Why Attention to Rising Risks Among the Workforce Matters

For many years, construction has had heightened awareness of the risk of suicide among construction workers and retirees Yes, construction is the industry with the second highest rate of suicide among all industries. However, there is good news, too. The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention was formed in 2016. The cover story of Engineering News-Record on August 3, 2021 (or digital issue on July 28, 2021) featured stories of hope, help, and recovery in the construction industry of employers and employees dealing with mental health, addiction treatment and recovery, and suicide prevention. This is the real news!

2021 Mental Health and Well-being in Construction Pulse Survey

In September 2021, the Center for Workplace Mental Health released the results from the Pulse Survey on Mental Health and Well-being in the Construction Industry. This pulse survey sheds light on the importance of worker mental health and wellbeing in construction and opportunities to continue moving forward in effectively addressing these issues.

The final survey report highlights findings, strategies, recommendations, and resources to improve mental health for construction workers. The Mental Health and Well-being Survey addresses four crucial challenges: 1. Engaging company leaders to support mental health initiatives visibly and vocally. Leaders are encouraged to lead by example with vulnerability to let workers know “it is ok to not be ok." Leaders who care share resources to help workers and families in need of support.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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Continued from page 11

WHY MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS 2. Raising mental health awareness by sharing a continuous stream of resources with employees. It is important for employees to better understand the services and supports available to them and their dependent family members. Teaching employees how to tap into Employee Assistance Programs and employee health insurance programs is important education.

3. Creating a mentally healthy culture to reduce the stigma and shame associated with mental health. It is important to increase the literacy of health and mental health for leaders at all levels in your company. Take time to educate leaders and supervisors why mental health is a workforce imperative and provide training to encourage psychological safety in the workplace and on jobsite.

Cal Beyer, CWP, SCTPP is Vice President of Workforce Risk & Worker Wellbeing for CSDZ, a Holmes Murphy Company.

He’s been dedicated to construction risk and safety management since 1996. From 2014-2020, he was director of risk management and safety for a paving contractor in the Pacific Northwest. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. Contact Beyer at cbeyer@CSDZ.com or 651/307-7883.

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4. Removing barriers and enhancing access to mental health services and support. One way to remove barriers to care is to integrate mental health into human resources functions, employee benefits programs, and safety, health and wellness practices.

CITED RESOURCES: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) January 2021. Kansas State Data Sheet.

Kansas Department of Health (August 6, 2021).

Nationwide increase in fatal drug overdoses prompts education on treatment and naloxone.

United Health Foundation (2020). America’s Health Rankings. Kansas.

World Population Review. States. Kansas.

Ben Williams, AFSB is a Surety Director at Holmes Murphy. Ben is an industry expert in Surety bonding, construction finance and risk management. He is active in the Kansas Contractors Association and the Associated General Contractors.

Contact Ben at ben.williams@holmesmurphy.com or 816-738-6120.

KCA M EM BE R N EW S

SAFETY TRAINING COVERS OSHA STANDARDS, COVID KCA hosted a networking and training event for safety professionals in October at TopGolf in Overland Park. Marcus Reiter and Darren Beard from IMA highlighted OSHA standards and many of the national emphasis programs, including heatrelated illnesses, Silica and COVID-19. Also on the agenda were DOT trends, drug & alcohol testing and the much-anticipated emergency temporary standard for the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employers. The event ended with participants assessing their golfing skills with some friendly competition in the golf bays.

IS YOUR COMPANY ELIGIBLE FOR A SAFETY AWARD? KCA will present its annual Safety Awards during the Convention. The awards program applies to all contractor members utilizing statistics from work

performed on heavy, highway and utility projects in Kansas. Recipients will be determined based on a combination of total man hours, lost time and total number of OSHA recordable incidents. A first place and runner-up will be awarded in five categories.

To be eligible to receive a safety award or a perfect safety record certificate, submit an Annual Safety Report to KCA no later January 7, 2022. For details, contact Jamie Lane at jlane@webuildkansas.com.

FOLEY HOSTS INVASIVE TREE DEMOS IN KANSAS Foley Equipment recently hosted invasive tree demonstrations in Rosalia and Manhattan.

Attendees observed techniques for clearing pasture and brush, as well as cutting and mulching. Afterward, attendees test drove machines like the new D3 series Cat Skid Steer Loaders and Compact Track Loaders.

Representatives from Foley Equipment, Caterpillar, and other manufacturers were on hand to answer questions.

MAYER EQUIPMENT TEAM WINS PAC GOLF TOURNEY

The Mayer Equipment & Supply team – comprised of Kevin Crippen, Rep. Avery Anderson, Danny Crippen and Nick Moseley – won First Flight in the KCA-PAC Golf Tournament at Sand Creek Newton. Second flight winners were the team of Tom Kramer, Dan Divine, Doug Sommers and Curtis Mader. Special tournament guests included Sen. Carolyn McGinn and Rep. Avery Anderson.

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75.4% of jobs in Kansas

require a high school diploma, technical or community college, or on-the-job training

HirePaths and KCA engage parents in workforce development

Last year, KCA formed a partnership with HirePaths as part of our industry's efforts to strengthen workforce development. We recently sat down with Kristin Brighton, who spearheads the HirePaths campaign, to talk about how HirePaths is different and why the campaign goes beyond students.

A new research report came out earlier this year that showed Kansas’ workforce would not grow during the next decade without new efforts.

HirePaths is one of those new efforts. Can you talk a little about how HirePaths came about and what it’s focused on achieving?

The original idea for HirePaths came out of a workforce task force I led for the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce in 2016. The group felt our region needed a campaign to better educate parents about all of the post-secondary opportunities available to their children besides going straight from high school into a bachelor’s degree program. As the owner of a marketing company who was very involved with workforce PAGE 14

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and economic development efforts in my region, I decided this was an effort our team could take on statewide. Our program educates parents about post-secondary options and tells success stories celebrating all the paths young people can take after high school to start a career, with special emphasis on in-demand, skilled trades.

A lot of workforce development efforts focus on students. HirePaths takes a different approach by also targeting parents. What’s the strategy behind that?

Parents (including all other types of guardians) are the most influential people in a child’s life.

Starting at birth, parents expose children to careers

and shape their opinions about different vocations through everyday interactions. Because parents can often be a roadblock to a child pursuing a different path, we want to excite parents about the many high-paying, high-demand careers available that don’t necessarily take a bachelor’s degree to start. We are working to erase the stigma surrounding kids choosing a skilled trade path, so that families are just as proud of the kid going to a technical program as a kid going to an Ivy League university. Kansas needs both types of graduates in its economy.

So, how’s it all work? What are the mechanisms HirePaths is using to reach kids and their parents?

HirePaths is a digital storytelling campaign.

Our website (hirepaths.com) is the hub of our program. On its pages, parents can find out information about nine key industries in the state and employers with many opportunities for young people to launch careers, as well as read or watch profiles of successful Kansans in a variety of careers. We also host a blog of articles on topics of interest to parents and educators related to career exploration, development, and post-secondary success.

We publish two to three pieces of original content most weeks, and use paid and organic social media on four platforms to get our content in front of our target audiences. We encourage parents and teachers to share our content, as appropriate, with the kids in their lives that will fuel other exploration, research, and discussion.

We also have started Cool Careers, a series of videos to introduce kids to high-demand careers they could have in the state of Kansas. This series is

designed for kids in grades 4-8. If a kid isn’t exposed to a career, they can’t dream of pursuing it. Each video includes a kid as a correspondent who gets a first-hand experience with the type of work and learns how to prepare for a job in that field. As of December 2021, we’ve published three of these videos, with 15 more planned over the next two and a half years. Videos are distributed through social media (including YouTube) and sent regularly to a growing mailing list of teachers. You can see these videos at hirepaths.com/cool-careers-videos.

Several KCA members have had employees featured in HirePath’s profiles. What’s involved in that? How do you use the profiles, and what does a KCA member need to do to have one of their employees profiled?

As part of KCA’s investment in HirePaths, we profile an employee of a KCA member every month.

We’re always looking for great career stories from your employees we can share that might inspire others to choose a career in heavy equipment construction. The process is simple. Once you’ve got an employee who has agreed to be featured, simply send me an email with the person’s contact information at kristin@newbostoncreative.com. We will email questions for the employee to answer, then our team will use those answers to write a story that the subject will get to approve before its published. The only other thing we need is a photo of the employee at work to go with the article. The story will be added to the website and promoted on social media. Employers also are encouraged to share these stories on their personal and business

HIREPATHS PROFILE

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Continued from page 15

HirePaths engages parents platforms for maximum reach and impact. Read some of our earlier construction-related profiles at https://hirepaths.com/profiles/constructionmanufacturing-profiles.

A follow-up to that – besides the profiles, what are some other ways a contractor can leverage HirePath’s resources?

We’d love to see KCA members actively championing our project with schools in your area and helping to share relevant articles and profiles on your social media channels. This will allow your company to benefit from the large volume of content we put out each month and support your recruitment efforts. If a business wants to get more involved, there are opportunities for individual members to become investors in the program.

And, at some point, we’ll probably do another Cool Careers video to highlight a job in your industry, and we’ll need to find a company with an employee willing to be featured like we featured Drone Pilot Paul Johnson of Hamm Companies last fall: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7gt-s2y_V4&t=1s KCA’s board recently prioritized workforce development. Our partnership with HirePaths is a big part of that. What do you see as the barriers to attracting more workers to our industry?

One of our goals with HirePaths is to keep more young people in our state. Right now, Kansas has one of the highest outward migration rates in the country (#6 in 2020). We’ve got to show young people there are a ton of opportunities for career success here without leaving the state.

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This is critical for our economy and population to grow. Right now, with so many unfilled jobs in our economy, wages are having to rise, making it harder to keep people in their jobs. Employees are job hopping as new opportunities arise, and we’re just trading employees between companies.

Kansas needs to increase the number of people in its workforce for this to stabilize. In my line of work, we always say it’s easier to keep a new client than earn a new client. We must show our young people that Kansas has the jobs, salaries, and quality of life they want, and then deliver on that promise, so we can keep a higher percentage of our high school graduates living here.

We also have a disconnect in the percentage of our high school graduates who earn a bachelor’s degree than what our state needs. Getting a higher percentage of students to enter skilled trades after high school will help us better balance the workforce we’re producing as a state, which will better support the needs of our employers.

How about the flipside of that – What are the greatest advantages we have going for us in attracting our next workforce?

Because workforce shortages are such a problem right now, many people are working hard to create solutions for this situation, which has created some new opportunities. Employers are having to offer higher wages and better benefits packages, including tuition reimbursement programs, to recruit and retain workers. To get more residents trained for workforce areas we’re lacking in, the state approved the Kansas Promise Scholarship,

which covers the costs of earning an associate's degree or certification in a number of highdemand fields. Our colleges and universities are also adapting and offering more professionaltrack majors to better prepare college graduates for high-demand areas such as health care, engineering, and construction sciences. Kansas doesn’t have mountains, oceans or other natural draws, but we do offer a great quality of life, affordable cost of living, low crime, great schools, and plenty of jobs with strong salaries to support families. We’ve just got to continue to be creative with how we approach talent recruitment and retention, with a big focus on keeping and recruiting young people in the state. I’m proud HirePaths is a key part of this solution, and very thankful KCA was willing to be an early investor in this program.

Thoughtful, Curious and Personal.

Kristin Brighton is one of the principals and founders of New Boston Creative Group LLC, an integrated marketing communications firm based in Manhattan. She also spearheads HirePaths to change parent perceptions regarding higher education.

As a consultant, she partners with businesses and nonprofits to build or revamp their brands using a complete spectrum of tools, from video production to digital marketing. She believes clients need to fully understand their audience for best results, and often conducts market research studies for clients to help identify the best messages and tactics for their marketing efforts.

Kristin was elected in 2019 to the USD 383 ManhattanOgden School Board, and she was the 2016 chair of the board for the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce. In 2017, she conducted a national research study exploring why Generation X and Millennials volunteer with their chambers of commerce and the greater community.

IMA Wealth is passionate about serving individuals, families, and business owners in helping them make financial decisions and progress towards their financial goals.

Through thoughtful plan design and holistic financial wellness programs, IMA Wealth has been helping employers design and implement effective retirement programs since 2001.

As the consultant for the Kansas Contractors Association, I can help you determine the overall effectiveness of your retirement plan.

Contact me to schedule a complimentary plan review.

Kevin Tessmer, AIF® Retirement Plan Specialist 913-302-3339 Kevin.tessmer@imacorp.com 9393 W. 110th St, Ste 600 Overland Park, KS 66210

KCA PAGE 17 KANSAS CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

KCA CO NV ENT IO N

FEATU RED SPEAKERS GOVERNOR LAURA KELLY

ATTORNEY GENERAL DEREK SCHMIDT

KEYNOTE SPEAKER JON MCGRAW

KDOT SECRETARY JULIE LORENZ

2022 C O NV EN T I ON SCHE DUL E

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26 3 p.m.

SUPPLIER/SERVICE DIVISION MEETING 5 to 8 p.m.

REGISTRATION OPEN 6 p.m.

RACE NIGHT: OPENING NIGHT RECEPTION

Help us kick off KCA’s 99th annual convention with an open bar, giveaways, food stations ... and racing entertainment you won’t want to miss!

Opening NIght sponsored by:

10:30 to 2:30 p.m.

SPOUSE APPRECIATION EVENT

TopGolf Overland Park We’ll depart from the hotel at 10:30 a.m. for the TopGolf facility where experts from Red Door Home Store will help us create a unique, high quality and on-trend custom creation for you to take home. We’ll enjoy lunch and play golf in the climatecontrolled hitting bays. You don’t have to have a good golf swing or make a lot of points to have a good time!

10:30 a.m. to Noon

CEO PANEL

Hear what CEOs have to say about challenges, their short-term and long-term forecast for the industry, and what keeps them up at night during this honest conversation about leadership in construction. Moderated by Dave Bauer of ARTBA, the panel will feature Randy Lake, Anne Noonan and Ward Nye.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27

Noon to 1:15 p.m.

7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

Lunch sponsored by:

Breakfast sponsored by:

1:15 p.m.

8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Ice Cream Social sponsored by:

WATERIN’ HOLE BREAKFAST

REGISTRATION OPEN 8 to 9 a.m.

INSIDE THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR

Be among the first business leaders in the state to hear from the frontrunners in the 2022 Race for Governor. The Republican candidate, Attorney General Derek Schmidt, will join us from 8 to 8:30 a.m. The incumbent and Democratic candidate, Governor Laura Kelly, will join us from 8:30 to 9 a.m.

9:15 to 10:30 a.m.

PERSPECTIVES FROM A FORMER NFL ATHLETE

Jon McGraw Former NFL player Jon McGraw will headline our 2022 convention.

He played for K-State before going on to play 10 years in the NFL, including with the Kansas City Chiefs. Today, Jon is a sought after keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and Performance Mindset trainer. He co-founded Vision Pursue where he has guided hundreds of corporate teams and sports franchises to success.

LUNCH WITH KEYNOTE JON MCGRAW

ICE CREAM SOCIAL 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

DIVISION MEETINGS

• Flexible Paving & KAPA membership meeting • Structures • Landscaping 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

DIVISION MEETINGS

• Aggregate Production & Light Type Surfacing • Utility Infrastructure • Grading & Railroads • Rigid Paving

3:30 to 5 p.m.

KCA CASINO GAMBLING

Try your hand at craps, blackjack, poker and roulette. Initial stake and open bar provided. Bid on prizes with your vouchers (only one voucher per person). All casino proceeds benefit the KCA Political Action Committee.

Casino sponsored by:

PAGE 18

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KANSAS CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

ARTBA PRESIDENT/CEO DAVE BAUER

RANDY LAKE GROUP EXEC-STRATEGIC OPS CRH AMERICA

ANNE NOONAN PRESIDENT/CEO SUMMIT COMPANIES

WARD NYE PRESIDENT/CEO MARTIN MARIETTA

SAFETY EXPERT DAVID MIGUEL

4:45 p.m.

KCA ACTION AUCTION

Bid on auction items, plus a chance to win three cash prizes or the grand prize of $10,000 in cash! Doors open at 4:45 p.m. Silent Auction ends at 5:30 p.m. Live auction bidding begins at 5:45 p.m.

Auction sponsored by:

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28 7:30 to 9 a.m.

KCA AWARDS BREAKFAST

with KDOT Secretary Julie Lorenz Join us for the annual KCA Awards Breakfast with honored guest Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz.

H OT E L R E S E R VA T IO N S

8:30 to 10:30 a.m.

New Location!

Sheraton Overland Park Hotel 6100 College Boulevard in Overland Park

9 to 10 a.m.

KCA Convention Rate: $149 per night Reservation Deadline: Friday, January 7, 2022

Breakfast sponsored by:

REGISTRATION OPEN “YTEFAS” – “SAFETY” SPELLED BACKWARDS

David Miguel David Miguel will lead this motivational, high impact safety session emphasizing the importance of being positive about safety, work in general and family life in particular. David has more than 27 years experience in construction, mining and general industry safety and health. He is a certified instructor with OSHA, MSHA, the American Safety & Health Institute and National Safety Council. David will offer a truthful, common sense, practical and highly personal approach to safety & health.

10 a.m.

BUSINESS MEETING & KDOT UPDATE

Greg Schieber, Director of Project Delivery and Burt Morey, Deputy Secretary and State Transportation Engineer will participate in the Annual Business Meeting and give a KDOT update.

Break Sponsors:

To make hotel reservations: Call 913-234-2100 or visit WeBuildKansas.com/convention.

H OW T O R E GI S T E R

Download the registration form at WeBuildKansas.com/convention, call the CA office at 785-266-4152, or email Nancy Delgado at ndelgado@webuildkansas.com.

Overall Convention Sponsors:

Shoeshine Sponsors:

KCA PAGE 19 KANSAS CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

TH E EX TR A MIL E

It's good to be back

BY MICHAEL WHITE KCA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

As we reach year-end – another year where COVID continued to impact our offices and jobsites, our social interactions and our economy – I have to tell you it feels good to be planning an in-person convention.

As we've had opportunities to come together this fall, the sentiment from our members, our staff and our sponsors has been the same: "it's good to be back." And, I know that will be especially true of our upcoming convention. Quite honestly, nothing compares to the energy, collaboration and tradition that comes with having all of us together and in-person for KCA's annual convention.

We've worked to make this return to an in-person event extra special with a new location (The Overland Park Sheraton) and a line-up of topnotch speakers: Jon McGraw, our keynote speaker, is a former NFL athlete. After playing for K-State and the Kansas City Chiefs, Jon focused his attention on helping others shift to a performance mindset – the kind of mindset that athletes and business owners alike can use to achieve focused results and hit peak performance.

We'll be one of the first organizations to hear from both gubernatorial candidates at our convention, an indication of the emphasis candidates

PAGE 20

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KANSAS CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

place on the support of KCA and our members.

Governor Laura Kelly and Attorney General Derek Schmidt will join us Thursday morning for an exclusive discussion about the Governor's race.

Our CEO panel is packed with some of the industry's top national leaders who won't hold back in sharing what excites them about the future of our industry and what keeps them up at night. Dave Bauer, president of of ARTBA, will moderate the discussion with CEOs Randy Lake, Anne Noonan and Ward Nye. KDOT Secretary Julie Lorenz will be part of our Safety Awards breakfast, and other KDOT leaders will join us during Friday's Business Meeting for an update on what we can expect to see coming out of the Department and the IKE Plan in 2022.

A special thank you to our convention sponsors who continue to make this tradition possible and productive for our industry. We couldn't do it without you!

While the experts don't know when life in general will be "back to normal," I know It will be good to be back together in January – as an industry and as friends. We'll see you soon!

As a family-owned business spanning three generations and more than 80 years, our family’s vision and values are woven through the fabric of Kansas’ history.

We’ve grown that vision from one store to 15 locations serving 144 counties.

While a lot has changed, Foley’s commitment to empowering the progress of our customers and the communities we serve has remained constant.

FOLEYEQ.COM 3 1 6 .9 4 3 .4 2 1 1

KCA

KANSAS CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

800 SW Jackson, Suite 100 Topeka, Kansas 66612 W eBui l dK a ns as .com

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

from all of us at KCA

Michael White Executive Director

Jamie Lane Director of Member Services

Nancy Delgado Administrative Coordinator