It's time to start planning for the 24th annual AGC Houston Barbecue Cook-off March 27 and 28 at the Sam Houston Race Park. Thousands of people are expected to converge on the Sam Houston Race Park as cook teams will man their barbecue pits around the clock for two days. Don't miss out on the Houston commercial construction industry's most popular event.There are plenty of ways to get your company name in front of industry professionals through sponsorships!

Don't delay and register today for the AGC of America Convention March 18-20, 2015, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. AGC Houston is proud that Chuck Greco, Chairman, Linbeck Group, LLC., will become President of AGC of America. This prestigious honor marks only the second time an AGC Houston Leader has led the organization to such a level since Warren S. Bellows in 1946. At the same time that Chuck will take his new position, Jerry Nevlud, President/CEO of AGC Houston will become Chairman of the Executive Leadership Council with the AGC of America’s organization of CEOs.

Get all the information you need electronically! The 2015 AGC Houston Resource & Membership Directory is available in digital format. Need extra copies? Come by the AGC Houston office.

Join us on March 3, 2015, from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the AGC Houston office, where The Council of Educational Facility Planners International and AGC Houston will discus the economic outlook for our local school districts. Guest facilitator Patrick J. Kiley will present a Houston MSA Economic and Construction Outlook, and other guests will speak about construction cost trends. For registration information or questions, please contact Amy Collins.

BIM Technology explores the major applications and classes of BIM tools across all project phases; how BIM processes for QTO, shop drawing and fabrication, and construction scheduling can improve projects; and the impact models have for improving estimating, scheduling, and coordinating.

This course meets the requirements of OSHA Paragraph 1926.50. Upon successfully completing the course, participants will receive an American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid and CPR/AED wallet card valid for two years.

The first AGC/TBB Safety Committee Meeting of 2015 will be held on February 19-20, 2015, at the AGC Houston office. This two-day meeting will cover topics such as AGCA Safety Meetings, OSHA at the state and national levels, and relevant legislative topics.

The Texas Building Branch Safety Committee is made up of professionals from all over the state and beyond. They are an excellent resource and this is a great networking opportunity. If you're interested in attending or would like more information, please contact AGC Houston Director of Safety Services, Kim Mason.

This trainer course will provide participants with the skills and knowledge to educate employers and employees on the hazards associated with H2S (hydrogen sulfide).

This construction 10-hour safety course covers the safety requirements as contained in 29 CFR 1926.This course is designed to provide entry-level construction workers with general awareness on recognizing and preventing hazards on a construction site.

The 2015 Annual AGC Houston Fair and Barbecue Cook-Off is right around the corner and it’s time to get fired up! We’d love for you to share your favorite photo with us! AGC will be raffling off a barbecue set and a gift card to Goode Company BBQ - Kirby. All those who submit photos are eligible to win.

Eighty percent of construction firms plan to expand their payrolls in 2015 while only seven percent expect to reduce headcounts according to survey results released today by the Associated General Contractors of America indicates that most contractors are optimistic about the year ahead and ready to expand but will have to cope with challenges including worker shortages and regulatory burdens.

With state funding for higher education long overdue, AGC Texas Building Branch will continue to actively advocate for campus construction projects during the 2015 legislative session.

Public universities in Texas are feeling the squeeze as they try accommodating growing class sizes with outdated buildings.The higher education community has responded by requesting roughly $3.6 billion in construction projects from the Legislature. To keep the AGC members informed, AGC TBB recently launched  Capitol Roundup, a weekly newsletter that is sent every Thursday around noon. For more information, questions or to submit additions for the newsletter, please contact Legislative Assistant Zach Buccheit.

Benefit from financial strength and a superior loss-control program. It is managed by a board composed of CompGroup AGC members—general contractors and subcontractors from all parts of Texas are represented. Learn more about membership benefits in the CompGroup AGC, Inc. today or click here for more information! Contact your insurance agent or call Program Administrator Roberts & Crow at 800-406-9614 — ask for Julie Schatz.

The AGC Alternative is a private insurance exchange that operates like an online store, making it easy for your employees to shop for health insurance and other benefits on their own or through the help of our dedicated employee hotline.

Did you know one of the many benefits of being an AGC Member is access to our résumé service? As a service to our members, we compile résumés of job-seeking professionals in the construction industry. To access this service, simply log in to the Members' Only section at agchouston.org to view the most current list.

AGC Houston and other AGC Texas chapters have joined forces to help promote careers in the commercial construction industry by launching Texasconstructioncareers.com. The Website offers a plethora of information on craft training and professional education resources and job fairs throughout Texas. Click here for more information.

AGC Houston is proud that six member companies have been selected as finalists in the AGC/Willis Construction Safety Excellence Awards national competition. The CSEA selection process is comprehensive with judges looking for evidence of company management commitment, active employee participation, safety training, work site hazard identification and control, and safety program innovation. To qualify, AGC Houston members must have participated in the program for the past three years.

Mike Holland has recently been named to the position of Chief Operating Officer by The Marek Companies, headquartered in Houston. Holland will oversee the operations for the award-winning specialty subcontractor’s offices in Houston, Dallas-Ft Worth, San Antonio, Austin and Atlanta.

Hatfield Construction recently announced The Cunae International School expansion project in The Woodlands. The project consists of three out buildings to accommodate the school's growing enrollment, anticipated to cater to approximately 140 students in the next school year; further expansion is planned for the following year to accommodate up to 210 students," said Mrs. Anji Price, Director/Owner of Cunae International School. The school's enlargement is reflective of the exponential growth of The Woodlands due to an increasing number of businesses moving to the area including ExxonMobil, the new Westin Hotel and Methodist Hospital, among many other restaurants and small businesses.

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. was recently chosen as the general contractor for the Museum of Fine Arts Houston's $450 million redesign project. The 14-acre campus redevelopment consists of a new 164,000-square-foot exhibition building, the new 80,000-square-foot Glassell School of Art, a parking garage with two levels below grade, a rooftop garden, architecturally significant tunnel connectors, extensive site development and a central plant. Construction is expected to begin in July and is scheduled for completion in 2019.

Contact Catherine Bezman or Jaclyn Lee with your information and photos.

ARC Document Solutions will be holding a happy hour and technology show on Thursday, February 25, 2015, from 5-7 p.m. at the Saint Arnold's Brewery to showcase their latest technology being used within the commercial construction industry. ARC will be featuring the newly launched document management solution system for the construction industry, SKYSITE, iBIM technology, and much more. Submit completed registration forms to: ARC by February 19.

The final piece of the Senate's transportation solution fell into place Feb. 4 as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and his Transportation Committee Chair, Sen. Robert Nichols, unveiled bills to divert vehicle sales tax revenue to a permanent funding stream for transportation. The Senate's proposed components to fund transportation this biennium include what is now $2.6 billion out of the state's Rainy Day Fund; the end of $1.2 billion in diversions out of state's motor vehicle fuel taxes; and $1.2 billion out of vehicle sales tax. That puts new transportation funding this session at roughly $5 billion.

For many trades, the complexity of the workforce shortage issue is the challenge. This includes lack of craft and safety training, misclassification of craft workers as subcontractors thereby avoiding payment of overtime and payroll taxes such as social security, and not providing employee benefits or workers’ compensation insurance coverage—often in the pursuit of low bid and covered up by a seeming limitless supply of undocumented workers who labor in the shadows, which depresses wages.

The ACE Mentor Program is currently recruiting for new committee members for 2015! The ACE Program has recently increased by over 100 students and has moved to a bigger, better location. ACE needs help in the following committee areas: communications, fundraising, accounting, grant writing, and event judging, If you're interested in becoming a part of ACE, please contact Angela Cotie, Gilbane Building Company, Chairman of the Board, for more information.

The Houston Independent School District is seeking participants for the When I Grow Up Career Expo, which will be held on Saturday, April 11, 2015 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the HISD Administration Building. This free event is a great opportunity to showcase careers at your company, educate students on potential career fields, and engage parents at the same time. In previous years, the event drew thousands of attendees from all over Houston. To register or for more information, click here.