Join us on April 9, 2015 at The Hess Club for the 2015 Patrick J. Kiley Excellence in Leadership Scholarship Awards Breakfast! Began in 1996 and named in honor of past AGC Houston past Executive Vice President, Patrick J. Kiley, this scholarship fund has raised more than $352,000 in scholarships for students seeking degrees in construction-related disciplines.

Please join us for this information-packed luncheon! You will hear from AGC Houston staff, active members and company representatives about the many benefits of AGC Houston. It's perfect for new and current AGC Houston members who want to learn more about what AGC offers and how to get the most from your membership.

Save the date! A tradition for 20 years, this tournament brings owners, architects and the construction industry on the green at the private Champion's Golf Club. 

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.

Completion of this course meets the requirements of OSHA Paragraph 1926.50, and participants will receive an American Heart Association Heartsaver First Aid and CPR/AED wallet card valid for two years upon course completion.

BIM Contract Negotiation and Risk Allocation is a full-day course that examines BIM and contract terminology to determine best practices for integrating BIM use into project contracts.

This six-session class will focus the fundamentals of construction plans and document reading. Each class section meets every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for two consecutive weeks.

This course covers the requirements for the establishment, maintenance, and monitoring of a respiratory protection program.

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.

Save 20% on AGC of America's "Diversity Rules: Harassment Prevention, Sensitivity and Correction Training for Construction Workers & Supervisors" when using the code HR20 now through March 31, 2015. Created exclusively for the construction industry, Diversity Rules is one DVD with two training videos, each designed to aid construction employers with harassment prevention, sensitivity and correction training. Learn more here.

Jeramy Moffitt, LEED AP, was recently promoted to Vice President of Brookstone, LP. He began his career at Brookstone in November of 2002 as an Assistant Estimator. In addition to continuing to be the lead estimator on specific projects, Jeramy will be directly responsible for the estimating department’s practices, standards and continuing education. "Jeramy has proven his dedication, value and commitment to our future and we are privileged to have him on our team and to recognize his advancement within our company," says Steve Dishman, President.

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

Congratulations to Shelly Miller of Steel Masters, LP on being selected as the AGC Houston BBQ Cook-Off Photo Contest Winner! Shelly was the proud recipient of a Goode Company Barbeque gift card and new grill set. You'll see Shelly and the rest of the Steel Masters, LP team at the 2015 AGC BBQ Cook-Off on March 27-28 at the Sam Houston Race Park where they'll try to reclaim their Best Hospitality title!

The Leadership AGC class traveled to The Texas State Capitol on Thursday, March 12 for the 2015 AGC Texas Building Branch Legislative Day where they had the opportunity to meet with elected officials and discuss issues important to the commercial construction industry. Over 120 contractors were in attendance along with 19 House members and several staff from other House and Senate offices.

The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston will use a $75 million gift from The Sealy & Smith Foundation to renovate the John Sealy Hospital. The 12-story hospital, which was built in the 1970s, will be renovated inside and out. The entire project will cost approximately $133 million, and UTMB will fund the remaining $58 million through debt and local sources. UTMB has not named an architecture firm or contractor yet, a spokesman said. The improvements and upgrades will include reconfiguring floors three through seven to provide women's and children's services.

State funding for college campus construction projects has been described by many around Texas as "long overdue." This year, various construction associations, educators, and others are pushing lawmakers to approve as much as $3.6 billion in new buildings at multiple college campuses. Most of these projects could be funded by something called Tuition Revenue Bonds (TRB), which are floated by tuition and fees. Senator Seliger’s Senate Bill 150 would spend about $2.9 billion on 64 projects. The largest of those would be $90 million for a health and biomedical sciences center at the University of Houston.

In an effort to assist Houston area employers with compliance of federal Wage and Hour laws, the Department of Labor, Houston District Office, will begin offering monthly compliance assistance workshops to employers. These free workshops will cover various Wage and Hour laws and topics relating to specific industries and pay practices. This outreach program will kick off on March 26 with our Wage and Hour 101:  What to expect during a WH investigation workshop. For more information or to register, please contact Ana Arrendondo, Department of Labor, Community Outreach Houston District Office.

Registration is now open for the Gulf Coast’s largest sustainability conference on Friday, March 27, 2015, at the Norris Conference Center in the City Centre complex. The conference features three speaker tracks and keynote presentations by city planner and urban designer Jeff Speck and Mike Lydon of The Street Plans Collaborative. Click here for registration information and for information on collateral events associated with GCG this year.