It has been a very busy year for both our company and the association. We left the summer

meeting with renewed enthusiasm for our business and, equally important, enthusiasm for

subject areas the CFA needed to address.

We live in an ever-changing world, and I have come to realize and understand the need to

run our businesses differently than we have in the past. The handshake days and the readily

available, high-quality, experienced labor pool is all but gone. These two areas are target

issues the CFA is addressing through education and business programming.

“If you are willing to do more than you are paid to do, eventually you will be paid to do more than you do.”

(anonymous)

A comprehensive safety and compliance program for the concrete industry is well

underway. We have a very active Safety Committee with professional help available to

them to develop a comprehensive all- inclusive Safety Program. We are also looking into

a national alliance program with OSHA to see if that type of relationship might benefit

our organization and industry. Education sessions generated by these programs will help

in alleviating OSHA citations of noncompliance that are becoming more common in our

industry. I believe we all have the same common goal of increasing safety awareness and

understanding.

On a different note, you have probably heard many of us talk about “the CFA experience”

and I would like to share one with you. The Bartley Corp. and our company shared

workforces and experience on a job this summer. It has been said that “you don’t know

what you don’t know.” This experience made me realize what I did know, but I hadn’t

realized the potential value it would have to both of our companies. We learned a lot from

each other. This was a perfect example of a true “CFA experience.”

Making a similar effort to find ways for your employees to share their experiences with

those from another company can be an eye-opener and a game-changer. This experience

now tops my list of CFA experiences and is a highlight of my career.

The CFA is here to represent the interests and needs of our industry. Realistically, this

can only happen with input from each and every one of you. We would like to know what

information or issues you would like to see addressed that are pertinent to you and your

company. We welcome your input, questions, concerns and suggested areas of need.

I hope to see everyone in Las Vegas in January at the World of Concrete. Please stop by to

visit us at the CFA Booth.

Dennis Purinton

Purinton Builders Inc.

purintonbuilders@yahoo.com