Take a moment to read the article in this issue of Concrete Facts about this year’s recipients of the CFA’s professional awards. As the executive director, it brings me great pride and joy to continue seeing the variety of individuals and companies who provide thought leadership, issue challenges, and roll up their sleeves to drive us forward. I have the pleasure of working under the direction of a tremendous board of directors, a team comprised of people who are as passionate about the businesses of you, the readers, as they are about their very own. This is the same feeling I get time and time again as I travel the country and am given opportunities to engage in advocacy and provide technical guidance.

Having had the fortune of sitting down with numerous great leaders this summer at #CFACON21, the Concrete Foundations Convention, I can’t help but feel we have begun to embrace the next decade of opportunity. Are we still facing a form-tie shortage? Yes. Are we still losing the labor battle or, at least, finding the effort to be ten times harder than ever before to find quality workers? Yes. Still, the contractors who drive this industry are the ones contributing to this Association and evidencing the cultural shift that must take place to make this specific workforce segment attractive.

What distinguishes companies today is not the volume of their work projects, the number of awards they win, or the number of crews they manage. Where I see companies setting the new standard is in their workforce investments. Empowering tomorrow’s leaders by making them today’s learners is currently the most important step a construction company can make. This must begin with the company’s owners and leaders. It may not be possible for us all to travel to a resort for three days of learning, but we have seen how a network can be extremely effective when it leverages the accessibility of a digital framework, virtual meetings, and teleconferences. Ultimately, of course, these virtual efforts will lead back to the preferred and advantageous format of in-person engagement, and this is where investing in your crews comes in.

Perma-Structo and Hottmann Construction both won awards this year, and they were recognized for their commitment to their workforce. They are examples of companies that, in the past year or so, have stepped outside of their comfort zones to respond to their realization that challenging their workforce’s intellect is the best way to engage their passion for work. Education is your most powerful tool to build up your team. Investing in educating the leadership and employees will lead to building out your capabilities and building confidence in your future.

Our mission and vision remains clear: to build the CFA into the strongest representative and advocate for the residential contractor while maintaining a vibrant network for collaboration and resources to challenge companies to develop in the directions they desire. Congratulations to this year’s winning organizations who are setting the pace for tomorrow.