Concrete Facts Magazine Online

Chapin Concrete Anchors the Return of Certified Foundation Companies to South Carolina

Some of the concrete foundations constructed in the state of South Carolina will once again be produced by the state’s only CFA-certified foundation company, Chapin Concrete Contractors Inc., a company based out of Chapin, South Carolina. “Certified Residential Foundation Company” is a program rating that offers third-party quality assurance for professional concrete foundation companies. This program rating was established by the Concrete Foundations Association (www.cfaconcretepros.org), an organization headquartered in Mount Vernon, Iowa.

Recognizing the need for a national program to establish a consistent base of knowledge and quality assurance for the cast-in-place concrete foundation industry, the Concrete Foundations Association™ of North America created the Certified Residential Foundation Company program over a decade ago. The program currently recognizes certified companies in the states of Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and, once again, South Carolina.

“The Certified Foundation Company program continues to elevate companies that choose one of the most professional paths for demonstrating their quality, craftsmanship, and commitment to the marketplace,” stated Jim Baty, Executive Director for the CFA. “The evolving program builds on the technical requirements of the Certified Residential Foundation Technician that is offered through the American Concrete Institute.”

Introduced in 2007, the technician program established a grueling examination of a company’s knowledge base in regards to their understanding of the codes and standards that make up the minimum requirements for today’s residential concrete foundations. However, having a person on staff (or multiple project managers) who knows the important code document sections was only a start to formally recognizing a concrete company’s competency. The industry needed a recognizable standard for how quality foundation companies should operate.

Chapin Concrete Contractors Inc., established in 2012, has stepped out to be recognized for the excellence they produce, having been a division of Ashmore Concrete Contractors Inc. up until now.

The company recognized that, in this aggressively growing economy, one of the clearest ways to show commitment to excellence and industry leadership is to be credentialed in the major segments of the industry’s services. Chris Marra, vice president for the company, became an ACI/CFA Certified Foundation Technician during a recent World of Concrete event. “The obvious next step for us to take was to pursue this company being recognized as a CFA Certified Foundation Company,” said Marra. “Chapin carries a lot of pride as we service our customers, and we want them to know our level of commitment to employing top-skill laborers as well as maintaining the strongest business practices.”

When the CFA’s certification program for companies first began, South Carolina saw an early market leader set the pace — Action Concrete Contractors, who are no longer serving the market. “Chapin has entered the landscape of concrete construction in the southeast that few can match,” said Baty. “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to evaluate their credentials and now represent them to the marketplace.”

Chapin Concrete Contractors Inc. is proud to be able to hold a strong place in the southeast construction landscape. “We know the commitment to becoming certified is a combination of our statement to the marketplace as well as to the potential workforce,” said Marra. “We hope every potential hire that walks into our office recognizes the value this establishes for their commitment to the process.”

Learning From Leading: Convention 2020 Wrapped Up

Each year, the Concrete Foundations Convention brings together concrete contractors, designers, and suppliers from across the country for three days of education, networking, awards, technology, and much, more! Although the global pandemic prevented gathering in-person in a normal fashion, that did not stop the Concrete Foundations Association from hosting a virtual event unlike any other. The event was complete with an expanded education program, a full expo hall, product demos, a showcase pavilion where attendees were able to vote on the Projects of the Year, and live entertainment. This year’s participants were able to engage in an environment that kept each person safe at home or in an office while also expanding the ideas of what practical networking can be all about.

The CFA partnered with VirBELA and Event Farm to provide an innovative alternative to connect people in this industry with their peers, helping everyone find ways to better their businesses! Concrete Foundations Convention took place in an avatar-based, virtual campus, with all of the professionalism, energy, and enthusiasm our members have come to expect. The event registered nearly 300 participants, 34 education sessions, 5 promotion partners, 19 sponsors, and 27 exhibiting companies, and it was reported by many to be a great success! 2020 has demanded that we be innovative in the ways we work, communicate, learn and gather. Although we were saddened by the harsh reality that we were unable to welcome attendees to Charleston, the decision to go virtual was not only an easy decision, but one the CFA was proud to make. 

The staff spent countless hours researching the best platform for this event as we approached the moment for determining what to do with the scheduled Charleston convention. The CFA Board of Directors reviewed strategies offered by the CFA staff and ultimately supported the risk-management effort proposed as the leading option by the executive director. It was important to find a user-friendly platform with the ability to feature products in an exhibition hall that was engaging and allowed exhibitors the opportunity to chat with attendees throughout the event. Additionally, many companies were interested in broadening access to education, an ambition a virtual experience could facilitate — so the conditions were right for an avatar-based campus.

The expanded education program consisted of six education tracks, providing diverse ways for companies to benefit from the ease of access to learning. The six categories were: executives, safety managers, field crews and wall foremen, shop/facility managers, operations/HR, and project managers.

“Traditionally, this event brings together industry-leading owners and executives from across the country,” said James Baty, executive director of the CFA. “In going virtual, we were able to make attendance very economical, eliminate travel expenses, and expand our education tracks of interest to a very broad range that included management and workforce interests,” said Baty. “From concrete basics and construction practice to the trusted higher-level strategy sessions our regular attendees are accustomed to, we were thrilled to be able to draw attendees from the workforce who typically would not be able to attend an in-person event.”

In addition to the expanded education program, the event featured an expo hall with 27 exhibiting companies, many of which were event sponsors. “One of the reasons we host this event is for our supplier and manufacturer members to communicate new technologies and foster meaningful relationships with their customer base,” Baty“The amount of support we had for this event not only allowed us to offer deeply discounted registration prices and cover a lot of the expenses that came with the platform, but it gave attendees the chance to connect with new products and technologies that will make their next project safer and more cost efficient at a time when it’s needed the most.”

Going virtual came with many benefits: expanded programing, broadened participation, and deeply reduced registration costs and other expenses, to name a few. In addition to these benefits, for the first time ever, the CFA was able to showcase Projects of the Year videos in a space called the Showcase Pavilion. Each video featured the Projects of the Year nominations in great detail, showing the beauty and elements that are often hidden once the project is complete. Attendees were able to enter the space throughout the week to watch the videos and vote for the projects they deemed best for each category. 

The three-day event wrapped up with live music on the beach stage from Full Moon Horizons. “You could definitely see a different side of our attendees as they made their avatars dance to the music on the beach,” said Baty. “I don’t think we would have seen nearly as much dancing at an in-person event. Although, when we’re able to gather in person again, I look forward to seeing everyone’s real dance moves at the closing social.”

“One of the highlights to my year is the CFA Summer Convention,” said Jason Ells, senior Vice President of Custom Concrete. “It’s a place that I get to meet people in similar roles dealing with similar issues in our industry. It’s an opportunity to learn about the latest and greatest in technology and equipment, and I get to hear from some of our industry experts on best practices to run our business safely and effectively,” said Ells. “I assumed this, like so many other exciting things, would be canceled due to the pandemic. To my surprise, Jim and the team at the CFA headquarters pulled a rabbit out of their hat. With this technology, we were able to meet and talk with people to catch up, we got to see the new technology and equipment, and learn from the best and the brightest in our industry.”

The companies that took a risk and rose to the challenge of helping in the development of this event included some CFA Platinum Sponsors, namely Irving Equipment Company, ICC Distributing LLC, Verizon Connect, and Form-A-Drain; some Gold Sponsors, namely GMX Waterproofing Solutions, GCI Stone Slingers, and Max USA; and some Silver Sponsors, namely White Cap, Crew Tracks, Fox Blocks, Thermomass, Euclid Company, Cranes and Equipment Company, Prinsco, Western Forms, Robotic Surveying Solutions, Badger Forms, Progressive Foam, and Boman Kemp.

“On behalf of the entire CFA staff and our Board of Directors, I want to express our sincere thank you to everyone who was a part of this year’s event,” Baty said. “While we look forward to someday being able to gather in person again, our network demonstrated an effective way we can come together during these uncertain times and generate significant leadership and learning that evidence why we are now advancing our #CFAConcretePros brand.”

Watch  www.cfaconcretepros.org for more information on future events so as not to miss engaging with this practical and enjoyable approach to education, networking, and product development as the future of expanded access to learning becomes increasingly prevalent and sought out.

The Times They Are a-Changin’

I have had this tumultuous and famous Bob Dylan ballad playing in my head for weeks now, as change is perhaps more noticeable during this season than during any other time of year. Color, temperature, atmosphere — all is evidencing a transformation. Serious storms, raging fires, a planet in stress — I wonder if Dylan would have added more stanzas to his poem if he had written it today. Funny how much of what is written these days gets at the same thoughts Dylan penned about the 1960s.

There is a peculiar counter idea to the lyrics written by Dylan, however; it is summarized in this quote written in the mid-1880s by Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr: “The more things change, the more they remain the same.” Karr, a teacher by profession, was at that point the editor of the newspaper Le Figaro and a monthly journal called Les Guêpes. Without getting into the politics of this particular phrase or risking applying it to either side of the present political environment, I will say that I find the comparison of these two epigrams electric. Caught in the middle is the even older theory held by Heraclitus of Ephesus, “panta rhei,” which is Greek for “life is flux”— the idea that everything, or all things, change. That is, even change changes.

So, in my wonderings during this time (paired with my lack of wanderings), we set sail on the latest course and the newest of changes for your Association. I favor change. I’m inspired by it, motivated by the opportunity it creates, and eager to work on aspects of resolving the threads initiated by it. For if change does not exist, particularly in an organization such as this, complacency can set in; or worse, we can become irrelevant.  

One absolutely cannot describe the Concrete Foundations Association as irrelevant. We hosted the industry’s first virtual event, the #CFAAtTheEcho, and the experience was as much like a physical event as possible. Your staff has launched a new website solely aimed at interaction, a trusted place for you to participate in and bear witness to the CFA community. In this issue, we are excited to introduce new board members who are ready to answer the challenge of having a new executive committee turning up the heat on what we can be. Later this fall, the board will be entering a strategic planning session (which has not been undertaken since 2012) as we look for ways to advance the momentum established by such industry-leading efforts.

We know Dylan and Karr to be prophetic in every generation, and Heraclitus, in the end, to ring truest of all. Life is lived one moment of change after the other. It isn’t about resisting change or directing change, but about realizing that change is opportunity. Those who lead and follow through change will arrive at the end better because of it… just, perhaps, in very different places. I’m grateful for those of you in this Association who are participating in being part of the leading edge.

Moving the Association Forward

In July, the Concrete Foundations Association held our annual convention online. The virtual event was a big success and a bright spot in a summer filled with uncertainty.

During that convention, I was elected president of the association. I am incredibly honored to serve this association and to follow in the footsteps of past presidents. The list of past presidents is a long record of intelligent, enthusiastic leaders that have wanted to help their fellow contractor. With the past presidents’ hard work and dedication, this association has changed the entire industry for the better.

I’m excited to work with the CFA Board of Directors; the executive director, Jim Baty; and his staff to improve our industry and support cast-in-place contractors.

Thank you to Phil Marone, who served as president over the last two years. He now becomes the chairman of the board. I also want to thank Jason Ells, who will become vice president; Sean Smith, who is stepping in as secretary; and Ken Kurszewski, who is the new treasurer. And I extend a big thank you to the new and continuing board members, whose names are too many to list here but can be found on the previous page.

Those who serve on the board of directors give their time and money to attend meetings in an effort to determine the best direction for the association. For all of us, these are unpaid jobs that we squeeze in to our already busy lives. But, the payoff for the time and effort spent is immeasurable. For example, we form friendships with fellow members who we can call throughout the year to get an opinion or solve a problem, and we improve the entire residential concrete industry through educating and assisting cast-in-place contractors.

I look forward to my two-year term as president of the CFA, and I look forward to improving our association and our industry.

If there is something you’d like the association to focus on or if there is a way for us to assist you in your business, please send me an email. I’d like to hear what you have to say and figure out a way to help. 

To your success,

Doug Herbert, CFA President 

Putzmeister, America, Inc. Announces Bob Bartholomew as President and Chief Executive Officer

Putzmeister America, Inc. announces Bob Bartholomew as President and CEO for Putzmeister America. Bob, who has served for over five months as interim CEO, provided strong leadership to the Putzmeister team and delivered excellent results during a challenging time. 

A visionary leader, dedicated team player and action-oriented manager, Bob will lead the Putzmeister America business into a bright future by successfully navigating the challenges and opportunities of the current economic climate. 

Bob joined the Putzmeister team in 2018 as CFO.  He is a global finance leader with over 25 years of progressive leadership experience in diverse manufacturing and financial services industries. His background includes finance and operational leadership, multi-site accountability, emerging market development, and international experience in different areas of responsibility.  

“I am very excited to be take on this role.  Putzmeister has a talented management team and dedicated team members who are uniquely equipped to address these challenging times. Our market leadership resonates very strongly in the industry.  Our team, together with our current and future product offerings, position Putzmeister well to capitalize on that market leadership.  Every Putzmeister team member is focused on delivering the best and the highest quality products and services to our customers.  My mission is to lead this team to even greater accomplishments.” 

Bob Bartholomew – CEO, Putzmeister, America, Inc.

In his new role, Bob will report to Martin Knoetgen, CEO of Putzmeister Holding GmbH (Germany), and he will remain based at Putzmeister America’s headquarters in Sturtevant, Wisconsin. He can be reached at bob.bartholomew@putzmeister.com. 

WHITE CAP AND CONSTRUCTION SUPPLY GROUP COMBINE TO CREATE $4 BILLION MARKET-LEADING DISTRIBUTOR OF CONCRETE ACCESSORIES AND SPECIALTY CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS

Transaction Will Enhance Capabilities to Serve Professional Contractors with Broader Product & Service Offerings and Expanded Reach

ATLANTA, GA – October 19, 2020 – White Cap Supply Holdings, LLC (“White Cap”) and Construction Supply Group (“CSG”) announce today the successful separation of White Cap from HD Supply and its combination with CSG. The combined transaction, valued at approximately $4 billion and including an investment by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (“CD&R”) funds, creates the leading North American distributor of a diverse mix of concrete accessories and specialty construction and safety products by revenues with more than $4 billion annually.

Following the transaction, CD&R funds hold a 65 percent ownership interest in the combined company, and the prior shareholders of CSG, led by The Sterling Group, hold a 35 percent interest.

CSG and White Cap have highly complementary product offerings and geographic footprints, aligned cultures and strong talent focused on providing exceptional customer service to professional contractors. John Stegeman, CEO of White Cap, and Alan Sollenberger, President of White Cap, will lead the combined business.

“Both White Cap and CSG share the same vision of continuous growth with the goal to relentlessly improve customer service,” said John Stegeman. “By joining together, our platform allows expansion of our product and service offerings across more than 400 locations in 46 U.S. States and 8 Canadian Provinces. Our goal is to provide even greater value for our customers and enhance our ability to serve with excellence. This is an incredibly exciting time for our associates, customers, and suppliers.”

The combined strength of White Cap and CSG will include:

• An outside sales force of over 850 associates with significant industry experience

• More than 1,000 inside and counter sales associates to deliver on our promise of two-hour ready will call at our locations

• Nearly 2,000 delivery vehicles to enable our same day or next day service to job sites

• A comprehensive offering of 400,000+ products from more than 4,500 suppliers

“Both businesses have incredible histories of exceptional customer service,” said Alan Sollenberger. “As we join together, we will continue to build on our vast experiences and stronger future by investing in focused local growth initiatives with the support of our national platform.”

“Our goal with this transformational combination is to bring to life the many benefits of our combination for our customers,” said John Stegeman.

About White Cap

White Cap serves as a one-stop shop providing concrete accessories and chemicals, tools and equipment, building materials and fasteners, erosion and waterproofing and safety products to professional contractors by meeting their distinct and customized supply needs in non-residential, residential and infrastructure end markets. White Cap operates 268 branches with approximately 5,300 employees and offers more than 400,000 SKUs to 200,000 customers. For more information, visit www.whitecap.com.

About Construction Supply Group 

CSG is a leader in the distribution of specialty construction materials, accessories and tools, primarily for professional concrete and masonry contractors in the United States and Canada. With over 132 branches and approximately 2,000 employees, CSG offers over 60,000 SKUs to over 65,000 customers. For more information, visit www.constructionsupplygroup.com.  

About Clayton, Dubilier & Rice

Founded in 1978, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice is a private investment firm. Since inception, CD&R has managed the investment of more than $30 billion in 95 companies with an aggregate transaction value of more than $150 billion. The Firm has offices in New York and London. For more information, visit www.cdr-inc.com.

About The Sterling Group

Founded in 1982, The Sterling Group is a private equity investment firm that targets controlling interests in basic manufacturing, distribution, and industrial services companies. Typical enterprise values of these companies range from $100 million to $750 million. Sterling has sponsored the buyout of 57 platform companies and numerous add-on acquisitions for a total transaction value of over $14.0 billion. Currently, Sterling has over $4.0 billion of assets under management. For further information, please visit www.sterling-group.com.

OSHA Webinar Launches 7th Annual National Stand-Down To Prevent Falls on Sept. 14, 2020

U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration Office of Communications Washington, D.C. www.osha.gov

For Immediate Release September 11, 2020 Contact: Office of Communications Phone: 202-693-1999

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced today that it will host a webinar on Monday, Sept. 14, 2020, to kick-off the 7th annual National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, Sept. 14-18, 2020. OSHA will conduct the webinar on Monday, Sept. 14 at 1 p.m. EDT. Featured speakers include:

• Loren Sweatt, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health
• Scott Ketcham, Director, OSHA Directorate of Construction
• John Howard, MD, Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Scott Earnest, PhD, Director, NIOSH Office of Construction Safety and Health
• Chris Trahan Cain, Executive Director, Center for Construction Research and Training

Register in advance for the webinar. Follow the webinar at #StandDown4Safety and #2020kickoff.

The Stand-Down encourages companies and workers to pause during the workday for topical discussions, safety demonstrations, and training in hazard recognition and fall prevention. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, OSHA is encouraging employers to promote fall safety virtually or while employing social distancing practices among small groups.

OSHA anticipates thousands of employers nationwide to participate this year. To guide their efforts, the agency is offering a National Fall Prevention Safety Stand-Down webpage with information on conducting a successful event, how to post local events, and additional educational resources in English and Spanish. Employers are encouraged to provide feedback after their events and to obtain a personalized certificate of participation.

For a list of the week’s activities, please visit the Stand-Down events page at https://www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown/calendar.html.

The fall-prevention stand-down is a national campaign that was developed in partnership between OSHA, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) and the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR). Also supporting the event this year are OSHA-approved State Plans, state consultation programs, American Society of Safety Engineers, National Safety Council, National Construction Safety Executives, U.S. Air Force, OSHA Training Institute Education Centers and several Hispanic organizations.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.

# # #

U.S. Department of Labor news materials are accessible at http://www.dol.gov. The Department’s Reasonable Accommodation Resource Center converts departmental information and documents into alternative formats, which include Braille and large print. For alternative format requests, please contact the Department at (202) 693-7828 (voice) or (800) 877-8339 (federal relay).

National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction

Again this year, the Concrete Foundations Association is participating as a promotion and awareness partner with OSHA to bring contractors resources to improve their communication and practices for keeping workers safe.

The 7^th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction next week (September 14-18, 2020), Doug Kalinowski, Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs has provided a wealth of new tools and resources to assist workplaces in participating in the Stand-Down:

• Official Stand-Down Kickoff: Monday Sept 14^th 1 PM EST virtual webinar featuring:
  • Loren Sweatt, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health
  • Scott Ketcham, Director, OSHA’s Directorate of Construction
  • John Howard, M.D., NIOSH Director
  • Scott Earnest, PhD, PE, CSP, NIOSH, Director, Office of Construction Safety and Health
  • Chris Trahan Cain, Executive Director, CPWR- The Center for Construction Research and Training
  • Register here

• Drop-in banner: Download a banner [English or Spanish] designed for the Fall Stand-Down you can adapt for use in raising awareness about the Fall Stand-Down in newsletters, e-mail blasts, and even social media.

• Stand-Down Events: Stand-Down events and trainings that are free and open to the public are now being added to the Events section of the Stand-Down webpage. Find an event near you, or, if you plan to host a free event that is open to the public, submit the event details or contact your Regional Stand-Down Coordinator.

• Resources:
  • New – [Videos] Stand Down Stories from the Outer Banks, North Carolina; Baker Roofing Company, Virginia Beach; and The Massachusetts Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program
  • New – 2019 Data Analysis: Factsheet and Full Report
  • New – Regional Hispanic Contractors Association Stand Down Virtual Training Opportunity English or Spanish Registration
  • New– NECA Stand Down Webinar: NECA will be presenting a Falls Stand-Down on Tuesday, September 15^th at 2pm EST. It appears to be on the heels of the NRCA 30 minute session that are on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, (12:30 CST, 1:30 EST). Register here. (Flyer attached)
  • New– CPWR podcast “7^th Annual Safety Stand-Down Event” is now live. It can be streamed on various platforms (more info here). Embedded it in the One-Stop Stand-Down shop for easy access: https://stopconstructionfalls.com/one-stop-stand-down-shop/
    • Dr. G. Scott Earnest, NIOSH Associate Director for Construction, discusses the National Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction and 7th annual Safety Stand-Down event. The Stand-Down is scheduled for September 14-18, 2020. This year may look different​ due to COVID-19, but CPWR, NIOSH, and OSHA have plenty of ideas for participating virtually or at a safe social distance.
  • New – Small Business Focus Postcard & Stand-Down site “Plan Provide Trade”Developed by the NORA Falls Work Group in conjunction with the postcard pilot project in both English and Spanish (Preventing Falls Post Cards attached) 
  • New – CPWR Generic Fall Protection Plan template available in English and Spanish
  • Order your 2020 Stand-Down hard-hat stickers and fall-related hazard alert here
  • 2020 Infographics  
  • Include Stand-Down hashtags! #StandDown4Safety #StopFalls #Construction
  • OSHA Fall Stand Down Poster here (Spanish)
  • Additional resources are available here

OSHA offers as a reminder, anyone who wants to prevent hazards in the workplace can participate in the Stand-Down. Companies can conduct a Safety Stand-Down by taking a break to have a toolbox talk or another safety activity such as conducting safety equipment inspections, developing rescue plans, or discussing job specific hazards. Managers are encouraged to plan a stand-down that works best for their workplace anytime. See Suggestions to Prepare for a Successful “Stand-Down” and Highlights from the Past Stand-Downs.

Advancing the Value of Affinity Programs – Advancea LLC Acquires Minnesota Based Business AdvantEdge Inc, Expanding Affinity Program and Services

July 10, 2020 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Advancea, LLC announced today the acquisition of Minnesota based Business AdvantEdge Inc. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Established in 1999, Business AdvantEdge was originally formed to serve trade associations and their members as a Group Purchasing Organization (GPO). Today, Business AdvantEdge, along with its industry partners, serves tens of thousands of SMB entities and has greatly expanded its affinity programs in scale and diversity. Fortune 500 suppliers and other key business partners recognize that the GPO model allows them cost-effective access to a broad base of small-to-medium customers, translating into volume discounts and other valuable benefits for members.

Mary Hazzard, President of Business AdvantEdge, will work closely with the Advancea management team to ensure a seamless transition.

“Advancea and its team bring a new level of technology that will support our customers and vendors, in addition to other solutions that are cutting edge. We are thrilled to see what synergies develop as a result!”

Mary Hazzard, President of Business AdvantEdge

“We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to build and grow the Business AdvantEdge brand as a division of Advancea. Mary has developed strong relationships with top-tier suppliers that complement the existing Advancea portfolio very well and help us accomplish our goal of advancing the value of our affinity programs for our association clients and their members.”

Lucas McCann, CEO of Advancea

CFA Member Access

CFA membership brings access to Business AdvantEdge now operated by Advancea. For more information on access this exclusive buying program, contact CFA staff at 319-895-6940 or logging in to your membership account at www.cfaconcrete.pros.org and accessing Membership Programs.

About Advancea, LLC

Advancea is a unique association advisory firm specializing in helping our clients form engaging and successful relationships with their members. The firm’s focus is affinity programs, technology solutions, and consulting for associations and groups who want to elevate the value of their organization for their members or constituents. Headquartered in the Washington, DC area, Advancea is committed to helping our clients reach their goals while leaning heavily on our values of trust, innovation, collaboration, and leadership. The team collectively has over 30 years of experience, bringing client organizations together with valuable solutions for their members.

INTERCONNECTIONS: Leveraging relationships built by common interest

A new-member awareness series

A CFA Concrete Pro is a member of a our network, an employee working for an organization that chooses to be involved with this professional industry organization that represents its members’ interests. The Concrete Foundations Association continues to foster this sense of advanced relationship building and advocacy that cannot easily be replicated. For many, even recognizing people outside their company, beyond a few individuals here and there, is a challenge. For the lucky few who succeed in their efforts to connect with people outside of their organization, their investment pays off.

The following five #CFAConcretePros have shared a bit about their history, their passion, and their perspective on the future. Their stories show some of the common benefits you can experience when you put yourself into the network. Get to know them; find a way to meet up with them.

Believing In Who You Are To Become What You Can Be

I BELIEVE IN THE MANTRA, “THINGS WORK OUT THE WAY THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO.” Married at 17, my husband and I had the typical very-young-marriage rough start, but we soon settled down into a career of construction. A general contracting business was started and went bust in the late 80s. This opened the door to the concrete industry, when an attorney friend approached us, asking if we’d like to buy out another client’s form inventory. These kinds of steps were always met by both of us together with, “I’m game.”

My husband started the first poured-wall business in Central Virginia: Advanced Concrete Foundations Inc. Having learned that many general contractors know very little about foundations, he saw the opportunity to offer this service in our area. I worked apart from our family business for the first 10 years, learning business management as controller for a property management firm. I then came back to work with my husband. We brought our son up in the business, and together my son and I took over management of the company when my husband’s health declined.

Having weathered the recession of 2008, we know how to run a lean business. It has been a wonderful partnership, where we each bring the best of our interests and passions. Like many colleagues I know, my passions are family, employees, friends, grandchildren, gardening, cooking, reading, knitting, the beach, and the mountains, along with business management. My son, following in his father’s footsteps, is very good at helping our customers with design issues and can help simplify designs to save the customers money. These are his own passions, in addition to sharing many of those in my list.

The Advanced Concrete way is to make sure every customer feels completely taken care of. We want to be sure they understand the process they will undertake with us, and be sure that they know we stand behind our work and will help them along the way with any problems they have.

Being members of an association of fellow business people is how you learn how to solve problems and avoid mistakes. We have met numerous colleagues who have years of experience and are willing to share and swap tricks of the trade. Looking back, I know our decision to participate in the CFA has been invaluable to the evolution of our company.

I look forward to what lies ahead. Through networking with colleagues, we will learn more about developing technology and about many exciting things coming to our industry — and we plan to incorporate those things into our business. For example, concrete design will be changing dramatically to save energy!

Applying an old-school relationship approach to modern sales

WHAT MATTERS TO ME IN LIFE ARE RELATIONSHIPS. I’ve always made that my focus, creating relationships with people, listening and learning to what it is they want, or feel they need, and then finding out what they buy as well as why they buy it. Call it old school sales, although selling hasn’t really changed that much, at the end of the day sales is about relationships with people. Helping customers is more about making the right fit for them than it is about filling a quota for me (my company). With this approach, customers value my expertise and believe we truly can do business with a handshake.

Most of our clients have that special owner/operator approach to business; they are entrepreneurs, and there is a shared experience there, as I’ve started a company and sold it. Customers call me occasionally, comfortable enough simply to ask for business advice, not even dealing with anything specific to my expertise. It may be a legal issue or a complex client relationship, and I love being a resource for them. This is what I have found in the heart of the Concrete Foundations Association: care for the success of others’ business. It is not about believing I have a great wealth of knowledge, but rather, it is about realizing I have been around the block in several industries, enjoying the relationships and being interested in really listening so I can then help others.

I am a chemist by education (polymer science at Clemson University, ’97). After building a career with the multi-national German company, Henkel Corporation, I made my way into the waterproofing industry as a consultant in 2004. Through an interesting turn of events, I attended my first CFA Convention in 2006 (Wisconsin Dells) and have continued to play an increasingly involved role in learning and building relationships in this industry. I thoroughly enjoyed my time as a board member for three years and continue to draw on that time for knowing the structure and goals of the Association.

My faith and family life are a big part of who I am. I am very involved with our local church and am a board member of a refugee ministry in Charlotte. I travel a lot, so spending time with our three kids is a priority, leaving little time for hobbies. Still, I enjoy working with my hands and could have considered becoming a builder. I do enjoy golf and the opportunity to build relationships while playing a round (though I’m not great). I am also very passionate about college football, having played at Clemson.

Giving back to build for the future

MY PASSION IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. I work with associations and boards — local, regional, and national — to bring on new members, growing participation and sharing. In doing so, I place an emphasis on lifting them up; it is something that brings me to work every day.

Becoming an active member of an association, and specifically the CFA, brings a level of professionalization unattainable any other way. Peer relationships and education are worth the price of membership. Actively participating is the key. Every difficult issue I have brought before the CFA has been met by an answer through resources or training classes. The CFA can be said to function as our University of Concrete.

I graduated from Indiana University (’74) with a degree in secondary education with an emphasis on political science and forensic studies. Surprisingly, I ended up working as a construction manager national home builder before the opportunity came to be hired as operations manager for a concrete company in 1988. Having supervised more than 1,800 slabs, crawlspaces, and basements, I turned on-the-job training into a thorough understanding of the concrete industry’s importance. In 2002, Weber Concrete Construction offered me a position on their team, and I have been with them ever since.

I believe we will see the development of more optimism for our industry and country than what we see on the news. There are a lot of young men and women interested in construction and in being a part of something bigger than themselves. It is up to us to build them up on what we have, and we can be stronger together than we would be if we pushed them to go it alone.

The same should be said of our clients. When working with new or existing clients, I endeavor to empathize and put myself in their position. Why are they asking for what they want, the way they want it? Getting to know their motivation answers a lot of questions and minimizes misunderstandings.

The next few years are most likely going to be faster moving than we have seen in a couple decades. The virus, social evolutions, political changes — as members we are going to need to rely and depend on our colleagues for help in addressing all of this. More than ever, listening to folks from different regions of our country and applying their advice will strengthen our individual companies and, collectively, strengthen the CFA.

Willing to do what it takes to help drive success

VERY FEW BUSINESS IDEAS OR HURDLES ARE NEW. Someone out there has probably had a similar experience to what you are facing. Their knowledge and insight can help me make more informed decisions. I believe the more information you have, the better the chance of making a good decision. Gary Bromley (of ABI Corp) once told me, “Incomplete information is worse than no information at all.” It has been a great quote to live by.

Customer relationships matter intensely to me, and those take communication, integrity, and longevity. With all the ways to communicate, there should be zero calls from our customers saying no one has contacted them. Unfortunately, errors happen, and when they do, it is always better to call the customer before they call you. I manage with the principles: don’t try to cover it up; don’t try to sell it; just admit it, fix it, and move on. Knowing that we have been in business for over fifty years, our process, reputation, and history assures the customer that we will be there if they have a problem. We have freely fixed issues that really should have been charged.  Why? To maintain a great reputation and to keep that customer for years to come.

I have a background in business management and accounting. I owned a firearms and gunsmithing retail store in the 90s and was asked by a friend to help her for a couple of weeks. It was becoming clear that the time was right to make a change in my life. Although I knew nothing about the construction industry (let alone concrete construction), I did know people and how to manage relationships. I started as A/R clerk and grew with the company to be business manager and then chief operating officer. I run the business’s day-to-day operations, now 25 years later, and am not afraid to take on the job no one else wants.

If you ask me what I am about, it is faith, family, and integrity, in that order. I grew up learning those priorities. I learned to apply them and appreciate them, and so they have become my passion. They are reflected in my approach to business.

I see the face of our industry changing in the next few years as technology changes. Therefore, the endless access to information and to others’ experience, and the ability to share mine (ours), is at the heart of why I’m here. The CFA network is the hub where people share thoughts and the results of embracing change. There is endless information and experience here, all vetted through trusting relationships.

WHY I CONTINUE TO CHOOSE MEMBERSHIP

A member of multiple trade associations, it seems I am always asking when it comes time for renewal:

1. Why, especially when times are lean? Can I afford this?
2. What recent benefit can I identify to warrant another year?
3. Is there a better use for these dollars?

Then, a situation like what we have endured these last six weeks (seems like much longer) proves to me why I am part of my trade associations and just how important they are. I can say with absolute certainty that the information they provided us with, in every facet of our business, was invaluable!

During COVID-19 alone, rules, mandates, and programs available to small businesses have seemed to change daily, sometimes hourly. The Association’s access to detailed and current information, and their advocacy elevated my confidence. I received timely email updates as detailed information became available to the CFA. Sometimes I receive updates and clarifications two or three times a day.  OSHA regulations; additional safety requirements for business operation; government mandates for construction as essential work; and, state and federal small business relief programs came in a timely manner.

We are a very small firm and time is not a luxury.  My wife, who is my technologically-challenged office manager, and I read the constant flow of changing information and were able to apply for and receive a small business PPP loan at the very end of the first round of funds available. Even though rumored the program had run out of money, we received word from our bank that we had been approved at the 11th hour prior to the money running out. The system was lacked sufficient information and the bank couldn’t help. The detail and clarity from organizations like the CFA, providing members with such exhaustive information, allowed us to forward it to our bank representative who, in turn, thanked her, as they hadn’t yet gotten that information. 

Like many, that loan has allowed us to pay rent, utilities, payroll, and medical insurance premiums during a time where work has been delayed substantially. Having this loan allowed us time to figure out what a bit of the near future and how we can change our business practices to obtain contracts, and maybe even find a new avenue for business we hadn’t previously thought about.

Where CFA membership becomes so valuable is the ease of communicating our experiences. How are we adapting to this new norm? How are we making changes to our business practices to create new opportunities? How are we adapting to new regulations? How we are dealing with encouraging employees to return to work, to wear a mask, or follow other requirements instituted by the federal and state governments? We will all need to follow new regulations not only at work, but at home and during any off time we have from work in order to keep not only ourselves safe, but to keep everyone else safe and well. How do we effectively communicate that concept? 

Every state will likely have some unique regulations to follow, so the CFA has ways of connecting members within each state to share these details effectively and efficiently with its networking. At the same time, members from around the country will be able to share experiences that may shed light on the evolving scenarios. Out of despair comes opportunity. You’ve heard it said, “When one door closes, another opens.” We just need to work together to find those opportunities and stay positive, believing that our workloads will increase, and we will make it through yet another of life’s challenges.

I am confident that even if this is the only benefit my company receives from our CFA membership dues this year it will be more than worth its weight in gold. I also know this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all that the association continues to provide for me. This is when we truly need membership organizations and the participation of all members. The guidance of our trade organizations, peer networking, advocacy, perseverance, and persistence will be the driving forces of our success in the “new norm.”

Stay safe, and stay well!