Identify Your Employees by the Theory of 21
“FOR EVERY PERSON WHO WILL SAY YES, THERE ARE TWENTY WHO WILL SAY NO. FOR A POSITIVE RESPONSE YOU MUST FIND THE TWENTY-FIRST PERSON.” – THE THEORY OF 21 by Chuck Reaves The CEO of an electronics company had an idea. He was a solid business person but was not as well-versed in electronics as […]
Letter from the Director: We’ve Learned Our Lessons – and Now We Are Stronger
This month’s letter from the CFA Executive Director: We’ve Learned Our Lessons – and Now We are Stronger Another winter is on its way but otherwise things are heating up in the residential concrete industry. Growth is slower than we would like to see but the trend is there. Credit is tighter (as it should […]
Letter from the President: Learning from One Another…Being Friends
This month’s letter from the CFA Board President: Learning From One Another…Being Friends David Martinson Martinson Construction davem@martinsonconstruction.com It gives me great pleasure to write to you as your president. As a third generation concrete contractor and a member since 1993, I have experienced first-hand what the Concrete Foundation Association has to offer. It was […]
Management Corner: Drug and Alcohol Testing Clearinghouse Comments
CFA MEMBER, FOLEY CARRIER SERVICES HAS SUBMITTED COMMENTS TO THE FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION REGARDING THE PROPOSED DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING CLEARINGHOUSE. While there was a lot to like about the rules, they feel that FMCSA needs to make some practical changes before they are ready. This update is republished from their Fast-FaxTM to keep you better […]
40 Years of Evolution Another Milestone
The CFA will celebrate its 40th year of service to the residential concrete foundation industry at this year’s Summer Convention in Sandusky, Ohio. I have been with the CFA for just over half of that time. During that period, a lot has happened to the nation; the concrete industry; technology; our member businesses, and the […]
This Experience Has Served Me
Isn’t it enjoyable to see good people do good work? We are blessed to have a strong team of impressive individuals at our foundation company. Our team has a nice blend of people in different stages of their lives, and their careers. To be successful, we need a mix of new learners, skilled workers, coordinators, […]
CFA Foundation Fundamentals
Positive Drainage…Curing Compound…Fluid Pressure? What were those words the foundation contractor used during our meeting yesterday? Construction projects, like so many other business endeavors, are not without communication problems between parties. Many are associated with terminology that is common to the contractor, yet distinctly foreign to the customer or owner. Although the following list of […]
Contractor’s Footing-Form Innovation Becomes a Competitive Advantage
Published by Concrete Contractor Magazine, April 23, 2014 In the early 1990s Barry Herbert, then president of Otsego, Mich.,-based concrete contractor Herbert Construction Co., learned an alternative method for forming footings. Barry spoke with Ron Colvin, a concrete contractor from Berrien Springs, Mich. about footing construction. The two had become friends through their membership with the Concrete Foundations Association of North […]
Marketing Corner: Building Your New Marketing Program
Q&A WITH NORTHERN CONCRETE Leveraging digital media and relationships may be about as far from your mindset as a concrete contractor as is venturing into new market such as high-rise core construction. The complex world of Google, Yahoo, facebook, LinkedIn, twitter, instagram, Pinterest and a host of others has for many turned competent and savvy […]
OSHA Whistleblower Investigations
Employers need to make sure their policies and practices do not violate the law by Jim Rogers, jimrogers@asu.edu As contractors, we are all aware of OSHA and its role in protecting the health and safety of our workforce. Many contractors send their personnel to receive training related to record keeping requirements and job site regulations; however, one area that is often […]
