The AGC Board of Directors met in Duluth this Wednesday, and honored Doug Swenson for his decades of dedicated service to AGC members and to the construction industry at large. As AGC's Director of Safety and Field Training, Doug spearheaded the formation of AGC's CHASE partnership with MNOSHA in 2003. Eighteen years later, the CHASE partnership remains MNOSHA's longest-running partnership, boasting 49 contractor members and a jobsite incidence rate consistently 52-64% lower than the Minnesota construction industry average.

Doug has single-handedly trained tens of thousands of construction professionals in his career, and leaves a massive legacy of safety in the industry. We will never know the number of individuals who went home at night to their families safely due to Doug's leadership and commitment to safety training.

Next Friday, July 30, will be Doug's last day of employment, and although the AGC staff and all our members wish him nothing but the best in his retirement, we will miss his presence, experience, and depth of knowledge. We're grateful that Doug was able to spend five months making sure that Matt Semerad was ready to hit the ground running as AGC's Director of Safety Services & Education Development.

Doug will also be done answering work-related emails after next week, so if you'd like to drop him a line, you have one week.

AGC members have another opportunity to assist in reducing Green House Gases (GHG) by applying for funds to replace heavy-duty diesel vehicles with all-electric, cleaner diesel, or alternative fuel models. The funds used to offset replacing a heavy-duty vehicle are from the national agreement agreement with Volkswagen. Public, private, and non-profit organizations and tribal governments are all eligible to apply.

Details on types of vehicles eligible and how much can be offset can be found here.  Applications are due no later than 4:30 p.m. August 9, 2021.

Nominations are open to AGC members for awards to be given for 2020 work hours and safety records. Awards will be presented in 3 categories: Category I (0 – 149,999 hours), Category II (150,000 – 299,999 hours), and Category III (300,000+ hours).

Watch the 2020 Jensen Award Presentations:

On July 21, a Senate procedural vote on the yet-to-be finalized $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill failed. Senate Majority Leader Schumer (D-NY) tried to press senators to finish negotiations on remaining issues, including how to pay for the bill and transit funding. Ultimately, all Republican senators voted against moving forward until these issues are resolved and legislative text is completed. The bipartisan senators remain optimistic that these issues will be resolved within days. If that occurs, the Senate could hold another procedural vote as early as Monday of next week to start considering the bill, after which a vote on final passage could take days or weeks. AGC outlined its priorities for the bipartisan infrastructure package. Senators have indicated that it will include bipartisan surface transportation legislation like the AGC-backed bill that passed unanimously to fund roads and bridges.

MnDOT is required by the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration to set statewide goals for disadvantaged business participation in federally funded projects over the next three years. The proposed FHWA and FTA goals will be posted on August 2, 2021.

Two virtual public hearings are scheduled on the following dates to discuss the goals and methodology and receive public comment:

The statewide goals and executive summary will be made available for public inspection Aug. 2 ‐ Sept. 2, 2021, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Minnesota Department of Transportation, 395 John Ireland Blvd, St. Paul, Minn. and here. Public comments will be accepted until Sept. 2, 2021.

For Zoom links, contacts, and more information, visit the DBE Goals page.

All AGC members are invited to join AGC Leadership Blueprint Alumni and the Minnesota Builders Exchange (MBEX) Young Professionals for a St. Paul Saints game on Wednesday, August 4 when the Saints take on the Louisville Bats at CHS Field in St. Paul.

AGC's professional development series for the emerging leaders in construction management kicks off in November with a new cohort! The upcoming schedule and nomination form can be found here.

Listen to former participants explain the personal and company-wide benefits to taking part in the Leadership Blueprint program:

Join us on September 15 at Minnesota Horse & Hunt Club for our annual fundraiser! Funds raised are used for scholarships for students pursuing degrees in the construction industry.

Get all the details and register here.