September is Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness Month, and this past week was expressly designated Construction Suicide Prevention Week. Compared to other sectors of the economy, construction harbors a strikingly disproportionate rate of suicide. Our industry is in crisis, and systemic intervention is needed at both the employer and personal levels if we are to make a difference and move beyond discussing the problem and into committed action. 

At AGC of Minnesota, we have embraced and promoted the Culture of Care program that places emphasis, focus and value on the needs of the individual. Yolanda McIntosh is your AGC staff resource and link to the Culture of Care initiative. She is available to speak to your workforce and direct you to mental health resources and strategies that are meaningful and impactful.

Throughout the spring and summer, the industry has experienced significant shortages of construction input materials and an unprecedented runup in costs that have substantially outstripped the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) for inflation. AGC of America has provided excellent accounting and analysis of these trends with their quarterly Construction Inflation Alerts.  Additionally, AGC of Minnesota has worked to press public owners to consider strategies that more fairly share the risk of market instability and price swings across a range of construction materials and products. Recently, we shared a list of shared pricing risk approaches enacted in other states with public owners. We will continue to engage public owners and press them to take meaningful action(s) that better shares the risk of materials price volatility.    

Join fellow AGC members and friends on September 28, 8:00 am, at Mendakota Country Club, as we welcome renowned AGC of America Chief Economist Ken Simonson. Ken will provide attendees with a deep dive into the driving forces behind our current market conditions and examine how materials price volatility and availability are trending. You don’t want to miss this outstanding program featuring the country’s premier construction economic analyst. Registration for the event can be found here.    

For small contractors just starting out, the school of hard knocks is a tough instructor. Let AGC members help you overcome the challenges all small emerging businesses face with this 12-part video series focused on helping your business thrive and grow. Hear directly from contractors that have already paved the road to success.

Contact Laura Ziegler if you’d like to join the committee meeting. 

This topic kicks off the 2022/2023 Construction Seminar season next Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 7:00 a.m. Attend (in person or online) to hear ideas about what to cover with new employees on their first day and beyond. The discussion will focus on new employee orientation and what one contractor covers on-site for its employees. Attend to share your ideas or ask questions.

Speaker: Cory Dukowitz (Safety Manager, Rice Companies)

Access the MNOSHA Compliance: Construction Seminars webpage for more information on how to join the meeting.

Many factors can contribute to excessive fuel consumption. Fleet managers can tap into telematics systems, like John Deere’s JDLink to track idle time, and fuel consumed while in idle. Larry Herman Jr, the Telematic Support Supervisor at RDO Equipment Co., highlights JD Link's Machine Analyzer tool that allows managers to compare data for the entire fleet, specific groups, or machine types. Learn more

This article originally appeared in the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 365 weekly newsletter. Read more from RDO’s Connected Support team at rdoequipment.com.

Construction workforce shortages are affecting nearly all construction firms, undermining the industry’s ability to complete projects on time and on schedule and threatening the success of new federal investments in infrastructure and manufacturing, according to the results of a workforce survey conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America and Autodesk. The results underscore how public officials have a vested interest in investing in new construction-focused workforce development programs, association officials said

Please take this brief survey to help AGC of America help you better communicate to public and private owners about how continuing construction materials shortages, long lead times and price volatility are impacting the construction industry. 

Join AGC and Peckar & Abramson to learn about the upcoming major changes underway requiring contractors to use more domestic materials in public works projects or face the consequences.

Our MWBE member spotlight this month is Seacom Technology Systems Contractor, a woman-owned WBENC, WOSB, DBE, TGB and CERT certified company, specializing in the installation of structured voice, data, electrical, and security cabling. Click to read the full Q&A with President Sandee Ebbott and learn more about this AGC member!

Each year, the construction industry dedicates a week to raising awareness of this critical – yet often stigmatized – issue.

MindForge is offering complimentary access for anyone to access CIASP’s six-part Suicide Prevention video series and five-part toolbox talk materials.

Utilize Culture of CARE’s Diversity & Inclusion Assessment to measure your diversity & inclusion efforts as part of Construction Inclusion Week’s Monday theme of Commitment & Accountability.

Unsure of how the Diversity & Inclusion Assessment works? Join AGC of America on Thursday, September 22 at 1:00pm CDT for a webinar on “Using the Diversity & Inclusion Assessment to Drive Your Strategic Efforts” This webinar will provide an overview of the Diversity & Inclusion Assessment that highlights how to utilize key features of the platform and leverage your company's results to drive strategic diversity & inclusion efforts forward.

Nominations for this year's awards are due by September 30, 2022, and the awards will be presented at our annual Recognition Evening, October 13, 2022.

The Sporting Clays Fundraiser is SOLD OUT! A few sponsorship opportunities are still available - talk to Lisa Larson if interested.

Join AGC members for a fall member meeting on September 28 at the Mendakota Country Club!

We'll be hearing from AGC of America Chief Economist Ken Simonson on current economic trends in construction, as well as from a team of attorneys from Fabyanske, Westra, Hart & Thomson on the IIJA's effects on many legal facets of the industry.

Then get an AGC member refresher from Christi Beatty, AGC of America's VP of Membership Engagement, as well as from the AGC of Minnesota staff! Visit each member benefits table and be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card!

Table topics: Labor/Legal Services (Mike Schechter); Safety Services/CHASE (Matt Semerad); Member Benefits/Marketing Opportunities (Renee Horsman); DEI Initiatives (Ana Lowery); General Membership/Education (Merry Beckmann); Advocacy (Laura Ziegler).

Join Wipfli and your AGC peers for a scotch tasting event immediately ahead of the Recognition Evening! Register for both events!

Don't miss one of the biggest nights of the year, as we honor our stellar individuals and contractors!

We'll be presenting the 2022 Lifetime Achievement and Skill-Responsibility-Integrity Awards, as well as honoring our contractors with stellar safety records with the Jeff Jensen Memorial Construction Safety Excellence Awards and CHASE Recognition!

It's a major election year with newly drawn legislative districts and many new candidates running for office! Transportation issues and funding will be decided by tomorrow's elected officials. Please help The Minnesota Transportation Alliance raise the profile of transportation by attending a forum near you.  

Join LIUNA on October 14 at the newly expanded Minnesota Laborers' Training Center to learn about the work LIUNA members do and to discuss critical issues in the construction industry.

Learn more and register.

Planning for the 2023 Minnesota Construction Summit is in full swing! Registration for attendees, sponsors, and exhibitors is open - click the buttons below to reserve exhibiting space, sign up as a sponsor, or save money by registering early to attend!

Today’s ultra-competitive landscape requires a special mindset and skillset in order to create – and maintain – a leading edge. Fortunately, these are two areas that are not determined at birth, but instead can be effectively built with the right focus and choices. Discover how embracing a competitive, growth-oriented mindset will foster professional and personal development at an unparalleled level and position you with an advantage in your customers’ eyes.

But in order to rise to this elite level, one must first understand how to make elite choices. In this session, Jake will show you how to do exactly that and create a daily plan of attack to ensure you stay consistent with it.

Hear from Jake on Day 1 of the 2023 Construction Summit in his keynote address, "Compete Every Day: How to Unlock Your Competitive Advantage in Life."