ABC Baltimore: Working for the betterment of the communities in which they work

ABC, headquartered in Washington, DC., will forever be intrinsically linked to the city of Baltimore. In 1950, seven contractors gathered in Baltimore, to create an association based on the shared belief that construction projects should be awarded on merit to the most qualified and responsible low bidders. Now 65 years later, with 70 ABC chapters and nearly 21,000 chapter members nationwide, ABC of Greater Baltimore was faced with a challenge. 

Last spring, when unrest was tearing apart the city of Baltimore, President of ABC Baltimore, Mike Henderson decided to survey the 70 ABC chapters across the country. Asking them what they thought about Baltimore before the riots and what they thought afterward. Their perception of Baltimore prior to the events of April was very positive. Most had been there before and had good memories. Their perception after the unrest was equally negative. It was clear that Baltimore’s brand, as a city, had been severely damaged.
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Power Design and the Power of 1

Safety has been a top priority since Florida based national, full-service electrical contractor Power Design, Inc. was founded in 1989. Power Design’s commitment to safety includes its leadership role in Safety Week 2015 and OSHA’s National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction events earlier this year and has allowed the company to partner with top 100 general contractors as ranked by Engineering News-Record. A commitment to safety within the broader community has also led the company to launch a safety campaign that extends well beyond its 130 active projects. Read the rest of entry »

Building a Culture of Caring

Creating a culture that helps a company retain employees, win work and leave a positive impression on the community can be a difficult challenge. For The Beck Group, based in Dallas, success has come from a culture of caring that permeates all areas of the business. 
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Memorializing Texas Veterans

Last year, in the span of just 42 days, E.E. Reed Construction completed a brand new memorial recognizing and honoring veterans from the company’s hometown of Sugar Land, Texas. Even more remarkable than the cramped schedule and logistical challenges accompanying the project is the fact E.E. Reed donated the time and resources to build the memorial.
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Training Apprentices to Give Back

At the Northern California Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), training the workforce doesn’t just mean classroom learning and on-the-job instruction—it means diving into the community to teach apprentices the importance of giving back.
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A Fresh Start in 'Devon's Den'

In the wake of tragedy, it’s amazing to see what a community can accomplish. For Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC)New Orleans/Bayou Chapter, working together to help a paralyzed football player live more comfortably showed that contractors often invest in their communities on a highly personal level.
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Changing the Face of Men's Health

Over the course of 30 days, members of the Pennsylvania construction industry committed to giving back to their communities one moustache at a time by supporting the Movember Foundation. The organization has raised more than $550 million to date and funded more than 800 programs in 21 countries to help save and improve the lives of men affected by prostate cancer, testicular cancer and mental health issues. 
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Putting Their Own Spin on Giving Back

Community service can come in many different forms: running a 5K, serving food to the homeless or collecting school supplies for kids in need. Members of two chapters of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) put their own spin on charity fundraising by hosting bowling tournaments.
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Across the Country, Contractors Give Back

Across the country, members of Associated Builders and Contractors embody the meaning of philanthropy by helping charitable organizations succeed and encouraging others to give back. 
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A New Meaning to Hands-On Training

Apprentices from Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) Hawaii Chapter get to put their skills to work outside the classroom, but it’s not on an average jobsite. Through a partnership with Honolulu Habitat for Humanity, craft trainees get real-life experience, and local families in need get new homes. 
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Thanking the Troops with a Veterans Day Surprise

For Veterans Day, the ABC Florida Gulf Coast Chapter was invited by Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.) to be a part of a special surprise project for eight local military veterans. ABC, Jolly and more than 100 volunteers completed a makeover of the Martin Lott Residence, the home to veterans who are participating in the C.W. Bill Young’s Substance Use & PTSD Integrated Recovery (SPIR) Program.

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Leaving a Legacy

With 10 office locations, Manhattan Construction Company is leaving its mark across the country, but the firm’s legacy isn’t limited to the projects being built. It extends to the communities where Manhattan employees live, work and give back. 
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Connecting Contractors With a Family in Need

When Andy Anuzis, former executive director of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Michigan, heard his coworker’s husband had suffered a terrible accident—leaving him paralyzed from the neck down—he knew there had to be something the community could do.
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Putting Values Into Action

Integrity, accountability, teamwork, innovation and growth are the five values Power Design, Inc., St. Petersburg, Fla., instills in its more than 600 employees. In 2008, the electrical contractor established a company-wide initiative called Project V5 to help put those values into action in the community. 
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ABC Iowa Chapter Teams Up with Habitat for Humanity

This October, two Iowa residents needing full-time care will have a new place to call home thanks for the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Iowa chapter and the Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa. 
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Donohoe Construction Joins Nation in ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

More than 30 employees of Donohoe Construction Company, Washington, D.C., accepted the ice bucket challenge to raise awareness for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Company executives Bob Donohoe, CEO of The Donohoe Companies, Chris Bruch, President and COO of The Donohoe Companies, and Steve Donohoe, President of Donohoe Construction led their employees in the challenge as they all dumped hard hats filled with ice water on their heads for the cause.   
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Best in Show

In just three years, Clark Construction’s Tampa, Fla., office and members of the local community have raised more than $65,000 via a car show benefiting Everyday Blessings. The nonprofit organization allows siblings who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, abandonment or neglect to stay together in a safe and stable environment and provides them with the support they need.
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Learning Lifelong Skills Through the Trades

In the midst of learning technical skills that will help them succeed in the trades, the students in Cardozo High School’s Academy of Construction & Design (ACAD) are gleaning lifelong lessons that apply no matter what career path they choose to take. Read the rest of entry »

Networking Event Used to Support Habitat for Humanity

The ABC Baltimore Chapter teamed up with Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake region to host one of their recent networking events which involved food trucks, raffles and giving back to the community. The event brought out more than 100 guests and raised $1,000 for the local Habitat for Humanity organization. Read the rest of entry »

Maximizing Employees’ Community Impact

When Cincinnati-based Messer Construction Co. was purchased by its employees in 1990, investing in the community became not only a vital piece of the corporate culture, but also a catalyst for revenue growth—increasing from $100 million to more than $830 million in the past 22 years. Read the rest of entry »

ABC Takes Part in D.C. Students Construction Trades Foundation

The D.C. Students Construction Trades Foundation, an organization that teaches high school students the trades and offers them access to internships, scholarships and post-secondary education, job placement and career opportunities, recently held its annual luncheon honoring the 2014 Academy of Construction and Design graduates. Read the rest of entry »

A Culture of Giving Back

For the past 15 years, Sundt Construction, Inc., a 100 percent employee-owned company headquartered in Tempe, Ariz., has been awarding grants and sponsoring volunteer events through the Sundt Foundation. There are more than 500 members of the foundation, whose grants exceeded $500,000 in 2013 alone—illustrating that helping others is not just a small piece of Sundt, but rather an integral part of its culture. Read the rest of entry »

Rallying the Troops

People from different walks of life, geographic regions and generations have their own way of supporting the troops. For Associated Builders and Contractors’ (ABC) Utah Chapter, the best way to give back to the men and women who bravely protect America is by teaming up with the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). Read the rest of entry »

Golf Tournament Benefits Pediatric Cancer Patients in Alabama

When Lyle DuBois, assistant vice president of employee relations at M.J. Harris Construction Services, Birmingham, Ala., received the news that his son had been diagnosed with leukemia, the CEO of aTeam Ministries was one of the first people to visit his family in the hospital. The meeting was part of the organization’s commitment to offering spiritual, financial and emotional support to children and their families in Alabama’s pediatric cancer community. Since then, DuBois and his family have remained involved in aTeam Ministries, including sitting on the nonprofit’s board along with M.J. Harris CFO Robbie Egan and other members of the Alabama building industry.
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Passion for Supporting Indiana’s Veterans Leads to Service Project

Get to know the Indiana/Kentucky Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and it’s clear why the group chose the Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation (HVAF) of Indiana for its annual ABC Cares project. Read the rest of entry »