ABC chairman’s message: As summer winds down, a busy fall ahead

Summers are short in New England. With this one beginning to wind down, ABC MA is offering some things that members can look forward to this Fall.

One is our annual Excellence in Construction Awards (EICA) competition. The entry deadline is Tuesday, September 5^th, so you’ll need to get to work soon if you’d like to participate. Just go to https://www.abcma.org/Membership/Excellence-in-Construction-Awards to learn everything you need to know about how to enter. Winners will be honored at the EICA Awards Dinner, one of our chapter’s signature events, on November 2^nd at the Four Points Sheraton in Norwood.

September is also the deadline to enter the STEP (Safety Training and Evaluation Process) awards program, which is a safety management system that was developed and written by contractors, for contractors. STEP provides a tool for ABC members to measure their safety performance on 25 key components through a detailed questionnaire with the goal of implementing or enhancing safety programs that reduce jobsite incidents. The application and additional information can be found online. 

The EICA Awards Dinner is just the first of three big November happenings. November 13-19 is National Apprenticeship Week, which showcases the importance and success of apprenticeship. Next up is our chapter’s local Craft Championships, where ABC member company employees compete in various trades, on November 18^th at Medford High School. Winners will move on to compete in the national championships, to be held at ABC’s National Conference in the spring of 2024.

There may be a lot going on this fall, but summer’s not done yet! I hope you’ll join us for ABC MA’s “Last Blast of Summer” on August 31^st at the Cove in Fall River. Register online to join us for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while taking in the views. In addition to networking with fellow members, you’ll have the opportunity to meet with and learn more about our associate and supplier members and how you can take advantage of the benefits they offer. I look forward to seeing you all there! Whether you want to enjoy the fleeting days of summer, are looking to ramp up again this fall, or (hopefully) both, ABC MA has you covered. We hope to see you at our events, and that your company will take advantage of one or more of our upcoming recognition opportunities. 

Vera Vadeboncouer is the 2023 ABC MA chair and is controller at Fernandes Masonry, Inc., New Bedford, Mass.