Hess and Trapino Named 2013 AGC Chair of the Year

Two AGC of America leaders were named the 2013 Chair of the Year at the AGC Annual Convention earlier this month in Las Vegas, Nev. Todd Hess (Todd Hess Building Company, Portland, OR) received the award for his work as chair of the AGC Industry Recruiting Task Force. Under Hess’ leadership, the task force drafted a plan for AGC to create an industry recruiting website template that has an attractive look and feel; provides basic information for parents, educators and young people about the myriad of career opportunities in the construction industry; and is customizable by AGC chapters. Hess not only marshaled existing resources in the form of using the www.buildwisconsin.com website as a foundation, but he also kept the task force engaged and active in the drafting of text and reviewing of templates. The task force took the project from a wish list to a customizable template that has been rolled out via articles and a webinar and is being adopted by the Oregon-Columbia Chapter and considered by several others. Stewart Trapino (Linbeck Group, Houston, TX) was honored for his leadership of the AGC Lean Construction Education Subforum. Originally formed to guide and review the units of the Lean Construction Education Program (LCEP) as they were developed by a consultant, the subforum drastically changed its role from oversight to the creation of Lean Units 4 through 7 beginning in 2013. As chair of the subforum, Trapino led the effort to divide up the remaining units among the subforum’s volunteer members with them becoming the primary authors; a new approach to the way AGC typically develops curricula. Trapino not only embraced the new process and challenged each of the subforum members to take an active role in the development of at least one unit, but he also took on a primary author role for both Units 4 and 6. AGC of America is grateful to these leaders and to all of its volunteers for their work on behalf of the construction industry.