Mark Your Calendars

The concrete industry offers business management events this summer like the CFA Summer Convention and the ASCC Annual Conference.

I get to do a lot of cool stuff as the editor of a concrete construction magazine. I’ve visited buildings as they were being built, used tools and equipment that weren’t available to the public yet, and taken factory tours where I saw equipment being manufactured and met the people who were assembling that equipment. But the coolest thing I get to do is travel across the county to meet contractors, either at their headquarters or at association and industry meetings.

Two of my favorite industry events are happening in the next few months: the Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) Summer Convention, July 26-28, and the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) Annual Conference, Sept. 20-23. Mark your calendars now – I hope to see you there!

CFA Summer Convention

The 2012 CFA Summer Convention will be held in Traverse City, Mich., July 26-28. Year after year, the CFA offers a stellar business management program for contractors. This year is no exception. Concrete Contractor columnist and labor law expert Dave Whitlock will offer his presentation “Unionization,” which will focus on how to legally fight unionization efforts.

Several contractors will also speak at the event. Scott Smith, Modern Poured Walls, Inc., will share how he survived recent entanglements in wage and hour litigation and offer tips to help other contractors avoid the stress and expenses he experienced. Doug Herbert, Herbert Construction, will present “Low-cost Marketing Secrets that Bring in New Customers;” Doug Staebler, CFO at Custom Concrete, has planned a “Business ‘Cents’” seminar, and Michel Concrete President/CEO Mary Wilson will explain how the CFA can help contractors develop an Alternative Fall Protection Plan in response to OSHA’s new Fall Protection directives.

New this year is the one-day, pre-conference seminar “Slabs: We’ve Got You Covered” on July 26. Designed to help contractors construction quality slabs on ground, this seminar features industry speaker and Concrete Contractor contributing writer Kim Basham, whose will present “Crack Control,” “Finishing Exterior Slabs,” and “Finishing Interior Slabs.” Other presentations include “Moisture Control in Slabs” and “Fibers for Slabs.”

ASCC Annual Conference

Lisle, Ill., just outside Chicago, will host the 2012 ASCC Annual Conference Sept. 20-23. The four-day event offers networking, education and a chance to take the ACI Flatwork Finisher’s exam. This year’s Keynote Address will explore how RecruitMilitary connects veterans with employers and the benefits employers receive by hiring vets. Other sessions include “Social Media: The New Business Tool," "Forming Architectural Concrete," "Examining the Construction Challenges of Green Concrete," "Maximizing the Contractor/Producer Partnership," "The Effect of Internal Curing of Lightweight Concrete on Moisture Emissions," just to name a few.

The Rocky Geans Concrete Construction Business School is co-located with the ASCC Annual Conference precludes the event on Sept. 19-20. Over the day and a half-long educational program, concrete business owner Rocky Geans shares the lessons he learned in over 40 years of owning and running a concrete business.

Don’t pass up a chance to take in some education and improve your business. Members and non-members alike are welcome to attend the CFA and ASCC events. Learn more at www.cfawalls.org and www.ascconline.org. And if you make it out this summer, keep an eye open for me. I enjoy meeting readers and learning about their businesses and projects!

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