1. business and industrial
2. construction

Central Ohio Associated General Contractors • 1755 Northwest Blvd • Columbus, OH 43212 • 614.486.6446 • fax 614.486.6498 • www.centralohioagc.com
January 2015
Hard Hat is sent electronically to Central Ohio AGC members. It is
also available on Central Ohio AGC’s website
www.centralohioagc.com. Submit editorial for Hard Hat to Taylor
Hobbs at AGC (614) 486-6446 [email protected].
WELCOME TO 2015
We look forward to another exciting year in the central Ohio
construction community. 2014 showed a huge increase in manhours and projects that finished up or commenced–highlighted
by the opening of the massive Ohio State University Hospital we
all know as Project1. It’s only fitting that we celebrate this opening at the same time as we celebrate OSU’s outstanding NationalFootball Championship.
We can forecast that 2015 will equally be as exciting–not just
Football – but many changes are in store for us. Our longtime
Chief Building Official (CBO) Keith Wagenknecht, has decided it’s
his time to retire. Long term Builders Exchange Executive
Director, Cathy Blackford, also recently announced her retirement. These two fine individuals have been a pleasure and a joy
to work with over the years! We’ll miss them both and wish
nothing but the best for their future aspirations!
On the state level we’re still dealing with many issues that the
Construction Reform Act of 2011 has levied upon the industry.
Last year we continued to make progress in re-working the various state construction documents that apply to the many public
projects that many of you perform work on. We have had an
outstanding repertoire with the Ohio Facilities Construction
Commission (OFCC) staff and the just retired Richard Hickman.
OFCC is in the process of interviewing candidates to replace
Mr. Hickman. We hope that the successor wishes to continue
the working relationship that long ago was forged between the
state agency, its many professional staff members and the AGC.
We wish you a successful 2015!
-Central Ohio AGC Staff
AGC - Quality People. Quality Projects.
Calendar of Events
O.S.H.A Safety Day
OSU Fawcett Center
February 5, 2015
Info & Registration
AGC of Ohio Convention
Casa de Campo,
Dominican Republic
February 22-28, 2015
Annual Membership Meeting
Brookside Country Club
March 11, 2015
Info & Registration
Ohio Safety Conference & Expo
Columbus Convention Center
March 31 to April 2, 2015
Info & Registration
AGC MEMBERSHIP MEETING
The Central Ohio Associated General Contractors 2015 Membership Meeting will be held on March 11, 2015 at
the Brookside Country Club, 2770 West Dublin-Granville Road, in Worthington, Ohio. We welcome all association
members to join us for this great opportunity to socialize and network!
Cocktails and hors d’oeuveres will be served at 6:00 p.m., with dinner following at 6:30. Cost is $80 for the first
attendee; $270 for a party of four; and $370 for a party of six. Sponsorship opportunities are available. Meeting
sponsors ($100) will have their company name and logo on a sign in the dining area and recognition as a meeting
sponsor in the Central Ohio AGC Hard Hat newsletter and on our website. Bar Sponsors ($500) will have their company name and logo on a sign by the bar in the dining area (sign larger than meeting sponsor sign), and recognition as a bar sponsor in the newsletter and on our website.
CENTRAL OHIO AGC MEMBERS WIN 2014 BUILD OHIO AWARDS
The AGC of Ohio recognized two Central Ohio AGC members for excellence in construction of a project the association’s 23rd Annual Build Ohio Celebration held on November 14, 2014 at the Hilton Columbus Polaris. Approximately 350 people attended the gala where the companies received the bronze and green marble Build Ohio
Award.
Construction Systems, Inc. won the Specialty Under $7 Million category with
their OhioHealth CareConnect project and Kokosing Construction Co. won the
Industrial/Heavy category with their I-71/I-670 Interchange – Columbus Crossroads project.
Construction Systems replaced and hard-wired every piece of computer hardware in patient rooms, operating suites and treatment rooms with new computer arms. Throughout the two-phase project, Construction Systems installed 723
computer arms and fifteen electronic tracking boards. Including printers and
desktop PCs, 860 devices were installed in 6 ½ months. The entire electronic
patient information operating system for the hospital and ambulatory care system was changed without disruption to patient care and service.
Kokosing reconstructed approximately one mile of I-71 and one-and-a-half
miles of I-670 eastbound, along with 18 ramps in the project area. Among the
major construction elements were: twenty new bridges, including two new flyover bridges; two reconstructed bridges; 26 retaining walls; two new local urban
avenues; a realigned storm sewer; and a micro-tunnel. The improvements added to the highway’s safety and capacity, improved connections in and out of
downtown Columbus, and created urban avenues with aesthetics and
streetscape enhancements.
A panel of retired construction professionals selected the Build Ohio winners based on specific criteria including
excellence in project management, innovation in construction techniques and materials, excellence in client service, and meeting the challenge of a difficult job. In the Specialty category, the winners were selected based on:
performance as it relates to schedule; client service excellence; meeting the challenge of a difficult job; craftsmanship; and innovations in construction techniques and materials.
Mark your calendar for next year’s Build Ohio Celebration, scheduled for November 6th, 2015. Additional
details about the 5015 Build Ohio Awards Competition will be mailed to AGC members in mid-April.
Central Ohio AGC
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JD FLAHERTY, JR. RECOGNIZED FOR INDUSTRY EFFORTS
AGC Pinnacle and BX Cornerstone Awards
JD Flaherty, Jr., president of Construction Systems Inc., was recognized with the
Pinnacle Award for Lifetime Achievement from AGC of Ohio and the Cornerstone
Award from the Builders Exchange Central Ohio within the span of a week in November. He is the first individual to receive both awards, and only the third to receive the
Pinnacle Award since its inception in 2006.
J.D., who had no idea he was going to receive the Pinnacle Award, was surprised
with it at AGC of Ohio’s 23rd Annual Build Ohio Celebration on Friday, November 14
at the Hilton Polaris in Columbus. He received the recognition for being tireless advocate for AGC and the construction industry, and demonstrating altruistic leadership
for the decades he has been involved with AGC of Ohio. He is the first subcontractor
to serve as president for the association, and continues his leadership role as treasurer. J.D. worked to establish AGC of Ohio’s Education Foundation, which was awarded
nearly $250,000 in scholarships for students pursuing construction careers since its
creation in 1999.
J.D. received the Cornerstone Award the following Thursday, November 20, during the 122nd Builders
Exchange Annual Meeting at the Aladdin Shrine Center. The Cornerstone Award is the Builders Exchange’s highest
individual honor. It recognizes the winner for his leadership contributions to the community, the industry and the
Exchange and has been given annually since 1954.
OSU Outstanding Service Award
J.D. is also being honored with an Outstanding Service Award from the Ohio State University’s Department of
Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering for his support and service to the department’s Construction
Systems Management (CSM) program and CSM students. He has served as a liaison between Central Ohio AGC
and the OSU CSM program, and worked with Central Ohio AGC to help establish the CSM program’s first endowed
scholarship. He is very involved in promoting the CSM program to the construction industry.
RECEPTION IN HONOR OF RETIREMENT OF COLUMBUS CBO KEITH WAGENKNECHT
Central Ohio AGC and the Builders Exchange are hosting a reception for Keith Wagenknecht, who recently
retired as Chief Building Official for the City of Columbus. The event will be held on Thursday, February 12
at Brookside Country Club in Worthington. Guests are welcome to come and go as they please during the
timeframe, and hors d’oeuvres and refreshments will be provided. If you plan to attend, RSVP to Andrea Ashley
at AGC [email protected] or (614) 486-6446.
NEW CONSENSUSDOCS CONSTRUCTION LAW NEWSLETTER LAUNCHES TO PROVIDE USEFUL
INDUSTRY UPDATES
"I am excited to announce a new newsletter geared to provide ConsensusDocs subscribers and other industry
professionals concise and useful information regarding construction law and contract information that impacts
their risk profiles," states Brian Perlberg, Executive Director of ConsensusDocs. "We have partnered with some of
the best construction law firms in the country to provide you with up-to-date best practice information."
The ConsensusDocs Construction Law in Brief newsletter will be published every other month. The newsletter
should prove to be a great new tool that will feature perspectives directly from General Contractors and Owners.
For more information or to provide feedback, please contact [email protected].
Central Ohio AGC
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OHIO SAFETY CONGRESS & EXPO
Registration is now open for the Ohio Safety Congress & Expo, March 31 to April 2 at the Columbus Convention
Center. Day one of the safety congress delivers full-day workshops and in-depth training. Days two and three offer
general sessions, educational sessions and the Expo Marketplace. Attend the day or days which best meet your
training needs.
Originating in 1927, BWC’s Ohio Safety Congress & Expo is the largest and longest-running occupational safety,
health and workers’ compensation event in Ohio. Six thousand representatives from businesses, organizations
and government entities attend the three-day event. They learn techniques for injury and illness prevention, rehabilitation, return-to-work and cost savings. They also shop for services, industrial supplies, safety equipment and
gear in the Expo Marketplace.
We offer more than 180 educational sessions, 225 exhibitors and free continuing education credit: by attending
the safety congress, you’ll learn to: Prevent workplace injuries and illnesses; achieve better outcomes for injured
workers; reduce workers’ compensation claims costs and keep Ohio’s work force healthy and productive
Registration: https://www.bwc.ohio.gov/employer/programs/safety/SHRegistration.asp
OSHA SAFETY DAY 2015
The 10th annual OSHA Safety Day will be held at the OSU Fawcett Center on February 5th from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. More than 300 OSU employees, contractors, and students are expected to attend! OSHA Safety Day 2015
will be packed full of educational programs on a variety of safety-related topics. This year sessions will be categorized into basic, intermediate, and advanced.
Featured Speaker: Lee Shelby survived a traumatic workplace injury. He will share his unique story to motivate
workers to make better decisions for a safer work environment.
Keynote Speaker: Nick Walters, OSHA Region V Regional Administrator, will provide an update on current activities with the agency.
CENTRAL OHIO HELPS CREATE CONSTRUCTION CAREERS WEBSITE – BUILDOHIO.ORG
Central Ohio AGC is one of nine construction associations that created and helped fund BuildOhio.org, a new
construction careers website designed to educate teachers, counselors, parents, and students about the industry.
The easy-to-navigate website provides 52 job descriptions, salary information, educational opportunities and
training programs across the state. Additional BuildOhio.org features include: full responsive design and modern
graphics; Parents and Educators pages; Real Stories - video testimonials from people employed in Ohio’s construction industry; Trade Profiles of Ohio Craftworkers depicting why and how they entered the industry; and printable
resources, including job descriptions. The website is based from the “Build” template developed by the Industry
Recruiting Task force of AGC of America. Other states implementing “Build” websites include Wisconsin, Oregon,
South Dakota, Colorado, Montana and Texas.
Interested in including your
company news or an article of
interest to the construction
industry in Hard Hat?
Contact: Taylor Hobbs
Ph: (614) 486-6446
[email protected]
January 2015
Editor: Taylor Hobbs
WWW.BUILDOHIO.ORG
WWW.BUILDOHIO.ORG
Central Ohio AGC
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