Alabama Construction News is the states only bimonthly magazine dedicated to the commercial construction industry.
Issue link: http://acn.epubxp.com/i/795144
57 JAN-MAR 2017 AL CONSTRUCTION NEWS and he brings a unique understanding of and appreciation for the many challenges that contractors face and overcome every day." Pugh's background in and passion for the construction industry not only has guided his career at Bradley, but also has led Pugh to a strong commitment to ABC of Alabama. He has long served on numerous committees and boards at both the state and national level. And now, he's stepping into the role of 2017 Chairman of the Board. "I'm excited to take on this role with ABC of Alabama," Pugh said. "With my particular background, I hope to be able to relate to every member's needs and interests. I think I understand the unique perspectives of each party, whether they be a contractor, subcontractor, designer, supplier or associate member. I can truly bridge the gaps between the different points of view—at least that is my goal and my desire." Those in the association who know Pugh well are not shy in speaking of his abilities to take on the leadership role and guide ABC of Alabama. "I believe David will be one of the best chairmen ABC of Alabama has ever had," said Garry Ard, CEO of Ard Contracting. "He will be one of the best because he knows so much about the construction industry from his experience on both sides. And he doesn't do anything half-heartedly." Hoar Construction's Randall Curtis, last year's chairman of the board, has also seen Pugh exhibit the qualities needed to guide the association. "After the last two months of transitioning with David into the leadership role, I'm confident we have the right guy for the job," he said. "He's a lawyer, he's an engineer and he's a contractor. David's experience representing general contractors, subcontractors, owners and designers gives him a very broad range of knowledge about our industry. David is also very passionate about ABC, specifically membership growth and our legislative agenda at both the federal and state level. ABC of Alabama is in very good hands with David leading us in 2017." Added ABC of Alabama President Jay Reed, "David's leadership is already starting to reap benefits for our association and industry early in his term," he said. "His knowledge of the workings within our association, plus the industry's needs, has him prepared to take over the association. He has so much knowledge of the industry's pulse that he has certainly hit the ground running with the strategic plan. While David does serve the industry as an attorney, you can tell he is a contractor at heart and is truly listening to the needs in ensuring our board of directors addresses those." As with any job or project Pugh has ever taken on, he's come into it with specific goals in mind. As chairman, Pugh has three main goals for his term that he's determined to achieve. One of those is increasing membership, something he had already been working on last year as membership chairman. Under Pugh's leadership in 2016, the association saw more than 70 new members for the year. But Pugh is focused on increasing that number in 2017. "It's not numbers for numbers sake; it's increasing our visibility in areas of state where we haven't traditionally had a large presence," Pugh said. "We are intentionally looking at growing in areas where we haven't been before so that we can truly speak on behalf of the entire state." Another goal for Pugh is continuing to pursue excellence in government affairs. He wants the association to be even more involved legislatively. "Our association is great at affecting legislation and government affairs activities," Pugh said. "We've transitioned into an offensive role where we draft, sponsor and promote legislation that's good for our industry and makes it easier to do business. We also need to continue trying to be the best at identifying and promoting economic development legislation because it's in our members' best interest." Workforce development is another topic that Pugh is focusing much attention on as well, especially with the success thus far of ABC's Academy of Craft Training. "We've got to devote more attention to this topic and build upon the success of the Academy where we're seeing young people being trained for careers in construction," he added. "We're also focusing heavily on developing young professionals in the industry to get them actively engaged. At the same time, we're finding ways to keep past chairmen involved in the association. It's important to keep them engaged because they represent a wealth of knowledge and experience." Despite the intense goals on the agenda and the work waiting to be done, Pugh is excited about the accomplishments already being made and the challenges that lie ahead. "One way to say it is that I want to move the needle," he said. "At the end of 2017, I want there to be a consensus that we pushed the envelope and made not only the association but also the industry better. That's my hope and the goal I aim to achieve." "At the end of 2017, I want there to be a consensus that we pushed the envelope and made not only the association but also the industry better. That's my hope and the goal I aim to achieve." –David Pugh, 2017 Chairman of the Board