In this week's member newsletter, AGC San Diego congratulated member company Randall Construction for their heroic actions at the Kelly Elementary School in Carlsbad, Calif. Company president Gary Randall and five employees were working on a school cafeteria remodel when a gunman opened fire on the playground nearby.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported the story on October 9, and included further details October 11, noting that Mario Contreras, Stephen Kane and Carlos Partida, all of Randall Construction, chased and disarmed the gunman immediately after Brendan Liam O'Rourke opened fire and wounded two children.

Both children survived their injuries, and many more lives were surely saved, as O'Rourke had additional bullets on him.

Jim Ryan, Chapter executive vice president, noted that Contreras and Partida are part of the AGC Apprenticeship & Training Program, and that all other Randall Construction employees involved are examples of what makes the construction industry great.

For more information, contact Jim Ryan at jryan@agcsd.org.

AGC president Ted Aadland talks to an ACE Leadership School student.

At the opening of the AGC-New Mexico Building Branch-developed ACE Leadership High School in Albuquerque, N.M., AGC president Ted Aadland noted that construction-focused schools deliver better results than comparable public schools, and an increased focus on skills-based programs would help cut high school dropout rates.

Read more here.

For more information, contact Brian Turmail at turmailb@agc.org, or Mara Halguin at MaraHolguin@agc-nm.org.

On July 29, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed the Oregon Jobs and Transportation Act (JTA), the state's largest long-term investment in transportation infrastructure, putting thousands of Oregonians to work while making sustainable and strategic investments in all sectors of the transportation system, including roads, bridges, mass transit, railroads, seaports and airports.

The Oregon-Columbia Chapter was instrumental in helping pass this ground-breaking bill. In attendance at the bill signing were Ted Aadland, incoming 2010 AGC of America president, and Andrew Beyer, 2009 AGC Oregon-Columbia Chapter president.

The JTA is the largest, bi-partisan funding package ever passed in Oregon, and raises $300 million annually in new revenue dedicated to the state's transportation system. Additionally the bill provides more than $800 million in bond proceeds to relieve key bottlenecks, improve existing facilities, and address safety concerns. It is projected that this bill will provide 40,000 jobs in the next ten years, and it is the greenest transportation package in Oregon's history.

For more information, contact Karla Holland at 503-682-3363 or karla@agc-oregon.org.

AGC of Minnesota Awarded Community Partner of the Year by the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA).  AGC of Minnesota was recognized for its involvement and support for MEDA's Construction Partnering Program.  The Chapter lends its office for program meetings and supports the use and growth of women and minority owned contractors, according to MEDA's annual report.

For more information, contact Dave Semerad at dsemerad@agcmn.org.

Shea Delutis-Smith, Clark Construction and 2009-10 AGC of DC President; Jim Clark, Clark Construction and 1967 AGC of DC President; Joe Jarboe, Clark Construction and future AGC of America President; Nigel Parkinson, Parkinson Construction and 2008-09 AGC of DC President.

More than 170 people attended AGC of DC's 80^th Anniversary celebration at the Hay Adams Hotel in Washington, D.C.  AGC of D.C. is the oldest construction industry association in Washington, D.C., and its members have built some of the region's most recognizable landmarks, including the World War II Memorial and the Washington Nationals baseball stadium.

Fifteen of the Chapter's past presidents attended the event, including Jim Clark, Clark Construction Group (1967 Chapter President) and Glen Ballowe, Volpe Construction (1966 Chapter President).

Arizona Builders' Alliance executive director Mark Minter was interviewed by the local news on the ability of the economic stimulus to bring construction jobs to Arizona.  Watch the video here.

A recent construction job fair in North Dakota drew a crowd of workers from across the state and beyond. Russ Hanson, executive vice president of the AGC of North Dakota, talked with the local media about the potential of $170 million in stimulus funds to put people to work on construction projects in the state.  Watch the video.

Warren B. Diederich, former treasurer of AGC and lifetime member, passed away.  He was born in Fergus Falls, Minn., on February 10, 1924.  Warren married Irene Gunvaldsen in 1946.  Warren and Irene are the parents of four children, Michael (Mary), Laura Carley (Cole), Donn (Kirsten) and Paul (Ellen), all of Fargo. Grandchildren are Lisa, Ryan, Monica, Brittany, Erik, and Anna Diederich; Sean, Jay, and Marcus Carney; Great granddaughter Lily Carney.

Warren and Irene founded Industrial Builders, Inc., in 1953 and started to build bridges, dams, and highway projects.  Warren was President of AGC’s ND Chapter, National Chairman of the Highway Division, Chairman of the Bureau of Public Roads, and served as National Treasurer in 1992.

He was honored for his work on highway legislation that benefited North Dakota and its allotment of the Federal Highway Trust Fund in 1981.  He was selected for the North Dakota Highway Hall of Fame in 1987.  He was a committee member and the Chairman of the National Academy of Science Highway Research.  In 1990 he was awarded the C.I.T. Group / Industrial Financing “Rebuilding America” Award in recognition of his contributions to the infrastructure of the United States.  He was a member of the Consulting Constructors Council to benefit Construction Education since 1970.  He was also a Life Honorary Director of TRIP, a National Transportation Research Group.

Memorials preferred to Hospice of the Red River Valley, Associated General Contractors of America Education and Research Foundation, or North Dakota State University Development Foundation Scholarship Fund.

The Contractors Association of West Virginia helped sponsor a December 15 broadcast of the groundbreaking PBS documentary Liquid Assets, which highlights the health and safety threats of our nation’s long-neglected water infrastructure.  After the broadcast, local chapter members pulled together representatives from the EPA, the local water authorities and utility owners for a roundtable discussion on the state’s water needs.

View West Virginia PBS’ article about their Liquid Assets experience here and listen excerpts of the roundtable discussion by clicking here.

Sponsoring local broadcasts of Liquid Assets is a great way to advocate for increased investments in our aging water infrastructure. 

Chapters that are interested in hosting screenings, sponsoring broadcasts, or leading local debates should visit www.agc.org/liquidassets, or contact Perry Fowler at (703)837-5321 or fowlerp@agc.org.