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AGC Chapters Deliver Valuable Member Services
Chapters create safety, professional development and affiliate-tracking programs
GC and its chapters are developing new programs to meet member needs. The Chapter Partnering Agreements, for example, are a springboard for innovative ideas in marketing, communications, membership, and products and services. Seventy-five chapters have signed partnering agreements with AGC, a commitment certain to bring added value to members.
Five of the participating chapters General Contractors Association of Hawaii, the Master Builders of Iowa, AGC of Milwaukee, the AGC Nebraska Building Chapter and AGC of St. Louis have tailored programs to meet specific member needs.
Top-Notch Safety Training for Members
For AGC members, safety is a top priority. AGC of St. Louis, GCA of Hawaii and the Nebraska Building Chapter have all worked hard at providing high-level training experiences for their members. Through AGC’s Safety Management Training Courses and Advanced Safety Management Training Courses, members receive instruction on the basic skills needed to manage a safety-and-health program within a construction company. This is followed by a higher-level training program aimed at teaching participants ways to manage all aspects of safety for their companies from field safety to legal and liability issues.
“AGC’s safety management courses provided a superb national training opportunity for our members,” says Jean Petsch, executive director of the Nebraska Building Chapter.
AGC delivers national programs at a local level, making them easily accessible to chapters and training hundreds of workers in the process.
GCA of Hawaii is one such success story. “Putting on a safety program has always been one of the General Contractors Association of Hawaii’s top priorities, so the more we expose our members to these programs, the better,” says Johnny Higa, executive vice president of General Contractors Association of Hawaii. “The AGC Safety Management Training Course was so successful that attendees are looking forward to attending the advanced SMTC in April 2008.”
Other chapters also are scheduling these popular safety training classes in 2008, including the AGC of Idaho and Carolinas AGC.
Easy Access to AGC Products & Services
One of AGC’s newest programs, the Affiliate Tracking Program, is designed to enhance the national and chapter partnership and increase collaboration with chapters in the distribution of AGC products and programs.
The Master Builders of Iowa was the first chapter to pilot this program and it has been a win-win situation for everyone. “We’ve received positive member feedback, seen an increase in sales and enhanced the number of publications we have to offer our members,” says Scott Norvell, executive vice president of MBI.
Through the Affiliate Tracking Program, chapters create a Web link from their home page to the AGC Online Bookstore, featuring more than 500 AGC publications, safety products, digital downloads, the Online Institute, ConsensusDOCS and AGC Audio Conferences. This gives chapters and members a direct link to the latest AGC offerings and features discounts.
“As of Dec. 1, nearly 25 chapters are participating in the program, and we expect more to follow,” says Jordan Ahmad, AGC’s senior director of product sales & development.
Professional Development Programs Hit the Road
From Atlanta to Milwaukee, AGC’s new Turnkey Professional Development Programs are quickly becoming chapter favorites, tailored to meet member needs. AGC offers chapters up to nine different programs, including estimating for green building, improving communication skills and time management.
While AGC provides the curriculum, materials and supplies, registration and payment services and qualified instructors, the chapter helps with marketing the course locally, providing the onsite training location and facilitating the actual seminar.
“Our turnkey program went so well that we actually had to cut off registrations,” says Heather Stair, membership services & education director of AGC of Milwaukee. “Energy issues are so important right now that the LEED® program helped to educate our members and our chapter about the issue.”
In 2007, AGC held five turnkey programs at six chapters and educated more than 250 members. The LEED® Turnkey program held at the General Building Contractors of New York State in December was so popular that the chapter added a second program, which also was a sellout. In 2008, AGC is working with chapters to provide 10 to 12 programs throughout the year.
AGC’s partnering agreements and training programs promote growth and professional development for chapters and members alike. AGC encourages members to use these tools, as they are a solid source of learning and networking opportunities. These are just three ways AGC and the chapters are further enhancing the future of the construction industry.
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Chapter Corner