Inside AGC CEO’s Message
March/April 2008

National Building Museum Honor Award Goes to AGC

AGC becomes 22nd recipient of the prestigious award

By AGC CEO Steve Sandherr

I am privileged to announce that we are making history once again. The Associated General Contractors of America and our 96 chapters have been named as the 2008 Honor Award recipient by the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

This is the first time in the National Building Museum's history that an association will receive this prestigious award. I credit the leadership and vision of my colleagues at the chapters and AGC member companies for helping to make this award a reality.

When we receive the Honor Award on June 4 as the 22nd recipient of it, we will join the ranks of highly reputable leaders and organizations, including Clark Construction Group LLC, Major League Baseball and the National Football League, DuPont, Michael D. Eisner and the Walt Disney Co., Harold W. McGraw, Jr., Harold McGraw III and The McGraw-Hill Cos. and Lady Bird Johnson, to name a few.

The National Building Museum was created by an act of Congress in 1980 and opened in 1985 in Washington, D.C.

Industry leaders in construction, development, architecture and engineering, as well as leaders from both state and federal government, will attend the event, which will be held in the museum's historic Great Hall. The program will include a tribute from Norbert W. Young, president of McGraw-Hill Construction.

The National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., is the leading cultural institution dedicated to the building arts and sciences. The museum explores the fields of architecture, planning, construction and building through exhibitions, education programs and publications.

Over the years, AGC has worked with the National Building Museum to produce the Festival of the Building Arts. This one-day event is held each year in the fall and features craftspeople, including woodworkers, stone carvers and art glass designers, who lead visitors through demonstrations and hands-on activities. Children are given hard hats and practice laying brick and thatching roofs to make this a much-anticipated family event.

Our impact on the industry is great, and the museum has recognized that. I view this award as further proof of the value of membership in AGC and added motivation to continue our efforts in all aspects of our profession from legislative action to education and training.

We hope many AGC chapters and members will join us in this special evening so that we might accept the award together.