Dear ASA Members and Friends of ASA,
Summer has made its arrival and in some parts of the country it has come in with a vengeance. I hope everyone is geared up and ready to enjoy the summer months with BBQ’s, picnics, camping, vacations, etc. It’s the time of year that we can truly enjoy the weather and spend valuable time with family and friends. Whatever you do, please be safe.
It is hard to believe that I am now in the last few days of my term as President of the American Subcontractors Association. It has been a very joyful and fulfilling year for me as YOUR ASA President. Many of the goals that I set forth have come to fruition and owe that to all of you, as members of our amazing association. Probably one of the biggest priorities of mine was better communication between ASA National and you as members and our many ASA chapters around the United States. I have always felt that one of the most important keys to life is communication. The better the communication is, the better life is in anything we do. So thank you for listening and sharing your feedback on how to best communicate.
I just got back from our Washington, DC Fly-in. As always, Mike Oscar, our Government Relations Officer, and his staff, did another outstanding job of putting the events together. Many hours of prep work and scheduling and logistics went into the Fly-in. It affords the opportunity for us to get in front of lawmakers (or their staff) and convey our concerns about issues that directly affect our subcontracting industry. The impact of this event is evident with an interview on Fox News Business Network on June 16. ASA’s own Andrew Christ and Scott Holbrook supported the tax provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill. There were 49 of us that attended this annual event. Again, we thank Mike and Kate for the work they put into this, and thank you to our Metro Washington Chapter for a great reception at the end of the day.
The next event available for our ASA Members is SUBExcel, taking place in Oklahoma City on September 16th through the 18th. Again, I cannot stress to you enough, the significance and importance of this event, our annual convention. It is a huge opportunity to experience outstanding speakers, benefit from well planned out educational sessions, share experiences with your fellow trades, enjoy some fun networking and attend our Annual Awards Gala. If you have already registered, I thank you. And if you for some reason have not, I strongly encourage you to do so. Pick up the phone and call me or another peer that may have already attended a SUBExcel, and you will be convinced of its importance and great value to you and your businesses. I look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible.
This month’s edition of The Contractors Compass focusses on SAFETY. As you are all aware, safety is paramount in our industry. It affects our business and more importantly our lives. We can never be too safe. Our goal everyday should be that our workers return safely to their homes and families, healthy and safe, every single day. To that end, make sure you read ASA of Colorado’s involvement in the Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative in Colorado and launching https://corecoveryfriendlyworkplace.org/, which offers employers resources and a roadmap to support recovery on the job.
At this time I wish to thank many people who have supported me during my year as President. I merely tried to keep the ship pointed in the forward direction. It was many of you, that through your hard work and commitment to ASA, actually propelled the ship along. I wish to thank the National Board for many years of working with them and for their commitment to ASA and time given as volunteers. I wish to thank the National ASA Staff for all they do for ASA. Their enthusiasm and dedication to their roles in ASA are more than just a job for them. They truly pour out their heart and soul to make sure that ASA is a huge success. I wish to thank the ASA Executive Committee as we have continued to work closely and regularly during this past year. ASA is in great leadership hands moving forward. Martin Press will be a true asset as an Excomm Member at Large. Marni Goodrich will make an outstanding Secretary/Treasurer. Tony Vermaas will be a superb Vice President. And of course Andrew Christ will be a masterful President and lead this association in a professional manner. I also wish to thank my wife, Rosemary, and my family who continually offered me support. And of course I also want to thank the many friends and peers that I have met along my journey through ASA for these many years. You are all great individuals and are friends for life.
God bless you and your families and remember to always take care of yourselves and each other.
