The Official Publication of the Power & Communication Contractors Association 2nd Quarter 2012 Also Inside • Fighting for Rural America’s Broadband Future • PCCA: You Get Out What You Put In • USDA Announces Rural Electric Funding • The Deadly Dangers of Distracted Driving PCCA 2012 Highlights Keynote Speaker and Former FDNY Battalion Commander Richard Picciotto, an American Hero
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2nd Quarter 2012 Officer Directors Official Publication of the Power & Communication Contractors Association Board of Directors Craig Amerine Amerine Utilities Construction, Inc. David Aubrey Okay Construction Robert Breeden ElectriCom, Inc. Tony Briggs Vermeer Manufacturing Ed Campbell Henkels & McCoy, Inc. John Fluharty Mears Group, Inc. Mark Frosaker MasTec North America, Inc. Matthew Gabrielse Gabe’s Construction Co., Inc. John Hale John Deere Jerrod Henschel Michels Corporation Kevin Mason ElectriCom, Inc. Robert Orr Sherman & Reilly, Inc. Larry Pribyl MP Nexlevel, LLC Rob Pribyl MP Nexlevel, LLC Heath Sellenriek Sellenriek Construction Jameson Ringger NESCO, LLC Lindsley Thulin Michels Corporation Ron Tagliapietra Michels Corporation Matt Trawick Trawick Construction Co., Inc. Publication Staff Publisher Timothy Wagner Associate Publisher Cheryl Stratos Editor Michael Ancell Membership Stacy Bowdring Advertsing Victoria Elie Meetings Mackenzie Fluharty 1908 Mt. Vernon Avenue, 2nd Floor Alexandria, Virginia 22301 (800) 542-PCCA • www.pccaweb.org ©2012 Power & Communication Contractors Association President Tommy Muse Aubrey Silvey Enterprises, Inc. President-Elect Glen Amerine Amerine Utilities Construction, Inc. 1st Vice President Steve Sellenriek Sellenriek Construction 2nd Vice President Timothy D. Killoren CCI Systems, Inc. Treasurer Todd Myers Kenneth G. Myers Construction Secretary James Dillahunty Henkels & McCoy, Inc. Fighting for Rural America’s Broadband Future 7 By Joshua Seidemann As federal lawmakers reform regulations relating to rural broadband deployment, it is useful to revisit the policies that brought telephone service to the far reaches of the nation and to ensure that the same success can be found as America moves toward a broadband future. NTCA’s Josh Seidemann provides a thorough overview of this important issue. PCCA 2012: High Times in the Texas Hill Country 13 In March, 260 power and communications professionals and their families headed for the hills outside of San Antonio for the 67th annual PCCA Convention. At the fabulous Hyatt Regency Hill Country, PCCA members exchanged valuable information, attended topical education sessions, enjoyed captivating speakers, learned about the latest products and services, caught up with old friends, made some new ones, and enjoyed a wide variety of fun-filled events. PCCA: You Get Out What You Put In 29 By Dan Levac Longtime PCCA member Dan Levac believes there are many ways for Associate members to get their membership dues back at PCCA. Much like the lottery, he says, you have to be in it to win it. In this article, he provides specific ideas to enhance your membership with PCCA. News Briefs 33 RDUP News 42 Safety Watch | by Phillip Metcalf 44 Safety News 45 PCCA Member News 47 Advertiser Index 48 Industry Calendar 49 Final Word | by Tim Wagner 50
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PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 7 Shakespeare observed, “What’s past is prologue.” That phrase truly describes rural broadband: the past, which saw telephone penetration to approximately 95 percent of the country, is only the beginning of our work toward a broadband future. But, federal policies that championed telephone deployment are being reinterpreted, and the industry must ensure that cracks do not form in historically concrete support for rural America. Federal policies that support rural telephone deployment touch nearly every facet of human life, from education and health care to commerce and public safety. The technical, legal, and economic issues are as applicable to today’s rapidly evolving broadband world as they were to party-line telephone service a century ago. It is critical that today’s decisions ensure a vibrant national broadband network tomorrow and sustain these critical connections. If broadband is the great connector, then millions of Americans could be cut off from the many benefits that can be exchanged between rural and urban areas over broadband networks. Indeed, the ripple effects of these changes will touch not only rural areas, but urban areas as well. Rural telecommunications is a $14.4 billion industry, and nearly two-thirds of that economic activity occurs in urban areas each year. If a rural telephone company downsizes its staff and decreases its vehicle fleet, the impact also will be felt by the assemblyman in urban Michigan where the truck would have been built. As federal lawmakers reform regulations relating to rural broadband deployment, it is useful to revisit the policies that brought telephone service to the far reaches of the nation and to ensure that the same success can be found as America moves toward a broadband future. Historic Efforts to Build and Operate Telephone Networks in Rural Areas The most compelling challenge of providing communications services in rural areas is the cost of deploying and operating capitalintensive networks where population densities are low. Whether telephone or broadband, the per-user installation cost is generally lower in a city high-rise than in a rural area where hundreds of feet, if not miles, might separate users, requiring more hardware facilities for Fighting for Rural America’s Broadband Future By Joshua Seidemann Continued on page 8 Joshua Seidemann NTCA Director of Policy Why This Matters to PCCA At PCCA’s recent convention in San Antonio, many members expressed concern over how the Federal Communications Commission’s efforts to reform the Universal Service Fund will impact investment in the rural telecom projects that PCCA members build and supply. PCCA has reached out to rural broadband providers—the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA) and the Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies OPASTCO)—to learn more about the issue and try to effect change that will not only benefit our members, but will continue the effort to bring high-quality, affordable broadband to all Americans. This article, penned by NTCA’s Director of Policy Josh Seidemann, provides an outstanding introduction to the concept of universal service, its long history of success, and the dire consequences of the FCC proposals. Among the many notable points that PCCA members will take from this article, these three stand out: • The huge disparity in the National Broadband Plan calling for 100 Mbps service, but in rural areas the requirement would be only 4Mbps down/1Mbps up; • Some rural carriers are reacting to proposed changes in funding by curtailing investment plans; and • FCC actions are discouraging economic growth, limiting broadband investment, and stalling job creation. This article is just one step in our efforts to make sure the FCC gets this right. We urge all PCCA members to visit www.saveruralbroadband.org and the Foundation for Rural Service website at www.frs.org and to get involved by writing letters to your legislators and donating money to the cause. You will be hearing much more from PCCA on this issue in the coming weeks.
PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 8 each location. The original Bell Telephone Company recognized this and focused its network installations in metropolitan areas where investment could be recovered. When Bell’s telephone equipment patents expired in 1894, rural telephone companies emerged to provide service to communities left behind by Bell. One aspect that many take for granted today, however, was missing—there was no guarantee that rural telephone users could place calls to locations outside their network. In addition to metropolitan telephone systems, Bell also controlled long-distance telephone lines. The company would interconnect with independent carriers, but only for a high price. In response, the U.S. government raised an anti-trust action, and Bell responded with the “Kingsbury Commitment”: Bell would interconnect with the rural independents in exchange for being permitted to operate as a regulated monopoly. Over the course of the next several decades, rural telephone companies responded to market demands, and additional growth occurred after the 1949 “Telephone Amendment” to the Rural Electrification Act of 1936. The new law offered low-cost loans for rural telephone companies. In the first six weeks following approval of the legislation, the Rural Electrification Administration received 700 requests for information, and within two weeks after application forms were approved, nearly 100 applications were filed. The loans enabled rural network construction but did not fully resolve the comparatively high costs of providing service in those areas. In order to keep local service rates affordable, long-distance services were priced above cost to subsidize local service. Competition and Technology Prompt Reforms to the Support of Rural Networks By the early 1970s, the telephone market was changing. American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T), the successor to Bell, enjoyed a monopoly in major metropolitan areas and in some instances could not keep pace with demand. At the same time, upstarts such as Microwave Communications, Inc. (MCI) were challenging AT&T’s dominance in the longdistance market. In 1974, the federal government filed a new anti-trust suit against AT&T, responding to concerns that the company’s control of both local and long-distance networks could enable it to quash threats to its long-distance business. The proceeding lasted eight years, and in 1982 AT&T agreed to divest itself of its local operating companies, leaving it to provide only long-distance services. The local operations emerged as separated Regional Bell Operating Companies. Because internal cross-subsidization was no longer possible, per-minute “access charges” were introduced. The access charges reflected the fact that long-distance providers would not be able to provide their service unless they used the local networks to complete this call. The access revenues enabled local companies to keep local service rates affordable in high-cost areas. In 1996, Congress introduced sweeping reform of telecommunications laws, including an updated strategy to ensure that users in rural and other high-cost areas would have access to communications services that were reasonably comparable in both price and quality to those available in urban areas. The law required all telecommunications providers to contribute to a Universal Service Fund (USF) that would distribute explicit support to those companies with extraordinary costs; together with continuing access revenues, this funding enabled the high-cost companies to maintain affordable local service rates. Rural America’s Broadband Future Continued from page 7
PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 9 The new law also required spending to support communications services for schools and libraries, rural health care providers, low-income consumers, and, somewhat paradoxically, the operations of competitive carriers. In essence, in markets where a single incumbent needed USF support in order to remain viable, the USF would now support two or more similarly situated carriers. Mixed results ensued: In some instances, the availability of a supported competitor created new consumer benefits, while in other areas, the proliferation of multiple competitors resulted mostly in duplicative services and swelled the USF. Funding for competitive carriers increased dramatically from 2001 until 2008, when the FCC took steps to control spending; funding for low-income programs has continued to grow, increasing by 42 percent in 2010 alone. From 2006 to 2011, however, support for rural telephone companies held steady, keeping pace generally with the consumer price index. But because the USF was perceived as a “rural telephone” program, USF growth was perceived incorrectly as a “rural problem,” even though increased USF spending for schools, libraries, and low-income consumers flowed to urban areas, as well. Increasing policy-maker ire was compounded by a series of audits, conducted by federal contractors, that described widespread impropriety in the program. Subsequent audits by industry experts, however, determined so-called “improper payments” at 2.7 percent (a comparatively excellent record among federal programs), but the damage of “bad news makes news” had already been done. And while a group of federal and state regulators providing counsel to the FCC commended rural telephone companies for their broadband deployments, the FCC initiated a proceeding to amend the USF program. In late 2008, the FCC seemed poised to issue a series of revisions to existing regulations, but those efforts were derailed when vigorous opposition to certain elements of a reform plan emerged. Ultimately, the FCC failed to pass its proposal. Mixed Messages From the Federal Government—To Build or Not Build Future-Proof Networks in Rural Areas? As the FCC was embroiled in its attempts to reform USF, infirmities in the national housing market and large financial institutions precipitated staggering job losses and adverse economic impacts across the national economy. In response, Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), known popularly as the “stimulus act.” The ARRA funded infrastructure initiatives that were intended to jump-start the economy. Among these were broadband network construction projects that were not otherwise included in nor a part of regular USF funding. The ARRA also ordered the FCC to create what would become the National Broadband Plan. During 2009 and 2010, the FCC hosted numerous public workshops and solicited public comment on many aspects of broadband, including technical issues and the role of broadband in education, medicine, public safety, and civic engagement. The National Broadband Plan was released in 2010, and caused an instant stir across the telecommunications industry. Notably, the Broadband Plan was accompanied by FCC proclamations that 100 million people would be connected to 100 Mbps service, but that in rural areas, federal support would ensure service at only a rate of 4 Mbps down/1 Mbps up. This result drew sharp rebuke from the rural telecom industry, which accused the FCC of ignoring universal service principles of “reasonably comparable” service and encouraging a rural/urban digital divide. Although the Broadband Plan did not establish any regulations, it served as a basis for renewed efforts to reform the USF. In early 2010, the FCC solicited public comment on new proposals that threatened substantial reductions in support for rural carriers; industry estimates predicted that 50 percent of rural telephone companies would be cash flow negative within five years, and 90 percent would be cash flow negative within the next decade. These results prompted an aggressive campaign that included formal filings with the FCC, public relations and media efforts, and intense lobbying on Capitol Hill. At the same time, the rural telecom industry also met with large and mid-size telephone companies, including AT&T and Verizon, to negotiate a complex, multi-layered apContinued on page 10 In early 2010, the FCC solicited public comment on new proposals that threatened substantial reductions in support for rural carriers; industry estimates predicted that 50 percent of rural telephone companies would be cash flow negative within five years, and 90 percent would be cash flow negative within the next decade.
PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 10 Rural America’s Broadband Future Continued from page 9 proach to increased broadband deployment. Ultimately, the rural industry brought two proposals to the FCC. The first was a proposal that suggested new constraints for prospective rural investment that would be recoverable through USF support in exchange for more explicit and sustainable support of broadband networks and stricter enforcement of regulations governing inter-carrier payments. The second proposal, which was joined by AT&T, Verizon, and other carriers, was known as the “Consensus Framework.” This second proposal included compromises to both rural and large company positions, and responded to FCC urging that the industry create a unified agreement with respect to USF reform. The Stakes Are High for All In November 2011, the FCC issued new regulations that adopted neither the Consensus Framework nor the rural plan. Rather, the FCC capped USF funding at existing levels on an interim basis, cut access charges that had supported rural networks and kept services affordable for rural consumers for decades, and imposed new limits on rural broadband providers. The rural industry promptly asked the FCC to reconsider several of the new rules. Other groups filed lawsuits to block the regulations and were joined by numerous parties, including state governments. In all, about 30 parties filed suit, many displeased with one or another aspect of the new regulations. Some of the problems involved whether carriers could survive the cuts, while others involved the ability of carriers to meet new federal requirements that conflicted with various state regulations. As the industry examined the impacts of the new rules, the rural industry also evaluated the potential impact of additional proposals offered by the FCC, including mathematical formulae intended to limit funding even further. Rural stakeholders uncovered problems in the models, which were also confirmed when other FCC staff reviewed the proposals. Left uncorrected, the errors could skew results and threaten the ability of carriers to obtain funds for broadband deployment. For example, FCC data indicated that one carrier served 260 square miles, while in fact that carrier serves more than 2,000 square miles. Some rural carriers reacted to the new rules by curtailing investment plans. Others warned of widespread defaults on federal loans if USF support was turned off and access revenues dissipated over time. In early 2012, the rural industry provided comment on the further FCC proposals. These legal filings complemented numerous economic studies that quantified the negative impact that FCC actions would have on rural America. Thirdparty vendors who saw clients cutting back on deployment plans spoke up, too. In letters to the FCC and other federal officials, the vendors explained that their clients were scaling back on broadband deployment plans. The vendors warned that FCC actions “are discouraging economic growth, limiting broadband investment, and stalling job creation.” Invoking the stimulus act, which was intended to promote broadband deployment, the vendors stated, “[t]hese ‘antistimulus’ results conflict directly with the ARRA and other public infrastructure programs....” At present, the FCC continues to examine proposals to scale back funding for rural broadband deployment, and the rural industry continues to work toward ensuring that the rural consumers can obtain services that are reasonably comparable to those available in urban areas and at rates that are reasonably comparable to those available in urban areas. Notably, these efforts have included novel and innovative approaches that include uncovering the interdependent nature of rural and urban areas. The rural communications industry supports more than 70,000 jobs each year. Of those, approximately 38,000 are in rural America, and 32,000 are in urban areas. The stakes for all are high, and in light of how hard it is to build and operate networks in rural areas, we will all live with the consequences of “getting reform right or wrong” for years to come. Joshua Seidemann is director of policy for the National Telecommunications Communications Association (www.ntca. org). NTCA, “the voice of rural telecommunications,” represents more than 570 small and rural telephone cooperatives and commercial companies. At present, the FCC continues to examine proposals to scale back funding for rural broadband deployment, and the rural industry continues to work toward ensuring that the rural consumers can obtain services that are reasonably comparable to those available in urban areas and at rates that are reasonably comparable to those available in urban areas.
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PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 13 In March, 260 power and communications professionals and their families headed for the hills outside of San Antonio for the 67th annual PCCA Convention. At the fabulous Hyatt Regency Hill Country, PCCA members exchanged valuable information, attended topical education sessions, enjoyed captivating speakers, learned about the latest products and services, caught up with old friends, made some new ones, and enjoyed a wide variety of fun-filled events. This year’s convention was dedicated to the memory of PCCA President Larry Libla, our friend and colleague who passed away suddenly last November. Everyone was delighted that Larry’s wife of 39 years, Pam, and his three daughters joined the group in San Antonio to share in the remembrances and to enjoy the convention that Larry and Pam had planned so well. The Construction Industry Roundtable, always the centerpiece of PCCA meetings, focused on a number of topics that are vital to power and communications construction, most notably the Federal Communication Commission’s proposed changes to the Connect America Fund, Universal Service Fund, and Inter-carrier Compensation. These programs have been crucial in bringing broadband and all its benefits to rural communities across the country, and their uncertain future is slowing down this very important work. (Turn to page 7 for more information on this topic.) Other significant topics discussed at the roundtable included the future of RUS infrastructure programs after stimulus funding dries up, Department of Labor prevailing wage classifications, the ongoing worldwide fiber shortage, increased commodity prices, federal emissions requirements, natural gas-powered construction equipment, and the E-Verify program. PCCA kicked off the convention with its Young Construction Professionals Program, which aims to help association members become more effective construction executives and provide up-and-coming company executives with tools they need to succeed. The YCP session in San Antonio, led by FMI’s Andy Patron, focused on market analysis and strategic planning and featured business-building tips from ElectriCom President and PCCA Past President Kevin Mason. In a general education session, FMI’s Chris Daum presented a utility construction overview that touched on all of PCCA members’ major markets and provided a very positive outlook for all. “These should be very good times for everybody,” Daum said. The convention’s final education session covered topics important to all business people: reducing risk and increasing profitability. The general sessions at the convention were very memorable, as well. Opening Session keynote speaker Richard Picciotto, a former FDNY battalion commander, vividly recounted his experiences on September 11, 2001, when he was the last fireman to escape the rubble at Ground Zero. He was in the North Tower evacuating civilians when it collapsed and more than 100 floors came crashing down on them. Miraculously, the group walked out a few hours later, and his story, as well as the bravery and selflessness of Picciotto and his fellow firefighters, is something that the PCCA audience will remember for a long, long time. This year’s PCCA Prayer Breakfast was a memorial to Larry Libla, and his daughters—Anna Whitlow, Christina Miller, and Alicia Libla—delivered lovely Bible readings. The morning’s speaker, author River Jordan, told the story of how she became inspired to say a prayer for a total stranger every day for a year (and beyond) and then wrote a book about it. Her tale is spiritual, funny, and very uplifting. The convention’s final event, a big Country Western Party, was moving as well, but in a totally different way—in a get up off your seat and get moving on the dance floor kind of way! Backed by the rocking country jams of the Chris Story Band, the PCCA crew line danced like pros, swayed with their sweethearts, and even raced live armadillos—an unforgettable way to close out another fantastic PCCA convention. PCCA 2012: High Times in the Texas Hill Country
PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 14 Images of PCCA 2012 6Current PCCA President Tommy Muse, then in his role as acting president, welcomed association members to San Antonio “with a heavy heart” as he was filling in for his departed friend Larry Libla. Larry and his wife, Pam, selected the Hyatt Hill Country and helped plan the entire convention.
PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 15 4Former FDNY Battalion Commander Richard Picciotto was in the North Tower of the World Trade Center when it collapsed after the 9/11 bombings. He captivated the PCCA audience with his firsthand account of that terrifying day and how it changed his life forever. 6PCCA Executive Vice President Tim Wagner and Tommy Muse present Larry Libla’s Distinguished Service Award to his widow, Pam, and their three daughters, Alicia Libla, Anna Whitlow, and Christina Miller.
PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 16 5Not one to sugarcoat his analysis, FMI’s Chris Daum delighted the big crowd at his Utility Trends session with upbeat forecasts for the power and telecom markets. He said that power is the biggest growth area in utility construction and that while telecom business is good now, it is going to be even better when the general economy improves. 4The Young Construction Professionals sessions run by FMI’s Andy Patron always include audience participation and small group exercises to drive home certain points. In San Antonio this year, YCP participants discussed underlying trends that drive the construction industry and how firms can anticipate and mitigate risks that are critical to the future success of a company.
PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 17 5Winston Weaver welcomes members to the Annual PCCA Prayer Breakfast. This joyous and unique event owes much to Winston’s thorough planning and genial hosting every year. 4Prayer Breakfast speaker River Jordan said a prayer for a total stranger every day for a year, and if a person didn’t want her prayer, “I hit them with a pocket taser.” Besides that and some other good jokes, the experience changed her profoundly. “Instead of discovering that the world needed me, what I discovered was that I needed the world.” All of PCCA’s photos from the 2012 convention are available on the members-only section of www.pccaweb.org. If you need help accessing this section, contact Mackenzie Fluharty at (703) 212-7734 or mfluharty@pccaweb.org.
PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 18 4JoAnne and Ray Schmoldt of DRS Enterprises discuss equipment needs with Sherman & Reilly’s Robert Orr. 4James Pace, Wagner-Smith; Charles Cooke, J.J. Kane; and Herschel Huffine, Grande Truck, talk business. 3Brad Radichel of Condux and Peter Durin of Innerduct.com share a moment before the exhibit opens. 5Jim Dillahunty, Henkels & McCoy, regales the Ditch Witch guys, from left, Blaine Easter, David Pierce, and Tucker Dodson. 3Information over coffee: Left, Ed Campbell, Henkels & McCoy gets the straight stuff from John Deere’s Alec Nations. 3From left, contractors Terry Christopherson, Jack Lapcinski, and Larry Clark get the lowdown on conduit from the American Wire Group’s Bob Dorfman. 5Pengo’s Brad Blackstone understands that the PCCA exhibit is a great place to learn more about this ever-changing industry. Annual Associates Exhibit & Breakfast 4 RWF Bron’s Rob Hall listens intently to Nick Anderson, Anderson Underground.
PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 19 5Steve Spears gets in a quick bid during the Silent Auction, while Melissa and Jack Graves ponder their next move. 5That’s not Billy the Kid with his latest bank loot; it’s auctioneer Michael Whitebread checking with Tim Wagner to see if we’re really giving away all this cash in the heads-or-tails game. 4Pam and Tim Pribyl were among the most active bidders and biggest supporters of PCCA. 6Big smiles from Nick and Carrie Anderson as they peruse the auction catalogue. 3Dana and Barrett Mills are delighted to be the winning bidders on the ElectriCom golf weekend. 6And yes, with all that cash on the line, Samantha Howard, Troy Gipson, Pam Durin, Kaeden Amerine, and Kelly Pribyl decide between heads or tails. In the end, Tyler Myers (below right) took home the big payday, but not before peeling off five crisp $100 bills and donating them back to PCCA. Annual Auction & Reception
PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 20 5Ted Garrison leads a session on reducing risk and increasing profitability. 5From left, Winston Weaver, Don Stephens, Marty Ferguson, and Dave Pampush closely follow the discussion on fiber availability (or lack thereof) during the Construction Industry Roundtable. 6PCCA’s Association of Communication Engineers rep Tom Harter provides Roundtable participants with his take RUS infrastructure programs and proposed changes to the Universal Service Fund. 6Always the convention’s most crowded event, the Roundtable’s new two-tier setup put participants closer together, helped everyone hear better, and kept the discussions flowing freely. 4Rancher Mary Sue Koontz charmed the Spouse Brunch audience with funny and colorful stories about growing up on a ranch and succeeding in a maledominated business. Her speech was well received by the PCCA crowd, including Jenna Schmidt (left) and Carrie Anderson.
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PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 22 4At the YCP sessions, participants learn from each other as well as from the speakers. Here, Dan Levac works with (from left) Billy Vincent, Bruce Tucker, Jerrod Henschel, and Tony Gann. 4Reese Howard, Jeremy Smith, and Bruce Tucker during the YCP session. 3At the Associates Meeting, Dana Scudder weighs in on how to make the exhibit more beneficial for all involved. 4Steve Sellenriek and Kevin Mason scrutinize the financials during the Board of Directors meeting. 5Shown here in the calm before this year’s Opening Session, Tommy Muse and his wife, Brenda, are already planning the 2012 Mid-Year Meeting, September 19-22 in Savannah, Ga., and the 2013 PCCA Convention, March 1-6 in Naples, Fla. 3An old hand at trenching, plowing, and drilling, Chase Lapcinski shows that he can also build a house of cards during a YCP exercise. 3Glen Amerine (center) tackles a problem with Tara and Jeremy Michaels (with Dan Stephens, too, but you can see only the top of his head) during the Young Construction Professionals session. 6At the Past Presidents Lunch, front row (from left): Gene Klaasmeyer, Herb Fluharty, and Ron Tagliapietra. Back row: Kevin Mason, Gary Akin, Steve Spears, Tommy Muse, Winston Weaver, and Greg Johnson.
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PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 24 4Howdy partners! Ron and Bonnie Tagliapietra make a grand entrance at the Country Western Party. 4Tony and Casey Gann chat with Dixie Sellenriek and Karen Garrett at the Welcome Reception. 3Pam Libla gets an extra big hug from Pat Amerine, who like everyone else, was thrilled that Pam and her three daughters joined us for the convention. 4Mandy Trawick and Evonn Meyers brighten the Board/Past President/Sponsor Reception. 5Do big hats mean big ideas, big trouble, or both? You had to be there to know. Front row (from left): Karen Garrett, Roxanne Sellenriek, and Joy Oden. Back row: Bob, Dixie, Heath, and Steve Sellenriek and Joe Oden. 3Karen Pribyl coaxes her armadillo along the outside rail, ahead of Dana Mills but still behind Carrie Anderson. 3Coquette Fluharty’s armadillo won the race so she got her picture taken with the winner. Her daughter Mackenzie lost the race, so all she got was a couple more minutes in those stylish gloves. 6Carole Pauk has a good ol’ time country line dancing, with Steve and Lyndella Bauchman to the left and Missy Amerine and Marcie Smith to the right.
PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 26 5This big-hitting bunch finished in second place. From left, Gary Akin, Garrett Akin, Steve Pauk, and Jason Tyler. 5With such a calm expression, we’re betting that John Audi smacked it straight down the fairway. Or maybe he just took a practice swing. 4Dan Disalvo unleashes the driver while Bob Naumann looks on. 6A couples-only foursome: Jim and Doris Parker (left) and Larry and Karen Pribyl. 5Chris Fluharty knocks it close to the pin, leaving husband Herb with this short putt, which seems to be rolling right off the page. 6Those big smiles must mean little scores. From left, Ken Flammang, Dennis Scharnhorst, and Jeremy Payton. PCCA Golf Tournament
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PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 29 There are so many ways to get your membership dues back at PCCA. Much like the lottery, you have to be in it to win it! I will provide some specific ideas to enhance your membership with PCCA. As the name states, it is the Power & Communication Contractors Association. This association is made up of the power and communication construction industry’s finest contractors, and as associate members it is up to us to make the experience the best possible for both the contractors and us. In a word, network! We have so many opportunities to network at both the Annual Conventions and Mid-Year Meetings; here’s my advice for making the most of these opportunities. Attend the educational sessions, especially the Young Construction Professionals (YCP) sessions. YCP is where the up-and-coming contractors (as well as quite a few veteran contractors) go to learn the latest and greatest techniques from high-quality training seminars provided by FMI and to get career-building advice from PCCA Past Presidents. These sessions aren’t just sit-andlisten seminars; they are very interactive and always include exercises where you work in small groups. These activities are fantastic ways to network, and it never hurts to learn more about your industry and ways to build a business. Get involved with the committees; the contractors do. Where better to prove that you are there for the contractors? They will notice and appreciate your participation. Network! • The Membership/Welcoming Committee. All members are welcome to attend this meeting, where you have another opportunity to discuss PCCA membership and add your voice to the betterment of the association. You will also be called upon to welcome new members and first-time meeting attendees to answer any questions they may have and help them get the most out of the organization. Network! • The Labor Committee is also open to all members and meets each year at the MidYear Meeting. The Labor Committee discusses relevant labor, safety, and HR issues as they arise and takes action when needed. We are currently dealing with prevailing wage classifications and surveys with the Labor Department and on FCC efforts to reform the Universal Service Fund. Network! Put yourself out there. Become a meeting sponsor, and donate an item or two for the Auction at the Convention. If you and your company sponsor the Convention or Mid-Year, you will have an additional opportunity to network with the Board of Directors and Past Presidents at a private reception. Contractors like to work with the companies that work hard to make PCCA one of the best organizations of its kind. Network! Location, location, location! The PCCA selects very nice meeting sites, and as a rule you have a captive audience. So network! PCCA is a family-oriented organization that provides many ways to get together with the contractors and their PCCA: You Get Out What You Put In By Dan Levac Continued on page 30 5Dan Levac speaks up during one of the many events he attends at every PCCA convention and mid-year meeting. 5Ryan Steinbecker, of PCCA convention sponsor Altec, congratulates Craig Amerine on his election to the board of directors. 6Barrett Mills (front row center), Sumitomo Electric Lightwave, knows that the Construction Industry Roundtable is chock-full of good information. And it’s never a bad idea to find a seat between two contractors, Bob Breeden on the left and Steve Spears on the right.
PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 30 families. Try some of the optional activities. Shared experiences on a raging river, the back of a horse, or a speedy go-kart are great ways to meet people. Network! Attend the General Sessions. PCCA always has interesting and informative speakers that members will be discussing for months to come. Get in on the conversation! The Annual Prayer Breakfast is an uplifting experience that provides many moving memories. You also have the opportunity to play great customer golf at some of the nicest golf courses in the country. Call ahead and see if the contractor is willing to have you in their foursome. You have to call often and early if you want the Stephens Boys! Network! Work the Associates Breakfast. Can you compare the exhibitor breakfast to the OSP Expo? No, it’s better. You get a more relaxed visit with the top contractors in our industry. You are not chained to your booth (table), so go see anyone you want. Ask them to come to your table if you want to show them something. They will come! Network! Always attend the Conventions and Mid-Years. Put yourself out there, work hard on a committee, and become one of four Associate Members on the Board of Directors. The PCCA Board of Directors is unlike any other Board of Directors I have seen. They actually listen to the Associates and give them a voice. Network! PCCA as a whole provides a very relaxed atmosphere that allows you to get out of it what you put into it. Get to know the people of PCCA, and of course...network! Dan Levac is the West Coast Region/ National Accounts Manager at Preformed Line Products. He was instrumental in developing PCCA’s YCP program, has been a longtime member of the Membership/Welcoming Committee, and served on the Board of Directors for four years. And even though he claims to have been ignored since being off the Board, he continues to actively participate in all the activities PCCA has to offer. He can be reached at dlevac@preformed.com. Network! Continued from page 29 EECI10208-S01-01 BRON logo is a registered trademark of RWF Industries • Static or Vibratory • 84” (213 cm) Plow Depth • Left/Right Offset ADD-ONUTILITY PLOWS GET UNDERWAY 5Marty Ferguson, of PCCA convention sponsor FS3, chats with Rob and Kelly Pribyl at the Board/Past President/Sponsor Reception.
No one can predict the future, but knowing that you have someone on your side to help you navigate the hiring process will make an uncertain future, a little more stable. The Global HR Research and PCCA partnership does just that. By offering you a comprehensive suite of talent acquisition and screening solutions GHRR assists you in selecting the right candidate for the job. Give back to the PCCA and let Global HR Research Redefine your HR expectations.™ Global HR Research and the PCCA - a true partnership. STARTS HERE. Copyright © 2011 Global HR Research, LLC. All rights reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of Global HR Research. Global HR Research and all Global HR Research product and service names mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Global HR Research in the United States. All other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. Contact a GHRR representative today to learn more. 1.800.790.1205 | contactus@globalhrresearch.com Or visit us at www.globalhrresearch.com THE ROAD TO BETTER HIRING Talent Management • Talent Assessment • Talent Screening • Occupational Health Services
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PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 33 A recent economic analysis of the impact of rural telecommunications companies finds they stimulate significant economic activity in both rural and urban areas. The report, The Economic Impact of Rural Telecommunications: The Greater Gains, was authored by Hanns Kuttner, a visiting fellow at the Hudson Institute. The report is especially timely given recent Federal Communication Commission efforts to reform the federal Universal Service Fund (USF). The providers analyzed in the report serve consumers in high-cost, rural areas and depend on support from the USF to enable investment and ongoing operations. Beyond the specific benefits of a nationwide telecommunications network examined in prior research, Kuttner noted: “These remarkable results provide a clearer understanding of the impact of rural telecommunications on rural and urban areas, consistent with the values underpinning access to advanced telecommunications and advanced services in all regions of the nation, as supported by the Universal Service Fund.” “While the industry’s output is telecommunications services in rural areas, the economic activity it generates accrues both to the rural areas served and also to urban areas,” the report finds. “Rural telecom companies often must draw on markets outside their own service areas to find the goods and services they require.” In fact, according to Kuttner’s analysis, almost half of the jobs supported by the economic activity of rural telecommunications companies are in urban areas. This analysis provides a clearer understanding of the far-reaching impact these companies have on other firms and economic activity beyond their areas through the purchase of everything from fleet vehicles and equipment to modems and other telecom components. Kuttner noted just how significant this impact is. The economic effects of the rural sector of the telecommunications industry are both direct and indirect. It was responsible for $14.5 billion in economic activity in 2009, an amount that supported 70,700 jobs. A majority of the economic effect is demand outside the service area of the telecommunications provider. The current patterns show how much change in economic activity could be expected if the sector expanded or contracted in response either to changes in demand or changes to the current mechanisms that support universal service. “A loss of revenue from the USF would diminish the economic activity of rural telecommunications providers, causing negative ripple effects to spread outward locally, regionally, and nationally,” Kuttner cautioned in his conclusion. The Hudson Institute, a nonpartisan policy research organization, prepared the report for the Foundation for Rural Service, which in cooperation with the National Telecommunications Cooperative Association, seeks to sustain and enhance the quality of life throughout rural America by advancing an understanding of rural telecommunications issues. The report and more information are available at www.frs.org. News Briefs News Briefs continued on page 34 Report Finds That Rural Telecom Activity Benefits Rural and Urban Areas Despite substantial bipartisan support, an extension of the federal wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC) was not included in the payroll tax legislation that President Obama signed into law in February. “The stakes here could not be clearer,” said American Wind Energy Association CEO Denise Bode. “Economic studies have shown that congressional inaction on the PTC will kill 37,000 American jobs, shutter plants, and cancel billions of dollars in private investment. Congress needs to understand that, with PTC uncertainty, layoffs have already begun and further job losses and even plant closings will accelerate with each month we near expiration in December.” “Support for an extension to wind power’s key federal tax incentive is both broad and growing,” Bode continued. “In just the past 24 hours, leaders as diverse as Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), Governor Mary Fallin (R-Okla.), and Governor John Kitzhaber (D-Ore.) joined corporate icons like Nike, Campbell Soup, and Yahoo in calling for a speedy extension to wind power’s critical federal tax incentive.” AWEA Decries Lack of PTC Extension
PCCA Journal|2nd Quarter 2012 34 News Briefs Continued from page 33 Broadband Makes Aging in Place Possible for Rural Seniors The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) in May issued the white paper, “Aging in Place and the Role of Broadband,” which finds that broadband access provided by small, rural telephone companies, coupled with recent health care reforms and cuttingedge technology, is making it possible for more rural seniors to comfortably and safely spend their final years in their own homes. The white paper was issued as part of the foundation’s Rural Telecom Educational Series, an ongoing effort to promote rural telecom and educate national and local policy-makers on the challenges and opportunities facing community-based telecom providers. Previous papers have focused on wireless technology in rural America, cable rates, and rural economic development. “Aging in Place” focuses on advances in telemedicine and how this digital method of bringing patients and health care professionals together via highspeed internet connections is helping reverse the growing trend toward private nursing home care and assisted living among rural seniors. Studies have shown that nearly 4 percent more rural seniors are in nursing homes than their urban counterparts because of the lack of transportation, scarcity of doctors and hospitals, and fewer at-home services offered in rural areas. “Thanks to the hard work of community-based telecommunications providers to bring broadband to rural America, access to high-quality health care is no longer an impediment to aging in place for many rural seniors,” said FRS Executive Director Elizabeth Crocker. “These technologies are making it possible for seniors to live more independently and affording them the same comfort and security their urban counterparts enjoy.” The white paper highlights a number of telehealth applications enabled by rural telcos, including: • Videoconferencing capabilities that allow doctors and patients to communicate over the internet; • Remote health monitoring services that record vital signs, such as blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and relay that information to doctors and family members; and • Systems that transmit large digital files such as X‐rays and photos between technicians, specialists, or primary care providers. The Foundation for Rural Service, in • 5-Watt adjustable power • Clear, intuitive display • AC/DC mode for safety • Rechargeable non-memory battery • 3-year warranty Making Locating Easier Since 1953 www.schonstedt.com • 800-999-8280 Transmitter QUICK • POWERFUL • PRECISE Electric Telecommunications Water/Gas/Sewer PIPE & CABLE LOCATOR
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