PCCA Journal|4
th
Quarter 2012
28
Mid-Year Meeting
Continued from page 27
Committee looked at ways to better ac-
climate new association members and
first-time meeting attendees and to get
them fully engaged more quickly. The
group also discussed ways to attract new
members and the value of attending
various industry trade shows to pitch
PCCA. To introduce younger people
to the industry and the association,
the committee suggested inviting local
construction and engineering students
to the convention’s Young Construction
Professionals program and perhaps the
Associates Breakfast.
Following the small-group committee
meetings, the full group convened for
the Construction Industry Roundtable
where they heard short presentations on
pressing topics from industry experts,
shared their experiences and opinions,
and asked questions of their peers from
around North America and across the
full spectrum of power and commu-
nication construction. The roundtable
featured Jonathan Claffey, deputy
assistant administrator for the Depart-
ment of Agriculture’s Rural Development
Telecom Program; capital construction
expert Mark Bridgers of the Continuum
Advisory Group; Dean Mischke repre-
senting the American Communications
Engineers; Jerrod Henschel of Michels
Corporation reporting on PCCA’s prevail-
ing wage initiative; and Robert Orr of
Sherman + Reilly on important issues
from the association’s manufacturer and
supplier members.
The rest of the day was devoted to re-
laxing with other members, enjoying the
resort, exploring the city, and sampling
the local cuisine (though “sampling”
may be too weak a verb). Two busloads
of folks chowed down on an amazing
Southern buffet at Paula Deen’s res-
taurant, The Lady & Sons. Great food
was also a focal point later that evening
when the full PCCA crew assembled one
more time for a seafood-laden Lowcoun-
try boil, one of the region’s most distinc-
tive and delicious traditions.
The final morning of the Mid-Year
was devoted to planning the future of
PCCA’s Young Construction Professionals
(YCP) program. Under the expert guid-
ance of moderator Andy Patron, several
members (some young and others with
experience at being young) discussed the
goals of the program (both for partici-
pants and for PCCA) and how to best
achieve them. A YCP Committee will
continue working on the program and
planning an exciting and beneficial event
for the 2013 PCCA Convention, March
1-6 at the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf
Club in Naples, Fla. See you there!
5
Andy Patron of FMI leads an informative and
interactive YCP session.
6
Jonathan Claffey, deputy administrator for the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Telecom Program, shares
candid opinions on the broadband loan and grant programs.
5
Former Major League pitcher Jim Morris was a big hit with his
baseball stories and inspiring message.
6
A full crowd at the Construction Industry Roundtable.
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