PCCA Journal|4
th
Quarter 2012
66
D
uring the recent PCCA Mid-Year Meeting in
Savannah, we held a session to discuss the
association’s Young Construction Profession-
als program and make plans for its future
direction. Launched in 2007, the YCP pro-
gram was initially championed by PCCA Past President Steve
Spears of Bonneville Construction, S.E., Hato Rey, P.R. PCCA
Board member Craig Amerine of Amerine Utilities Construc-
tion, Inc., Great Bend, Kans., has participated in the YCP
program since its inception and was a part of the strategic
planning meeting in Savannah. Steve and Craig shared some
of their thoughts about YCP with the
PCCA Journal
.
Steve Spears
I stole the idea for YCP
from the Puerto Rico
Chapter of the Associ-
ated General Contrac-
tors. As a specialty
contractor member of
the association since
the early 1990s and lat-
er on as an AGC board
member, I saw it born
in that association.
I saw the positive re-
sults. I saw the energy
the younger members brought to the association, the ideas,
and the draw it was to involve and keep involved new next
generation members. What I did not recognize early on was
that it would become the training grounds for the boards and
committees of the future. It worked that way in Puerto Rico,
and it has worked exactly that way in the PCCA.
My goal for PCCA was fairly simple, to capture the light-
ning in a bottle that I had seen in Puerto Rico. Most PCCA
presidents are baldheads or graybeards when they finally
work their way through the association ranks. But our years
and our participation mean a lot to us, and we want to leave
a legacy. I wanted to involve and keep involved not just the
next generation behind me, but the generations behind them.
Lastly, I wanted to create an environment of continued
improvement and a continuous learning process as part of
the value-added benefits of PCCA. When I see the quality of
the training/education we provide in conjunction with FMI
for our younger members (and older, too), it is obvious we
are doing something right. When I look at the fine people—
young and not so young—we have in the YCP, I can only feel
great about the track we are on.
Craig Amerine
I initially became
involved in YCP out of
curiosity. I wanted to
see what the program
had to offer someone
like myself. I hoped to
receive some insight
that I could put to use
in my daily activities
at work. I thought YCP
would be a good way
to stay active in the
PCCA. What I received
and continue to receive is that and much more.
The very first meeting set the tone for the rest of my
experiences throughout the years at YCP. The atmosphere
was one that allowed for very casual interaction with others,
allowing me to talk to and learn from others that before I had
only formally met. One of the most memorable experiences
was being able to meet and listen to our past PCCA President
Steve Spears. He shared with us his experiences and words of
wisdom that he has in the industry. 
YCP has helped me at work many times, in different
ways. Andy Patron has been a great leader and facilitator at
our meetings. He has a way of enabling the group to share
their own experiences and solutions that I have been able
to use in my own work situations. Sometimes I find myself
in a work situation thinking back on a lesson that Andy had
covered in a previous meeting. Finally, the YCP group has
given me the comfort knowing that if I need advice about
anything, I can pick up a phone and talk to any of the great
people I have met.
Talking YCP with PCCA Members
FINALWORD
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