< PreviousThe Construction Users Roundtable 11INDUSTRY LEADERSA Message from the CII DirectorI am consumed by the notion that the capital projects industry is capable of doing so much more and that I have a responsibility to drive the case for change. Partnering with CURT to expand the perspective and content of The VOICE is part of that journey. For the past year, I’ve used this page to address how we can bring about an expanded and robust industry condition. Writing about topics ranging from the power of collaboration to Advanced Work Packaging to the need for a structured digital project delivery process helps set the stage for what’s next in our business. But, in my opinion, noticeable game change will happen when we carefully consider what agents, activities and resources are best deployed at the program – that is, not project – level.As a researcher of program management for much of my career, I’ve discovered that no one executes programs well. That is because program thinking is not about executing projects. Programs are about creating benefits. At its most basic level, a program is just a group of projects that are organized and controlled in a coordinated way to achieve a set of business objectives that would not be possible were the projects managed independently. As the bridge between project execution and fiscal reward, the amount of added value that program thinking can create depends on how well resources are allocated to individual projects. However, deployed properly, the benefits of program thinking include:• Greater visibility of projects amongst executive management;• Better prioritization of projects;• More efficient and appropriate use of resources;• Projects driven by business strategy and needs;• Better planning and coordination; and • Explicit recognition and understanding of project dependencies.While these advantages are not guaranteed, the application of program thinking can make the most of resources (i.e., personnel, technology, money and time) expended on projects and can sustain the drive to maximize the benefits available to the business and society. It is important to remember that successful benefits delivery does not depend on successful projects. A poorly managed project might still deliver benefits due to changes in the business environment or product market. In fact, benefits are maximized when combined with the outcomes of other projects. I’ve found that it is helpful to classify projects in terms of their ability to deliver benefits as follows:• Direct projects: projects with direct benefits.• Enabling projects: projects that deliver no direct benefit but are vital to the delivery of a whole range of benefits from other projects.• Passenger projects: projects that can only add to benefits expected from other projects.• Synergistic projects: a group of projects, each of which makes no (or only a small) contribution, unless combined into a program.Programs require continual changes to their composition in order to preserve benefits. Successful program management requires that individual projects be dropped or modified and new projects be introduced in order to carefully preserve and maximize benefits. Although it sounds counterintuitive, I’ve uncovered numerous scenarios where a project that is under budget and ahead of schedule should be slowed, changed or cancelled in order to maximize the benefits emanating from its program.So, why doesn’t our industry subscribe to program thinking? I believe it’s because today’s project management explicitly understands and uses techniques that help one project succeed at the expense of another inside a company. Most owners, and engineering and construction firms treat the combination of projects (i.e., the portfolio) as one “large project” to be managed using single-project management techniques originally intended to obtain technical outcomes. This leads project managers to independently carry out actions to attract resources and attention for their own projects. In fact, when CII Research Team 303 (2012-2014) examined the best practices for managing a portfolio of projects in our industry, they found few coordinated efforts other than the occasional aggregated reporting by business unit. That’s unfortunate because potentially dire economic consequences can befall owners and contractors that incorrectly and/or unknowingly perform program work. Despite the path we’ve experienced to date, I’m convinced that our industry can embrace program thinking as a highway to a successful future. I’m highly encouraged by the work of Professor David Mosey at the Centre for Construction Law at Kings College in London. Over the past seven years, the Centre has developed a multi-party and multi-project Framework Alliance Contract known as FAC-1 and it has demonstrated real advantages on completed building and highway programs in the UK. Premised on five aspects (i.e., planning success metrics, information exchange, stakeholder inclusion, protection of IP rights, and incentives leading to more work), FAC-1 is credited with overall cost savings of 15 percent and higher facility quality evidenced by project warranties being extended from two to ten years. While more information can be found at www.allianceforms.co.uk, I believe that efforts such as the FAC-1 program contract may be the impetus needed to drive program thinking into our industry.Dr. Stephen MulvaDirector of CIIProgram Thinking: Pathway to Our Industry’s FutureThe Construction Users Roundtable 13●●●GET TO KNOW CURTJim EllisCURT PresidentSABICGeneral Manager, Global Engineering and Project ManagementHouston, TX“Throughout my career I have found that the one true trait that defines an excellent leader is their selflessness and their focus on giving to others and making a difference in the lives of others. I was lucky enough to experience this first-hand in my youth and as I climbed the ranks in this industry. From my parents to athletic coaches to elders in my community to leaders in the companies I have worked for – I have been taught, mentored and guided by many remarkable leaders in my lifetime. They willingly taught me life lessons and career lessons that shaped me into the leader I have since become. Now it is my turn, and it is your turn too, to become leaders who impart our wisdom to the next generation of construction professionals. It’s up to us to lead them and guide them so that they can carry forward the work we have done and build on it generations into the future.”Jim Ellis serves as Global Senior General Manager of Engineering and Project Management for Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), one of the world’s leading and largest chemical and materials companies. Prior to assuming his current position with SABIC, he retired from the DuPont Company after 33 years of service, where he held numerous positions in business development, technology, operations, engineering and project management globally.Gregory L. Sizemore, Esq.CURT Executive Vice PresidentTHE CONSTRUCTION USERS ROUNDTABLECincinnati, OH“If you were at the 2019 CURT National Conference, you would have heard me open it by asking, ‘If not now when; if not us, who; and if not here, then when?’ I have used various forms of this expression before, and I will use it again as it pertains to leadership. The CURT organization represents some of the world’s leading companies and via that, some of the best leaders in the world. Good leaders make a company, and they make time to pass their knowledge (willingly and happily) to the next generation of leaders. Just as easily, bad leaders break a company. They break spirits and create environments of disruption. Within CURT we are striving to be good industry leaders and are working to provide the tools and resources our members need to become the best leaders possible – both at their companies and for the industry as a whole.”Gregory L. Sizemore has over 30 years of construction industry and association management experience. In 1989, he started Sizemore & Company LLC, a construction industry association management and staffing firm. Sizemore holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics and a Master of Science in Industrial and Labor Relations from the University of Cincinnati. He earned his Juris Doctor from The Northern Kentucky University College of Law, and is a licensed attorney in the State of Ohio. He is a frequent guest speaker at industry events, where he represents “the voice of the owner to the construction industry.”Arthur LimperBoard MemberMERCK & CO., INC.Director, Construction Safety – Global Engineering ServicesWhitehouse Station, NJ“When I think about good leadership and what it means to me, I always ask the question, ‘How did the good leaders I have been personally exposed to in my life make me feel?’ In other words, did they make me feel small as a mere cog in a big machine or big like a critical team member in an integrated network. A good leader to me is one who has the ability to speak passionately and clearly around an idea and/or direction, inspiring and motivating their team. Good leaders create an environment built on trust, honesty and safety, where people feel free to speak up and share ideas and innovative best practices. My thoughts on how good and/or bad leadership can affect a company’s success and its culture goes back to basic behaviors that you, as a leader, are exhibiting Continued on next page 14Connecting With CURT’s Board of DirectorsThis issue we ask CURT’s Board: “What does good leadership look like to you / how does leadership affect a company’s culture?”or modeling that you want your team to embody to get your business where it needs to go. Have you made your team feel small? Have you made them feel like just mere cogs in a big machine who must march to your orders, or have you inspired them with a vision and big ideas, winning their ‘hearts and minds’ to own the whole and achieve success together? Good leaders must ensure the right culture, which is so important and can eat strategy for breakfast every day, especially if there is lack of trust and/or loss of respect for leadership. We should always reflect on our own experiences and how leaders we have been exposed to – both good and bad – have made us feel and act. Use the bad as lessons learned and what not to do, and the good as best practices to mirror; they will reveal similar successful leadership traits/results.”Art Limper has over 40 years of construction management, project management and safety program management experience in the commercial, heavy industrial, oil and gas, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. He has been with Merck & Co., Inc. for over 15 years and currently is responsible for Construction Management and HSE Management Systems for Merck Global Engineering Services.14 The VOICE ● SPRING 2019GET TO KNOW CURTEddie ClaytonBoard MemberSOUTHERN CO. GENERATIONContracting & Workforce Development Strategies ManagerBirmingham, AL“For me, good leadership is embodied by honesty and putting the needs of others and the greater good above yourself. A company and its employees are a reflection of its leadership, and if honesty and ethical behavior are your key values, your team will follow.”Eddie Clayton has been an employee of Southern Company for 37 years. He works with the Craft Labor Relations team in the Operations Services group. His responsibilities include supporting the Southern Company’s generating fleet and construction projects with labor market analyses, providing guidance and support with appropriate contracting and contingency staffing strategies and providing support to workforce development initiatives necessary for Southern Company to meet its indirect hire needs.Donna ParryBoard MemberPROCTER & GAMBLEGlobal Construction Leadership TeamCincinnati, OHNo quote is available at this time.Donna Parry serves on the Global Construction Leadership Team at Procter & Gamble. Donna’s 33-year Procter & Gamble career has spanned Control & Information Systems, Project Management, Capital Systems Management, and Construction Management. She has held manufacturing and engineering roles in various consumer products categories. Donna’s P&G experience includes facilitating their North American Construction Safety network and responsibility for global Construction Management training curriculum and standards. Her current position focuses on Construction Management and Safety for a major project.Connecting With CURT’s Board of DirectorsAngela SkowBoard MemberAONSenior Account ExecutiveDallas, TXNo quote is available at this time.Angela Skow is a Senior Account Executive with Aon’s Construction Services Group in Dallas, Texas. Angela joined the Aon organization in 2019 and in her role, Angela supports construction industry clients by providing solutions and services to manage risk and financial impacts. Prior to joining Aon, she served as a Vice President, Large Account Practice Leader, for Zurich, in the Dallas office. Angela was with Zurich for more than 13 years. Before assuming her role at Zurich, Angela was with Argonaut Insurance Group for over 20 years, where she served in a underwriting and management roles working with risk management accounts. ●Learn more about CURT at www.curt.org.The Construction Users Roundtable 15GET TO KNOW CURTFollowing are updates from all of CURT’s Committees. Visit www.curt.org for more information on each Committee’s focal point.Committee ConversationsINTERNATIONAL COMMITTEEGary E. TomczakCo-ChairINTERNATIONAL PAPERDirector, Capital COELoveland, OHChris DummermuthCo-ChairMERCK AND CO. INC.EMEA Director of Project DeliveryDublin, IrelandWe are gearing up for a face-to-face meeting in China, September 18, 2019. The event is being hosted at Roeslein & Associate Inc.’s new Shanghai office – thank you to these partners for sponsoring this event! The day will include informative sessions on executing construction projects in the region. The following month, on October 17, 2019, the CURT International Committee will be gathering in Dublin, Ireland for a European-focused face-to-face event sponsored by PM Group, and held at The Grand Hotel Malahide. Details will be shared for these two events, as session topics and speakers are confirmed. Moving forward, CURT members have expressed interest in gathering in Philippines and in Dubai. If your company is working in either of these areas and you’d like to be involved, please reach out to either Committee Co-Chair, or to Joe Gionfriddo, who is CURT’s Special Projects liaison. We are very proud of each event that our Committee takes part in and believe that attendees receive tremendous value from participating. Please turn to page 18 to read about an event we held in Athens, Greece, in 2018. PROJECT EXCELLENCE COMMITTEEAl SchwarzkopfChairMERCK AND CO., INC.Associate Director - EngineeringDurham, NCAfter many years of success, CURT has decided to transition this specific Committee with the intent of reforming multiple efforts with more targeted objectives for each new Committee in the near future. As this develops, we’ll update readers. In the meantime, the outstanding work that will continue under the new structure will progress. This includes several initiatives, including the 11th Lean Summit, which will be held on September 11, 2019, in conjunction with CURT’s September Membership Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina. CURT will continue to present its CIPE Award (Productivity Award), which was created in 2016. If you are part of a team that has delivered an outstanding capital project, we encourage you to apply and be recognized. You can learn more at www.curt.org/awards. Applications are due in July. Thank you to all of the Co-Chairs and participants who have helped shape this Committee over the years! SAFETY COMMITTEEChris FoughtCo-ChairGENERAL MOTORSGlobal Construction and Contractor SafetyVienna, WVKevin OwsianyCo-ChairJOHNSON & JOHNSONDirector, Project Management Sprint City, PAThere is still time to register for CURT’s Safety Summit, June 12, in Salt Lake City, Utah! Topics discussed will include an OSHA Update – What Employers Need to Know; Marijuana and Your Workplace Policy; Drug Testing 101: A Refresher; Recognizing Impairment in the Field; IMPACT: The Drug Free Workforce Program; the Value of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs); and more! This event provides a great opportunity to engage with industry experts who can help you minimize risk on your projects, and there will also be ample opportunities to network with a purpose. You can register at www.curt.org.We are also excited to announce that the much-anticipated White Paper, Construction Safety: Leadership Development for Supervisors is now available for download on CURT’s website. Go to www.curt.org/portal/knowledge-center and search for UP-816 or Construction Supervisors. The document provides guidance to identify and strengthen the key skills required by supervisors to develop and maintain a positive safety culture. The ultimate goal for CURT members is to have a culture where every person working on construction sites follows and promotes safe work practices and behaviors at all times. Supervisors plan an integral role as companies work to develop and consistently maintain this level of safety culture. If your company has effectively implemented the recommendations of CURT’s Owners’ Safety Blueprint (R-807) 16 The VOICE ● SPRING 2019GET TO KNOW CURTwe would like to encourage you to apply for a Construction Industry Safety Excellence (CISE) Award. Applications are available online and are due in July.WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMITTEEEddie ClaytonCo-ChairSOUTHERN CO. GENERATIONContracting & Workforce Development Strategies ManagerBirmingham, ALEd LuckenbachCo-ChairAIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.Manager – Field Execution TeamAllentown, PACURT’s Workforce Development Committee is actively engaged on a number of initiatives and projects geared towards our focus area. These include input into Build Your Future, the Construction Workforce Development Assessment (CWDA), the Construction Labor Market Analyzer (CLMA), website enhancements to create a workforce development repository, and participation in CII’s RT-335, Improving the U.S. Workforce Development System. This goal of this project is to develop the path forward toward addressing not only the shortage of construction craft workers but the nation’s shortage among many technical industries.As you’ll read starting on page 30, CURT is recommending a new Labor Risk Management program, which has the capability to provide full-service contractor pre-qualification for owners and general contractors. We encourage you to read this article to learn about the benefits of this practice and program. Are you involved with an exemplary training and education program that encourages individuals to pursue a career in the construction industry? If yes, please visit www.curt/org/awards to learn about the association’s Workforce Development Award. The application form is available online and entries are due in August.OFFSITE CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEEBill LewisCo-ChairSABICSenior Manager, Projects Construction, Global E&PMHouston, TXMike BrewerCo-ChairFREEPORT-MCMORRAN INC.Director, Global Project MMPhoenix, AZThe Offsite Construction Committee continues to research, organize and leverage resources with other construction industry partners and consortiums to provide The Construction Users Roundtable 17GET TO KNOW CURTCURT members with tools and resources to support, improve and accelerate efforts related to the successful implementation and delivery of offsite fabrication and modularization for the construction industry. Planning is underway for the Offsite Construction Summit, which will be held November 6, 2019, in Clearwater Beach, Friday, as part of CURT’s overall November Member Meeting. This event will showcase what has been learned since last year and potential topics will discuss critical milestones of an offsite/modular project, supply chain management, modularizing utility systems, and costs/advantages of modularization and offsite. This year’s conference will focus on truck shippable modules that apply to all project sizes, not just mega-projects. A communication with more details and a request for potential presenters will soon be out from CURT to the membership, watch for it!If you have a story to tell on this topic, we’re interested in developing case studies to validate the process and dispel the myths of modular. Please get in touch!PROCUREMENT COMMITTEEMathew DanielCo-ChairHONDA OF AMERICA MFG., INC.Senior Staff Administrator | CAPEX Procurement Indirect Group Leader Marysville, OHRodney LongCo-ChairDUKE ENERGYDirector, Sourcing, Major Projects SourcingCharlotte, NC In the General Plenary Session at the April 2019 Member Meeting, the Procurement Committee presented a report on Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) and how two of CURT’s member companies have utilized this to drive better communication and performance within their businesses. We also asked the membership to recruit supply chain personnel from within their own organizations so that the Procurement Committee can address additional issues with input from a diverse membership.In the afternoon business meeting, we discussed possible ideas for the Committee to focus on going forward, including the possibility of working in tandem with the other CURT Committees. An example of one idea is to work with the Workforce Committee on including support for the use of contract language, which promotes the development of skilled craftworkers for our industry while also focusing on diversity and inclusion. Other thoughts included possible opportunities to partner with either the Safety Committee on promoting technology, such as the use of exoskeletons as a means to lessen the physical stress on an employee’s body, or working with the Offsite Construction Committee on ways to promote modularization through the adoption of payment options. Our Committee is always looking for new members to join our team. If you have an interest in this focus area, please get in touch! YOUNG PROFESSIONALS ADVISORY BOARDColton BrownChair SABICProject Engineer Houston, TXIn April 2019, we hosted a Young Professionals Seminar built around the theme, “Moving to Mastery: Young Professionals Gaining Leadership in the Industry.” The event kicked off with myself speaking about the values of mentorship within our industry. Other topics included becoming a leader in the safety arena, the strategic vantage point of women in leadership, leading roles in project management, the role of technology in gaining leadership, and much more.We are continuing to plan for the next event, which is being held in Clearwater Beach, Florida, on November 4. This same week, at the same venue, CURT will be hosting its quarterly Member Meeting. Having our YP Summit in conjunction with the larger CURT event is a great way to facilitate networking between CURT’s Young Professionals and the rest of the CURT members. YP attendees can also sign up for the Off-Site Construction Summit, which will be held on November 6, giving attendees another great reason to make the trip to Florida. If you are a YP who needs assistance discussing the benefits of attendance with your manager, get in touch! Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216417488377887 ●Visit www.CURT.org Today!18 The VOICE ● SPRING 2019On October 2, 2018, Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) hosted the International Construction Symposium in Athens, Greece, in collaboration with the Construction Users Roundtable (CURT) and its International Committee, and the Construction Industry Institute (CII). As an active member of CII (and previously Fiatech), and as the leader of CII’s Horizon-360 innovation group, CCC was addressed by the CII Director Stephen Mulva to host this event as the first CURT and CII collaborative effort outside the United States.The symposium, called The Changing Construction Landscape, was a one-day roundtable type event. Business leaders were invited to discuss global construction industry challenges, from skilled labor to design and delivery. The overarching focus was on how global companies are changing the landscape through the implementation of digital transformation using BIM and advanced work packaging strategies, and/or by the adoption of new innovative technologies, such as 3D printing, virtual reality, drones, and more.More than 30 professionals – hailing from the United States, Europe and the Middle East – attended the event, including representatives from both CURT, CII, as well as from leading international companies such as Procter & Gamble, Merck & Co, Bentley Systems, Inc., Independent Project Analysis, Assure Health and Safety Consultants, and BD. The event’s agenda was packed with presentations and networking events held during lunch and coffee breaks also gave attendees the opportunity to discuss industry issues. The opening presentation was a perspective from CII and CURT on today’s industry challenges. This was followed by a presentation on CURT’s Owners’ Safety Blueprint, describing best practices from both research and owner experiences. Peter Dumont, on behalf of CURT, then explained Operating System 2.0, which is a multi-industry collaborative research project with “the goal to create a standardized, technology-enabled platform that accommodates future changes and makes capital projects more financially viable and sustainable.”Next, construction project performances in Europe and the Middle East were the main topic of discussion. An expert from Independent Project Analysis provided attendees with lots of great information on the influence that a contracting strategy has on project outcomes. Bentley Systems, Inc. started their talk with a brief history about data visualization, followed by information about enhancing the digital jobsite through 4D capture in the field coupled with augmented reality (AR) technology to create an immersive crossed reality (XR) interactive environment.Zuhair Haddad and Aref Boualwan were the featured speakers from Consolidated Contractors Company. Haddad presented CCC’s strategy towards the digitization of the construction process by leveraging BIM as a key control tool from design to constructability and execution. The presentation, titled Digital Transformation of the Construction Industry, promoted Advanced Work Packaging (AWP) as an integrated tool within BIM workflows for effective construction activity planning that leads to obvious productivity gains. Boualwan’s presentation was an overview of four innovative technologies implemented at CCC, including the IPLOCA Environmental Award for a Go-Green 100 percent solar powered portable cabin.The event was also covered by the local media. A post-event article, which includes an interview with Zuhair Haddad, is available here: https://biztech.gr/ccc-/.As an outcome to the success of this event, CII and CURT have agreed to plan for future events with Consolidated Contractors Company in Dubai to coincide with the annual BIM Conference. Special thanks to Joe Gionfriddo, who helped facilitate and plan this event. ●The VOICE often showcases upcoming events that CURT Committees are involved in. What follows is a report out from an event the International Committee helped plan, which took place in Athens, Greece. We encourage you to discover the benefits of attending events like the one described below. The next one will take place in China this coming September.By Firas Hijazi, Consolidated Contractors CompanyThe Changing Construction Landscape Examined at Event in GreeceGET TO KNOW CURTNext >