Southeastern 2024 VOICE The Innovative Advancements with ROCKWOOL The official publication of the Southeastern Construction Owners and Associates Roundtable Inside: Safety Trends Nationwide Economic Change Workplace Violence And more!Cinterra Ad to Come2024 // www.scoar.org 5 Published For: THE SOUTHEAST CONSTRUCTION OWNERS & ASSOCIATES ROUNDTABLE 4701 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Suite A Baton Rouge, LA 70809 (225) 436-0528 Email: staff@scoar.org Web: www.scoar.org Published By: Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Please return undeliverable addresses to: 5605 Riggins Court, Second Floor PO Box 41270 Reno, Nevada 89504 Toll-free: (866) 999-1299 Toll-free fax: (866) 244-2544 www.matrixgroupinc.net President & CEO Jack Andress Operations Manager Shoshana Weinberg sweinberg@matrixgroupinc.net Senior Publisher Jessica Potter Publishers Julie Welsh, Christine Scarisbrick Editor-in-Chief Shannon Savory ssavory@matrixgroupinc.net Editors / Social Media Managers Jenna Collignon, Paul Adair, Kaitlin Vitt Finance / Administration Lloyd Weinberg, Nathan Redekop accounting@matrixgroupinc.net Director of Circulation & Distribution Lloyd Weinberg distribution@matrixgroupinc.net Sales Manager Jeff Cash Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Account Executives Colleen Bell, Jackie Casburn, Rob Gibson, Jim Hamilton, Scott Hendren, Frank Kenyeres, Sandra Kirby, Charlie Langsford, Andrew Lee, Brian MacIntyre, Lynn Murphy, Caitlin Nakamura, Wilma Gray-Rose, Joseph Ukaoha Advertising Design James Robinson Layout & Design Cody Chomiak ©2024 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing Inc. SCOAR LEADERS 6 A Message from the President 7 A Message from the Executive Director FEATURES 8 A STEP in the Right Direction 11 Southeast Remains Economic Outperformer: Risks Facing Nationwide Economy Change LET’S TALK SAFETY 13 The Best Strategy to Reduce Workplace Violence in Construction MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 16 Innovative Advancements with ROCKWOOL Group NEWS & RECOGNITIONS 18 SCOAR News 19 Join SCOAR Today! 20 What Have Our Committees Been Up To? 22 Join SCOAR to Start Networking With All Our Members! 21 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Southeastern 2024 VOICE The TABLE OF CONTENTS THE SOUTHEASTERN CONSTRUCTION OWNERS & ASSOCIATES ROUNDTABLE (SCOAR) ON THE COVER: The ROCKWOOL Group is the world’s leading manufacturer of stone (mineral) wool insulation. This issue’s cover image is courtesy of ROCKWOOL Technical Insulation. Flip to page 16 to learn more about the company’s innovative steps forward! Southeastern 2024 VOICE The Innovative Advancements with ROCKWOOL The official publication of the Southeastern Construction Owners and Associates Roundtable Inside: Safety Trends Nationwide Economic Change Workplace Violence And more!6 Southeastern Construction Owners and Associates Roundtable / SCOAR LEADERS // From the President Scott Straight President SCOAR BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT Scott Straight Tetra Tech rrstr8@outlook.com VICE PRESIDENT Brian Brogen Southeastern Construction & Maintenance brianb@secm.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & ASSISTANT SECRETARY Tim Johnson SCOAR staff@scoar.org SECRETARY Will Munkres DEWALT william.munkres@ sdbinc.com TREASURER Andy Browning Duke Energy andy.browning@ duke-energy.com DIRECTORS Ryan Cobb PTS Group rscobb@pts-group.com Brian Gallagher Graycor Southern brian_gallager@graycor.com Brandon Greer Black & Veatch greerjb@bv.com Jeff Heun LG&E and KU Energy jeff.heun@lge-ku.com Sean Terrell The Roberts Company Sean.Terrell@ robertscompany.com Boyd Worsham NCCER bworsham@nccer.org H ello SCOAR friends and colleagues! This past year has been a busy, very suc- cessful one for SCOAR. We have hit our strides with The TJC Group, we are financially stable, and our membership is growing! With the help of the Board and the work of the TJC Group (Tim Johnson, Audrey Kennedy, and Olivia Gulino) we have significantly improved our finan- cials, record keeping, and social media presence. Additionally, we have success- fully overcome the financial impacts of the COVID-19 shutdowns, the hurricane that forced the cancelation of our fall meeting while in Ponte Vedra, and our obligations to our past Director. With regards to growing our mem- bership, we have placed a focused effort on increasing the number of member companies that fall into the Owner and EPC Contractor categories. I asked for your help in reaching out to potential companies that you believe would benefit from SCOAR member- ship and would be good for SCOAR, and you have delivered! We had 17 guest companies join us for our Spring meeting in Longboat Key. Since that meeting, seven have joined, and five more are likely to join. The Board, for the first time ever, held a “Meet the Board” reception for our guests at the meeting, which gave us an opportunity to informally present why we believe SCOAR membership would add value to their respective companies. Given its success, I believe we will sched- ule similar activities when a significant number of guest companies join us at future SCOAR meetings. We continue to enhance what SCOAR offers to you, our members. This includes strengthening our social media presence on Facebook and LinkedIn. We are developing a social media calendar to include posts fea- turing member companies and their successes. If you haven’t already, fol- low us on Facebook and LinkedIn and share your news with us, as well as showcase your company to our mem- bers and those that visit our page. We continue to tweak our meeting agendas, adding additional presen- tations by Owner members to keep SCOAR members updated on their construction plans. We have added more networking opportunities. We have placed added focus on presen- tations that showcase best practices in terms of improved safety perfor- mance, project efficiencies, and work- force development as well as emerg- ing trends/innovations in construction. Most recently, we started reserving a session on our agenda for organi- zations within our service area that assist those in need with a connec- tion to the construction industry. Hopefully, you have recognized these changes, and they have increased the value proposition of SCOAR membership for your company. In 2025, we are excited to announce two new award competitions, “Work- force Development Program of the Year” and “Craft Professional of the Year” – to be awarded at our winter and spring meetings. In our view, rec- ognizing craft professionals and effec- tive construction training programs is essential for fostering a skilled, moti- vated, and respected workforce that drives our industry forward. As we look toward the future, we hope that you continue to provide feedback via our meeting surveys. We review every submission received as we strive to continue improving the value proposition of SCOAR member- ship. If you feel more comfortable pro- viding feedback through a direct con- versation rather than a survey, reach out to me, Tim, or a Board member. In closing, please continue to help us strategically grow our membership, including Owners and EPC contractors who would find value in SCOAR mem- bership and contribute to our com- munity. Also, continue to share SCOAR information within your organization. Past presentations at our meetings are available on our website for you to share internally. Remember, your mem- bership allows up to three representa- tives from your company to attend at no charge. I encourage you to invite others to take advantage of these opportunities. Always stay focused on safety, and I look forward to seeing you at future events.2024 // www.scoar.org 7 A s we close the 51st year of the Southeastern Con- struction Owners’ and Associates’ Roundtable (SCOAR), we are grateful for our many members who make this organization great. We have grown our membership by three owners and several associate and subscriber members this year, representing a wide range of large contractors, specialty contractors, and val- ued suppliers operating in the southeast and nationally. Our membership at large continues to offer unparalleled access to best practices and invaluable networking opportunities. The efficacy of our orga- nization hinges on the membership and active engagement of all our members, so we are continually soliciting member- ship especially from owner organizations throughout our 12-state footprint. We held our 2023 Fall Meeting in illus- trious Nashville, TN, at The Joseph down- town. Our members were able to partici- pate in a robust meeting program featur- ing Dr. Anirban Basu of the Sage Policy Group, Dr. Jon Huddleston of Middle Ten- nessee State University, and Dr. Stephen Mulva of Texas A&M University, among others. Our Power of Connections Recep- tion at Bad Axe Throwing was a hit among meeting participants. We then gathered at the Perdido Beach Resort in Orange Beach, AL, for our 2024 Winter Meeting. We enjoyed an array of knowledgeable speakers on artificial intelligence and technology in the construction industry, women in the workforce, and registered apprenticeship post-Inflation Reduction Act. Our members contributed a record- breaking number to our silent auction and participated in a lively cornhole tourna- ment and dinner. Finally, we gathered at Longboat Key, FL, for our Spring Meeting where we heard from experts like Carol Cambridge with the Stay Safe Project, Dr. Tim Ernst of East and Westbrook Construction, Brian Gallagher of Graycor, and Lisa Strite of NCCER, among others. We then host- ed SCOAR’s 20th Annual Golf & Fishing Tournament with an impressive turnout from our members. Our staff is very much looking forward to our upcoming Fall Meeting in Isle of Palms, SC, at the Wild Dunes Resort from September 23-25, 2024. We hope to see you there! / SCOAR LEADERS // From the Executive Director Tim Johnson Executive Director SCOAR The construction industry has faced a multitude of challenges in recent years, significantly those impacting workforce development, technological advancements, and shifts in the reg- ulatory landscape. Issues such as the labor shortage have encouraged cre- ative innovation in the form of appren- ticeship programs, partnerships with educational institutions, and initiatives to attract a more diverse workforce. Technological advancements in the vein of building information modeling (BIM), drones, and AI-driven project management tools has increased effi- ciency, improved safety, and reduced costs, though these newer technologies have been disproportionately adopted. Efforts in the direction of sustainabil- ity and the reduction of carbon emis- sions have presented both challenges and opportunities within the industry as individual companies and projects seek compliance with new regulations. We firmly believe that SCOAR is an integral part of navigating these chal- lenges, and we are dedicated to sup- porting our members through resource- sharing, dynamic speakers, and informa- tive presentations on current issues at meetings – all of which encourage the collaborative spirit among our member- ship necessary to meet the future with passion and preparedness. SCOAR is committed to continual improvement, whether that be in the top- ics and speakers featured during meet- ings, the development of awards pro- grams intended to highlight excellent work and individuals in the industry, or brainstorming ways to add value for our membership between our flagship meet- ings. As ever, we encourage any and all feedback from our members about par- ticular efforts in which we can engage to maximum the value of SCOAR. If you have any comments, questions, or are interest- ed in exploring membership in our organi- zation, please email staff@scoar.org. As we move into a new season of SCOAR, we encourage you to stay con- nected, participate in our events and ini- tiatives, and share your expertise with fellow members. Your contributions are the heartbeat of our organization, and they contribute to the collective success of our organization. 8 Southeastern Construction Owners and Associates Roundtable prevention programs / policies with provisions for drug and alcohol testing where permitted lead to a 47 percent reduction in TRIR and a 48 percent reduction in DART rates. • New hire safety orientation: Com- panies that conduct an in-depth indoctrination of new employees into the safety culture, systems and • Top management engagement: Employer involvement at the highest level of company management pro- duces a 54 percent reduction in total recordable incident (TRIR) rates, and a 52 percent reduction in days away, restricted or transferred (DART) rates. • Substance abuse prevention pro- grams: Robust substance abuse I n advance of this year’s Con- struction Safety Week, Associ- ated Builders and Contractors (ABC) released the findings from its annual Safety Performance Report, which tracks trends related to construction jobsite health and safety best practices. But ABC’s Safety Performance Report is more than just a research project or an academic study. Since 2018, it has provided a snapshot of what ABC STEP Safety Management System member companies are doing when they perform real work on real projects and is built on the analysis of more than 900 million work hours com- pleted by participants in the construc- tion, heavy construction, civil engineer- ing, and specialty trades in 2023. The collected information is then used to pinpoint what encompasses an industry- leading health and safety program. “Each year, as we analyze data col- lected from members, we identify a series of core leading indicators,” says Greg Sizemore, ABC Vice President of Health, Safety, Environment, and Work- force Development. “These indicators represent actions taken to reduce the probability of incidents or accidents. For example, in our 2024 report, we identi- fied seven core leading indicators that significantly contributed to reducing inci- dents across the industry.” ABC’s research identified the fol- lowing industry-leading health and safety best practices in 2023: A STEP in the Right Direction / FEATURE // By Paul Adair, Staff Writer Photos courtesy of Associated Builders and Contractors.2024 // www.scoar.org 9 Recognizing health and safety Achieving industry-leading health and safety in the construction industry is not just a goal, but a core value for ABC members, one that serves as the bedrock for participation in any of ABC’s national recognition programs. “As leaders, it is our responsibility to proactively improve health and safety performance in our industry. We must be laser-focused on making a positive impact on workplaces and workspaces for America’s greatest workforce. There- fore, if we aim to effect positive change, it must start with strong leadership doing things differently.” Within the STEP program, ABC rec- ognizes levels ranging from ‘partici- pant’ to ‘diamond.’ As an example, achieving diamond STEP recognition signifies that an organization’s health and safety performance is 576 percent better than the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) industry average and achieves an 83 percent reduction in total recordable incident rates. But even for those not able to achieve this ambitious benchmark right now, there are still benefits to adopting the STEP program. Participating contractors average 1.42 incident rate compared to the BLS average of 2.4 incident rate. “Including health and safety in every action requires a commitment to excel- lence, a culture of accountability and a relentless pursuit of ensuring every work- er returns home safely every day,” said 2024 Chair of the ABC National Board of Directors Buddy Henley, President, Henley Construction Co. Inc., Gaith- ersburg, Maryland. “STEP provides the platform for every company to measure, strengthen and build their safety culture. Committing to STEP is the first step to ensuring health and safety are deeply integrated into the decision-making pro- cesses of our industry.” Companies that are not already an ABC member can visit abc.org to learn more about the association and find their nearest chapter, as well as freely download the latest STEP evaluation tool and Safety Performance Report. “If you aim to join America’s leading contractors in creating healthier and safer workplaces, find out more about us and begin your journey today,” says Sizemore. y of their corporate safety and health program,” says Sizemore. “The tool is applicable to contractors of any size, whether they are large self-performing direct hire contractors or small subcon- tractors specializing in specific areas.” Although STEP involves a com- plete and thorough evaluation against a well-defined set of criteria, there are just four main categories in which organizations are assessed: 1. Leadership: How effective is lead- ership in creating conditions where all workers go home in the same or better condition than when they arrived for their shift? 2. Culture: How successful is the organization in gaining buy-in from its workforce for industry-leading health and safety practices? 3. Processes and systems: What sys- tems does the organization use to ensure that its workers operate in a healthy and safe workplace? 4. Results: Is what the organization is doing effective? What changes, improvements or adjustments can be made? These four categories combined help users gauge and improve their own overall health and safety perfor- mance, becoming an invaluable tool for the health and safety strategy of any organization. “I firmly believe that STEP, along with the Safety Performance Report, can serve as blueprint for achieving industry- leading health and safety performance,” says Sizemore. “STEP is a dynamic tool that contractors can utilize to assess all aspects of their health and safety pro- grams. The report goes beyond aca- demic study by offering a comprehen- sive analysis of real data that can signifi- cantly improve health and safety perfor- mance in our industry.” processes based on a documented orientation process experience inci- dent rates that are 45 percent lower than companies that limit their ori- entations to basic health and safety compliance topics. • Frequency of toolbox talks: Com- panies that conduct daily, 15-to- 30-minute toolbox talks reduce TRIR and DART rates by 81 percent compared to companies that hold them monthly. “The 2024 Safety Performance Report enables contractors to focus on key factors making a substantial impact on our industry daily across jobsites nationwide,” says Sizemore. “It’s important to recognize that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration references our Safety Performance Report for leading indica- tor implementation in the construction industry.” Also important to note, the Safety Performance Report plays an impor- tant role in offering a more complete understanding of the benefits that can be attained by deploying ABC’s STEP Safety Management System ® . The first STEP of many in your safety journey Established in 1989 by ABC’s Nation- al Health and Safety Committee, which took up the challenge to identify and develop a method to share best health and safety practices, STEP is a bench- marking tool that ABC members can use to evaluate their internal health and safety programs and processes. It then helps them identify areas for improve- ment and focus by comparing those programs and processes with their industry peers. “STEP is designed to help construc- tion companies evaluate every aspect Next >