Alabama AGC continues its focus on helping our members and the construction industry overcome its challenges. It hasn’t been easy. But like your businesses, we remain committed to overcoming the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and delivering to our members what they need. We are proud of what we did in 2021 and look forward to continuing to bring relevance and value to you.
Here are some highlights of 2021, the 101st anniversary of Alabama AGC:
• Despite far-reaching COVID-19 challenges, Alabama AGC remained in solid financial shape as we closed out 2021, and we look forward to delivering again in 2022 and beyond. Special thanks to our board of directors, led by President Mark Harry and Chair Harris Wilson, for its excellent oversight work here.
• At the onset of COVID-19 restrictions, Alabama AGC immediately pivoted to virtual meetings and events. Fortunately, these are fewer and farther between these days as we saw a better return to in-person events in 2021. Following an exceptional BuildSouth annual officer installation and project recognition banquet in April, we followed up with an annual convention in Sandestin with more than 350 “live” attendees, including substantive educational programs, legislative leaders and speakers. We also had a well-attended 40 Under 40 recognition in the fall, recognizing future leaders of Alabama’s construction industry. The section meetings took place in person (with restrictions being followed and managed by our staff and the locations) and virtually and they were well received by the members, who were happy to see their colleagues.
• Excellent Alabama AGC staff work — as well as the same with AGC of America in D.C. — was evident throughout the sections in the state and in the home office in Birmingham. Your staff worked around the clock in giving members the information they needed in these challenging times.
I thank you for responding to the association’s legislative action alerts in 2021 that were launched by AGC of America. Because of your action and that of construction professionals like you, members of Congress, the president and other administration officials received hundreds of thousands of emails and tweets in support of the industry’s priorities. And it made a difference.
AGC made sure construction work was classified as essential in most parts of the country during the coronavirus pandemic. Despite early calls to halt most forms of construction, AGC was able to:
• Make the case of the industry’s proven track record of complying with complex safety and health rules.
• Work with the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to ensure that its essential workforce’s guidance to states included the construction workforce broadly.
• Partner with its 89 chapters throughout the country to keep construction essential at the state and local levels.
• Help pass the US Infrastructure Act, bringing billions of dollars to Alabama alone.
More than 13,000 professionals at AGC member companies sent nearly 64,000 communications to the president and their Congressional delegations, urging the federal government to keep construction essential.
AGC led several efforts to resolve issues with PPP loans in Congress and at the Small Business Administration. These efforts helped:
• Make the greatest number of construction firms eligible for PPP loans.
• Block a surprise federal tax increase of up to 37% on PPP loan forgiveness by overturning an IRS-position barring deductions for PPP loan-forgiven business expenses.
• Expedite and simplify loan forgiveness for PPP loans of $150,000 or less.
AGCA sent legislative alerts throughout the year that yielded nearly 66,000 communications from more than 12,000 advocates to encourage federal leaders to make significant construction investment in our nation’s infrastructure and building markets.
Our victories in Alabama and Washington, D.C., were made possible because of you. Still, we will have many hurdles to overcome as work gets started in the nation’s capital as the Biden administration and a new Congress get underway.
The association will again need your help to protect and advance the interests of your construction career, business and industry by contacting your elected leaders. We are grateful for your support and encourage you to invite your friends in the industry to join the Alabama AGC family. A unified voice speaks more strongly than individual voices — and Alabama AGC is living proof.
Stay safe and thank you so much for your support.
For a complete look at the Alabama AGC Membership Directory 2022-2023, visit here.
This section appeared in the June 2022 issue of Business Alabama.
