BY: KEITH ELDREDGE, CPA, RKL, ABC KEYSTONE 2022 CHAIR OF THE BOARD

What a year we have had. Not only did we get back to business as usual, but we set new milestones and welcomed new friends from the northern part of our State. We hit 92% retainage for the second year in a row, and we hit membership growth in July for the first time. One of the exciting parts of the year was the merger of Keystone and Central regions. We now cover 33 counties in PA. We were able to welcome new businesses into the Keystone family and show the benefits of membership. It was exciting to go to the Nittany Valley region and get to know many of the members, meet some great people and get to know their businesses. There are several new business partners for all of us to get to know and work with.

We started the Inclusion, Diversity, and Unity Committee. They have laid the groundwork for new initiatives that will allow Keystone to make significant inroads into many of the groups that we want to engage in the construction industry. They have identified several barriers to joining the construction workforce and identified committees and outside partners, we need to work with to start to move the needle and remove the barriers. I look forward to the work they will do over the next several months.

ABC Keystone shed the light on total human health in the safety committee and through various education offerings. It has become a major focus in the strategic plan. As owners, coworkers, and human beings, we need to be the helping hand that can save a life. We encourage you to get the training needed to help your team recognize and improve total human health.

We set a target to have 30% of our contractor members participate in STEP. We did not make it. We are at 22%, which is better than before, but still not as high as we would like. STEP is a journey, and a commitment we make to our employees to make sure they are safe. STEP is a systematic way to work to become a safer workplace. Not everything can be done perfectly but take the journey. Pledge to a safe environment, and total human health. The time and energy you spend are more than just the dollars, but a promise to employees and their families.

A final focus was the election. We didn’t do great in November. As always, ABC Keystone devoted to fighting any government overreach and standing with you to make sure you have a right to work and run your businesses. We are committed to the merit shop way of doing business. We are currently involved with some issues helping members with bid protests, fighting PLA’s, and government overreach with awarding jobs. If you have any concerns, or hear about PLA’s or issues with bids being awarded, reach out to the Keystone staff for help.

It was a pleasure to serve as your 2022 Chair. I want to thank the staff for their hard work and commitment to our members. I want to thank RKL, and its team that supported me in my service and made sure things ran smoothly while I was volunteering. And I want to thank my wife. You have always been there to support me, and accompany me to various events. I appreciate everything you have done for me.

I want to wish Steve Conway, the 2023 chair the best of luck in his year. I will be there for support and to help in any way I can. You have a great board and staff. I know you will help Keystone move its mission to the next level.

Posted November 29, 2022