Monday, Nov.11

• 8 a.m.-4 p.m. National Committee Meetings
• 5:30-7:30 p.m. Exclusive Top Performers Reception (Invite only)
  Faro & Brag Restaurant located at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa
  Thank you to our Top Performers sponsors:
  Milwaukee Tool, Procore, Southwire and United Rentals

Tuesday, Nov. 12

• 6:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. National Board of Directors Meeting and Leadership Institute Registration Open
• 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. National Board of Directors Meeting
• 5-6:30 p.m. Leadership Institute Welcome Reception
• 7-10 p.m. Ballots and Ballads
  Duelies Sports Bar and Grill
  7000 E Mayo Blvd. #1072
  Phoenix, AZ 85054
  
  Join the Free Enterprise Alliance at a dueling piano bar for a night of incredible entertainment and great company! ABC Leadership Institute attendees are invited to join free of charge. Donations to FEA are encouraged but not required.
  Download the flyer.

Wednesday, Nov. 13

• 7-8 a.m. Leadership institute Breakfast
• 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Leadership Institute Registration Open
• 8-9:15 a.m. Opening Keynote—Soaring to Peak Performance
  

  Speaker: Greg “Boss” Wooldridge, Blue Angels Commanding Officer (Ret.), John Foley Inc.

  Dive into the high-flying world of leadership! Experience the thrill of transformation as “Boss,” the only three-time leader of The Blue Angels, shares his exhilarating journey and the secrets to building a high-performance team that exceeds all expectations.
• 9:15-9:30 a.m. Networking Break
• 9:30-10:45 a.m. Leadership Institute Concurrent Sessions
  
  Communicating to Win Work: Presentation and Interview Best Practices for Contractors
  

  Speaker: Laurie Richards, Laurie Richards & Associates
  

  It’s not enough to be good at what you do. You have to be able to tell people about it! Your interview presentation should do so much more than introduce you and your organization to the client. By the time you get to the interview stage, you’ve paid the price of admission. You’re qualified. Now, it’s time to WOW them with your team’s unique skills and style and show the potential client that you’re the best fit for them, their team and their project. Don’t miss this opportunity to make your team shine at your next interview.
  
  Meet Your Peers—2025 Chairs
  

  Speakers: Casie Sears Kerr, Sears Contracting, ABC Carolinas
  Steve Grauer, Mountain West Region Vice Chair, ABC Board of Directors, and Regional Vice President, Hensel Phelps, Arizona Builders Alliance
  David Pugh, Chair-Elect, ABC Board of Directors, and Partner, Bradley, ABC Alabama
  

  Network with your fellow 2025 chairs and learn from a panel of past chairs. Find out what to expect in the coming year and how to fulfill your duties as chair.
  
  Meet Your Peers—2026 Chairs
  

  Speakers: Thomas “Murph” Murphy, Secretary and Northeast Region Vice Chair, ABC Board of Directors, and Vice President, Power and Construction Group, ABC Empire State
  Eric Regelin, President, Granix LLC, ABC Chesapeake Shores
  Scott Uren, President, Titan Fire Protection, ABC San Diego
  

  Network with your fellow chairs-elect and learn from a panel of past chairs. During this moderated discussion, panelists will explain what to expect in the coming year and how to fulfill your duties as chair-elect.
  
  Meet Your Peers—Chapter Presidents
  

  Speakers: John Smaligo, President and CEO, ABC Oklahoma
  John Mielke, Senior Director of Workforce Development, ABC National, and Former Chapter President, ABC Wisconsin
  

  ABC is fortunate to have a strong peer group of professionals leading each chapter. This session, designed and led by chapter presidents, will provide an opportunity for best practice sharing and networking.
• 10:45-11 a.m. Networking Break
• 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Leadership Institute Concurrent Sessions
  
  Crisis Communication—How and When To Engage
  

  Speaker: Laurie Richards, Laurie Richards & Associates
  

  Develop tools to handle unexpected chapter or member company events with respect to internal and external communications. Review real-life situations and how they were executed to fine-tune your successful communications.
  
  Building a Culture of Engagement—How To Engage Volunteer Leaders
  

  Speakers: Michele Roberts-Bauer, President and CEO, ABC Heart of America
  Bill Roachell, President and CEO, ABC Arkansas
  

  Successfully engaging volunteers is the fastest way you can increase your chapter’s resources. As a volunteer leader, you never want to have to say “you’re fired” to a peer. Learn how you can politely help people succeed. Join us for a conversation on real strategies for real people to ensure that your committee meetings and volunteers are value adds to the organization instead of just another headache on the ever-growing to-do list.
  
  The Foundation of ABC—Defining the Merit Shop Philosophy and How It Has Shaped ABC
  

  Speakers: Mike Bellaman, President and CEO, ABC National
  Shandon Harbour, President and CEO, ABC San Diego

  ABC has a unique mission among our peer trade associations. This panel discussion focuses on defining the merit shop philosophy and how it has shaped ABC. With Articles I and III of the association bylaws as our guide, you will gain insights into why ABC takes certain policy positions to defend the merit shop construction industry and free enterprise.
  
  
• 12-1 p.m. Lunch
• 1-2 p.m. Leadership Institute Concurrent Sessions
  
  Making Good Decisions—Avoiding Common Pitfalls of Chapter Boards
  

  Speaker: Thomas Lenz, Partner and Labor Team Leader, Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, ABC Southern California

  In this session, chapter board member attendees will be provided guidance on their Duty of Loyalty and avoiding conflict of interest. Learn about the list of duties and common missteps to address as well as how to review, execute, update and follow your governing documents and apply ethical standards.
  
  Strategic Planning—The Building Blocks of Your Organization
  

  Speakers: Mike Bellaman, President and CEO, ABC National
  Brian Sampson, President and CEO, ABC Empire State
  Eric Regelin, President, Granix LLC, ABC Chesapeake Shores

  Gain actionable steps for successful strategic planning to improve your chapter or company strategic plan on a regular and ongoing basis. You will learn what makes a strong plan, the importance of outside facilitation, time needed, the right number of goals and successful methods for executing and tracking your strategic plan.
  
  Understanding Board and Chapter Staff Dynamics
  

  Speakers: Dave Sload, President and CEO, ABC Keystone
  Buddy Henley, President, Henley Construction and ABC National Chair, ABC Metro Washington
  Steve Conway, Vice President, Pyramid Construction Services LLC, ABC Keystone

  Find out tips to foster healthy working relationships between the chapter board and the chapter president and their staff. What are the appropriate ways to work with chapter staff while maintaining clear lines of authority? You will leave this session with clarity on the expectations of chapter staff and chapter board members.
• 2-2:15 p.m. Networking Break
• 2:15-3:15 p.m. Leadership Institute Concurrent Sessions
  
  Developing People—Performance Management Throughout the Year
  

  Speaker: Mike Bellaman, President and CEO, ABC National

  Is your performance evaluation a surprise? Is everyone clear on what it takes for the chapter to have a successful year? Are expectations clear? This session will help you resolve the gray areas of performance evaluation management and how to achieve the best results during the evaluation process. You will walk away with recommendations for a structured performance management system including templates.
  
  Key Elements for Successful Chapter Board Engagement
  

  Speakers: Milton Graugnard, 2023 Chair of the ABC Board of Directors and Executive Vice President, Cajun Industries, ABC Pelican
  Steve Grauer, Mountain West Region Vice Chair, ABC Board of Directors, and Regional Vice President, Hensel Phelps, Arizona Builders Alliance

  Engaged board members make for a successful chapter. Get a structured roadmap for enhancing engagement, including best practices for meeting content, attendance expectations and everything in between to heighten engagement as a chapter president or board member.
  
  Attracting and Retaining Ideal Members
  

  Speakers: Crystal Smith, President and CEO, ABC Central Texas
  Jackie Hudson, Membership Director, ABC Georgia
  J. Foster, Vice President, Marsh MMA, ABC Central Texas
  Moderator: Michele Roberts-Bauer, President and CEO, ABC Heart of America

  Since 2019, ABC has invested in sales training to support chapter growth. This session will provide insights from this training that will help members in their roles as recruiters. Review effective strategies for member retention and understand how these practices can help you grow your chapter membership.
• 3:15-3:30 p.m. Networking Break
• 3:30-5 p.m. Featured Keynote—Communicating Across Generations: When Generations Connect
  

  Speaker: Phil Gwoke, CEO, BridgeWorks

  Four distinct generations collaborate side by side in the workplace, each bringing a unique set of attitudes, values and work styles to the table. But do you have the tools to transform this diversity from a challenge into an opportunity? This session delves into the identity of each generation, explores the reasons behind their differences, dispels stereotypes that may cloud judgment and provides actionable solutions to effectively engage every generation
• 5-6:30 p.m. Reception

Thursday, Nov. 14

• 7-8 a.m. Leadership Institute Breakfast
• 8-9:15 a.m. On Time and Within Budget—A Guide to Chapter Financial Operations
  

  Speakers: Lynn Kent, Treasurer/Controller, Robert F. Audet Inc., ABC Rhode Island
  David Porter, Chief Financial Officer, ABC National
  Lee Nations, President and CEO, ABC Mississippi

  Discover the proper guidelines and context for financial oversight and internal controls, the importance of members’ roles in asking appropriate questions and examples of what those questions might be. Gain context for providing clear insights to help board members understand their financial fiduciary responsibilities
• 9:15-9:30 a.m. Networking Break
• 9:30-10:45 a.m. Bridging the Gap—Understanding a Day in the Life of a Chapter President
  

  Speakers: Dave Sload, President and CEO, ABC Keystone
  Crystal Smith, President and CEO, ABC Central Texas
  Mac Bybee, President and CEO, ABC Nevada
  Moderator: Mike Comer, President, The Hayes Group

  Have you ever wondered what your chapter president does day to day? As a chapter board member, this panel discussion of chapter presidents led by Mike Comer of the Hayes Group will help you learn what a successful chapter president must focus on to keep a chapter moving forward, how they manage priorities and the skills and competencies they must possess.
• 10:45-11 a.m. Networking Break
• 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Leadership Institute Peer-to-Peer Concurrent Sessions
  
  Peer-to-Peer Session—Chapters Over $2.5 Million in Revenue
  

  Speakers: Samantha DeAlmeida Roman, President & CEO, ABC New Jersey
  John Lehmann, President, Poole Anderson Construction, ABC Keystone
  

  Discuss the challenges and opportunities you see for the year ahead.
  
  Peer-to-Peer Session—Chapters Between $750,000-$2.49 Million in Revenue
  

  Speakers: Bill Anderson, President and CEO, ABC Georgia
  Mark Baublit, President and Owner, Marksmen General Contractors LLC, ABC South Texas
  

  Discuss the challenges and opportunities you see for the year ahead.
  
  Peer-to-Peer Session—Chapters Under $749,000 in Revenue
  

  Speakers: Tiffany Brightwell, President and CEO, ABC North Alabama
  Kerrick Whisenant, President, Limestone Building Group LLC, ABC North Alabama
  

  Discuss the challenges and opportunities you see for the year ahead.
• 12 p.m. Leadership Institute Ends

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