What does a typical day at work look like for you?

• In our industry, there is never a typical day! I try to be early enough to make the coffee and spend the morning being available for our team.

What do you like most about your job?

• Growing our team. It has been great watching our team personally and professionally grow.

What aspect of your job do you find the most challenging?

• Weather. We do our best to plan for the weather, but you still can’t paint in the rain!

How did you get into the heavy highway construction industry?

• This is probably the most asked question; how did you ever get into this?! I grew up on a family farm in Central Iowa and when my dad sold the farm to a local owner of a barricading company, he got me a job sweeping the shop, flagging, and throwing cones during the summers of high school and college.

What has been your favorite project?

• There have been many great projects across Nebraska, but the most memorable was when we put Interstate 80 into a head to head through the middle of Omaha. We cut out the center concrete median wall and pushed traffic side to side for bridge work on 84th Street. This project took the entire HSI Team to complete.

What are your hopes for our industry?

• To continue to increase safety & awareness for our team, our customers, and the traveling public. We are on roadways with traffic driving only feet away from us. Safety needs to be top of mind and always improving.

If you could provide one piece of professional advice, what would it be?

• Part of being successful is being willing to ask thoughtful questions, and listening to the entire answer before formulating a response.

Who has been the most influential person in your career?

• The most influential person in my career has been Randy Miller of Iowa Civil. Randy was a mentor, business partner, and provided opportunities in my early days.

What did you want to be when growing up?

• I always thought I would be a farmer, but when dad sold the farm I thought I would teach. Somehow I ended up throwing cones!

What was the first job you ever had?

• Since I never got paid on the farm, my first real paying job was working at Larry’s Grocery Store in Slater, Iowa.

Before working at your current company, what was the most unusual or interesting job you have ever had?

• I was a college women’s basketball coach for Des Moines Area Community College and Upper Iowa University.

If you could go back and tell your 18-year-old self one thing, what would it be?

• Life is awesome. Go and live it how you dreamt it!

What is one skill/ability you wish you had?

• Dunk a basketball. Never had the genetics to get above the rim!

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?

• Spend time with my wife Tiffany, and two kids, Blakely and Brecken, doing something outdoors.

Do you have any hidden talents? If so, what are they?

• I don’t know if it’s a hidden talent, but back in college, I water skied for Iowa State University and our team went to the 2004 Nationals in Louisiana.

If you could be anyone (past or present) for just a day, who would you be?

• A member of the Lewis and Clark exploration team. To see the west before civilization impacted it.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

• Don’t be late!

Favorite restaurant?
There are too many to list, but the most consistent restaurant for me and my family is Texas Roadhouse!

The 2023 AGC Nebraska Annual Convention was our biggest one yet! Over 400 members and industry partners joined together at the Embassy Suites in Lincoln for an eventful couple of days.

On Tuesday, the Central Community College - Heavy Equipment Operator Technician Program Students had the opportunity to participate in speed interviews with 12 of our Contractor member firms. Both our members and the students were able to form meaningful connections.

Next was our Annual Board of Directors Meeting, where we welcomed three new board members, Brian Engel (Paulsen, Inc.), Mike Newman (Van Kirk Brothers Contracting), and Rocky Torres (Contractor Services, Inc.). Tuesday night ended with our Past Presidents Dinner.

All current Board members and all past Presidents are invited to attend this dinner. Past Presidents in attendance included Mike Collins, Dick Ludwig, Gregg Perrett, Doug Williams, Katie Wilson, Tyler Chicoine, Steve Peck, Justin Grusing, Steve Samuelson, Dave Neill and Tom Crockett.

Wednesday began with the Member Meeting. These have become a key part of our Construction Industry Days and Convention. It is the best time for all members to learn what the Chapter is doing for the industry at the committee and task force levels. The Past Presidents Panel, hosted by the Future Leaders Council, immediately followed the Member Meeting. This gave FLC members a chance to ask a variety of questions related to careers and AGC involvement to a group of 6 past Presidents.

Lunch was filled with awards and recognition. 2022 President, Tyler Chicoine, 'passed the gavel' to 2023 President, Sean Vontz. We recognized the UNL Construction Management scholarship recipient and the three CCC-Hastings scholarship recipients. Koss Construction Company was also awarded the 'Most Likes' award for the video filmed at their wet batch plant that received nearly 1,000,000 views on Tik Tok and Instagram. Tom Crockett was awarded the VCS Award for his vision, commitment, and service to our industry and the AGC Nebraska Chapter. To wrap up our lunch, Governor Jim Pillen spoke to the membership regarding his plan for the next four years to get roads built. 

Off-site activities were added this year to give members options other than the traditional Casino Afternoon. Members could choose from a distillery tour at Sideshow Spirits, axe throwing at Craft Axe Throwing, or staying at the hotel for a Texas Hold 'Em Tournament. All three options were loaded with fun!

Upon returning from the off-site activities it was time for the Associate's Expo and PAC Auction. We are so grateful to our Associate members who took the time to share about their companies with our Contractor members. This year's PAC Auction raised $68,000 for our efforts in the legislature. Thank you to everyone who donated items and bid!

The Nebraska Department of Transportation joined us on Thursday for our industry day and joint committee meetings. The recently appointed Director, Vicki Kramer, spoke to our membership at lunch. Our Keynote Speaker, Gordon Fowler, delivered a fun presentation on the five different generations in the workforce today. The Annual Convention concluded in the afternoon with our Closing Reception where members and NDOT personnel are able to get to know each other.

We hope you all had as much fun as we did! 

If you have any feedback on the Annual Convention, please reach out to Carly.

Make sure to check out our calendar for upcoming events.

President, Kea Constructors, LLC

​What does a typical day at work look like for you?

• ½ office and ½ traveling between jobsites. In the office, it’s a lot of estimating, submittals and planning for future work. We have jobs in South Dakota to and Nebraska, so lots of miles to cover.

 
What do you like most about your job?

• The variety, I am not a desk jockey.

 
What aspect of your job do you find the most challenging?

• Finding personnel, training our people, and growing the business

 
How did you get into the industry?

• I did one semester of Architecture at UNL and realized that wasn’t for me. I got a job at Kiewit right out of high school as l laborer on a paving crew. I continued employment there through college and went full time following my graduation in Construction Management.

 
What is your favorite moment of your career so far? Favorite project?

• 1998. Foreman/Field Engineer in charge of the structural steel on 11 bridges from Fayetteville Arkansas to Fort Smith. The project ran through the Boston Mountain Range. Because of the rock, girder delivery had to be coordinated with the blast and shoot operations through the mountains to obtain access for the trucks. This project was extremely challenging and stressful but in the end was very rewarding.

 
What are your hopes for the industry?

• That we can show the younger generation that there is a huge value in having a career in construction.

 
If you could provide one piece of professional advice, what would it be?

• Be patient. Lose the ego. Do your best always, no matter how small the task. It won’t go unnoticed.

  
What did you want to be when growing up?

• I’m still growing up. I’ll let you know when I know.

 
What was the first job you ever had?

• Butcher in my uncle’s shop in Elkhorn, NE.

 
If you could go back and tell your 18-year-old self one thing, what would it be?

• Lose the ego, live in the moment, and take chances when you’re young.

  
What is one skill/ability you wish you had?

• The ability to speak Spanish and play the guitar.

 
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?

• Live music and fish with my son.

 
If you could have lunch with anyone (past or present), who would you choose?

• Theodore Roosevelt. In addition to his Presidency, he was a conservationist, soldier, avid hunter, just a hard-charging individual.

 
What is your biggest pet peeve?

• Laziness.

 
Favorite restaurant?

• Drover, or anywhere with a good steak and a stiff drink.

Despite the icy road conditions, we had a record number of members attend our 2022 Holiday Party at the Lincoln Cornhusker Marriott Hotel.  The day was packed with events - an FLC Brunch & Learn, Committee Meetings, General Session, From Builder to Leader Launch, the FLC Toy Drive - all wrapped up with the Holiday Party.

We hope everyone had a great time and made it home safe. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Estimator / Project Manager, Perrett Construction Ltd.

What does a typical day at work look like for you?

• A wide variety ranging from estimating, project management, planning equipment moves, trucking, and meetings.  

 
What do you like most about your job?

• The variety of the work I do, very rarely am I doing the same thing two days in a row and also get to meet and work with a wide variety of people.

 
What aspect of your job do you find the most challenging?

• Being the low bidder, but still making an acceptable profit.

 
How did you get into the heavy highway construction industry?

• My dad said I had to go to Engineering College if he was going to help me pay for college. I liked spending time outdoors, and with large equipment, so Construction Management was the only degree in the Engineering College at UNL that interested me.

 
What is your favorite moment of your career so far?

• The day we finished Hwy 275 west of Norfolk, most challenging project of my career (so far).

 
Favorite project?

• New Mexico Hwy 104, East of Las Vegas, New Mexico.  It was a project I helped bid and then ran it as a Job Superintendent for Kiewit.  We did every aspect of the project except the guardrail and fencing. We performed the Grading, Pipe, Concrete Box Culverts, Crushing Aggregate, Base Course, and Asphalt Paving. We also had to drill and shoot some of the cuts.  I was 28 years old and was one of the oldest on the project.  

 
What are your hopes for our industry?

• That the regulations don’t become so restrictive it is almost impossible to build a project, and there is enough work to bid, that competent contractors can be profitable.

 
If you could provide one piece of professional advice, what would it be?

• Bidding work cheaper than your crews can build it profitably is not a good option.

 
Who has been the most influential person in your career?

• Gray Kite, I worked for him for 4 years at Kiewit in New Mexico.

 
What did you want to be when growing up?

• U.S. Air Force Fighter Pilot

 
What was the first job you ever had?

• Walking Beans

 
Before working at your current company, what was the most unusual or interesting job you have ever had?

• Albuquerque, New Mexico at a wastewater treatment facility expansion project.

 
If you could go back and tell your 18-year-old self one thing, what would it be?

• Don’t waste your time on people or things you can’t control, spend your time and energy on things you can affect.

 
What is one skill/ability you wish you had?

• Play Guitar

 
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?

• Ride Dirt Bikes

 
Do you have any hidden talents? If so, what are they?

• I can ride a pretty good wheelie on my dirt bike.

 
If you could be anyone (past or present) for just a day, who would you be?

• Crazy Horse, June 25, 1876

 
What is your biggest pet peeve?

• Slow people…..slow walkers, slow talkers, slow workers.

 
Favorite restaurant?

• Husker House in Columbus, Nebraska

When I began my second term as President at the 2022 AGC Nebraska Annual Convention, I discussed some of the challenges within our industry over the last few years. With about 3 months left in my term as President, I can say that 2022 has been more normal than recent years – free of Acts of God. It has been a pleasure to serve the membership again. Although it had been over 10 years since my first term, the only real changes have been the color of my hair and my goatee. Otherwise, business as usual, with a heavy emphasis on membership, our NDOT partnership, the Legislative agenda and workforce development.
 
The AGC Nebraska membership count is around 200, with 73 Contractors and 123 Associates.  As a nonprofit, our goal is to operate on a balanced budget. We are on track to see a small surplus in funds that we are eager to put back into our membership. We have a strong, diverse, and prideful membership as we market to potential members. Please continue to support Sheila if she asks for help communicating and meeting with potential members.
 
Our relationship with NDOT at the upper levels is significant. Katie meeting with Director Selmer and Deputy Director Jamshidi each on a quarterly basis, and with Jim Knott, Construction Engineer, monthly. Her pursuit of these relationships has kept our Chapter leaders up to date with current and potential issues, while giving us a clear path of communication. The NDOT’s FYE 2023 program is up from the current year’s program. We are still awaiting the FHWA release of an additional $100 million per year for the next five years as a part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2022. Our AGC/NDOT Joint Committees hold a purpose. If you do not sit on a committee, I encourage you to monitor committee notes and attend our Construction Industry Days to hear about the various field-related issues that are discovered and discussed.
 
We have recently elected our newest Governor, Jim Pillen, as well as numerous members to our Unicameral. The AGC Nebraska PAC made contributions to most of the races that totaled more than $200,000. We are excited to have a sitting Governor that understands how important the roads program is to our state’s economic development. After our contribution to Pillen, we expect a seat at his table during discussions on program size, staffing and the funding mechanisms that are at the NDOT’s disposal.
 
The importance of our Workforce Development Task Force is undisputable as we continue to face challenges in finding quality workers. The relationship we have with Central Community College – Hastings and their Heavy Equipment Operator Technician Program is running strong in its seventh year of producing young, educated workers for our industry. AGC Equipment Days is an event we hold at the Cornhusker State Trap Shoot in late April where over 1,000 students and parents come through our interactive booth to learn more about careers in construction. Make sure to clear your schedules to see the power of this event for yourself. We thank Enova for their continued work in distributing resumes to our members and offering a variety of trainings to help retain our best people. Also, if you have impressive young leaders within your company that could fill a Committee or Board seat one day, consider allowing them to get involved with the Future Leaders Council.
 
In closing, Katie, Sheila, and Carly do an excellent job of overseeing the daily operations of AGC Nebraska and for that, I am very thankful. Your Executive Committee is made up of respected leaders in the industry and are there to protect your interests. Get involved, at any level that you can. This industry needs your help and I promise your firms will find a return on investment for your time. Continued great successes as we wrap up the 2022 construction season.
 
TJC

The turnout at our first Future Leaders Council happy hour event last week was awesome. Over 30 of our members came from near and far to network and meet the current group. A special thank you to Paulsen, Inc. for sponsoring the bar tab.

Our next event is a Brunch & Learn on December 8th at the Cornhusker Hotel from 11 AM - 12 PM. Ellerbrock-Norris will give a presentation on jobsite accidents and there will be breakfast snacks and beverages provided. If you're interested in joining in on our next event, register for the FLC here.

President, Iowa Plains Signing, Inc.

What does a typical day at work look like for you?

• I try to plan my day the best I can, but with the industry we are in adjustments are always needed. I just try to be available for anything I can do to help my team succeed. Along with that reviewing bids daily, reviewing financials daily, and trying to keep the company running smooth.

What do you like most about your job?

• I enjoy winning close bids the most. When the team puts so much time and effort into something, it is always nice to win every now and then.

What aspect of your job do you find the most challenging?

• Getting the public to stop texting and driving.

How did you get into the heavy highway construction industry?

• It’s at least a 2-beer story 😊😊

What is your favorite moment of your career so far? 

• When we converted our company into 100% Employee Owned, the looks on our employees’ faces was by far the best.

What are your hopes for our industry?

• Keep improving the safety for our workers and the traveling public.

If you could provide one piece of professional advice, what would it be?

• Just listen, you always don’t need to be the one talking. Amazing how much you can learn by listening.

Who has been the most influential person in your career?

• My high school football coach, Coach Dvorak and my college professor, Mr. Clark.

What did you want to be when growing up?

• I was going to own hotels and restaurants. I went to school for travel and hospitality.

What was the first job you ever had?

• Picking rock and baling hay for the local farmers.

Before working at your current company, what was the most unusual or interesting job you have ever had?

• Working at the local meat locker in town, Polashek’s Locker; cutting up deer, pork and beef.

If you could go back and tell your 18-year-old self one thing, what would it be?

• Don’t drive on that snowmobile trail with your car. IT IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.

What is one skill/ability you wish you had?

• I wish I could sing, I am terrible at it.

What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?

• Hunt, fish, spend time with my 3 girls.

Do you have any hidden talents? If so, what are they?

• Nothing here, pretty basic guy.

If you could be anyone (past or present) for just a day, who would you be?

• Warren Buffet.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

• My daughters on their phones when I am trying to talk to them.

Favorite restaurant?

• ​Sushi at the Waterfront.

Thank you to everyone who played, sponsored and participated in our 2022 Fall Golf Outing. We love being able to host so many of our members and their customers - yes, another full golf event! Please take a few minutes to fill out this survey regarding our Fall Golf Outing. If you didn't play, consider telling us a bit about why not in the comment boxes. 

Reception Sponsors: Contractor Services, Inc.
Drink Ticket Sponsor: Griffin Dewatering
Hole Sponsors:
Contractor Solutions
Enova Group, LLC
Graham Construction, LLC
Hahn Financial Group, Inc.
Holmes Murphy of Nebraska
K2 Construction, LLC/Great Plains Redi Mixed Concrete
Lutz
Nebraska-Iowa Supply Co., Inc.
NMC / NMC Cat Rental Store
Overland Ready Mixed
Prairie Wealth Advisors, Inc.
Purple Wave Auction
​Ready Mixed Concrete
RoadBuilders Machinery
Road Machinery & Supplies Co.
Rueter's
Sunbelt Rentals
Truck Center Companies

The day began with report outs to the membership from our Joint Committee Chairs, Environmental Committee, Technology Committee and Document Exchange Task Force. Members gained insight into what each committee had been working on over the past several months and were given the opportunity to ask questions.

After lunch, the Nebraska Department of Transportation employees joined us for meetings and a General Session. The General Session included a NDOT Panel Discussion with Director John Selmer, Khalil Jaber and Jim Knott. Notable topics of discussion included:

• Visiting with Governor regarding next 2-year budget
• Expressway system
  • Working hard on programming the US-77 & US-81 corridors
• Utility Coordination continues to be a priority
• IIJA Funds – working to obligate funds by end of fiscal year
  • 22 bridges programmed in the next 2 years
  • Committed to western I-80 replacement and 6-lane Lincoln West
  • Buy America rules are changing because of the IIJA; rules will take effect in the December letting
• GIS Map for Borrow Sites ​

The General Session closed with the announcement of our Future Leaders Council (FLC). The mission of AGC Nebraska's FLC is to channel participants who are not actively involved to network, socialize, promote and exchange construction industry ideas. The top priorities of the FLC are professional development, increased involvement, and enhanced leadership skills for those who are involved. A schedule of events, an informational brochure, and the FLC registration can be found on the FLC webpage. 

Katie Wilson, Tyler Chicoine, and Tom Crockett were also able to meet with Congressman Mike Flood on Thursday to discuss our industry and deliver a PAC check. 

Thank you to everyone who took the time to attend this event. We are very lucky to have so many active members. Please complete the post-event survey that we sent out on Tuesday afternoon or email Carly with any feedback you have regarding this event. Our next event is Fall Golf on September 16th at Quarry Oaks. After that, is our first ever Friday Afternoon Club / Tailgate Party in our parking lot. The FLC group will be hosting a cornhole tournament where the winning team will each receive a set of AGC Nebraska boards. There will also be a chili cookoff, food and drinks. This event is free for members and their families! Register or claim a spot in the tournament or cookoff by clicking here.