News

ABC Hosts TDOT Commissioner Clay Bright

The Associated Builders and Contractors of Greater TN hosted a Membership Luncheon on Thursday, August 15th featuring guest speakers Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner, Clay Bright and Assistant Chief Engineer over Operations, Will Reid. The event peaked interest of approximately 120 ABC members and guests who enjoyed networking followed by lunch and the presentation. Commissioner Bright touched on the values of TDOT, including the safety of their own people, safety of contractors and most importantly the public safety of all of Tennessee. TDOT’s currently planning 2-3 years ahead, allowing them to tell contractors and consultants what’s out there and what’s to come. The commissioner touched on the recently passed Hands Free Legislation. Bright gave insight to the fact that distracted driving reached an epidemic level in the State of TN, killing 36-37,000 people a year on the roadways. Furthermore, the commissioner discussed the Improve Act that was passed in 2 ... Read the rest of entry »

ENR: Gearing up for continued growth

“Construction is still booming in Tennessee,” says Clay Crownover, president and CEO of ABC- Greater Tennessee chapter. But as with most other regions of the country, finding qualified construction professionals to fill the boots can be daunting.

Read more at ENR...

THE IMPACT OF CREDENTIALS AT THE TENNESSEE COLLEGE OF APPLIED TECHNOLOGY

As the Education and Safety Director of the Greater Tennessee ABC Chapter, Michele Correnti has helped 32 schools utilize NCCER curricula. Working with schools and teachers in the Greater Tennessee area, Correnti wants the next generation of craft professionals to have industry credentials backed by training and education.  “Any time a student can get a certification in the crafts, it’s a further step into the world of construction – where there is already a huge shortage,” Correnti said. “It is with great passion that we want to see these young men and women succeed in the crafts and NCCER is a perfect stepping stone for this.”  Last summer, Correnti helped the building construction technology instructor at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT), Kelvin Davis, receive his instructor certification with NCCER. After Davis passed the Instructor Certification Teaching Program in July 2018, his students were eligible to receive credentials for t ... Read the rest of entry »

6th Annual Contractor's Showcase Success

     Associated Builders & Contractors Greater TN hosted our 6th annual Contractor’s Showcase on July 18th at the Nashville Fairgrounds. ABC members and guests were welcomed by a massive American flag, which hung from a Sunbelt Rentals lift. Over 300 industry professionals gathered to  network among the 44 exhibitor booths. These booths represented the industry well, having been made up of general contractors, sub-contractors and industry partners. Representatives from each company were available to answer questions and showcase their products and services. In addition to meeting suppliers and seeing product demos throughout the evening, attendees networked with peers and enjoyed hors d’oeuvres and refreshments. The showcase wouldn’t of been possible without our amazing sponsors and volunteers. A big thanks goes out to Amfed, Rio Grande Fence Co., Sunbelt Rentals and Trades Unlimited, our presenting sponsors as well as a special thanks to Rio Grande for setting u ... Read the rest of entry »

ABC Celebrates 5 Year Member Anniversaries

It's no secret that ABC wouldn't exist without the dedication of our members. Your involvement allows us to flourish, grow, and provide continuing benefits and resources for the industry across Tennessee. To our 5 year members, we thank you for your continued support!  31-W Insulation- With their corporate office located in Goodlettsville, TN - 31-W Insulation can provide you with bath accessories, garage doors, gutters, home remodeling materials, and related services. Better Business Equipment Co. Inc. - BBE has been providing the middle TN area with office machinery and document solutions for over 35 years.  CIP (Charlie Irwin Painting, LLC) -  Coating the construction industry with quality, excellence and integrity. Color Burst Landscapes - Well-known throughout the Nashville area for quality design, installations, and maintenance with extensive knowledge of the green industry. HireQuest Direct - Formally known as Trojan Labor, HireQuest Di ... Read the rest of entry »

Construction Job Growth Steady in June, Says ABC

WASHINGTON, July 5 – The construction industry added 21,000 net new jobs in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. On a year-over-year basis, employment in the industry has expanded by 224,000 jobs, representing an increase of 3.1%. Nonresidential construction employment gained 14,900 net jobs in June and is up 146,700 jobs during the last 12 months.   All major segments of nonresidential construction added jobs in June, with the bulk of job growth in the nonresidential specialty trade contractor segment, which added 11,900 net new positions. The construction unemployment rate stood at 4% in June, down 0.7% from the same time last year, and unemployment across all industries was 3.7%, slightly higher than 3.6% in May. “Today’s employment numbers indicate the economy is not slowing nearly as quickly as data suggested earlier this year, which is promising news for contractors,&r ... Read the rest of entry »

ABC Greater Tennessee endorses Janet Testerman for Knoxville City Council

The Greater Tennessee chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors has approved the recommendations for endorsement of Janet Testerman for Knoxville City Council. 

In the City Council, At Large Seat B, Ms. Testerman is set to face an opponent that will not recognize the open shop philosophy that keeps Tennessee growth moving forward. 

We look forward to the election and seeing Ms. Testerman prevail in this race. 

ABC Greater Tennessee Meet with Congressional Leaders in D.C.

ABC Greater Tennessee staff and Board of Directors had the pleasure of speaking with our Tennessee representatives in Washington, D.C. last week to push forward policies to re-enforce the Merit Shop Philosophy. 

Board members and staff met with Rep. Scott Desjarlais, Senator Marsha Blackburn, Senator Lamar Alexander, Rep. Tim Burchett, Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and Rep. Phil Roe. They also heard from Mercedes Schlapp, the White House Strategic Communications Director and Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX).

For pics, visit our flickr page. 

ABC Greater Tennessee Craft Training Program graduates 54

Associated Builders and Contractors Greater Tennessee Craft Training program graduates 54 NASHVILLE, TENN., June 10, 2019 – The Associated Builders and Contractors of Tennessee (ABC-Greater Tennessee) is pleased to announce that its Craft Training Program has successfully graduated 54 students for the 2018-2019 school year. “Thursday was one of the most important events that we at ABC- Greater Tennessee hold each year,” said ABC- Greater Tennessee President/CEO Clay Crownover. “It’s important because it highlights the accomplishments of our school and our students and the extra effort they have made to furthering themselves and our industry.” ABC- Greater Tennessee is a leader in continuing education for the construction industry, as well as apprenticeship and craft training for merit shop contractors in the state. ABC- Greater Tennessee delivers programs that equip craft professionals with the knowledge and the skills they need to improve their productivity and sa ... Read the rest of entry »

Tennessee Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt highlights May Membership Meeting in East Tennessee

ABC Greater TN's Knoxville office hosted Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt at the Cherokee Country Club. ABC members and guests enjoyed lunch sponsored by Mobile Mini Storage Solutions. 

Honoring Don Smith

Don L. Smith, born in 1931 and a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a founding partner of Smith Cashion & Orr, PLC where he devotes his practice to construction law and litigation. For the past 30 years Don Smith has worked with ABC- Greater Tennessee and provided legal consultation and seminars to the members and staff. In honor of Mr. Smith's dedication, a reception was held on May 6 at the Sheraton Music City. Past ABC Chairs gathered to present Don with a plaque recognizing his contributions. ABC is grateful to have the presence and experience of Mr. Smith and is thankful for his many contributions to the chapter and the overall construction industry. 

Former ABC Chairman & current Governor Bill Lee Speaks to ABC Membership

On May 8, 2019, past ABC Chairman and current Tennessee Governor, Bill Lee, spoke to ABC members at our May Membership Meeting. Over 125 members attended to enjoy networking, lunch, and Q&A with the Governor. 

Governor Lee shared how building his own company from the ground up has aided in preparing him for the responsibilities he now holds. We are thankful to have someone from prior ABC leadership in this role and look forward to Governor Lee's future contributions to our state and industry. 

Middle TN Golf Tournament a huge success

On April 15, 2019 ABC hosted our annual Middle TN Golf Tournament at the very sought after Governor's Club in Brentwood. The weather couldn't have been more perfect. Over 140 members and guests played in the tournament and enjoyed networking with other industry professionals. As with every tournament, players are awarded for their golfing skills.  Congratulations to Graybar Electric for taking home 1st place for the third year in a row!  1st Place - Graybar Electric 2nd Place - Rio Grande Fence Co.  Many thanks to the sponsors and volunteers for helping us make this event possible. ABC is looking forward to hosting this event for many more years to come. If you are interested in participating in this tournament next year, remember, it sells out FAST! Additional event photos can be found on our Facebook page @ABCGreaterTN.  Thank you to Aerial Innovations Southeast for all of the Team photos, which can be found on our Fl ... Read the rest of entry »

2020 ABC National Convention coming to Nashville

Next.Stop.Nashville

ABC- Greater TN Members win National Excellence in Construction Awards

Congratulations to our National Excellence in Construction Award Winners in Tennessee

CATEGORY: Commercial - $25 to $100 Million
AWARD: Eagle Award
CONTRACTOR: Skanska USA
PROJECT NAME: Lifeway Christian Resources New Headquarters
PROJECT LOCATION: Nashville, Tenn.

CATEGORY: Electrical Commercial - $2 to $10 Million
AWARD: Eagle Award
CONTRACTOR: Gaylor Electric
PROJECT NAME: The Scott Hamilton Center for Proton Therapy
PROJECT LOCATION: Franklin, Tenn.

CATEGORY: PRE-ENGINEERED BUILDING
AWARD: Eagle Award
CONTRACTOR: T.W. Frierson Contractor Inc.
PROJECT NAME: American Wonder Porcelain 
PROJECT LOCATION: Lebanon, Tenn.

CATEGORY: Historical Restoration/Renovation $25M to $100 Million
AWARD: Pyramid Award
CONTRACTOR: Skanska USA
PROJECT NAME: Cordell Hull State Office Building Renovation and Parking Garage
PROJECT LOCATION: Nashville, Tenn.

Message from the President on HB271

Dear ABC Members, As you may know, today we fully expect the House Commerce Committee to take up HB271, legislation that will significantly change procedure on construction contracts and allow for more work stoppages on Tennessee construction projects. ABC's position, at this time, remains that this bill needs to be moved to legislative summer study and rolled until next year so that ABC can foster input from West, East, and Middle Tennessee industry members. It is imperative that the entire state have input on this legislation. ABC has been working with other industry associations to foster a conversation on this legislation and allow for additional consideration from all interested parties across the state. This remains a top priority for our organization to bring the differing points of view on this legislation together and ensure that any legislation that is passed works for both general contractors and subcontractors. We have worked over the course of the last six weeks on this legislatio ... Read the rest of entry »

Tennessee construction unemployment hits record mark for January 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Estimated January not seasonally adjusted construction unemployment rates dropped in 48 states -- including Tennessee -- on a year-over-year basis, according to an analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data released today by Associated Builders and Contractors. As the January 2019 national NSA construction unemployment rate fell 0.9 percent from a year ago to 6.4 percent, the construction industry employed 343,000 more workers nationally compared to January 2018, according to BLS numbers. In Tennessee, the NSA construction unemployment rate for January was 4.8 percent, a decrease of 1.6 percent from January 2018’s rate of 6.4 percent. Tennessee's 4.8 percent 3.7 percent lower than the 8.7 percent mark in January 2017 and the lowest state rate on record for January. Tennessee also compares favorably to neighboring states, such as Alabama (5.8), Georgia (6.0), Kentucky (10.1), Mississippi (9.6), South Carolina (4.7) and North Carolina (5.4).  The lowest state rate i ... Read the rest of entry »

Position Statement: ASA's HB271/SB324 needs to move to Summer Study

The House Commerce Committee is slated to take up the American Subcontractor Association's (ASA) HB 271(SB 324) in the Tennessee General Assembly House Commerce Committee as early as this week. As you may know, this legislation will significantly change procedure on construction contracts and lien rights on Tennessee construction projects.  While fairness in contracts is important to the industry as a whole, this bill has far reaching consequences if not drafted correctly. ABC- Greater Tennessee’s Legislative Committee, which represents General Contractors as well as Subcontractors, does not believe that ill-drafted, unworkable legislation that affects one of the state's biggest industries should be ramrodded through the state legislature without proper involvement and feedback from the industry itself. This legislation, if not redrafted, could be detrimental to the industry due to its ambiguous wording and method of employing the principals in the bill. ABC has been working w ... Read the rest of entry »

Associated Builders and Contractors Greater Tennessee Chapter Announces New President/CEO

NASHVILLE, TENN., Dec. 17th. – The Associated Builders and Contractors of Greater Tennessee (ABC-Greater Tennessee) is pleased to announce Clayton Crownover, current East Tennessee Regional Director, as its new President and CEO effective January 7th, 2018. Mr. Crownover has served as East Tennessee Regional Director for the Chapter since July 2016. Mr. Crownover will split time between Middle and East Tennessee offices to strengthen the organization across all regions of the state.  “Clayton (Clay) joined the Greater Tennessee Chapter in July of 2016 as the East Tennessee Regional Director.  Under his leadership, that region has excelled in many areas and we are thrilled that he has accepted this new challenge,” said John Stallworth, Chairman of the Board of Directors. “Clay will continue to develop and lead a vibrant staff and looks forward to being a pillar of strength to all of the committees of the chapter.” Mr. Crownover has extensive knowledge in non-profit ... Read the rest of entry »

2018 STEP Award Winners

We are so thankful to congratulate all of our STEP Award winners for 2018. Way to step up to improve the safety of your company and represent the Merit Shop Philosophy!

Tennessee faces worker shortage

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (NEXSTAR) - There's a troubling flip side to Tennessee's record low unemployment - a worker shortage. State lawmakers are hearing about it from companies and businesses in their districts.

"We desperately need workers in Tennessee, not just in manufacturing and construction, but across the board in hospitality," said Toby Compton with Associated Builders and Contractors.

Read more...

ABC Calls for Expanding Apprenticeship Opportunities in Congressional Testimony

On behalf of Associated Builders and Contractors, Mike Holland, chief operating officer, MAREK Companies, testified today before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions about the need to modernize and expand apprenticeship opportunities in the United States. Read the press release...

Persuader Rule rescinded

In 2014, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) began a campaign to hold McDonald’s USA, LLC liable for alleged unfair labor practices committed at restaurant locations owned by McDonald’s franchisees. The NLRB took the position that corporate McDonald’s controlled employment relations at franchise locations enough to qualify as a joint employer with the franchisee. Read our Press Release...

Rio Grande Fence Co. Invites Requests from ABC Members for Annual Good Friday Service Project

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Jan. 25, 2018--Rio Grande Fence Co. of Nashville is inviting requests and ideas from ABC members to aid a local non-profit in greater Nashville for RGF’s annual Good Friday Service Project.  Each year, Rio Grande Fence Co. selects a local project and provides all materials and installation of a new, commercial grade fence at no cost to a deserving organization.  If old, deteriorated fence needs to be torn out, RGF will include the removal as well.  For 2018, Rio Grande Fence Co. is again inviting requests from fellow ABC members for the selection process.             Preliminary site work can begin as soon as Monday, March 26th and 100% of Rio Grande Fence Co.’s employees will be on site to complete the installation on Friday, March 30th. Ideal projects could include any facility or location needing a perimeter security and peace of mind upgrade installed by The Commercial Fence Professionals™.&n ... Read the rest of entry »

University of Tennessee ABC Student Chapter competes in ABC project management competition in Orlando

Last week, four students from the University of Tennessee ABC Student Chapter ventured to Orlando, FL for ABC's 2017 Leadership Week to compete in the ABC Student Chapter Construction Management Competition. Students participating included, Brandon Jones, Jacob Smithers, James Sims, and Andy Rosen. Faculty staff, Charlie Parker and Angela Smith attended as well, along with ABC Regional Director Clay Crownover.   This year’s Construction Management Competition project focused on the construction of the Universal Aventura Hotel— a 17-story structure with 600 guestrooms, lobby and public and support spaces. The project consisted of structural and architectural concrete, curtainwall glazing and high-end finishes; and related mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection and building systems. The hotel tower is adjacent to a precast parking garage structure being constructed under a separate contract—which added extra coordination challenges to the project’s scope. &l ... Read the rest of entry »