Annual Report 2020 - Ohio Contractors Association

Annual Report 2020Delivering Value and Relevance

2 Ohio Contractors Association • 2020 Annual Report

Our MissionTo provide support, unity and leadership to the heavy, highway and utility industry in Ohio for the success of our membership.

OCA exists to serve its members. Everything we do is for the benefit of the those members and the industry in which we all work. Photos in this review highlight just some of those individuals, issues and events that impacted our industry in 2020.


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Contents

Letter from the President ................................................................................................ 4

Benefits of Membership ................................................................................................... 5

Legislative and Environmental Affairs ............................................................................. 7

Public Agencies ............................................................................................................. 11

Workforce Awareness .................................................................................................... 14

Labor and Employment Law........................................................................................... 16

Safety Overview............................................................................................................. 20

OCA Chapters ................................................................................................................ 24

Education ...................................................................................................................... 29

Events ........................................................................................................................... 31

Workforce Development ................................................................................................. 33

Association Finances ..................................................................................................... 35

What Can We Expect In 2021 ........................................................................................ 37

Leadership: Executive Committee .................................................................................. 38

Leadership: Board of Directors ..................................................................................... 39

Leadership: Chapters..................................................................................................... 42

Leadership: AMEC ......................................................................................................... 44

OCA Staff ...................................................................................................................... 45


Dear Members and Friends of OCA,

In 2020, our heavy/highway construction industry weathered a series of pivotal events that will shape the future of the industry for many years to come. We have developed an entirely new lexicon in our language to include PPPs and PPEs and COVID-19 and social distancing and zooming plus others. The words were spurred by actions that had to be taken to demonstrate and maintain the construction industry’s designation as an “essential business,” thereby allowing our firms to keep working when so many others could not. These events and resulting workplace rules changed the marketplace, changed how work was performed, and changed the very way we lived our lives for much of the year.

During these unprecedented times, we at OCA learned to conduct our business in very different ways as well. We quickly learned how to function as a virtual organization. Just as you modified your work procedures to accommodate masks and social distancing and health checks on a construction site, we learned how to communicate with you; our industry, legislative and regulatory contacts; and each other, in very different ways. During the summer months, outdoor events for the chapters continued, but with distancing and PPE protections in place. OCA meetings moved to a virtual format, along with our interactions with regulatory agencies such as ODOT, the unions, and legislators. Even our largest events, such as the State of the Association meetings and Winter Conference, found their way on-line.

We were fortunate to get in the 2019 Winter Conference, Annual Convention in Hawaii, Student Estimating Competition, most Future Leaders events, and Conaway Conference at the tail end of 2019 and during the first three months of 2020. After those early months passed, however, with the exception of outdoor chapter events, our in-person activities came to an end.

While it has been sad to see the in-person networking for Winter Conference, chapter Christmas events, committee meetings, and most other OCA activities be limited to a screen and a keyboard, your OCA staff has worked diligently to learn the new skills necessary to keep us active and relevant within our industry for the benefit of our members. The activities outlined in the pages to follow are a testament to your support and our efforts to keep you informed of the rapidly changing dynamics within the heavy/highway construction industry marketplace.

We are fortunate to be affiliated with national organizations such as the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, Associated General Contractors of America, and the American Highway Users Alliance, for their hard work in advocating for our issues at the national level and helping us make sense of the rapidly evolving laws and regulations. Collectively, their input to federal legislators, the administration, and regulators, helped all of us stay on top of the wave of information necessary to adhere to new rules and take advantage of those that eased the impact of COVID-19 on your business.

As challenging as the times were, most OCA member companies were found to have fared better at the end of the year than what was feared in April and May. Given the list of accomplishments that you are about to review, we believe we played an important role in making our industry’s continued successes possible. Thank you for your membership and support. We are able to provide these services only because you give to the OCA your time, your thought contributions, and your finances.

In Your Service,

Chris Runyan, President


Benefits of Membership OCA holds a vital position at the very heart of the heavy, highway and utility industries in Ohio. For firms working in this lucrative arena, OCA is an invaluable resource, and membership offers a solid return on investment as members are positioned to capture the attention of a highly desirable industry.

Benefits of membership include:• OCA is a valuable resource for advice and gives a voice to the heavy, highway and

utility construction industries in Ohio, with extensive staff expertise in:

- LEGISLATIVE & ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS - PUBLIC AGENCIES INCLUDING ODOT - GENERAL & INDUSTRY SPECIFIC LABOR & EMPLOYMENT LAW - SAFETY-FOCUSED ADVOCACY, EDUCATION & AWARENESS

• OCA facilitates industry collaboration at the local level through its network of nine chapters.

• OCA draws the industry together to create and strengthen relationships through timely, industry specific meetings, programs and events.

• OCA champions the development of today’s workforce and tomorrow’s industry leaders.

• OCA connects members with discounts on products and services that deliver bottom-line impact.

OCA members find that help in these areas of expertise is just a phone call away.

In addition, OCA membership is inclusive of membership in AGC, and, for our contractor members, in ARTBA!


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2020 Legislative and Environmental Affairs Update

It was quite a year, in many respects. We saw some successes, not only on items we wanted, but on issues we never could have anticipated needing. The year began as a normal second year of a two-year legislative term. Items like a capital appropriations bill were on the horizon and some budget cleanup was being discussed. Then, the agenda dramatically changed in late March with the onset of COVID-19. Focus turned towards remediations for COVID-related issues. Legislators worked quickly to approve civil immunity for essential employers continuing work during the pandemic. Fiscal considerations were also considered as pandemic shutdowns continued. Luckily, construction work was considered an essential business and legislators moved forward with approving capital funding bills. Though due to economic concerns, the funding was allocated in one-year increments instead of biennially as normally done. The first increment was approved in June followed by the remaining funding being approved in December.

The first capital spending bill also included something specific that we sought. The House included an amendment closing a loophole that allowed Transportation Improvement Districts to construct public improvements with public funds without requiring prevailing wage. The law now requires TID’s to conform with prevailing wage requirements when the amount of public funding used in the project meets or exceeds the prevailing wage threshold for public improvements. While not without controversy and opposition, we were successful in garnering final approval for this change and the law became effective in late October.

As things were beginning to wind down for the summer recess, it was announced that Speaker Householder and others were being arrested and charged with bribery and racketeering. The Speaker was then removed from his leadership post and a new Speaker elected. These changes and the pandemic slowed business at the Statehouse significantly.

We continued to monitor all newly introduced bills and any committee hearings to ensure items we did not support did not move forward. We were successful in keeping legislation to weaken prevailing wage from moving. Reforms to some state competitive bidding programs were also held at bay.

Legislative and Environmental Advocacy

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Because of the pandemic and other priorities taking center stage, we unfortunately did not make any progress on distracted driving reforms. Senate Bill 285, the DeWine Administration proposal that would make distracted driving a primary offense, remained stalled in the Senate. Even though the legislation was not approved, we continued to grow the coalition supporting this issue and worked with other interested parties in hopes of seeing the legislation approved next General Assembly.

Looking ahead, we will have a new General Assembly seated in January. Both the House and Senate will have significant Republican majorities. One of the first items of business will be to approve a transportation budget. We will play an active role in that discussion and continue to advocate for a strong and sustainable transportation funding system. We will also keep a watchful eye for any reforms to prevailing wage, competitive bidding requirements and thresholds, and unemployment compensation, just to name a few things we will likely see.

Thank you to everyone that contributed to the OCA Political Action Committee. Nearly $70,000 was raised this year. Those funds allowed us to support legislators who recognize and appreciate the efforts of the heavy/highway industry. Thank you again for your support.

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Input on ODOT Specifications & Policy

Despite being unable to meet in person for most of the year, OCA staff and members provided regular input to ODOT on specifications and policy. Our relationship with and ability to get our message to the decision makers at ODOT covered many topics:

• The Alternative Project Delivery Task Force met several times and provided input on Design/Build and other alternative contracting policies, including: 3D modeling for construction projects; “windows” contracts; standardizing Design Build project selection statewide; and “Progressive” Design/Build.

• OCA’s Heavy/Highway Committee met quarterly with ODOT Construction staff to provide industry input on a variety of topics including: COVID-19 impacts to ODOT and LPA programs; non-application of liquidated damages for work after the completion date; removing anticipated rain days from short term closures; making asphalt pavement removal a separate item from excavation; a shortened Dispute Resolution Process for uncomplicated issues; exclusion of pavement markings from the “rule of four” in C&MS 104.02; implementation of wet reflective pavement markings; the implementation of the new oversize/overweight permit system; getting away from coring concrete pavement for acceptance; the slag shortage and its effects on projects; dropping the requirement for contractors’ personnel to attend the Item 512 class; the implementation of MASH requirements; the amount of work to justify “satisfactory progress” and a second estimate per month; ODOT implementation of Full Depth Reclamation.

• OCA members and staff continued to be represented and provide specification input at all six ODOT Specification Committees – Contract Administration, Earthwork, Pavements, Structures, Hydraulics, and Traffic & Roadway. In addition, OCA Staff has continued to attend (virtually) the monthly District Construction Engineers meetings, providing industry perspective on a variety of issues of mutual concern.

Don Conaway Partnering Awards / Conaway ConferenceThe eighth annual Don Conaway Partnering Awards were presented in 2020 at the Conaway Conference, which we snuck in just before the COVID lockdown. There was not as great a number of projects submitted for the awards this year, and we look to increase

Public Agencies



participation next year. The winners were: The Shelly Co. / District 9; John R. Jurgensen Co. / District 8; and Kokosing Construction Co., Inc. / District 12. The winners were presented with trophies by ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks and Chris Runyan as videos of their projects were shown to the audience.

The Conaway Conference was held on March 3 & 4, 2020 at the Hyatt in downtown Columbus. ODOT and contractor leadership and project personnel attended the first day, with the leadership group staying over for the second day. Overall attendance was in excess of 800. The theme of the conference was “Charting the Course”. ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks again attended and spoke, as did OCA President Chris Runyan.

Sessions on the first day included:

• An overview of the Smart Lane project on I-670 in Columbus• Why Can’t We All Just Get Along? With Eric Kahlig from ODOT and Aaron Evenchik from Hahn, Loeser, & Parks• Bridging Waterway Challenges with Hans Gucker and Adrienne Earley of ODOT• I-70 thru downtown Columbus with Andrew Opsitnik of ODOT & Steve Marincic of Kokosing• Recent Disputes with Nathan Fling of ODOT• Traffic/MOT/MASH updates with Patrick Bierl and Chris Wilson of ODOT• Overcoming the Challenges on I-75 with ODOT D-2 & Contractors’ Engineers• Technology Corridor/Hyperloop with Nick Hegemeier of Drive Ohio & Grace Galucci of NOACA• Navigating through Treacherous Waters with Peter Welin, Jason Harley, & John Gambill of McDonald Hopkins• Construction of Dayton’s Main Street Bridge with Ashley Hoskins of CGCC & Eric Dues of Gannett Fleming• eConstruction/AASHTOWare with Janet Treadway of ODOT• 2019 Specification Updates, presented by the ODOT Central Office Construction staffSessions on the second day included:

• An overview of ODOT’s program and emphasis for 2020-2022 Sara Downs, Deputy Director of Finance, ODOT• What’s Ahead – Lloyd MacAdam, Assistant Director and Chief Engineer, ODOT• Turnpike Outlook – Ferzan Ahmed, Executive Director, Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission• Ohio’s Road to Our Future Joint Legislative Study Committee – Senator Rob McColley and Representative David Greenspan


• Top 150 Safety Locations – Michelle May, ODOT• Charting Safety Together – a panel presentation by OSHP, Contractors’ Safety Directors, ODOT Safety personnel• Model as the Legal Document – Robert Stewart, P.E., Director of Construction, Utah Department of Transportation

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)OCA staff and DBE Committee met with ODOT’s Office of Opportunity, Diversity, and Inclusion and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on a regular basis to express concerns on a variety of issues (from both a prime contractor and DBE perspective) concerning the DBE Program. Issues included the updates to the Department of Administrative Services EDGE, MBE, and WBE programs; the implementation of Signet software by ODOT; changes to ODOT’s DBE Trucking guidelines; and modifications to the DBE Termination form to ease the process when nonperformances by the owner are the sole cause of a reduction in DBE usage.

Plan Reading CourseChris Engle taught a plan reading course at OCA headquarters, and is available to teach it at remote locations to accommodate the needs of members who have several employees in need of this course.

Local Project Administration Advisory CommitteeOCA staff again participated in ODOT’s LPA Advisory Committee to bring members’ perspectives to the group, which includes County Engineers and municipal representatives. Electronic bidding and contract administration processes are encouraged, and e-bidding has been implemented in several municipalities throughout the State.

Contract Administration Process AssistanceOCA staff advised several members on various Public Agency (ODOT, County, City, and Transportation Improvement District (TID)) processes, including the letting process, alternative project delivery; DBE approval; and developing a strategy for presenting claims, including the likelihood of prevailing in ODOT’s Dispute Resolution Process. In addition, OCA assisted in preparing documentation to present claims at the Step 2 level and attended some Step 2 and 3 meetings. The OCA staff’s ODOT experience and relationships provide familiarity and access to help OCA members of all sizes with their issues, and members utilized this experience extensively in 2020.


Workforce Awareness

OCA and its member volunteers continue to address workforce development issues. Building on existing programs, and piloting new ones, OCA staff has engaged in various workforce development activities throughout the year to create awareness of careers in the heavy highway construction industry. While safety dictated modification or, in some cases, the temporary suspension of some programs, staff worked to maximize our presence as opportunities were available around the state, and stands ready to resume in-person programs at the earliest opportunity. Relationship development is ongoing and educators are keen to resume.

• Staff continues to build relationships with educators and share the Contractor/Classroom Collaboration facilitation of introducing contractors to educators. Connections made include several Southwestern City Schools, Hilliard City Schools, Tolles Career and Technical Center and Knox County Career Center.

• In 2020, staff worked with member volunteers to develop and launch the OCA Student Service Project, an extension of OCA’s Contractor/Classroom Collaboration. The Student Service Project is designed to give students real experience in team work, budgeting, dirt work, carpentry, concrete and metal/rebar.

Each team identifies their hands-on project, what community organization will benefit, and where the project will be installed. An example of a hands-on project teams may choose to complete is a raised flower bed/garden that includes all elements of the specified criteria above. Groups also have the flexibility to build a different piece (such as a concrete bench, picnic table, or other work that includes all criteria) to best meet their community needs. During the timeframe of the project – which is flexible with input from the instructor – OCA member volunteers introduce the program to the students and share information about industry careers. OCA maintains connection with the student groups during the project and updates volunteers on the progress.

• The Rich DiGeronimo Constructor for a Day (CFAD) program remains a hallmark of OCA’s workforce awareness efforts. Constructor for a Day programs expose the industry’s future workforce to careers in construction through jobsite tours offered to local students.

• OCA members remain committed to raising funds for scholarship awards being presented to young men and women focusing on the Civil Engineering and Construction Management fields. In 2020, $25,000 was awarded to 9 recipients of the OCA Hall of Fame Scholarship through the OCA Advancement Foundation; in addition, OCA Chapters presented $24,000 to 20 students.

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• Building on a program piloted in 2019, OCA rolled out its Career Educator Classroom/Collaboration jobsite tour to expose and inform educators, (including guidance counselors, internship coordinators, and career assessment specialists), about OCA and careers in the heavy highway construction industry. Invited educators are primarily from traditional high schools (vs. career centers) and they have a role in guiding and influencing student career paths. These educators gain access to information and resources of which many were unaware; for many, this is their first exposure to the opportunities our industry has to offer. Despite COVID realities, OCA staff conducted a Career Educator Classroom/Collaboration jobsite tour in the fall of 2020, sponsored by Kokosing. The program received great feedback from the educators and contractor members.

• The Muddy Boots Award grew from one of OCA’s chapters to encourage construction trade-focused high school students attending the CFAD programs. The award is a pair of work boots the student chooses (up to $200) from the local Red Wing store. Students are pre-nominated by their instructor and we ask for the name of a student attending who is working or expected to work in the field, and who the instructor feels would most use the boots. This is a surprise award given at the end of the program and has been very much appreciated by the educators and students.

• Staff engages with Laborers and Carpenters apprenticeship representatives to better understand their programs, including those being implemented in career technical high schools.

• OCA and other industry partners supported the develop of MACC Tech in 2019. In 2020, the association supported development of a MACC Tech Website and the digitization of the textbook for use in both live and virtual settings.

• The OCA/AGC-Ohio website resource, ibuildamerica-ohio.com, continues to be a ready resource to create awareness, consideration and selection of the multitude of construction career pathways in order to enhance the supply and diversification of Ohio’s skilled workforce in support of the state’s dynamic construction industry needs.

• OCA staff participates with The SuccessBound Conferences that bring together area secondary and post-secondary educators, business/industry and community partners to focus on creating new career opportunities for students.


Labor NegotiationsDuring 2020, collective bargaining agreements with the Operating Engineers, Local 18 and Carpenters were scheduled to expire on April 30th. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the critical issues being faced by our contractors for jobsite health & safety issues, OCA was able to secure agreement from the Operators and Carpenters to extend both contracts for one year until April 30, 2021. A wage and benefit increase of 2.4% was agreed to as well. This allowed OCA and its contractors to focus on the immediate operational and financial demands of the pandemic. We anticipate meeting with both unions to negotiate successor agreements in 2021.

Labor Relations IssuesAs a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, OCA assisted a great number of its members in complying with the leave and benefit provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). In addition, assistance was also rendered to comply with Ohio unemployment benefit extensions related to the pandemic.

Key grievance and/or arbitration issues were:

• The Laborers Union filed a grievance and NLRB Charge related to the union steward clause in the collective bargaining agreement. OCA contractors need to be aware of the steward’s clause and be sure that jobsite supervisors report the appointment of a Laborer Steward to all other jobsite supervisors who need to know such information.

• A grievance settlement concerning local hiring ratios between an OCA member and Laborers Local 860 made its way into federal court, as the Union objected to the terms of the settlement not being what they agreed to. The lesson here is to ensure that both parties are totally clear on all terms of a settlement before leaving the table or room.

Labor and Employment Law


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• In another case the Laborers Union filed both a grievance and NLRB charge over the contractor’s supervisory personnel performing classified work. Approximately one year later, after considerable time and money were expended by the contractor and union in preparation for arbitration, the union agreed to settle for terms offered by OCA one year earlier. Supervisory personnel need to be aware of what they can and cannot do on your projects.

• Operating Engineers, Local 18 filed a grievance against an OCA contractor alleging a violation of the Owner-Operator provision in the collective bargaining agreement. The matter had to be moved to Step 3 of the grievance procedure. This was the first time an OCA grievance hearing was conducted utilizing the Zoom meeting format. The panel determined that the Contractor would pay 12 hours in wages and benefit to the union to resolve the matter. The union’s original request was for 10 straight time and 8 overtime hours.

OCA continued its advocacy for pension relief efforts in Congress. OCA signed a letter initiated by our national affiliate, AGC, with 300+ associations, organizations and employers requesting federal legislative pension relief. It was hoped that Congress would include multiemployer funding reform and new plan designs in additional relief legislation. By year’s end, they chose not to do so.

Many Ohio cities and local governmental entities are requiring contractor prequalification packages which include demonstration of health insurance and pension benefits for hourly employees. OCA continued supplying verification letters for our member contractors who are affiliated with any of the OCA/Union multiemployer funds and need to confirm such.

OCA assisted numerous members with audit requests from Teamsters Central States Pension Fund, Carpenters Pension Fund, Laborers’ Pension Fund and Operating Engineers Pension Fund. Members are advised to notify OCA of such requests for assistance in responding to and preparing for the audits.


LEC/LRD MeetingsThe summer Labor Executive Committee Meeting (LEC) was conducted as a virtual Zoom meeting on September 2, 2020. Chairman, Mark Sterling opened the meeting and welcomed the committee members.

Because the 2020 Winter Conference was conducted as a virtual session, this year’s Annual Labor Relations Meeting was waived until further notice.

Bob Dunlevey and Nadia Lampton, of Taft Law presented the Winter Conference Labor Session titled, “Legal and Labor Relations Updates in the Pandemic Age.”

The following individuals were reappointed to serve three-year terms on OCA’s Labor Executive Committee (LEC):

• Mark Sterling, Beaver Excavating Co.

• Rick Kusmer, Mosser Construction, Inc.

• Jim Ruhlin, Sr., The Ruhlin Co.

• Dave Coniglio, Jurgensen Companies

Mark Sterling was elected to serve as the 2021 Chairperson.


OCA’s 2020 safety overview can be summed up in one acronym – COVID-19! With construction deemed an essential business, OCA’s members were able to continue operations during the pandemic. That status, however, created an entirely new area of safety protocols and worksite challenges to overcome. OCA was proud to assist its members by providing timely and effective guidance that enabled them to establish effective pandemic protocols, while also continuing to manage the normal and customary hazards inherent in heavy/highway construction operations.

Safety HighlightsKeeping ill employees away from the workplace, mandatory social distancing, and the wearing of masks when social distancing, could not be maintained, and sanitizing equipment and workplaces, were key safety concerns as we navigated uncharted territory. OCA researched all available safety resources to format our guidance to be user-friendly and practical for our member’s work here in Ohio. Regarding construction safety procedures for COVID-19, we coordinated our efforts with the Governor’s office, ODOT, Department of Health, OSHA, our national trade association affiliates, and International Building Trades, to ensure that our published guidelines were consistent, especially with regard to when masks are mandatory and when they are not. Amid the pandemic, OCA received final approval from FHWA, OSHA, and ODOT, to move forward with use of its Overhead Hazard Warning Device. Funding was provided by the Ohio Laborers LECET Fund. Designed by OCA’s Safety Committee, the device is used to warn truck drivers and equipment operators of overhead striking hazards such as power lines and bridge decks. The units were distributed to OCA members at no charge during a successful roll out event at OCA offices on September 17th during National Construction Safety Week. OCA’s Safety Committee revised and updated OCA’s Construction Safety Guide for Employees. The guide is utilized by many members and employers in the construction industry as an onboarding document to convey company safety rules and practices to their employees. The pocket-sized guide can be ordered on the OCA website in any quantity. Custom orders with company name and logo are available as well. A subcommittee was formed to begin development of a WTS preparatory course. During 2020, ODOT agreed to provide input to assist OCA in preparing a WTS preparation course tied directly to the material covered in ODOT’s WTS exam. The course has been requested by contractors, as the failure rate of the exam has been high since ODOT assumed total responsibility for administering the test.

Safety Overview


Safety Awards ProgramOCA announced the winners of its annual Jerry Keller Memorial Safety Awards on December 10, during our Virtual Winter Conference. Seven program entrants, four of whom were Division Winners, had zero injuries! Our five Division Winners worked an aggregate of 1.6 million hours and had only 1 lost time injury among them. Four of the five Division winners had zero recordable injuries. This is the best aggregate performance in the history of the OCA Safety Awards Program!

Training & EducationDue to COVID-19 restrictions, some of our normal in-person safety training sessions could not be held. Prior to onset of the pandemic, OCA did conduct two sessions in competent persons training for Trenching and Excavation: and two competent persons training for Underground Damage Prevention on construction sites. Both took place in the OCA Conference Room and were well attended. During the 2020 virtual Winter Conference, we presented the Safety Breakout Session titled, “Ensuring Safety, Compliance & Security on Today’s Jobsite”.


Congratulations to the 2020 OCA Safety Award Winners

Division I:Beaver Excavating Co. – 916,982 work hours

Division II:Mt. Carmel Stabilization Group – 323,322 work hours

Division III:BOCA Construction, Inc. – 116,216 work hours

Division IV (a tie):The Paul Peterson Company – 64,567 work hours

Turn-Key Tunneling, Inc. – 94,510 work hours

The following companies had zero reportable injuries during 2020:

BOCA Construction, Inc.

J & B Steel Erectors, Inc.

Mid Atlantic Maintenance

Mt. Carmel Stabilization Group

Skeens Excavating

The Paul Peterson Company

Turn-Key Tunneling, Inc.


OCA Chapters

OCA’s nine chapters, each led by a volunteer Executive Committee, continue to provide valuable benefits across the state by offering members the opportunity to:

• connect with industry leaders;

• develop and build relationships;

• promote the industry through community outreach, and

• encourage the future workforce.

In 2020, OCA Chapters worked during the pandemic to hold safe, in-person, programs and added online programs to adapt as needed for the current environment. 2,743 participants attended 30 chapter events throughout the year.

All nine chapters supported their communities with monetary and in-kind donations given to non-profit organizations. A total of $43,825 was raised and distributed to communities throughout the state benefitting youth programs, food and shelter services, and military support services. In addition, toys for youth Christmas programs were also donated by multiple chapters.

Workforce awareness remained at the forefront of chapter efforts. Multiple chapters were able to safely host college students on jobsites during the pandemic and several OCA members also participated in the development of a hands-on student service project for high school students. The OCA high school student service program is funded by the OCA Advancement Foundation and was piloted in north central Ohio.

OCA members remain committed to raising funds for scholarship awards to encourage young men and women focusing on the Civil Engineering and Construction Management fields. In 2020, OCA Chapters presented $24,000 to 20 students pursuing construction-related careers.


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We continue to recognize the Outstanding Chapter of the Year contest tradition. While an award was not given to only one chapter in 2020 due to difficulty meeting the contest criteria, OCA appreciates the effort and commitment made by chapter volunteer leaders to advance chapters. The $2,000 prize money was divided among the nine chapter scholarship funds. Chapter of the Year is determined by three criteria including meeting attendance, increased membership and PAC activity. All chapters made a great effort to support OCA, their local membership and their communities.

For more information about how you can benefit from chapter activities, contact OCA Director of Chapter Development, Melanie Kitchen at OCA, 614-488-0724 or [email protected].


2020 Chapter Executive Committee Leadership

Mark Myers(The Ruhlin Co.)

Scott Stover(National Lime & Stone Co.)

Akron-Canton Chapter: North Central Ohio (NCO) Chapter:

Matt Krauss(The Chas. E. Phipps Co., Inc.)

Chuck Ehlers(Encore Precast LLC)

Ron Wike(National Lime & Stone Co.)

Jason Baden(Gerken Paving, Inc.)

Bill Wohlford(Barrett Paving Materials Inc.)

Rob Sullivan(A. P. O’Horo Co.)

Josh Reed(Shelly & Sands, Inc.)

Cleveland Chapter: Southwest Chapter:

Columbus Chapter: Toledo Chapter:

Dayton Chapter: Youngstown Chapter:

Eastern Ohio Chapter:


TrainingOCA continues to provide educational topics that are relevant to our industry. The first part of the year included live training sessions that seamlessly transitioned to online learning when COVID limited in person sessions. Multiple classes were held throughout the year including Communication Skills training, ODOT Plan Reading Course, Utility Damage Claims Prevention, Trenching/Excavation Competent Persons, Mastering Virtual Meetings and Presentations, as well as several webinars related to dealing with COVID-19. We are always receptive to suggestions for training topics by our members.

AwardsCongratulations go to the following individuals for being recognized as outstanding in their industry and voted on by their peers.

• Hall of Fame Award – Nick DiGeronimo, Independence Excavating

• Distinguished Service Award – Patrick Devine, Ice Miller LLP

• Past Presidents Service Award – Forrest Cash, Barrett Paving Materials, Inc.

The Hall of Fame award recipient is elected by the OCA Board of Directors, OCA Past Presidents, and each chapter chair and vice chair. The Distinguished Service recipient is chosen by the OCA Board of Directors, OCA Past Presidents, and the OCA Associate Member Executive Committee. The Past Presidents Service recipient is elected by OCA Past Presidents.

Website/eNewsletterThe new website saw increased usage and provided central depository for all things COVID. A special section was and continues to be updated regularly with regulatory updates, news and resources to help contractors on the job deal with the pandemic. All of it designed to make industry information easier for members to access, share on social media and for quicker more efficient event registration. The weekly eNewsletter that delivers the most current and relevant industry news and announcements every Monday saw an increase in subscribers as well as increased follow up on the included articles.

Education & OCA Events


Winter ConferenceThanks to virtual event technology, registrants for this year’s conference had the opportunity to enjoy general and individual sessions, the annual business meeting, and award ceremony from the comfort of homes, offices and wherever internet streaming was available. This year’s COVID-19 guidelines altered the 38th Annual OCA Winter Conference from the traditional in-person event to a virtual experience. OCA members had an opportunity to attended 11 different sessions relevant to our industry. Lt. Governor Jon Husted and ARTBA senior vice president and chief economist kicked off the event, followed by 9 top-notch education sessions, and concluding with the annual business meeting and annual award presentations. All are looking forward to a live event in 2021!

Annual Convention2020 in Maui, Hawaii – The convention took place at the Four Seasons and concluded just before the live events and travel began to shut down. Nearly 200 members and guests enjoyed a great week with perfect weather and lots of great excursions, networking and strengthening of business relationship.

2021 in Barcelona, Spain – Well, that was the plan anyway. Sometimes life brings changes we don’t expect, but as in our industry, we move on and plan and anticipate better things to come.

2022 in Aruba – The 2022 Annual Convention will be at The Ritz-Carlton on the beautiful island of Aruba. Water and land adventure will abound as business associates, friends, family, and guests gather to relax and celebrate. Watch for details on the website in coming months – February 2-9, 2022.

2023 in Barcelona, Spain – Yes, Barcelona. We are back on track to visit this beautiful and historic city on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Hotel Arts Barcelona is all set to welcome us to this sunny mecca of food, architecture and adventure – March 15-23, 2023.

Conaway ConferenceThis conference is a collaborative effort between the Ohio Contractors Association and the Ohio Department of Transportation. A steering committee comprised of ODOT and OCA members helps determine the topics most relevant to our industry. In 2020, day one brought over 600 people, with over 200 people attending on the second day. Sessions were filled and overflowing for this event that turned out to be our last big in person gathering before event life in 2020 went largely virtual.


Future Leaders’ ForumThe 2019-2020 Future Leaders’ Forum had 22 outstanding individuals in the program. Seven sessions, scheduled over the course of six months, are filled with key industry topics and learning opportunities. Among the sessions was an opportunity to meet and have quality Q&A time with the House Speaker, House Minority Leader, Senate President and the Senate Minority Leader. A new addition to the program this year was a full day session with a leadership expert teaching the skills of successful leadership. Unfortunately, the program was cut short with two sessions remaining due to COVID. They were a great group to work with and will certainly be great future leaders in the industry. Since its inception the program has engaged 94 individuals from 31 companies. Many of these emerging leaders are now taking leadership roles in their companies as well leadership roles in OCA.

Estimating CompetitionThe 20th Annual Estimating Competition took place in February with over 65 students attending. The students estimated the MUS-70-0.59 Muskingum Bridge Rehabilitation project, constructed by The Ruhlin Co. Jim Ruhlin Jr. and Danny De Los Santos with The Ruhlin Co., presented the project to all guests including teams, faculty and coaches. Each team left with a monetary award for hard work. OCA members offer much time and expertise as team coaches, judges and project presenters. Coaches are continuing to work together for standards in preparation for the competition.

1st place – University of Dayton ($2,400) 2nd place – University of Akron ($1,800)3rd place – University of Cincinnati ($1,500)Other teams - $1,200 each

Workforce Development


Hall of Fame State-Wide Scholarship ProgramOCA recognizes the value that our Hall of Fame Scholarship recipients bring to our industry. These scholarships are for students enrolled in a degree program in Civil Engineering, Construction Technology, or Construction Management. Since 1996, OCA has awarded more than $275,000 in scholarships to support promising future talent for the industry. Supported by the OCA Advancement Foundation, scholarship awards are available for students in Ohio with graduation goals set at the associate and bachelor’s degree levels.

Congratulations to our 2020 Winners!

The following nine students received a combined $25,000 in scholarship support:

Brent Ball*, The Ohio State UniversityIsaiah Beaver, University of DaytonBlake Brower, University of CincinnatiSarah Carlson, Case Western Reserve UniversityJohn Carroll, University of Mount UnionJosiah Dehnke, Kent State UniversityBrandon Mann*, Ohio Northern UniversityMichael Moreland, Youngstown State UniversityJaylen Reinhart*, University of Florida

*denotes awards from The Heffner Fund


The Ohio Contractors Association finance department is central to providing financial data that drives decisions made by the association’s various functional and departmental elements.

June 30, 2020, marked the end of the OCA past fiscal year. Despite the many pandemic related financial unknowns during the current calendar year, the OCA budgetary year

2020 closed strong, ahead of both budgeted projections and prior year net balances.

2020 Membership dues and fees stabilized near 7% above prior year closing data and 5% over budget projections. Associated income mostly driven by meetings and

seminars decreased through June due to eliminating in-person events and activities. Focused financial oversite contributed to decreases in operational and administrative expenditures by 10% over the prior year and under the fiscal year budget by 1.5%.

Quarterly Finance Committee meetings are held throughout each year for an in-depth review of the ongoing financial statement data accumulations.

Association Finances


Recommendations are then presented to the Board of Directors to accept the data as shown or recommend adjustments for remaining fiscal year data.

The 2020 Fiscal Year OCA comprehensive consolidated financial audit was performed by the independent auditor, Schneider Downs & Co., Inc., using accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). Once again, OCA received no audit management letters, no significant accounting deficiencies, and no areas of concern for the audit year.

OCA partners with the firm of Stratos Wealth Partners to implement the investment policy adopted by the Board and make needed adjustments to investments contained in the Association’s Reserve and Advancement Foundation portfolios. OCA’s investment policy objectives emphasize a strategy focusing on a balance between long-term growth of capital and income (total return) while accepting only a moderate level of volatility.


A Crystal Ball View of the Year Ahead…There are many who were hoping to hang the 2021 calendar on the wall, open it to January, and find the new year wiped away all of the needed, life-impacting challenges that we tackled during 2020. It didn’t happen. Our hospitals remain overcrowded with COVID patients and the medical workforce is stretched incredibly thin. We’re still wearing masks and social distancing. The start of large, indoor in-person events remains somewhere in our future. Even with strong workplace protections remaining in place, there are signs that 2021 portends brighter days ahead.

Of course, there is the vaccine. It remains unclear as to when the construction workforce, even with an “essential business” designation, will become eligible to begin the vaccination regimen. In addition, it remains unknown when COVID protection such as health checks, masking and social distancing will be discontinued. At this point, it is good to know, with a high level of confidence, the “when” will be in 2021.

Then there is transportation funding. Congress has passed, and the President has signed, necessary legislation to keep transportation funds flowing to the states until end of September 2021. That is a positive sign that ODOT and other local entities will be able to maintain their programs with a focus on asset management. Having the Ohio legislature approve a capital budget also ensures the Ohio Public Works Commission projects, both on-going and new projects, will move forward.

When the transportation bill was signed, COVID relief in many forms was included in the same bill. An important provision in the new law brings an estimated additional $300+ million to Ohio for transportation purposes. While we do not yet know all the details as far as sub-allocations or how the DeWine administration will designate expenditure of the funds, OCA will be advocating that, much, if not all, of those funds, be used to bring back a number of Transportation Review Advisory Committee (TRAC) projects that have been delayed from CY 2020 and 2021. ODOT’s maintenance program, safety program, and local government programs, remained whole during 2020. With this COVID relief bill, it is time to restore funding for the TRAC program.

2021 brings with it state legislative action on the next transportation biennial budget, union contract negotiations with the Operating Engineers and Carpenters, continued use of virtual meetings and conferences, DBE trucking affidavits, expanded use of CRL for prompt payment purposes, a new legislature with new and returning legislators to educate on our industry issues, workforce development efforts to expand upon, new members to recruit in a virtual environment, and the list goes on and on. If it were not for the new hurdles to overcome and the new technologies to adopt, this world would be a boring place.

We remain ever grateful that you are a part of the OCA family. There will be a lot of things happening in 2021… a lot of good things. Thank you for supporting OCA and what we do on behalf of our 200+ contractor members and 300+ associate members. As always, if we can assist you in any way, please take advantage of the in-house expertise that we can provide. Best wishes for a safe and profitable 2021!


2021 Executive Committee

Mike CiammaichellaImmediate Past Chair of the BoardThe Ruhlin Co.

Brad MillerChair of the BoardMiller Bros. Const., Inc.

Joe GriffinVice Chairman of the BoardGriffin Pavement Striping, Inc.

Matt SterlingExecutive Committee MemberBeaver Excavating Co.

Meg RietschlinTreasurerRietschlin Construction


2021 OCA Directors

Tom FrantzEagle Bridge, Co.

Walid GemayelAmerican Structure Point, Inc.

Mary FantozziJ.D. Williamson Construction Co.

Colby (Cole) GrahamShelly & Sands, Inc.

Jason JurgensenJohn R. Jurgensen Company

Dean BreeseGerken Paving, Inc.

Rick FriessCarron Asphalt Paving, Inc.

Amy HallEbony Construction Co., Inc.


2021 OCA Directors (continued)

William (Bill) LuttmerA & A Safety, Inc.

Mark MillerP S Construction Fabrics, Inc.

Paul LorenzOhio CAT

Ty NofzigerThe Shelly Company

Bernard LewisB. G. Trucking & Construction Inc.

Matt MaloneKurtz Bros., Inc.


Geoff RinehartKokosing Construction Co., Inc

Rod RussellBarrett Paving Materials, Inc.

Jason TuckerThe Great Lakes Construction Co.

David J. SpurioDOT Construction Corp.

John WagnerE.S. Wagner Co.

John StrawserStrawser Paving Co., Inc.


Akron/Canton ChapterChair – Mark Myers, The Ruhlin Co.Laura Culp, Sikich LLPMary Fantozzi, J.D. Williamson Construction CoSteve Hamit, The Thrasher Group, Inc.Alex McCallion, Brennan, Manna & Diamond, LLCMark Miller, P S Construction Fabrics Inc.Marvilla Miller, Barbicas Construction Co., Inc.Jim Milligan, Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Chris Newhouser, NLS Paving, Inc.Chad Ratkovich, Beaver Excavating CompanyJim Ruhlin, Jr., The Ruhlin Co.Taylor Schauer, Schauer GroupBetsy Sterling, Beaver Excavating CompanyBrian Zele, The Shelly Co.

Cleveland ChapterChair – Bill Dvorak, The Shelly Co.Jeff Chase, A & A Safety, Inc. Nicole DeVille, Kokosing Construction Co., Inc,Nick DiGeronimo, Independence Excavating, Inc.Rick Friess, Carron Asphalt Paving, Inc.Joe Kosek, Construction Planning GroupMatt Krauss, The Chas. E. Phipps CompanyBryan Schauer, Schauer Group, Inc.Alex Shaw, Shook ConstructionJason Tucker, The Great Lakes Construction Co.

2021 OCA Chapter Executive Committees Columbus ChapterChair – Christie Howard, Surety Bonds, Inc.Shawn Bremer, Griffin Pavement Striping, Inc. Mike Guzzo, Double Z Construction CompanyKevin Hill, Buckeye Ready-Mix, LLCBrian James, Rudd Equipment CompanyMike Obert, Complete General Construction Brent Poston, George J. Igel & Co., Inc.Geoff Rinehart, Kokosing Construction Co., Inc.Nate Smith, Shelly & Sands, Inc.Troy Stegner, The Shelly Co.Ron Wike, National Lime & Stone Co.

Dayton ChapterChair – Sean Wade, Eagle BridgeMickey Brown, Hageman TruckingPaul Cain, John R. Jurgensen Co. Dennis Goecke, Ernst ConcreteJohn Gray, Bowser-Morner Inc.Dave Groth, Melvin Stone Co. Paul Lorenz, Ohio CAT Bill Wohlford, Barrett Paving Materials, Inc.

Eastern Ohio ChapterChair – Josh Reed, Shelly & Sands, Inc.Stewart Dotson, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers/Iron Planet Mark Haverty, Shelly & Sands, Inc.Jeremiah Johnson, Beaver Excavating Co.Rita Lantz, Shelly & Sands, Inc. Therese Mizer, Mid Atlantic MaintenanceMatt Powell, TritonSamantha Rodgers, Beaver Excavating Co.Matt Scott, Mid Atlantic Maintenance


North Central Ohio ChapterChair – Scott Stover, National Lime & Stone Co.Jake Chrastina, Shelly & Sands, Inc.Scott Didion, Welfle, Inc.Willy Given, BCC Ohio Inc.Scott Kinnamon, Norwalk Concrete Industries Steve Malone, Kokosing Construction Co., Inc.Aidan McDonnell, BOCA Construction, Inc.Ben Rietschlin, Rietschlin ConstructionNick Rietschlin, Rietschlin ConstructionDavid Timmer, Richland Engineering Ltd.Amy Volz, Kokosing Construction Co., Inc.Keith Weatherly, BOCA Construction, Inc.

Southwest ChapterChair – Chuck Ehlers, Encore Precast, LLCDennis Brunton, Barrett Paving Materials Inc.Tom Hackett, The Great Lakes Construciton Co.Jason Harvey, Prus Construction Co.Bill Luttmer, A & A Safety Inc.Mark Nelson, Assured Partners Brian Ralph, Barrett Paving Materials Inc.Chris Simpson, John R. Jurgensen Co.

Toledo ChapterChair – Chad Hartman, Ebony Construction Co., Inc.Jason Baden, Gerken Paving, Inc.Ryan Bernath, Miller Bros. Const., Inc.Dave Gedeon, TMACOGBrian Geffe, Mosser Construction, Inc. Brent Gerken, Gerken Paving, Inc.Kevin Hollar, The Shelly Co. (Stoneco, Inc.)Michael Hood, Hanson Aggregates Midwest, Inc.Chris James, Crestline Paving & ExcavatingTom Kovacik, Kovacik Consulting / TAGNOKen Kuhlman, Kuhlman Corp.Jim Lortie, USI Insurance ServicesBrad Miller, Miller Bros. Const., Inc.Morgan Montgomery, Vernon Nagel, Inc.Mike Ryan, Hanson Aggregates Midwest, Inc.Andera Supplee, Key Cable and SupplyAndrew Taylor, The Shelly Co.Craig Wing, Kokosing Construction Co. Inc.

Youngstown ChapterChair – Joe Cappuzzello, Pipelines, Inc.Floyd Crooks, EJ USA, Inc.Bill Gaffney, Jr., Marucci & Gaffney Excavating Co.Will Lewis, Pipelines Inc.Tom Metzinger, A. P. O’Horo Co.Keith Miller, L. Calvin Jones & Co.Jim Milligan, Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.Andrew Smith, Ohio CATDavid J. Spurio, DOT Construction Corp.Jason Stokes, APBN, Inc.Rob Sullivan, A.P. O’Horo Co.


Kevin Birch, CNA Surety Corporation

Floyd Crooks, EJ USA, Inc.

Steve Hamit, The Thrasher Group

Brian James, Rudd Equipment Company

Jack Kehl, Overmyer Hall Associates

Kevin Keller, The Fedeli Group

Michael Madigan, Kegler, Brown, Hill & Ritter Co. LPA

Mark Nelson, AssuredPartners

Ronald Rainsberg, Jr., Tiremaxx

Mary Sharrett, STONE Environmental Engineering & Science, Inc.

Mike Slinger, Murphy Tractor & Equipment Co., Inc.

Brad Stammler, Leavitt Group Midwest

2021 ASSOCIATE MEMBER EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE


Christopher L. Runyan President [email protected] has served as President of OCA since the beginning of 2007. His duties include providing day-to-day oversight of the many operations of the Association while offering strategic guidance for the staff. Key to successfully accomplishing these tasks is effective and open communication with the Association’s many members.

Chris Engle Director, Public Agencies [email protected] Engle, Director, Public Agencies. Has been with OCA since June 2006 serving as the liaison between OCA membership and Ohio’s government entities. Chris is a professional engineer with 33 years of experience in the transportation industry, including 22 years with the Ohio Department of Transportation, where he served as District 5 Construction Engineer and Deputy Director. He represents the industry on a variety of committees and provides advice and expertise on contract administration issues.

Kim Dillon Administrative Assistant/Receptionist [email protected] Dillon joined the OCA in 1984. She is an administrative assistant to Chris Runyan and the one to greet you when you call in the office.

Kim Bowling Administrative Assistant [email protected] joined OCA in 2006 and currently provides general administrative support for the Director of Finance. She is responsible for Accounts Receivable to include membership, maximum/minimum work dues, chapter events, seminars, winter conference and the annual convention. Kim is also responsible for all member and non-member work dues reporting and is back-up for payroll processing and Accounts Payable.

OCA Staff


Sharon Stanfield Director, Finance [email protected] joined OCA in 2017. Sharon is accountable for OCA’s Annual Budget, Year-End Audit, and Payroll. Her duties also include Accounts Payable, monthly financial reporting, maintaining personnel records, PAC contributions and reporting, and facilitating the Finance Committee. Sharon brings over 40 years of experience in Financial & Business Management, Quality Analysis & Support, HR & Talent Management, Operations, Facilities Management, IT & Technical Support Services, and Organizational Process Development.

Michelle Holdgreve Director, Legilative/Environmental Advocacy [email protected] joined OCA in 2018 – just in time to coordinate OCA’s successful efforts to secure an increase in the motor fuel user fee. Michelle brings a wealth of government relations and transportation experience, having previously served as Deputy Director for Legislative Services at ODOT – during which time she advocated for the previous successful motor fuel user fee increase. Michelle also served as Government Relations Director for the Ohio Veterinary Medical Association.

David Rule Director, Member Events [email protected] came to OCA in 2019. He facilitates activities associated with the planning and execution of conferences and association-wide events including the Winter Conference, Student Estimating Competition and Future Leaders Forum. David serves as staff liaison for the Associate Member Executive Committee and oversees the association’s technology needs. David brings with him extensive association management experience, having served the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation for thirty-five years, including time as Senior Director of HR and Technology, and later as Senior Director of Organizational Development.

Melanie Kitchen Director, Chapter Development [email protected] Melanie Kitchen joined OCA in 2013 and serves as the liaison to nine OCA Chapters around the state, facilitating volunteer committees and managing Chapter programs and events. With nearly 20 years of experience in association management, her primary functions include member communications and engagement through local meetings and activities.

OCA Staff (continued)


Lynda Pomeroy Director, Membership & Advancement [email protected] joined OCA in early 2014 to facilitate member retention and recruitment, as well as the marketing function for the association. With nearly 30 years of experience in association management and marketing communications, she is charged with identifying, communicating and helping to maximize the value of the membership investment.

LuAnn Weethee Administrative Assistant [email protected] joined OCA in June, 2008. She provides general administrative support for the Directors of Chapter Development and Legislative & Environmental Affairs. LuAnn maintains chapter event registrations and provides assistance to members with that process. She supports PAC activity including event planning and preparing and distributing mailings for events or issues.

Mark Potnick Director, Labor Relations & Safety Affairs [email protected] 20 years as an executive in the construction, mining, and materials production industries, Mark began his tenure with OCA in March, 1997. He has nearly 40 years of experience and education in employment law, labor relations, and human resources management. In addition to serving as chief negotiator on all union collective bargaining agreements, Mark represents and assists the membership with all matters associated with labor, employment law, human resources management and safety.

Ohio Contractors Association1313 Dublin Road • P.O. Box 909 • Columbus, Ohio 43216 (614) 488.0724 • (800) 229.1388 • Fax: (614) 488.0728

www.ohiocontractors.org

Annual Report 2020 - Ohio Contractors Association

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Transcript of Annual Report 2020 - Ohio Contractors Association