August Speaker Series

Sponsored by Stoel Rives LLP

Robert “Bob” Lanham, Jr., President, AGC of America, and President, Williams Brothers Construction Co., Inc.
Stephen Sandherr, Chief Executive Officer, AGC of America
Kenneth Simonson, Chief Economist, AGC of America

AGC of America President Bob Lanham, AGC of America CEO Steve Sandherr, and AGC of America Chief Economist Kenneth Simonson will share how AGCA is working to improve the national construction industry workforce shortage by engaging members to recruit and retain their labor force. Attend this session to find out how the national construction industry is empowering tomorrow’s leaders and building the future of our industry.

Sponsored by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon

In conjunction with the AGC Safety & Health Council

Jana Wolfgang, Northwest Drug-Safe, LLC

With laws governing drug use changing, how does the construction industry adjust while still maintaining a safe workplace? What could the future of drug testing bring? Jana Wolfgang will discuss the current standards and techniques for drug testing as well as what future advancements could mean for safety in the construction industry.

Sponsored by Convergence Networks

Brock Argyropoulos, Executive Business Director, Pavilion Construction
Chris Graff, Project Engineer, R&H Construction
Michael Parshall, Principal, Woodblock Architecture
Lainee Perala, Project Manager, Perlo Construction
Dave Anderson, Shareholder, Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt
Panel Moderated by Brian Shahum, Brown & Brown Northwest

With over 10,000 baby boomers retiring every day, millennials are rising in the ranks to become leaders within their respective organizations. This will be a fun, yet informative panel discussion amongst five millennial leaders within the construction industry. First, what are new generational mindsets and how do they differ from previous generations? Second, how can organizations best recruit, retain, motivate, and promote young generations ranging from entry level positions to leadership roles? Third, we will open up the discussion to the audience for a Q&A with the panel.

Sponsored by AGC Professional and Industry Associates Council

The AGC Professional and Industry Associates Council hosts a virtual tasting with Public Coast Brewing. Join Brewer Will Leroux in a tasting of 3 beers: ’67 Blonde Ale, Coastal Haze Hazy IPA, and Coconut Brown Ale. Following the tastings, participate in a high-stakes Trivia contest! Winners will be mailed an Amazon gift card.

Sponsored by Daily Journal of Commerce

Carrie Fortier, Partner, Jones & Roth CPAs & Business Advisors
Evan Dickens, Partner, Jones & Roth CPAs & Business Advisors

Fraud can happen to every organization no matter the size, location, or industry. Three elements must be present in order for someone to commit fraud. First, there must be the motive or pressure to commit fraud. Second, rationalization or the ability of perpetrators to find a morally acceptable excuse that justifies their actions. The third element is the opportunity to be able to commit fraud and get away with it. Weak or missing internal controls can provide a tempting opportunity. This last element is the one you can control.

Sponsored by Autodesk Construction Cloud

Anna Lazar, Strategic Partnerships & Alliances Division at Autodesk Construction Cloud
Josh Cheney, Senior Manager, Strategic Alliances at Autodesk Construction Cloud
Nick Lambert, Customer Success Manager, The Wild
Bradley Cooley, Director of Design Build Technology, O’Brien and Company LLC

As many countries across the globe are starting to ease their restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, many construction projects are also restarting. Social distancing and enhanced safety requirements mean your project will increasingly adjust to a new normal with fewer people than ever actually stepping foot in the dirt. Some market segments have been hit harder than others, and many construction teams will need to implement new ways of working, both physically on the jobsite and digitally from team members’ home offices, all while redefining how they think about project delivery.

Join our August Speaker Series session to talk about how construction companies are collaborating remotely and virtually within their project teams as well as with agencies and/or owners to ensure a timely process and communication. We will also be sharing resources, best practices, and lessons about investing in the right tools and mindsets to build a strong path to recovery.

Sponsored by Brown & Brown Northwest

John Stephens, Managing Partner, Luminant Digital Security

Don’t fool yourself; most companies aren’t doing even basic cybersecurity well. Construction companies don’t need to go bonkers with it, but the fundamentals are very important. We see it every day: if you have money in the bank, then there’s a reason to target you and your staff. We will cover the five key cybersecurity fundamentals every construction company needs to dramatically reduce your risk of a security incident like a ransomware outbreak and email system breach.

• Cybersecurity training content 
• Employee user credentials
• Anatomy of a phishing email and how “spear phishing” works 
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA) 
• Security Incident Response Plan (SIRP) 

Sponsored by k.p.d. insurance and RISK SOLUTIONS

Kenechi Onyeagusi, Executive Director, Professional Business Development Group
Dr. Denise G. Fairchild, President & CEO, Emerald Cities Collaborative

This presentation is facilitated by Kenechi Onyeagusi, executive director of Professional Business Development Group, with keynote presentation by Dr. Denise G. Fairchild of Emerald Cities Collaborative. It will address the dollar impact of diversity and inclusion in the construction industry and how investment in diversity and inclusion can lead to winning more jobs. At a minimum, participants can expect to learn the following: 

• Positive impact on a company’s bottom line as a direct result of supporting the work of diversity and inclusion  
• Tools on how to make diversity principles work for your unique business  
• Strategies for increasing utilization of minority, women-owned, service-disabled veteran (MWSDV) firms  
• Identify and address the major institutions that have signed the diversity pledge 

Sponsored by Business Tribune

Thomas Larkin, Attorney, Stewart Sokol & Larkin, LLC
Tyler Storti, Attorney, Stewart Sokol & Larkin, LLC

Termination for Default has been referred to as the “nuclear” option. What does that mean, how does a Termination for Default get converted to a Termination for Convenience? What about other mechanisms to suspend or limit contract work? 

Sponsored by Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon

Anne Hasenstab, Executive Risk & Cyber Security Practice Leader, Ward Insurance

This session will demystify all assumptions business owners have made about their exposure to “Cyber Risk” and provide an update specific to Cyber insurance solutions available today.

Sponsored by Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt

Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt hosts a virtual tasting with Union Wine Company. Join an Underwood winemaker in a tasting of three wines: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Rosé Bubbles. Following the tastings, participate in a trivia contest with amazing prizes!

Sponsored by TerraFirma Foundation Systems, Inc.

Kristin MacRostie, Account Director, Quinn Thomas
Aaron Bouchane, Workforce and Professional Development Manager – Industry Outreach, AGC Oregon-Columbia Chapter 

The construction industry has struggled to recruit young people into its labor workforce for a number of years. Many people view the skilled trades as a last resort; the fallback option when college doesn’t quite work out. Join representatives from Quinn Thomas and AGC as they discuss the development of a comprehensive communication plan that will highlight construction trade careers to the next generation of workers, their parents, and other influencers in their life.

Senator Betsy Johnson
Representative Christine Drazan

Moderated by AGC Legislative Forum co-chair Dee Burch and AGC Director of Public and Strategic Affairs John Rakowitz

Join Legislative Forum co-chair Dee Burch and AGC Director of Public and Strategic Affairs John Rakowitz as they moderate a conversation with a member of the Oregon Senate and House. Topics will include: the latest actions by Oregon’s governor, legislature, and state agencies in response to COVID-19, what these actions mean for Oregon’s future, a preview of the 2021 Legislative Session, and much more. 

This session will NOT be recorded.

Sponsored by SAIF

Lyn Zielinski-Mills, Marketing Manager, SAIF
Rick McMurry, Chief Safety Officer, P&C Construction

Are you managing your workers’ comp claims effectively? Hear how P&C Construction found themselves in a deep experience rating hole and the lessons they learned while digging out. You will learn helpful tips for making the case for investing in safety, proactive care when an injury occurs, partnering with your carrier for claims management, and effective return-to-work processes that help both you and the worker.