newsletternewlooke-News Header

January 31, 2012  

e-news main2
The Latest News from CAM - the Construction Association of Michigan

CountdownOnly Eight Days to the Michigan Construction & Design Tradeshow / CAM 126th Annual Meeting 

  

The final countdown has begun to the one-day construction event of the year: the Michigan Construction & Design Tradeshow. This must-see industry event will take place at MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit on Wednesday, February 8, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. 

 

On that day, CAM will also host its 126th Annual Meeting luncheon inside Sound Board Theatre. This year's emcee is magician and amusionist 'Al the Only.'  During the lunch, the CAM Magazine Special Issue Awards will be presented, along with the Green Project of the Year Awards and the 2011 Project of the Year Award. CAM's new Board Members will be inducted, and retiring Board Members will be acknowledged.

 

At this time, tradeshow booth space is still available, although over 85% has been sold. Some of this year's exhibitors include:

ABTEK Financial; Battery Giant; Townsend Sign; Adaptive Environments; AZZ Galvanizing; Efficiency Production; Venture Grafix; Great Northern Sentry Co.; Homrich Wrecking; ACM Panelworx Inc.; Pella Window; Ferris State; Foundation Software; Advanced Satellite Communications; Kelley & Sons; Strata Works; Ventcon; Ace Cutting Equipment & Supplies; Williams Scotsman; Power Vac of Michigan; Retrofoam of Michigan Inc.; Nova Environmental; GRS Stohler Co.; Ground Penetrating Radar; Professional Building Maintenance; IMAGINiT Tech.; BD Electrical; and many more.

 

For complete show information, click here or contact Ron Riegel, tradeshow manager, at (248) 972-1000 or via e-mail.

 

CAMTEC, the Training & Educational Division of CAM, will be offering four classes during the tradeshow: Trenching & Excavating; MIOSHA Update; Business Cents; and Special Business Enterprise Panel. Classes are just $20 per person, per class. Click here for complete course descriptions and to access the registration forms.

 

Don't miss this exciting one-day construction event. Mark your calendars for Wednesday, February 8, and come on down to MotorCity Casino Hotel - we'll be waiting for you!

 

SeafoodLily's Seafood CAM Connect a Success! 

 

The first CAM Connect networking event of 2012 was held at Lily's Seafood in Royal Oak on Thursday, January 19.  Over 80 people attended this successful evening event, and over $600.00 was raised to benefit the CAM Construction Scholarship Fund.

  

Trading business cards became the activity of the night. Networking prevailed as new and old acquaintences came together, and deals were even being made at the bar!  Guest bartenders included Gregg Montowski, Tracey Alfonsi, and Matt Austermann from CAM.

 

Plan to join us for the next CAM Connect - mark your calendars for Thursday, February 23, 2012, when CAM will host an Open House/Social Media Panel Discussion at the CAM Headquarters in Bloomfield Hills. This informative evening event will take place from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. Contact Gregg Montowski at CAM for more information (248) 972-1000.

BeSafeCall for Entries - Safety Achievement Awards 2011 

CAMSafety is now accepting entries for the 2011 Safety Achievement Awards. To qualify, entrants must meet the following criteria:
  • Be a current CAM Member in good standing
  • No fatalities, willful, or repeat MIOSHA violations in the past three (3) years
  • Days away from work, days of restricted work activity, and/or job transfer rate (DART) below 2.0 and Total Rate below 4.0. Calculate your number by clicking here.
  • Current Michigan Experience Modification Rating .99 or below

CAM recognizes that small contractors and companies in business for less than three years may not have a published EMR. If your company had ZERO recordable incidents in 2011, contact Tracey Alfonsi to find out how to qualify for an award.

 

Submit your application by February 15, 2012. Access the application form by clicking here. Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards will be presented at the CAM Construction Safety Training Workshop on March 8, 2012. For questions, please contact Tracey Alfonsi at (248) 972-1141, or via e-mail.  

WilsonCAM Construction Activity Index Recap for October / November 2011Construction Activity Index

 

"Opinions of improving internal business conditions move upward after months of decline." This conclusion was reached by CAM's Consulting Economist, Don Wilson, upon analyzation of the ongoing CAM Construction Activity Index (CAI) for the months of October and November 2011. 

 

Overall in-house activities show an average of 33% of respondents reporting improvement in November, up from 24% in October. By comparison, 26% signified a decrease in November, down slightly from 27% in October, while 41% identified no change, down from 48% in October.

 

The construction industry's current climate, and its 90-day outlook, is the main objective of CAM's CAI survey. To read this entire article, analysis and accompanying charts, please click here.

BurnsCAMSAFETY Tool Box Talk - Focus on National Burn Awareness Week   

Training is crucial to construction safety, and the cornerstone of that training is the CAM Tool Box Talk.  These short, job specific training sessions kick the day off to a safe start every time.  The CAMSAFETY committee has been working on developing a set of Tool Box Talks to help our members keep their employees safe on the job.  As these documents are developed, we will post them on the CAM website and the bi-monthly CAM E-Newsletter.  

 
To read the latest installment - "Focus on National Burn Awareness Week - February 5th - 11th," please click here.  

HobbsCAM Member Hobbs+Black Wins Honor Award for Interior Architecture 

 

Hobbs+Black Associates, Inc., headquartered in Ann Arbor, has been presented with the Honor Award for Interior Architecture from the American Institute of Architecture Huron Valley Chapter. Hobbs+Black won the award for the 142,000-square-foot Masco Cabinetry Corporate Office in Ann Arbor.

 

Hobbs+Black was retained to design the new Masco Cabinetry headquarters, bringing together three cabinetry brands from around the country. The existing facility was renovated from design through construction in a six-month timeframe to become the new workplace for 450 employees.

 

The goal of the new space was to create a new culture for the company and to rebrand themselves while reinforcing their core values. Hobbs+Black approached the design as an open office environment, with only ten enclosed offices and a myriad of collaborative areas. Each floor was designed with the ability to flex as the company evolves and grows into its new space. Hobbs+Black created zones for various types of collaboration throughout each floor, ranging from private meetings, to small group sessions, or impromptu discussions while at the centralized coffee/work areas. In the end, creating a flexible environment for employees to interact, collaborate and innovate was achieved.

 

Overall the short timeline required an interactive team approach with quick decision-making from start to finish.      

 

Hobbs+Black was founded in 1965 and ranks among the top ten architectural firms in Michigan. With corporate headquarters in Ann Arbor, Hobbs+Black also operates full-service regional offices in Lansing and Phoenix, AZ.  For more information on Hobbs+Black, please click here.

BuckCAM Big Buck 2011 Winners Announced

 

The 2011 winners of the first annual CAM Big Buck Contest are Ryan Gnatowski from Standard Tile, and Jack Jenkins from Ventcon.

 

CAM Tri-City member Ryan Gnatowski, of Standard Tile, Saginaw, recalls, "I went hunting in the U.P. with my friend to his Grandpa's property.  On the second day, I shot the deer - the biggest I've ever shot - 10 point with a 15-1/2-inch spread.  On the ride back to camp I thought how nice this mount was going to look on the wall of my new house.  But when we arrived, the smile on his Grandpa's face was unbelievable and my friend's dad said, 'I guess we finally got a deer to put up on the wall!'" When I saw their excitement, I knew the right thing to do was leave it up in the U.P. at deer camp.  But I'll get to see it a few times a year."

 

CAM Member Jack Jenkins of Ventcon, Allen Park, took his deer on November 17th in Mentor Township near Mio. The buck had 18" inside spread, 20.5" outside spread and 11 points.

 

The Grand Prize winner for Best Big Buck of 2011 is Jack Jenkins. Each Big Buck winner receives a $50 Speedway gas card with an additional Grand Prize of a $100 Speedway gas card for having the largest Big Buck of 2011. Congratulations to both winners!  

 

Be sure to mark your outdoor sporting calendars for CAM's European Pheasant Hunt on March 9th; Spring Sporting Clays on May 22nd; and Fall Sporting Clays on September 25th.  For more information, contact Gregg Montowski at 248-972-1000 or via e-mail.

DoublesGet Your Bowling Shoes On For the 61st Annual Men's Doubles Classic Bowling Tournament!
 

February means Doubles Classic time! Reserve your spot in the CAM Men's Double Classic Bowling Tournament - held at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park on Saturday, February 25, 2012.  Bowling will start at Noon, followed by dinner, prizes and trophy presentations. The entry fee is $35.00 per man. 

 

This is one of CAM's largest and most well-attended social outings of the year. Don't miss out - bring your buddies!

 

Tournament registration is available on the CAM website - click here to print out your copy. Call Ron Riegel at CAM for more information (248) 972-1000.

SocialCAM Social Calendar - Save the Date for These Upcoming 2012 Events

 

  • Wednesday, February 8 - CAM Tradeshow and Annual Meeting, MotorCity Casino Hotal, Detroit
  • Saturday, February 25 - Men's Doubles Bowling Classic, Thunderbowl Lanes, Allen Park
  • Thursday, February 23 - CAM Connect, Social Media Panel Discussion: "What's your ROI?"
  • Friday, March 9 - European Pheasant Hunt, Dunn Creek Outfitters, Laingsburg
  • Tuesday, May 22 - CAM Sporting Clays, Detroit Gun Club, Walled Lake
  • Tuesday, August 7 - CAM Connect, Tigers vs. Yankees Baseball Game, Comerica Park, Detroit
  • Saturday, August 18 - CAM Connect, Dream Cruise, CAM HQ in Bloomfield Hills
  • Thursday, September 20 - Boy Scouts Building Connections Networking Event ( BSA & CAM)
  • Tuesday, September 25 - CAM Sporting Clays, Hunters Creek, Metamora
  • Golf Outings - Dates to be released in Spring 2012
Join Our Mailing List

COMING UP IN  

CAM MAGAZINE 

 

www.cammagazineonline.com 

 

APRIL 2012

� Masonry  

� Environmental
� CAM Annual Report 

  Advertising Deadline Feb. 24  

 

MAY 2012

� Roofing  

� Renovation / Restoration
  Advertising Deadline Mar. 30  

 

JUNE 2012

� Glass / Glazing  

� Carpentry
  Advertising Deadline Apr. 27

 

JULY 2012

� Surveying 

� Municipal Facilities
  Advertising Deadline May 31

 

AUGUST 2012

� Construction Law  

� Interiors / Finishes
  Advertising Deadline June 29

 

SEPTEMBER 2012

� Energy Efficiency  

� Insurance / Bonding
  Advertising Deadline July 27

 

OCTOBER 2012

FALL SPECIAL ISSUE

� Best of Construction 2012

  Advertising Deadline Aug. 27

 

NOVEMBER 2012

� Electrical

� Metals / Steel

  Advertising Deadline Sept. 28

 

DECEMBER 2012

� Recycling

� Excavation / Site Work

� Michigan Construction

� Outlook 2013

  Advertising Deadline Oct. 26

 

 

For advertising sales

and information contact Cathy Jones at 248-972-1115 or email at [email protected]


 

The Construction Association of Michigan (CAM) encourages you to forward this E-Newsletter to others and share the latest happenings at CAM.  CAM is committed to providing service, information and assistance to the construction industry. CAM exists to foster growth in the construction industry and encourage networking between its members and their public.

 Gregg Montowski
Construction Association of Michigan