| FICAP eNews
March 2009 - Vol 1, Issue 2 |
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| Officers / Directors |
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President
Mark Smith
Bell Concrete Products
352-463-6103
Vice President Brad Coolidge Inland Materials, Inc. 407-339-5311
Secretary
Gary Clements
Cement Products &
Supply Company
863-686-5141
Treasurer
Preston Sparkman
Quality Precast Co. Inc.
813-685-5615 ext 2228
Board of Directors
Jeff Bishop
Maschmeyer Concrete
561-848-9112
Steven Bishop
Maschmeyer Concrete
561-848-9112
Fred Jahna, Jr.
Jahna Concrete Products
863-453-5155
Sherry Griswold
Griswold Ready Mix
904-751-3796
Tony Segree
Hicks Concrete Services
863-425-4155
Executive Director Michele Stropoli 407-333-4694 email | |
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 Greetings! |
Welcome to the second edition of FICAP eNews. We received a lot of great feedback on our first issue and appreciate the encouragement and suggestions. Keep them coming. Together, I believe we can make this newsletter something everyone will look forward to reading. Please send in any suggestions you might have for a name and if your name is chosen, your company will receive a free advertisement in the next month's publication. FICAP had another fantastic turnout for our February meeting. Diep Tu of FC&PA gave a very informative presentation on pervious concrete and concrete parking lots. These are areas of our market that are growing and show great potential for all of us. Alternatives to traditional concrete markets are exactly what we need during these difficult economic conditions. Speaking of current conditions, our association is certainly not immune to the same problems we each face in our businesses. FICAP is being proactive to make sure our members get the most value for their dollars and have reduced the costs on all of our events, which results in savings to each of you. One thing you may not have heard about is the change to our annual convention. The Board of Directors recently voted to cut our convention back by one day. Instead of our meetings beginning on Thursday morning, they will begin on Friday. Hopefully, this will help everyone's wallet, while allowing us to have the great time FICAP members have grown accustom. One of the best events of the year is the Clay Shoot at Quail Creek Plantation. Bring your customers, family, employees and friends as no one will want to miss it. If you have not signed up yet, please take a moment to download the forms from the FICAP website and send them into the office. Creating lasting relationships and loyalty is one of our strengths ........The FICAP way! See you all on March 21 at Quail Creek.  Mark Smith President, FICAP
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| Spotlight of the Month |
 FCC Equipment Financing is a direct lending arm of Cat Financial and provides financing for new and used equipment that is complimentary to Cat equipment (which includes concrete-related equipment and vehicles). FCC has a long-term commitment to the construction market and has experience in structuring loans and leases for equipment purchases, restructuring debt, increasing working capital and providing unparalleled service. We are proud to be member of FICAP. For information about our products and services, please contact Tom Austin at 321-235-8787 and please visit our website at www.fccequipmentfinancing.com.
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| 8th Annual Clay Shoot |
 The clay shoot will be here before you know it. Don't miss out on one of the best events of the year! For additional information, and to download the registration form or flyer, please visit the FICAP website, www.ficap.org.
Date: March 21, 2009
Cost: $ 130.00
Location: Quail Creek Plantation
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| FICAP News |
 Strategic Plan Update by Pat McLaughlin
Goal Groups 3 & 4 - Goals Achieved This Month
Goal Group #3 - Ron Pafford and Tony DiMaggio led the session recognizing the publication of our first E-News letter last month. Everyone applauded Michele for putting it together. Wade Mullins was elected as the chairman of the association's publication subcommittee to oversee the newsletter and annual yearbook publication. The group also decided to hold the June roving meeting at the Maschmeyer Plant in Palm Beach County. Potential new members from the Southeast will be invited. The next roving meeting will be at a location in Jacksonville. Roving meetings will be used to attract new association producer members.
Goal Group # 4 - Keith Lanier led the session and Adam Freeman reviewed the status of promoting association scholarships. No applications have been received to date and the deadline is May 8th. These scholarships are for $2,500 ($3,500 for MTSU students) PER YEAR! The group also identified that written criteria needs to be developed for Producer and Supplier of the year awards. Keith will write the Producer criteria and Mark will write the Supplier criteria. Any suggestions are welcomed. The session concluded as the group suggested that Freddie Jahna (Jahna Concrete), Al Diecidue (Cemex) along with mentor chairman Rocco Cafarro (Hill, Ward & Henderson)serve as mentors to the newly formed Future Leaders Goal Group.
Our March 31st monthly meeting will be the first meeting of the new Future Leaders Goal Group #5 - Develop future industry leaders. The FICAP Board decided in January to take this important industry initiative out of Goal Group #4 and make it its own goal group. As mentioned, three industry executive leaders have stepped forward to guide, mentor and support this group and these important future leaders. Thank you, Freddie, Al and Rocco. Your experience and work with this group will have a lasting impact on the lives of these future leaders and our industry.
Goal Group 3 - Promotion
by Tony DiMaggio, Co-Chairman
Goal Group III had good attendance and participation for its quarterly meeting on February 24. We are looking at more roving meetings in the future, and have some great suggestions but always welcome more. We would like to hear more input from you on roving meetings; good, bad or even ugly. Thanks goes out to Michele, Wade Mullins, and all those who made contributions to our inaugural edition of the FICAP E News. Even though it looked very professional, we will continue to make improvements to the content and layout as we journey along. Read More
 Goal Group 2 - Education
by Bob Thomas, Co-ChairmanGoal group 2 works hard to provide speakers and training sessions designed to help our member's weather these tough times, with an emphasis on improving ways to manage your business and increase revenue. In November we offered our first producer/associate success story with a series on sales of fiber filled concrete. The intent of the success story is to showcase a combined sales effort from both a producer and associate member; two FICAP members working together to secure a new line of work or product line. Diep Tu of FC&PA presented pervious concrete in February, which provided an in-depth look at this potential new market for our producer members. We are very excited about our upcoming panel discussion which highlights LEEDS. You won't want to miss this highly informative discussion about the future of construction practices. Read More Back to Top
 Goal Group 5 - Future Leaders
The first official meeting of Goal Group 5 - Future Leaders - will be held on March 31st at 3 pm.
Four meetings have taken place to develop and form this group and the minutes from each
meeting may be found on the FICAP website under Info for Members. Several individuals have
stepped forward to serve in leadership roles -
Ted Caviglia - Chairman
Tiffany Duffy - Co Chair
Frank Suarez - Education Chair
Laura Barr - Social Events Chair
Rocco Cafaro - Mentor Chair
The meeting on March 31st is open to all Future Leaders in the Florida Concrete Industry, with an invitation to join the FICAP members for the LEEDS dinner presentation that evening. A meeting reminder will be sent prior to the 31st, but if you know of an individual who may not receive this newsletter, please forward the meeting information or let the FICAP office know their contact information.
2009 RC Martin Memorial Scholarship
Applications are now being accepted for the Richard C. Martin Memorial Scholarship Fund. This program is open to any dependent child of any Florida resident employee working full time for a producer or associate member company of FICAP. Consideration will be given to students in concrete related studies, engineering, architectural, building construction or business programs in Florida or other selected schools.
All applications must be received by May 8, 2009.
A flyer is available to all FICAP members to promote the Scholarship program to your employees. Breakrooms and common areas are the perfect location to hang a copy of the flyer and to encourage participation. Take advantage of one of the perks of your FICAP membership...a free benefit to your employees.
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| FICAP PAC - The Legislative Corner Wade Mullins, Chairman |
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 Well, they're off and running. All bills have been filed as the 2009 Florida Legislative Session officially began on Tuesday March 3. Obviously, the economy and the state budget deficit are dominating the news. Nevertheless, there is a bevy of business issues that could have a major impact on FICAP members. Read More
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| Legal Corner |
 PLANNING FOR THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT
Brian C. Ussery of Ford & Harrison, LLP For the better part of the past year, FICAP has been monitoring the status of the Employee Free Choice Act ("EFCA"), which is a proposed amendment to the federal labor law that governs employer-union relations at employers other than airlines and railroads. EFCA would eliminate secret ballot elections as the way for employees to decide whether to have union representation; this would be replaced with a "card check" procedure that would result in certification of the union if a majority of employees in an appropriate work group simply sign union cards. This would make it much easier for a union to become the collective bargaining representative of a group of employees at a company. In addition, EFCA would change significantly the process for negotiating a first contract. Changes would include mandatory government-run arbitration to establish the terms and conditions of employment in the initial contract if the parties cannot reach agreement during direct and mediated negotiations. Read More
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| Around The Industry |
New Alliance Formed at the Florida Concrete and Products Assoc.
 By Tim Kuebler The Mainline Paving Committee of the Florida Concrete and Products Association has transformed itself to better address the needs of the Association and of the Committee. The new Alliance was officially created in January 2009 and had been named the Concrete Paving Alliance of Florida or CPAF. Read More
MTSU CIM Program Activities for Spring 2009
Spring Semester at Middle Tennessee State University is always a busy time for both the CIM students and staff/faculty. Besides the usual academic activities, the CIM students are given plenty of opportunities to meet and interact with industry professionals. Of utmost importance are the industry sponsored socials and accompanying interviews for full-time and internship positions. The CIM Program has had several company-sponsored socials this semester.
Plastic Shrinkage Cracking
By Tim Rutherford
 Spring and fall don't you just love the weather? Cool mornings, warm afternoons, dry air with a nice breeze. I generally have to add water to my pool once a week this time of year. Well this is also the prime time of year to have plastic shrinkage cracking issues with your concrete. Plastic shrinkage cracking generally occurs when the finisher is finishing the surface or soon after. They run parallel to each other about a foot apart and rarely intersect the perimeter. Read More
NRMCA Annual Convention
March 15-17, 2009 * Orlando, Florida
NRMCA President to Address Stimulus Package at Convention On Monday, March 16, from 1:30-2:45 p.m. at NRMCA's Annual Convention in Orlando, Association President Robert Garbini will discuss the impact on the ready mixed concrete industry of the economic stimulus package recently signed into law. Although infrastructure spending in the new law totals just over $81 billion, these federal funds will in some cases be matched by state funds at various levels, meaning that the potential markets for concrete could exceed that total. Read More
Experts: Switch Transportation Funding Away from Gas Tax
By Aileen Cho
Federal funding for surface transportation projects should migrate from the traditional petroleum fuel-based tax to a mileage-based user fee by 2020, according to a 15-member commission appointed by Congress two years ago. The bipartisan group released its final report Feb. 25 with recommendations for overhauling the highway trust fund, which is due for reauthorization later this year. Read More
First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit
Congress Enacts Bigger and Better Home Buyer Tax Credit A tax credit of up to $8,000 is now available for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009. Unlike the tax credit enacted in 2008, the new credit does not have to be repaid. Read More
White House Unveils Blueprint for $3.6-Trillion Budget
By Pam Hunter
The White House on Feb. 26 unveiled a $3.55-trillion budget outline for fiscal year 2010 that would boost funding for water infrastructure and transportation programs while aiming to cut the federal deficit in half by 2013. Read More
Fresh look at economy reveals reasons for hope
By Jeff Harrington, Times Staff Writer
University of Maine Engineers Unveil Concrete 'Bridge in a Backpack'
The University of Maine's Advanced Engineered Composite Center recently showcased two new bridge-building technologies that officials said will make bridges quicker and cheaper to build and more durable. Read More
Department of Transportation: Economic Stimulus Informational Meetings
Great news, more contracting and consulting opportunities are on the way. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is estimated to receive $1.35 Billion for the state's highway and bridge program from the federal economic stimulus.
FDOT is preparing for the federal economic stimulus funding for transportation. Since federal actions are taking place very quickly, the Department is also moving very quickly to respond. FDOT has developed a Web page to provide information dedicated to the federal economic stimulus that will be updated as new information becomes available. The Web page can be found at: FDOT Economic Stimulus Website . Please check back to this site frequently for updated information. You can also subscribe to email updates on this page. FDOT has published a preliminary list of projects that will be finalized once funding is provided to the state. In preparation, however, FDOT has already started advertising some potential design build projects. These projects can be found at the following web page: FDOT Advertisements FDOT has scheduled information meetings throughout the State to ensure that minority and small businesses are informed of the projects that will be funded through these economic stimulus funds. Please register for these meetings at the following web site: Informational Meetings |
| All Aboard Michele Stropoli, Executive Director |
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If you've gotten off track - jump back on board. We'll allow freight
hoppers just this once. We've covered for you so far, but we could use
your gifts and talents, your ideas and fresh eyes.
(If you're interested in trains, you might enjoy the article about yuppie
hobos traveling the modern day rails. I had no idea... read more.)
Our children introduce us to so much of life and many lessons I've
learned are at the hands of my kids. My oldest, Chris, was an
active boy. If it was round it was intended as a toy or a drum. Baseball,
basketball, gears, pots and pans, and trains were his "toys". His interests became the family interests. Vacations were spent visiting different parts of the country and riding the great steam locomotives.
My favorite photo of Chris is a shot when he was three and we were waiting for the next train to pull into the station. It didn't matter the train was extremely late, his excitement was contagious. "Listen. Do you hear it? It's the train mommy, it's the train!" His little body was just brimming with excitement. The thrill and rush of something new and powerful.
Have you caught the excitement of FICAP lately? Your association is moving forward - full steam ahead. We're utilizing the slow down to make decisions and take action. Are you on board?
See you on March 21st at the 8th Annual Clay Shoot.
Sincerely,
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