March 2009 Header
OCTOBER 2013
Director's Corner
Around the Industry
Concrete Masonry Day
Governmental Affairs

Tuesday October 8 
Noon-4:00 pm 
FC&PA 
6353 Lee Vista Blvd

Orlando, FL 32822

FICAP Fall Golf Tournament
Tuesday, October 29
1:00-6:00 pm
Celebration Golf Club
701 Golf Park Drive
Celebration, FL 34747

Safety & Skills Event
Saturday, November 9

FC&PA
6353 Lee Vista Blvd

Orlando, FL 32822

FICAP Christmas Banquet
Tuesday, December 3
Dubsdread Country Club
Orlando, FL 

PRESIDENT

  Steve Bishop

  Maschmeyer Concrete

  561-848-9112  email  

  

VICE PRESIDENT

  Adam Freeman

  A-1 Block

  407-422-3768  email  


SECRETARY  

  Wade Mullins

  Quality Precast    

  813-685-5615
  x2226  email

  

TREASURER

  Freddie Jahna  

  Jahna Concrete 

  863-453-5155  email 

 

PAST PRESIDENT

  Preston Sparkman   

  Quality Precast

  813-685-5615
  x2228  email

 

BoDBOARD OF DIRECTORS 

  Jeff Bishop
  Maschmeyer Concrete
  561-848-9112  email 

     

  Gary Clements  

  Cement Products
  & Supply Company
  863-686-5141   email  

 

  Bobbi Griswold

  Griswold Ready Mix

  904-751-3796  email   

   

  Mark Smith

  Bell Concrete

  352-463-6103 email    

 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 

  Michele Stropoli
  407-333-4694  email  

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As the market continues to improve, time becomes even more valuable. Our increased workloads with a decreased staff, means it's easy to let things slip. Please mark your calendars now, as this fall, our industry is full of events in which I encourage our FICAP members to participate.

 

Tuesday, October 8th, NRMCA will offer the Gulf Coast Regional's Concrete Works, a great educational opportunity for our members and the industry. This event will highlight Understanding & Using Results from MIT's Concrete Sustainability Hub, Negotiating for Performance-Based Specifications and Partnering with a Construction Materials Testing Lab. Click here for details and registration.

Tuesday, October 29th, we return to Celebration Golf Course for the annual FICAP Golf Tournament. This event is open to the entire industry, so please invite your colleagues.

The Holidays are just around the corner, so please reserve Tuesday, December 3rd for the Annual FICAP Christmas Banquet. This year we will meet at the historic Dubsdread Tap Room in Orlando.

The last 3 dates I ask you to reserve are January 28 (Roving meeting at Parliment Building Products); February 25th (Industry meeting at Holiday Inn - Universal) and February 4th and 5th for the Annual Concrete Days in Tallahassee.

On October 3rd, our industry celebrated the first annual Concrete Masonry Day by order of Governor Rick Scott. Spread the word and read his proclamation.

The August meeting of FICAP was hosted by Bell Concrete Products and the September meeting was hosted by Quality Precast. Both long standing board members of FICAP stepped up to the plate and provided excellent tours and dinners. Attendance was great! Thank you - Jack, Mark and Chad - for pulling together our August meeting. Thank you - Robbie, Preston and gang - for pulling together our September meeting. Both were excellent and greatly appreciated!

If you need additional information about any of the events mentioned, please contact myself, Michele or any of your Board of Directors.

We look forward to seeing you on the 8th!

 

 

Steve Bishop 

President of FICAP

Central Florida Division Sales
& Customer Service Manager

Maschmeyer Concrete  

 

 

Little Things Mean Alot    


It's easy to think that simple things, little things, and things others might miss don't matter, but they do matter.

 

At some point, every decision, every choice we make comes to light. Every white lie, every choice to slack-off, to walk by someone in need, each one will surface again, usually at the worst possible moment. I was challenged a few years ago to make a difference in someone's life - each and every day. It may mean smiling and easing the burden of a cashier who's stressed; over tipping a rude and harried waiter; giving my shoes to a homeless person; ignoring a rude comment from a co-worker; paying for the coffee/order for the car behind you; or a note of encouragement to someone in your circle of friends or co-workers.

 

Adam Grant, author of Give and Take, shares his study of success in the workplace (and life). Yes, passion, hard work, talent and luck still play a major role, but there's a new game in town. Most people operate as either takers, matchers or givers. It might surprise some of you to know, the givers rise to the top of the success ladder. Today, society is an interdependent work place; where relationships and interactions with others are increasingly important. Givers are the rare breed of people who contribute to others without expecting anything in return. As with anything, you must determine the right balance. Some givers burn out and accomplish few of their own tasks, but majority discover success.

Practices of givers:
  • Will gain an understanding of what others need.
  • Will utilize their giftedness, expertise and resources to help others.
  • If given a choice, will ask for the favor to be paid forward, not back.
  • Will look for short, high impact ways of contributing to others.
  • Will pick an unpopular task, one others avoid, and find ways of making it better.

The little things we do matter, the little things we do for others matter, the little things we do are world changing. You do your part, I do my part and together...great things will happen.

 

You make a difference and each choice we make matters!

 

Michele Stropoli

FICAP Executive Director       




New index shows housing markets back to normal in 52 metros  

 

Existing home sales rise to highest level since November 2007   

 

Home builders report higher profits 

 

National builders readying for Northeast Florida's next housing boom 

 

 

Builder Confidence Holding Steady in September    

 

Following four consecutive months of improvement, builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes held unchanged with a reading of 58 on the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). The HMI component gauging current sales conditions held unchanged at 62, while the component gauging sales expectations in the next six months declined three points to 65 and the component gauging traffic of prospective buyers increased one point, to 47. (Remember that any number over 50 indicates that more builders view sales conditions as good than poor.) Meanwhile, all four regions posted gains in their three-month moving average HMI scores in September, including a two-point gain to 41 in the Northeast, a four-point gain to 64 in the Midwest, a two-point gain to 56 in the South and a four-point gain to 61 in the West, respectively.  

- From NAHB Monday Morning Briefing 9.23.13 

 

Orlando is nation's fifth 'booming' housing market  

 

Orlando commercial construction permit values nearly double  

 

Labor shortfall threatens Sarasota's construction boom  

 

Driving the sustainable highway

The Florida masonry industry was recognized on Thursday, October 3 by Governor Rick Scott for its contribution to Florida's economy and masonry's attributes to the Florida building industry. Read Governor Scott's proclamation CMDhere.



Senators cite importance of maintaining Federal backstop

 

The Most And Greatest

 

The greatest joy... giving The most satisfying work ... helping others The most effective sleeping pill... peace of mind  The greatest "shot in the arm"... encouragement  The most powerful force in life... love  The two most power-filled words... I can   The greatest asset... faith  The most beautiful attire... a smile The most powerful channel of communication... prayer   The world's most incredible computer... the human brain The most endangered species... dedicated leaders Our greatest natural resource... our youth  THE MOST VALUABLE EXAMPLE... INTEGRITY   The most destructive habit... worry   The greatest loss... self-respect  The ugliest personality trait...  selfishness  The greatest problem to overcome... fear  The most crippling failure disease... excuses  The most dangerous person... a gossiper  The worst thing to be without... hope   The deadliest weapon... the tongue   The most worthless emotion...  self-pity  And the most contagious spirit ... enthusiasm!

 

- Adapted from Dr. Alan Zimmerman