August 6–7
Salishan Spa and Golf Resort, Gleneden Beach

Presented by

What exactly is AGC University? AGC University was created by the Oregon-Columbia Chapter and its professional associate members with the specific purpose of providing quality, relevant courses designed to meet and exceed Oregon’s new continuing education requirements that became mandatory for Oregon commercial contractor licenses new or renewing after July 1, 2010. This year’s Summer Convention is the Summer Semester for AGC University, and if you take advantage of what is available, you and your co-workers could meet most of your educational needs in one weekend.

The special keynote address, sponsored by Jordan Schrader Ramis PC, will focus on the political climate in Oregon and what recent decisions really mean to you as contractors and business owners. The convention will also host two general educational sessions, one on healthcare reform, and the other on preparing your company for “The New Normal.”

Whether it’s the educational seminars, leadership training, or afternoons full of networking or spending time with family, your time will be well spent, and your business will reap the benefits.

Join us at the AGC Oregon-Columbia Chapter Summer Convention, presented by Goodfellow Bros., Inc., as we head back to school.

We are pleased to be returning to Salishan Spa and Golf Resort on the beautiful Oregon Coast!

7760 Highway 101 North
Gleneden Beach, OR 97388
www.salishan.com

Make your room reservation today! Be sure to ask for the AGC group rate.

• Traditional room: $119
• Deluxe room: $149
• Premier room: $179

Rates do not include tax or resort fee. Call 1-800-452-2300 or 1-888-SALISHAN.

The deadline for room rates was June 30. They may still be able to offer a room discount, so be sure to ask.

Owners/operators, project managers, supervisors, key people, team leaders, decision makers, sub-contractors, specialty contractors, and professional and industry associates.

Friday, August 5

12:00 – 1:30 pm
Oregon Politics: Trends and What’s to Come

Faculty: Tim Hibbitts, Davis, Hibbitts & Midghall, Inc.

Tim Hibbitts is a founding partner of Davis, Hibbitts & Midghall, Inc., a non-partisan and independent opinion research and consulting firm based in Portland, Oregon, and has 30 years of experience in all phases of public opinion research, including questionnaire and sample design, data analysis, and presentation of data. His specialty is political public opinion research, including the study of voter attitudes, and he is considered one of the Northwest’s premier non-partisan political analysts. Tim has been providing live election-night analysis for local television stations for over 20 years, and has correctly predicted the outcomes of hundreds of ballot measures and political elections.

During this keynote, Tim will set the stage for what to expect in the coming fall elections. Come with a curious mind and be prepared to ask questions. There might even be a pop quiz!

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1:45 – 3:15 pm
The Human Connection: Bring Your Presentations to Life!

Faculty: Carol Doscher, president and CEO (Chief Encouragement Officer), Graceworks, Inc., and Kurt Robbins, professional actor, Graceworks, Inc.

Do you want your presentations to stand out in the crowd? Then bring them to life! If you want freedom to be yourself and communicate your message with vitality and self confidence, this fun, hands-on workshop is for you. Through teaching, discussion, participation in theater exercises, and individual coaching opportunities, you will learn to:

• Connect with your audience
• Identify and drop nervous habits
• Prepare and practice your material
• Make technical material come to life
• Use graphics and props wisely

In most presentation and communication training, technical issues tend to make up the bulk of the training: how to organize materials, deal with graphics, and control hand gestures and voice inflections. We don't ignore technique—it's important. But it's a human connection with your audience that will inspire them to want to work with you.

At Graceworks, they focus first on you because you are the presentation. You are the one who has to make the connection—when it's all over, something should have happened between you and the audience. Their emphasis is on the process and skills that will bring true warmth and life to your presentation.

Graceworks provides presentation, leadership, and communication training to clients globally. Sessions are designed to free you to be yourself and connect comfortably and confidently with others—you’ll get an interactive, one-of-a-kind experience, not just training. Their promise to you? You’ll laugh, lives will be changed, and you’ll walk away knowing how to make the human connection.

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1:45 – 3:15 pm
Lean Construction: Project Reliability

Faculty: Matt Horvat PE PMP, Lean Project Consulting
We saw the need for productivity improvement en masse during the industrial revolution. We developed sophisticated tools for controlling cost, schedule, and budget. Out of a fiercely competitive environment emerged lean. You may think of lean as a set of management tools, but the advanced practitioners see lean as a management philosophy. In 90 minutes you'll receive a brief history and how it applies to projects and what you can do to develop your management skills to foster a lean environment in construction projects.

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1:45 – 3:15 pm
Development Financing: A Year Later

Faculty: Wally Harding, Norris, Beggs & Simpson Financial

At this conference a year ago, the main topics regarding real estate financing were when will we hit “bottom” regarding the economic downturn; where will the money for construction financing come from; what effect will the “roll over” of CMBS loans have on the capital markets, money flow, and construction financing; will the subsidy money from the “Feds” as well as bond sales be enough to stimulate the CRE industry; and how will the State of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest fare in the year ahead. Review of the above, together with a hard look at what lies ahead for the remainder of 2010 and into 2011 will be the focus of this year’s session.

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Saturday, August 7

7:30 – 9:00 am
AGC of America Update

Faculty: Ted Aadland, AGC of America president, and Steve Sandherr, AGC of America chief executive officer

Ted Aadland’s passion for and commitment to all things AGC is deep seated and long lasting. He has been an outstanding leader at both the chapter and national level for many years. Having served as president of the Oregon-Columbia Chapter in 1993, he continues to lend his insights and talents to the Board of Directors, the Port of Portland’s Mentor-Protégé Program, and the Highway/ Heavy/Utility Contractors Council among many other activities. At the national level, Ted has chaired the Highway & Transportation Division, has served on numerous national committees, and was named National Committee Chairman of the Year in 1996.

Steve Sandherr joined AGCA’s staff in 1984 as assistant director for Collective Bargaining Service. From 1986 to 1989 he served as AGCA’s director of Congressional Relations / Labor. He practiced law with the firm of Thompson, Mann & Hudson in Washington, D.C. in 1989–1990, and served as Labor and Small Business counsel for the National Association of Home Builders in 1990–1991. Currently, as chief executive officer, Steve’s role is to maintain relations with AGC’s 97 chapters nationwide, coordinate government relations activities, and enhance AGC’s involvement with business coalitions. In 2006, the American Society of Association Executives cited AGC as one of nine “remarkable” associations in its landmark study Seven Measures of Success: What Remarkable Associations Do That Others Don’t.

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9:15 – 10:45 am
Why agcXML Matters to You! An Update on The AGCA EIS Committee Initiative

Bonus Session: Best of EIS Committee Technology Tips & Tricks

Faculty: Tary Carlson, chair of the AGCA Electronic Information Systems Committee, senior project manager, Inici group, Inc. and Dan Bailinger, Chameleon Software

agcXML will transform how construction software is used by contractors, owners, and architects. It allows for the seamless integration between different software packages, thus eliminating the input of duplicate information. This session will focus on the introduction of agcXML, how it works, and what you need to know to take advantage of this tool.

This bonus session will be compilation of the best technology solutions shared at various EIS technology roundtables held throughout the country over the last several years. Participants will learn about various software tools that will simplify their life and impress their co-workers. Most solutions to be presented are “free” and available to use immediately. You are guaranteed to learn something new!

This class will provide technology solutions that allow users to more effectively and efficiently use their computers or personal devices in professional and personal life, as well as make AGC members aware of different resources available to them through the EIS Committee initiatives.

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9:15 – 10:45 am
Business Owner Succession Planning

Faculty: Norm Pendell, Moss Adams LLP; Bob Wienert, owner, Road and Driveway; and Bill Manne, Miller Nash LLP

As a business owner, no matter where you are in the life cycle of your business, you should consider a holistic approach to transition issues that do and will affect your business. Succession planning is particularly relevant to construction entities, as many are family-owned and/or small businesses. Business owners can benefit substantially by beginning to develop their own exit plan well in advance of the time they actually wish to leave the business. This has been a popular topic at other conferences, most recently at AGC’s national conference last year. This presentation will address the following issues:

• Establishing your critical management succession objectives, such as your anticipated departure date and to whom you want to transfer the business.
• Determining how much income you need to achieve your personal and financial goals.
• Finding out how much your business is really worth (not just your best guess).
• If you are contemplating a sale, how to identify strategies to increase the value of your ownership interest.
• How to be certain you have structured your exit transaction to maximize your cash, minimize your tax liability, and reduce your risk.
• Figuring out how your succession plan impacts your estate planning objectives.
• Evaluating the impact on the business before and after the transaction, and identifying strategies to address those issues.
• Determining the emotional and human issues that should be considered.

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11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Leadership and Building a Strong Team

Faculty: Holly Duckworth, CMP

Let’s face it…the idea of working in teams or groups can occasionally leave you running for the door thinking, “I can get it done faster by myself.” Or “If you want it done right, do it yourself.”

Whether you find yourself working in a group/team at in your job or in your personal life, teams are just about everywhere. It is important to know as leaders how we can best build our skills to provide strong team leadership.

To ensure project success, project managers must be leaders who identify and meet team needs in order to achieve project objectives. In this course, you transition to a leader who can inspire a diverse team to work together and deliver customer success. At the end of your classroom experience, you will learn how to:

• Develop the leadership skills to build and sustain high-performing project teams
• Develop effective team performance
• Build a strong team identity through vision, purpose, and commitment
• Foster positive and productive team communication and define ground rules
• Protect the team and convert conflicts into advantages that promote high performance
• Maximize your leadership abilities when you return to your organization