Are you just getting started with LinkedIn but you aren’t sure how to best spend your time on this powerful platform? Do you use the platform regularly, but think you could be doing more? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then this session is for you!

• Josh Klemons, Reverbal Communications

So many contractors are so good at their trades, but when it comes to business operations and being profitable, they often find themselves struggling. This session will share with you the 10 keys that all contractors must master in order to have a business that is profitable and doesn’t run them ragged. Move from running in your business to creating a company that rewards both you, and your entire team alike.  Get your life back. Learn how to run your business so it doesn’t run you.

• Bill Rozga, Grandy & Associates

Accountability is a topic that most organizations struggle with. Accountability is often driven from the organization’s top-down and rarely created from the bottom up. If organizations could improve accountability individually and cross-functionally, the productivity of that organization would improve dramatically. Attend this session if you are a leader of an organization who struggles with maximizing your team’s productivity, have frustrations from feeling like you have to micro-manage your team, and/or cross your fingers hoping that your team “honors their commitments.” During this session, we will take you on a journey dissecting the root causes of what causes a lack of accountability in organizations and will provide you with a path to change your organization’s culture through tribal leadership.

• Matt Pletzer, Lift Consulting

Is your LinkedIn bio telling the story you want it to tell to the audience you are hoping to reach? Is your LinkedIn URL memorable enough to share at a networking event? Does your headline pop (and does it do so with words that are likely to get found during LI searches)? If your answer to any of these questions wasn’t a resounding YES, then join Josh and step up your LinkedIn game. We’ll talk about optimizing your account, taking your searches to another level, publishing articles and quality content with your network and more. We’ll also spend some time “auditing” our own accounts to make sure they’re telling the story we want to the audience we are hoping to reach.

• Josh Klemons, Reverbal Communications

Curious about your website, but overwhelmed by the complexities of the digital world? Let’s explore the components of effective website design and simple ways to evaluate and elevate your website performance. We’ll look at everything from SEO to project photography and Google Analytics, and leave you with a good base to create a plan for your web presence. See live, industry-related website examples backed with data to better understand benchmarks and design trends. This presentation will be a broad overview of websites and cover many topics and would be most useful for business owners and employees looking to get more hands on with their web presence.

• Marlena Cavanaugh, Lion Tree Group

This is a continuation of Part 1 above: Accountability is a topic that most organizations struggle with. Accountability is often driven from the organization’s top-down and rarely created from the bottom up. If organizations could improve accountability individually and cross-functionally, the productivity of that organization would improve dramatically. Attend this session if you are a leader of an organization who struggles with maximizing your team’s productivity, have frustrations from feeling like you have to micro-manage your team, and/or cross your fingers hoping that your team “honors their commitments.” During this session, we will take you on a journey dissecting the root causes of what causes a lack of accountability in organizations and will provide you with a path to change your organization’s culture through tribal leadership.

• Matt Pletzer, Lift Consulting

In this session, we’re going to write some LinkedIn posts and work together to make sure they’re engaging. We’ll also practice adding value to posts from other people. Then we’ll work up a content calendar full of article ideas that you and your brand can create and share in the coming months.

• Josh Klemons, Reverbal Communications

This session is aimed at helping construction organizations build winning sales strategies and processes as well as integrating the proper tools to manage consistent, scalable growth and better forecast business direction and pipeline. It will cover CRM implementation, sales trends that should be on your radar in 2023, reasons why you need a sales process and how to build an effective sales plan/strategy.

• Patrick McIntyre, SX Wisconsin

So often, members are uncertain about all the different services and benefits available through ABC membership. The session will provide you with an opportunity to learn how you can enhance your membership in ABC on both a personal and company level. Join our facilitator Brad Stehno as he spends time with long-time ABC of Wisconsin members who will discuss membership benefits — some that are not so obvious — and delve into stories about their experiences in ABC.

• Brad Stehno, R&R Insurance
• Kevin Day, Corporate Contractors, Inc. (CCI)
• Gerry Krebsbach, K-W Electric

Did you know that over two-thirds of your prospects are visiting your website before contacting you directly? Yet less than 50% of all contractors in the U.S. have a website and even fewer have a profitable one. Michael Buzinski shows you how to create a profitable website strategy in three steps using what is called The Rule of 26. Stop losing two-thirds of your prospects to the competition and start utilizing a sales asset that works for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and delivers your message exactly how you intended 100% of the time.

• Michael Buzinski, Buzzworthy

Established in 1993 by ABC members, the Accredited Quality Contractor (AQC) program has evolved over time to serve as a cultural assessment and benchmarking tool in addition to providing business development opportunities to contractor members. As a new applicant or recertifying member, learn how you can best tackle the application and gain the most value for a job well done. Plus, following participation in the STEP Safety Management System, AQC is the second step on the roadmap to becoming an ABC Top Performer. 

• Betsy Strock, ABC National
• Jake Reedy, ABC National

It’s a tough environment out there. The way your business functions internally has a significant impact on your people, reputation and growth. Building a strong internal brand and a highly communicative and engaging culture is key to recruiting and retaining quality employees. And if you can do that, your team will ultimately take care of your customers and business with the same enthusiasm. There are concrete actions that all leaders can take to lead and communicate with heart and guts—all in a courageous and thoughtful way that engages your workforce and keeps them passionate about their work. During this session you will be provided a wealth of best practices for connecting directly with employees for an enviable motivated and inspired workforce with useful tips and strategies that can be put into practice immediately. You will also hear about best practices from inside a variety of companies where these new marketing strategies are already helping leadership address the critical needs of employees and customers today.

• Pat Boelter, R&R Insurance

68% of all buying transactions start with a search query and 98% of all clicks on search engines happen on the first page. Unfortunately, only 5% of all webpages rank on the first page of Google. But not all is lost for those currently in the 95th percentile. More than ever, Google is looking for the best fit for searches. This means if you know enough about your most profitable clients’ needs, you can make search marketing a game changer for your business. Learn how the five-percenters are hoarding all of the business coming from search engines and how you can start tapping into the potential search marketing for your company.

• Michael Buzinski, Buzzworthy

This panel of working moms in construction will discuss how they balance the demands of site and family. Attendees will learn how to cope with the demands of being working mothers in a male-dominated field, along with finding support amongst our shared experiences.

• Moderator: Amanda Kurt, Kurk, Inc.
• Adrienne Caron, Faith Technologies
• Kristina Mahler, Greiner Construction

This session will focus on construction technology industry trends that impact ABC members. A focus on data from our members on how they are using tech, safety technology, building a culture to innovate, implementing and adopting tech will be some of the topics covered. We will also cover how ABC has many resources members can benefit from, and also how ABC members are being leaders in using tech and innovation.

• Matt Abeles, ABC National

For 17 years, we have heard all of the things that social media could do for our business. But over the years, that list keeps getting smaller and smaller. It’s time to pull back the curtain and expose social media for what it isn’t. In this presentation you are going to learn social media best practices for today’s contracting business sector. We will cover profitable applications for both B2C and B2B contracting companies and how to avoid wasting time on tactics that don’t work. This is a great session for any contractor who is struggling to see positive return on investment through their social media efforts, unclear of how social media fits in their marketing mix, or have been avoiding it all together in fear that it’s a waste of time.

• Michael Buzinski, Buzzworthy

Looking to improve your game when it comes to video marketing? Come learn how you can incorporate videos into your marketing plan without breaking the bank. This session will include recommendations on filming, editing, camera gear, and social media for the everyday content creator.

• Dan Hagenow, DH Video Creation

Cash Flow is one of the most important aspects to any contractor’s success. Unfortunately, most of us didn’t get into this industry with a finance degree. But Aaron Mills did and is on a mission to increase the profitability of contractors nationwide. With razor thin margins and the current economy, contractors are finding it increasingly difficult to not only recruit new talent, but retain the talent we have. In this session, you will learn how to work around every road block you think is standing in your way to not only pay your employees more, but double your cash flow at the same time. This is a straightforward talk without a myriad of finance jargon. Aaron holds nothing back on this topic, so you will leave with actionable information that will have an immediate impact on your business. This is a session you can’t afford to miss.

• Aaron Mills, Daaxit

Supply chain issues, weather, customer changes, labor shortages, new staff – the stressors impacting building and construction professionals continue to increase and build upon the performance needs of quality work that’s on budget and on time. Many of these stressors aren’t in your control, but how you handle them and the impact to you, your family and team is in your control. During this session, we’ll explore techniques to handle stress more effectively in the moment with proven strategies to minimize the impact stress and worry have on your day and strengthen your resilience for future jobs and projects. 

• Tracy Travis, Daley Carnegie Training – Normal and Associates

Company culture can be a big reason people come and stay at your company. In addition, being able to communicate and actively promote merit shop culture can sometimes be difficult. Come join this session where both big and small contractors talk about how they promote positive working environments and the benefits they have seen from making these changes (including employee retention, recruitment of more diverse employees, and growing your business opportunities).

• Moderator: Jessica Cannizzaro, Milestone Plumbing

Sales is what drives your business. No sales = No work! This session will provide several tools that you can incorporate to be more visible in the market, more available to the right customer, and more effective at winning work! Learn three secrets of the consultant sales professional that can redirect your winning streak!

• Brad Humphrey, Pinnacle Development Group

Are you frustrated by the performance of your team? In most cases, the frustration is rooted in the lack of expertise in managing performance. This seminar gives you a proven model to drive performance, setting yourself and your team up for success. Topics and tools include setting clear expectations, goal setting, independent development plans, and performance reviews to create a culture that manages and encourages high performance. We teach you the basics of performance management and provide practical tools to manage your team’s performance actively. Replace your frustration with the satisfaction of being a great leader.  

• Jeff Piggot, Pinnacle Development Group

Creating internal and external relationships and selling our ideas or projects are critical skills to nearly every role in the building and construction industry. This session introduces and applies a philosophy that focuses on increasing our success by building relationships and helping others be more successful in their goals – ultimately to reduce price being the only consideration for a bid or proposal. The process starts by building rapport, then continues by establishing credibility and solving problems from the other’s point of view. At each step of the process, we will learn to communicate our value – to increase the likelihood of getting the sale and gaining repeat customers.

• Tracy Travis, Daley Carnegie Training – Normal and Associates

In this session, you will learn about how businesses are engaging the next generation of construction professionals to build the talent pipeline. You will hear real world success stories from businesses and come away from this session with ideas to implement in your business and community.

• Amanda Kurt, Kurk Concrete

Brad Humphrey shares exactly what foremen need to do to see new workers staying long-term. Foremen will see what they need to do for a new worker on Day 1, Week 1, Month 1 Quarter 1, and Year 1. Yes, every period of time is full of activities that foremen need to exercise to keep new hires to becoming long-term workers. 

• Brad Humphrey, Pinnacle Development Group

Do you want to be Great? Really??? Using comparisons to sports, I will demonstrate what you can do to be great. It could be being a great coach or a great player; the key is a growth and high-performance mindset. This seminar will demonstrate how impactful your mindset can be. And how your perspective can change your behavior and lead to impactful results. This seminar will give you the tools to understand and set expectations for yourself and your team. In addition, the power to exceed expectations or just doing more as often as possible.

• Jeff Piggot, Pinnacle Development Group

Are you ready to master tough conversations – the ones that typically cause you to blow up or avoid? If so, this session about handing difficult people is for you!

• Tina Nazier, Wipfli, LLP

People are becoming more aware of how their indoor environments can impact their health. In this presentation, John Lack will share building biology principles that any construction business can incorporate to keep the health of the occupants in mind.

• John Lack, Acuity

Embracing lean construction is not only for the senior leaders of a company but must be embraced at the front line of any project. Brad Humphrey will inspire you to transfer the important aspects of lean construction that every worker can understand and learn how to achieve the results you need.

• Brad Humphrey, Pinnacle Development Group

Have you ever wondered why some people react or don’t react to certain situations? Everyone has a different personality that dictates how they act and/or react. You don’t need magic to sort through this. Let’s use science. This workshop identifies your personality profile and the communication styles (or traits) directly associated with your unique personality profile. This knowledge provides information to your team members to get the most from themselves and their peers. The session also examines the theory of purposeful communication and how to use the knowledge of personality assessments to create relationships that drive results.

• Jeff Piggot, Pinnacle Development Group

This session will include the greatest barriers to growing sales, why these things occur and some insights into how to overcome them. Some of the biggest obstacles sales professionals face are: they write too many proposals to little or new effect, they are not writing sufficient amounts of new business and/or they do not have a defined selling system in their organization. Find out why most prospecting methods are ineffective and how to avoid wasting time preparing proposals that won’t win any business.

• Tony Hoslet, Sandler Training – Hoslet Consulting

Compensation strategies and approaches have not been immune from the impact of the pandemic. The challenges finding capable field, professional and leadership people is as challenging as ever. This session will identify the most effective techniques to help an organization attract, retain and motivate employees in this new atmosphere. We will explore the latest impacts on base, premiums and incentives so they are delivered in a way that reinforces the organization’s desired strategy and work environment. This will include the latest data and approaches so an organization can remain competitive in the talent marketplace. 

• Kevin Paulsen, Newport Group

Recruiting professionals recognize the challenges we face today. This session provides some of the traditionally unorthodox locations and entities where many of your future workers may now reside. Brad Humphrey will share with you where these organizations are at and more importantly, how to find the right workers.

• Brad Humphrey, Pinnacle Development Group

Getting your team engaged in planning and scheduling is critical to the success of your projects. This seminar will lay out a simple program that can be used on every one of your projects. Whether your team is big or small, your project is short or long, this program can engage all team members. It begins with preplanning the project with a clear set of expectations and the use of short term and long term scheduling with specific examples of how to utilize these schedules and some simple math to establish a clear vision of how your projects will be built. Providing these clear expectations, schedules, and a vision for each project engages your team toward success.

• Jeff Piggot, Pinnacle Development Group

This session will spend time on the Sandler Success Triangle focusing on three elements:  Attitude, Behavior, and Techniques. Each element connects to the other two, and it is those connections that provide strength to the structure. For example, having a positive attitude accomplishes little or nothing, if not channeled into action and effectively executed. Even the best behavior plans are doomed to failure if not backed by a supportive attitude and implemented with the requisite skills. And technique alone won’t accomplish much if it’s not applied to an appropriate framework of behavior with a positive expectation of success. If you are going to reach the highest levels of success, you must continually work on all three inextricably connected elements.

• Tony Hoslet, Sandler Training – Hoslet Consulting

Labor-related legal issues and accompanying union tactics are continuing to evolve at a fast pace.  Paper handouts have given way to TikTok videos and strikes are becoming the new normal. This session will focus on learning about the latest union-related issues and how merit-shop contractors can prepare to address them.

• Dan Barker, Jackson Lewis

Straight from Brad’s book, The 7 Steps of Employee Retention, Brad will share the importance of bringing new workers “on board” in a manner that they stay with your company. He will provide great examples of building inspiring retention efforts that develops long-term commitment.

• Brad Humphrey, Pinnacle Development Group

Construction can be a very hectic business. Do you have thousands of emails in your Inbox? Being organized can be the difference between being successful and failing. Electronic communication has increased substantially, and with that has come expectations that people stay very organized and hyper-timely. This seminar will give you the tools to help organize and prioritize the information. Therefore, allowing vital information to be highlighted and managed effectively and promptly. This seminar will also review principles of prioritization and time management.

• Jeff Piggot, Pinnacle Development Group

Following the most recent ANSI update for construction equipment and its operators, this session will provide an overview for the updated major points of safe use and training requirements for users of access and material handling equipment across all brands. We will also cover how easy it is for you and your company to work with the ABC Wisconsin team in order to stay safe and compliant on your jobsites. The ANSI standards that govern the access equipment industry changed several years ago. These standards define the responsibilities for everyone associated with aerial work platforms including owners, renters, and operators. Your responsibilities include training, job site safety, and machine selection.

• Rick Smith, JLG

In this session, we will be covering the basics of rigging in construction. From the pre lift meeting, inspection/connection of rigging, and different hitches, to chain falls and proper d/D ratios. This session is for those new to rigging, as well as those who have been rigging for years.

• Jim Canfield, All Material Handling

Keeping up with the ever-changing safety requirements is extremely difficult for safety representatives. We need to know OSHA standards, but also other standards, including ANSI. New standards governing self-retracting lifelines are currently out and we will have Patrick Harel with 3M Company on hand to explain the new requirements and help us sort things out.

• Patrick Harel, 3M DBI SALA

Updates on the newest changes in OSHA Regulations in construction and how upcoming regulations could change how you work, including the recent injury reporting changes. Review past construction fatalities that happen in your trade. This update will keep you in-the-know on OSHA and jobsite safety. Learn what OSHA’s 2023 emphasis in Wisconsin are… which could allow OSHA to visit your jobsite.

• Ruth “Mitzy” Wright, Eau Claire OSHA
• Chad Greenwood, Madison OSHA

NAMI Wisconsin will present an overview of mental health, mental illness, and discuss ways to promote and include mental wellness as part of your daily life including work and home. You and your company should view mental wellness as part of everyone’s overall well-being. 

• Stacey Mohr, NAMI Wisconsin
• Tyler Rufenacht, NAMI Wisconsin

The preparation and execution of an effective pre task/JHA process is an art. If the individuals preparing the tool have not been given specific directions, the process can become “just something we need to do.” This session will provide key guidelines and specific direction on how to develop/execute the pre task/JHA process. It will review the process and the attendees will actually complete a sample pre task/JHA.

• Mark Miner, Consolidated Construction Co., Inc.

In this session, we will be covering more complex forms of rigging in construction. From critical lift plans, understanding WLLs for various hitches, and strong emphasis on using L/H to calculate tension in sling in a multi-leg pick. This session will be very informative for those with experience in rigging.

• Jim Canfield, All Material Handling

This session will focus on wood frame construction and the risks associated with this type of work. We will review common issues that arise during wood frame construction and provide best practices that are being utilized industry wide. Attendees should bring their questions and ideas as discussions will be encouraged. Our goal is to expose attendees to new concepts in an effort to improve the safety and health of everyone performing this type of work.

• Cullen Schmeling, Stevens Construction Corp.
• Ryan Ogrizovich, Stevens Construction Corp.

Hazards associated with trench work and excavation are recognized and preventable, yet injuries and fatalities associated with these hazards continue to occur. This session will provide you with information on regulations and consensus standards, describe engineering controls, protective equipment, and safe work practices to minimize hazards for workers during trench work and excavations. This session will also dive into residential specific regulations and interpretations. 

• Nick Essick, Eau Claire OSHA
• Scott Duke, Milwaukee OSHA

Stress is usually viewed as negative in our lives, but new research shows that how we respond to these challenges can change them into opportunities for growth. When we respond by adjusting our lifestyle, we can improve our ability to focus, solve problems, and work in teams effectively. Join Dr. Intlekofer to explore how we can build resilience at the individual, team, and organizational level. 

• Dr. Karlie Intlekofer, Treo Wellness

This presentation will showcase Milwaukee’s commitment to safety by uncovering common jobsite injuries in the construction industry and demonstrating how the latest innovations and technologies can create a safer and more productive jobsite. We will also discuss how Milwaukee solutions fit into the Hierarchy of Controls.  

• Marty Mahan, Milwaukee Tool
• Ian Blakenmeyer, Milwaukee Tool

This session will provide an understanding of the risks involved with wire installation and the productive means for a safe installation.

• Gerry Clark, J. F. Nolan & Associates

A member of the WI State Patrol will discuss changes to DOT regulations, common violations found during new entrant and roadside inspection, and ways you can help keep our roads safer. 

• Wisconsin State Patrol staff

This session will cover the hazards of outdoor elements. Severe weather and extreme heat can have a huge impact on workers’ health and overall safety. What to look for when weather is approaching, and how to prepare for hot days. We will also cover other infectious diseases that workers can come into contact with while performing their duties.

• George Gruetzmacher, WisCon Consultation

The time has come to go beyond observable safety behavior and engage the whole person in construction. Learn about the dimensions of wellness and a workplace culture inclusive of a diverse workforce.

• Joe Xavier, ABC National

In this session, we will be examining today’s latest and greatest innovations in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). We’ll take a look at the newest head-to-toe PPE including safety helmets, hearing protection, gloves, fall protection, and more.

• Samie Gossfeld, Verona Safety

Statistics indicate that a little more than 60% of active shooter situations are over within five (5) minutes – the shooter leaves the area, the shooter takes their own life (about 40%), or law enforcement/a prepared citizen neutralizes the situation. Knowing exactly what to do during those few minutes may mean the difference between life and death for you, a coworker and many others. This program will instruct you in the physical and behavioral characteristics of a potential violent individual, how to lockdown, how to evacuate/run, and how to physically defend yourself in a potentially violent situation.

• Ted Hayes, M3 Insurance

This presentation covers electrical hazards and challenges encountered by both electrical contractors and other jobsite trades on active multifamily construction projects. The intent is to review these hazards and discuss best practices relevant to both electrical contractors and jobsite trades.

• Kyle Gunther, Dave Jones, Inc.
• Dustin Eisenhut, Dave Jones, Inc.

We will discuss how a proper hot work program works, what kind of work falls under the program, and how to implement the best in class program. We will also share case studies of past hot work scenarios gone bad to demonstrate why the program needs to be followed.

• Rick Barton, Hausmann Group
• Matt Morley, Kraemer Brothers

This presentation will outline the changes in OSHA standards and target areas applicable to ABC of Wisconsin contractors and demonstrate a best practice format for handling inspections.

• Charles B. Palmer, Michael Best & Friedrich, LLP

The presentation will cover the most critical OSHA regulations pertaining to Subpart L and Frame Scaffolding. We will also discuss best practices regarding the erection, use and inspection of scaffold systems, as well as cover training requirements for users and Competent Persons.

• BrandSafway Industries, LLC

Whether your construction company has implemented run-hide-fight, lockdown, evacuation or other crisis action protocols, it is critical that your company comprehends how to place as many ‘roadblocks’ as possible between your employees and the intruder/shooter to increase your chances of surviving an active shooter event. For this reason, it is critical that your employees receive training on how to rapidly respond to an armed intruder or active shooter incident on the construction site – whether working within a manufacturing facility or at an outdoor construction site.

• Ted Hayes, M3 Insurance

This course will review OSHA’s Subpart R, Steel Erection Standard and its applicability to your work site.

• Al Kuklinski, Keller, Inc. (retired)

Exposures to silica can cause irreparable damage to lungs and kidneys. This session will cover the regulations that apply to workers reducing the hazards of respirable crystalline silica in construction. From exposure assessments, to housekeeping, to Table 1, this session will cover what is required to protect workers. Reducing the amount of silica containing dust can reduce the risk of illness. 

• Andrew Griepentrog, Appleton OSHA

In this session, we will be reviewing industry best practice incident reporting procedures, common safety incident terms (TRIR, EMR, lost time, etc.), and what makes an injury a recordable injury. We will discuss how injuries affect an organization and why it is important for an employee to be knowledgeable and active in the management of the case.

• Kayla Fonseca, FTI
• Josh Ring, FTI