(1222,433,2,2,1235123253,'a:29:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"433\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-12 08:40 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:2:\"16\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:41:\"How Much of a Boost Will Washington Give?\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:40:\"how_much_of_a_boost_will_washington_give\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:41:\"How Much of a Boost Will Washington Give?\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:355:\"With the economy deteriorating faster than anyone had expected, construction and engineering associations are among the most vocal in calling for Congress to invest in infrastructure. Various agencies busily made lists of projects to do in anticipation of federal aid, checked them twice, and earnestly hoped that Congress would be less naughty than nice.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:58:\"infrastructure, stimulus, AGC, Congress, funding, projects\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:12316:\"<p>With the economy deteriorating faster than anyone had expected, construction and engineering associations are among the most vocal in calling for Congress to invest in infrastructure. Various agencies busily made lists of projects to do in anticipation of federal aid, checked them twice, and earnestly hoped that Congress would be less naughty than nice.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Economic Stimulus\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/economic-stimulus.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />St. Louisan Tracy Hart, chief executive officer of Tarlton Corp., participated in nationwide press conferences for the Associated General Contractors to drum up support for stimulus spending. Hart took a broad-minded view of what spending was necessary by pointing out that local governmental agencies needed money to operate transportation infrastructure as well as build it. She specifically highlighted Metro&rsquo;s need for funds to operate its light rail system. At press time, however, it looked like Congress would not embrace her view and would not allocate operating funds to complement construction funds.<br /><br />Meanwhile, even without knowing how much money would eventually be available, state and local agencies lined up projects to do with whatever money came down from Washington.<br /><br />The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) got a jump on other agencies and issued its first list of stimulus projects in November &ldquo;and we&rsquo;ve been adding to it ever since,&rdquo; Highway Commissioner Pete Rahn said in a February 6 interview. The East-West Gateway Council of Governments, the transportation planning agency for metropolitan St. Louis, gave its member local governments until February 13 to submit transportation projects for possible funding with stimulus funds. St. Louis City and St. Louis County compiled their own lists of possible projects in the interim.<br /><br />How much stimulus money would be available for construction activities was unclear at press time. The Design-Build Institute of America estimated that the House plan contained $114 billion for construction: $19 billion for clean water and flood control; $31 billion to modernize federal and public infrastructure; $30 billion for highway construction; $10 billion for transit and rail; $10 billion for science facilities, research and instrumentation, and $14 billion for educational facilities. <br /><br />To the dismay of many construction industry associations, the Senate eliminated the $14 billion for schools, a cut that House leaders agreed to when resolving differences between the House and Senate bills. The Associated General Contractors, for example decried the elimination of school funds and $10 million in other construction spending. &ldquo;Our analysis shows that without these funds the total number of jobs that would be created or saved by this bill will decline by over 340,000,&rdquo; said Stephen Sandherr, the chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America. The American Institute of Architects and 57 other industry associations said that $14 billion for fixing schools &ldquo;would create nearly 400,000 private sector jobs in the design and construction industries.&rdquo;<br /><br /><strong>Roads and Bridges</strong><br /><br />The slimming down of the stimulus bill meant that federal construction dollars would go more narrowly to traditional infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, sewers and flood control. Rahn said both House and Senate versions allocated about $30 billion for bridge and highway construction. He estimated that Missouri&rsquo;s share would come to about $693 million. Although the House and Senate versions distributed the money differently, metropolitan St. Louis would get at least 32 percent of Missouri&rsquo;s money &ndash; about $230 million &ndash; because of the highway commission&rsquo;s own formula for distributing money within the state, he said. East-West Gateway&rsquo;s estimates are somewhat lower.<br /><br />However much it winds up being, &ldquo;if they actually start spending money on infrastructure, that will help our business,&rdquo; said Jeff Budrovich, president of Budrovich Inc., a crane and excavator rental company.<br /><br />MoDOT&rsquo;s initial list of projects consisted of 34 projects that could be built at an estimated cost of $510 million. That includes $137 million of work on Interstates 70, 44, 55, 35 and 29 and approximately $60 million of work on the state\\\'s lettered routes in rural Missouri. Four projects already have been put out for bid, none of them in the St. Louis area. Rahn acknowledged a bias towards rural projects, &ldquo;because those are the easiest to get going quickly,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Rahn said the increased federal money for road and bridge construction would help cushion the industry from falling state spending. &ldquo;At our peak of Prop A spending, we were at $1.7 billion a year,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re at $1.2 billion going down to $800 million and down to $467 million the following year. The stimulus money will mean that instead of going off a cliff we&rsquo;ll be going down a steep hill.&rdquo;<br /><br />Rahn said he suspects that many agencies will have trouble spending their stimulus money because of many &ldquo;use it or lose it&rdquo; provisions. &ldquo;The House bill requires us to have 50 percent of monies obligated to projects within 90 days, and it has a clawback provision so that those states that don&rsquo;t meet that requirement lose money and it is redistributed to other state,&rdquo; Rahn said. &ldquo;The overriding factor in the bill is spend money quickly,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />However, MoDOT is ready to spend the money, Rahn said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve gambled that Congress will pass a stimulus bill,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve bought up rights of way, completed environmental studies, and spent money to design projects so that when the money becomes available we can get these projects out the door as quickly as we can,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Urban areas have to spend money even more quickly under the bill. Jim Wild, development manager, planning and programs, for East-West Gateway, said the House bill requires urban planning agencies to commit 50 percent of their stimulus funds within 75 days, although they have a year to spend the rest. &ldquo;And we can&rsquo;t use the money on projects that are already in the Transportation Improvement Plan,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They have to be new projects that aren&rsquo;t budgeted, and that is just not realistic,&rdquo; he said. Wild added that planners at East-West Gateway hope that the 75-day deadline gets stripped out of the final bill.<br /><br />St. Louis City&rsquo;s $2.4 billion stimulus list included $178.5 million for 18 street projects. The largest is $35 million to replace the Tucker Avenue bridge from Cass to Washington. St. Louis County&rsquo;s $1.8 billion stimulus wish list includes 17 road projects costing an estimated $463 million. Almost half of the county&rsquo;s road money, $200 million, would go to finish Route 141. Neither area is likely to get as much money as it hoped for.<br /><br />Rahn said that one area where quick &ldquo;use it or lose it&rdquo; deadlines definitely don&rsquo;t work is in transit. The House approved $12 billion for transit &ndash; &ldquo;a huge amount,&rdquo; said Rahn &ndash; but it is for capital purposes only. St. Louis Rep. Lacy Clay was a leader in pushing for a large bundle for transit and St. Louis City wants $900 million to build a north-south extension of Metrolink through the city.<br /><br />&ldquo;You don&rsquo;t get these projects designed and out the door in 90 days,&rdquo; Rahn said. Diane Williams, Metro&rsquo;s director of communications, said the north-south city extension project &ldquo;is not shovel ready.&rdquo; East-West Gateway would be responsible for the project&rsquo;s design. That project has not been designed yet, and Les Sterman, executive director of East-West Gateway, said he hopes Congress leaves room for &ldquo;legacy projects&rdquo; in the stimulus package. &ldquo;There is a trade-off between fast and good,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Anytime you start shoveling money out the door you will waste a lot of it. I hope there will be provisions in the package that allow for longer lead time projects,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />&ldquo;If you have to obligate transit money fast, you put it into buses, and I fear that what we will see [from that money] is a five-year backlog of bus orders,&rdquo; Rahn said.&nbsp; He added that what Metro really needs is not capital funds, but operating funds.<br /><br />Rahn also estimated that Missouri would get $30 million of the $3 billion that the House allocated for airports. St. Louis City&rsquo;s stimulus wish list includes 12 projects at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport with estimated costs totaling over $80 million. <br /><strong><br />Water and Wastewater</strong><br /><br />MSD and the St. Louis City Water Department also are prepared to use whatever money they can get from the $19 billion allocated for water and flood control projects in the stimulus package. The city&rsquo;s stimulus list includes 12 water projects they can do for $100 million, including $35 million for a Harlem-Baden relief detention system, $20 million for repairs and enhancements to the St. Louis floodwall, and $30 million for &ldquo;green&rdquo; alleys. MSD has a list of 59 projects to do at a cost of $163.7 million.<br /><br />MSD spokesman Lance Lecomb said only $6 billion in the House bill was specifically allocated for wastewater projects, although $17 billion in projects were identified across the country. &ldquo;We still don&rsquo;t know how the money will be distributed. The devil will be in the details of the formula,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />United Rentals&rsquo; Trench Safety Division is one business pinning hopes for a good year on the stimulus package. &ldquo;We rent underground safety equipment, so a lot of the impact of the legislation for us will depend on how much is allocated for water work,&rdquo; said Branch Manager Joe Wise.<br /><br />Bi-State Utilities is another company that could benefit if more sewer and water work flows from the stimulus legislation. Bi-State Utilities recent added equipment for &ldquo;pipe bursting,&rdquo; a method for replacing or enlarging underground pipes where open trench methods are practical. The company recently used pipe bursting to enlarge sewers for MSD in a neighborhood near Lambert Airport, replacing an 8-inch diameter pipe with a 12-inch diameter. The pipe bursting equipment acts by pulling larger pipe through the smaller pipe, forcing the smaller pipe to split apart and pushing it aside into the soil. The machine that pulls the pipe can exert a force of 125,000 psi, said Bi-State Utilities&rsquo; President Mike Jerome.<br /><br />Among St. Louis area Congressmen, Reps. Lacy Clay and Russ Carnahan voted for the House&rsquo;s stimulus bill. Rep. Todd Akin voted against it. Missouri&rsquo;s Senators also split on the bill.<br /><br />Steve Taylor, a spokesman for Akin, said that Akin strongly supports allocating money for rebuilding infrastructure, but felt that the overall bill was weighted down with so many unrelated items and so much pork that it could cause the national debt to balloon to levels that &ldquo;could crash our economy permanently.&rdquo;<br /><br />Regardless of how much money Congress ultimately approves for construction, many people believe that quick deadlines for spending will almost require agencies to turn to the design-build project delivery method to get things done. According to the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), the stimulus legislation will &ldquo;present the design and construction community with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shape the future of our nation, particularly in the water and transportation arenas.&rdquo; DBIA will present a Design-Build for Water/Wastewater Conference this March in Denver and include a panel on how the stimulus legislation affects the industry. It will present similar information at its Design-Build in Transportation Conference this April in Baltimore</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:37:\"/images/uploads/economic-stimulus.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"16\";}'),(1223,449,4,2,1235124289,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-19 10:51 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"5\";i:1;s:2:\"41\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:35:\"28 GCs, 1,100 Attendees at ASA Expo\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:33:\"28_gcs_1100_attendees_at_asa_expo\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:35:\"28 GCs, 1,100 Attendees at ASA Expo\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:346:\"The American Subcontractors Association-Midwest Council hosted the 7th Annual Meet the GCs Expo on January 28, 2009 at the Kemp Auto Museum from 3:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Twenty-eight general contractors participated with booths.  A record number of subcontractors, suppliers and vendors attended the event, with nearly 1,100 people participating. \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:36:\"ASA, general contractors, Kemp, Expo\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1356:\"<p>The American Subcontractors Association-Midwest Council hosted the 7th Annual Meet the GCs Expo on January 28, 2009 at the Kemp Auto Museum from 3:30 p.m. &ndash; 8:00 p.m. Twenty-eight general contractors participated with booths.&nbsp; <img alt=\\\"Brinkmann Clayco\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"168\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/brinkmann-clayco.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"250\\\" />A record\nnumber of subcontractors, suppliers and vendors attended the event,\nwith nearly 1,100 people participating.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"ASA Expo\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"157\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/asa-expo.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"300\\\" />\\\"We believe that the attendees benefitted from this networking in a very tough economic climate,\\\" Michael Fogarty Jr., ASA council president, said.<br /><br />The Expo is an event for subcontractors, vendors and supplies to meet general contractors.&nbsp; It is set up like a trade show where guests can mingle with general contactors they currently do business with or get reacquainted if they have worked together in the past.&nbsp; One of the prime benefits is the opportunity for ASA members and general contractors to meet each other and discuss the potential for business relationships.&nbsp; Networking with other subcontractors is also a strong purpose for attendance.&nbsp; <br /><br /></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"5\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"41\";}'),(1224,450,5,2,1235124561,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"5\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-19 11:05 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"10\";i:1;s:2:\"41\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:53:\"Sub-subcontractor Gets Day in Court, Not Arbitration \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:51:\"sub_subcontractor_gets_day_in_court_not_arbitration\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_20\";s:52:\"Sub-subcontractor Gets Day in Court, Not Arbitration\";s:11:\"field_ft_20\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_25\";s:1:\"6\";s:11:\"field_id_45\";s:399:\"The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that a sub-subcontractor will be able to proceed in court rather than arbitration on its claim for unpaid money for renovation work at a federal building in St. Louis.  The sub-subcontractor, Lighting and Power Services, Inc (LPS), had a contract through general contractor Interface Construction Corp. (Interface) to renovate portions of this building. \";s:11:\"field_ft_45\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_22\";s:50:\"Keller, subcontractor, Interface, LPS, arbitration\";s:11:\"field_ft_22\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_23\";s:5064:\"<p>The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that a sub-subcontractor will be able to proceed in court rather than arbitration on its claim for unpaid money for renovation work at a federal building in St. Louis.&nbsp; The sub-subcontractor, Lighting and Power Services, Inc (LPS), had a contract through general contractor Interface Construction Corp. (Interface) to renovate portions of this building.&nbsp; <br /><br />The case is <em>United States of America v. Interface Construction Corp.,</em> 2009 WL 196362 (C.A.8 (Mo.)), decided January 29.&nbsp; The general contractor, Interface Construction Corporation (Interface), moved in the district court to compel arbitration based on the contract that its subcontractor, Henderson Electrical Systems, LLC (Henderson) had with LPS. Under this contract, Henderson gave LPS written notice to proceed with providing labor for electrical work on the project.&nbsp; Henderson&rsquo;s proposal to Interface for this work was for $237,760 and stated that this proposal was to be made an attachment to its sub-contract with LPS.&nbsp; <br /><br />Interface entered into its prime contract with the United States and Western Surety issued a payment bond required by the Miller Act in favor of all subcontractors having a direct relationship with Interface or its subcontractors, which included LPS. The Miller Act is a federal statute that requires a contractor that works on a federal building or property to post a bond to ensure payment to its subcontractors.&nbsp; This is to allow subcontractors to recover against the bond if the contractor does not pay them. That is what happened here.&nbsp; <br /><br />The Miller Act is designed to replace a lawsuit to enforce a mechanic&rsquo;s lien.&nbsp; Contractors and subcontractors cannot file a mechanic&rsquo;s lien on federal property because of a public policy against allowing them to foreclose upon and possibly own federal property.&nbsp; Instead, they can recover against this bond that the Miller Act requires the general contractor to obtain.&nbsp; <br /><br />LPS sued the bond company, Western Surety, and Interface under the Miller Act after requesting but not receiving payment for $98,516. LPS also stopped work on the project. Interface argued that LPS could not sue, but must arbitrate is Miller Act claim instead.<br /><br />Interface and Henderson had signed a standard agreement subcontract form, AIA Document A401-1997.&nbsp; As far as the Eighth Circuit could tell, the subcontract did not refer to LPS and LPS&rsquo;s proposal to Henderson was not attached to the subcontract. Nor was there any written agreement to arbitrate between LPS and Henderson.<br /><br />The subcontract between Interface and Henderson, however, did contain a requirement for binding arbitration with the American Arbitration Association.&nbsp; LPS argued that it never agreed to arbitrate its Miller Act claim.&nbsp; Interface argued that LPS was required to arbitrate given the statement that its proposal to Henderson was to be made an attachment to Henderson&rsquo;s subcontract with Interface and was to incorporate by reference the terms of Henderson&rsquo;s subcontract with Interface.&nbsp; One of those terms was binding arbitration.<br /><br />Ironically, the party that referenced an arbitration provision in its proposal&mdash;sub-subcontractor LPS&mdash;contended that its proposal was not binding agreement to arbitrate.&nbsp; The general contractor, who was not directly a party to the sub-subcontract, argued that it was. <br /><br />The court concluded that Interface could not succeed on its claim that LPS had incorporated binding arbitration into its contract.&nbsp; First, the incorporation could not legally exist as the contract to which this incorporation was to attach&mdash;the contract requiring a payment bond&mdash;did not yet exist at that the time the proposal was made.&nbsp; <br /><br />The Eighth Circuit reaffirmed that a court&mdash;not an arbitrator&mdash;decides whether the parties have agreed to arbitration.&nbsp; Since LPS sued only under the Miller Act, and did not assert an additional claim for breach of contract, LPS was not seeking any direct relief under its sub-subcontract.&nbsp; Thus, any reference in its contract or proposal to arbitration was not applicable or determinative of its Miller Act claim.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />The Eighth Circuit also rejected Interface&rsquo;s equitable estoppel argument.&nbsp; Interface argued that it would be inequitable to allow LPS to pursue a breach of contract claim without enforcing the arbitration provision in that same contract. The court held that the only claim LPS was pursuing was a claim under the Miller Act&mdash;a federal statute&mdash;and this claim was independent of any breach of contract claim.&nbsp; Thus, this claim was not bound by any contract requirement for arbitration, even if one otherwise existed.&nbsp; Further, a Miller Act claim could proceed against the bonding company without regard to Interface&rsquo;s fault.&nbsp; <br /><br /><br /></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"10\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"41\";}'),(1225,451,4,2,1235125110,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-19 11:11 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"41\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:45:\"Missouri Growth Associations Announces Awards\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:45:\"missouri_growth_associations_announces_awards\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:45:\"Missouri Growth Associations Announces Awards\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:286:\"The Missouri Growth Association (MGA) has announced the winners of its annual awards, to be presented at a Feb. 26 luncheon.  The 2009 Community Betterment Awards will be presented to Forest Park Forever and Denny Coleman.  The Eads Award honorees are Lewis Levey and Donald Klingler.  \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:36:\"Missouri Growth Association, awards \";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:5122:\"<p>The Missouri Growth Association (MGA) has announced the winners of its annual awards, to be presented at a Feb. 26 luncheon.&nbsp; The 2009 Community Betterment Awards will be presented to Forest Park Forever and Denny Coleman.&nbsp; The Eads Award honorees are Lewis Levey and Donald Klingler.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;<br />MGA\\\'s Community Betterment Awards annually honor an individual and an organization for significant contributions made to benefit Missouri\\\'s economy, region and commercial real estate industry.&nbsp; Winners are selected by industry peers. <br />&nbsp;<br />The Eads Awards were founded in 2004 to recognize innovators and pioneering leaders who defined and established industry standards, including new business methods that transformed the commercial real estate industry.<br />&nbsp;<strong><br />Forest Park Forever - Community Betterment Award Winner</strong><br />Dee Joyner, Board Chair Elect, will accept the honor for Forest Park Forever at the event. Forest Park Forever was founded by the City of St. Louis and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry not only to preserve the park grounds but also to enhance its value as one of the country\\\'s premier urban parks.<br />&nbsp;<br />In 2003, the Master Plan improvements totaling $94 million concluded with much success and catapulted&nbsp; St. Louis as the national model for urban park renewal through a Public-Private Partnership. Forest Park Forever recently adopted a 2009 Strategic Plan for the continued sustainability of the beloved park that brings such pride and joy to the citizens of St. Louis. Learn more at <a href=\\\"http://www.forestparkforever.org \\\">www.forestparkforever.org&nbsp;</a> . <br /><strong>&nbsp;<br />Denny Coleman - Community Betterment Award Winner</strong><br />For 25 years, Denny Coleman has shaped positive economic development throughout St. Louis County.&nbsp; President and CEO of the St. Louis County Economic Council for 18 years, Coleman\\\'s reaching influence has extended to a number of major regional projects, including NorthPark, Express Scripts, Pfizer, the Edward Jones Dome expansion and Union 70.&nbsp; Further, Coleman also serves as Treasuer and member of the Governance Committee for International Economic Development Council.<br />&nbsp;<br />Coleman serves on a number of Boards, including the Urban Land Institute,&nbsp; St. Louis Sports Commission and Bridges Foundation. Also, he was vice president of Community Development of Mercantile Bank (now U.S. Bank) when the division received the National Fair Housing Award and Private Sector Initiatives Award from the White House.<br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>Lewis Levey - Eads Award Winner</strong><br />As Chairman of Enhanced Value Strategies since 1998, Lewis Levey provides strategic real estate consulting and advisory services to both private and institutional owners.&nbsp; He was among the first to recognize the importance of the bio-tech/life sciences industry to the St. Louis Community and serves as a Board member and President of Real Estate for CORTEX, a 2007 Community Betterment Award Winner. <br />&nbsp;<br />Levey was a founder and Managing Partner/Director of Paragon Group, Inc. that, until it merged with Camden Property Trust (CPT, NYSE) in 1997, was a fully integrated, self-managed Real Estate Investment Trust operating a near-billion-dollar real estate investment portfolio located in 18 different states. Although Paragon Group&rsquo;s activities reached from coast to coast, local developments included Gateway One on the Mall, Magna Place and Westgate Village. <br />&nbsp;<br />Levey also previously served on a number of prestigious Boards such as the Urban Land Institute, Grand Center, the St. Louis Sports Commission and Washington University Olin School of Business. <br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>Donald Klingler - Eads Award Winner</strong><br />Posthumously honored, Donald Klingler left his legacy on St. Louis as one of the country\\\'s first pioneers of \\\"mixed-use development.\\\" Klingler spent 25 years with White Company where he was integral to the 1970 development of West Port Plaza. He continued through the 1970s and 1980s as a leader of commercial real estate in the region. During his life, Klingler remained an active and passionate community member supporting St. Louis Children\\\'s Hospital, the Saint Louis Art Museum, and his alma mater, Normandy High School.<br />&nbsp;<br />Klingler\\\'s family will accept the 2009 Eads Award. Klingler\\\'s wife Katie, sons Donald and Jim, and daughter Kathy will be among the recipients.<br />&nbsp;<br />MGA is a statewide trade alliance advancing public policy for the commercial real estate industry. Comprised of commercial property owners, managers and developers, MGA is increasingly more proactive in shaping industry-specific state and local public policy.&nbsp; Formed in 1985, MGA&rsquo;s mission vows to support or oppose initiatives at the state and municipal levels that affect the commercial real estate industry and to ensure greater equity between commercial and residential interests at the legislative level.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"41\";}'),(1226,448,2,2,1235125854,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"448\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-19 10:41 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"41\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:42:\"Equipment Dealers Share Contractors\\\' Pain\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:40:\"equipment_dealers_share_contractors_pain\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:42:\"Equipment Dealers Share Contractors\\\' Pain\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:562:\"The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, a global trade body comprising manufacturers of heavy equipment, paints a bleak picture of the U.S. and global heavy equipment markets. The overall economic slowdown, coupled with falling prices in the housing market and the collapse of major financial institutions, has affected sales of new construction equipment across all product categories. Local equipment dealers are doing what they can to help contractors survive these tough times. They see themselves as partners with their customers instead of competitors.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:31:\"equipment, dealers, contractors\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:8704:\"<p>The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, a global trade body comprising manufacturers of heavy equipment, paints a bleak picture of the U.S. and global heavy equipment markets. The overall economic slowdown, coupled with falling prices in the housing market and the collapse of major financial institutions, has affected sales of new construction equipment across all product categories. Local equipment dealers are doing what they can to help contractors survive these tough times. They see themselves as partners with their customers instead of competitors.</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Eqiupment\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/equipment.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" /><br /><br />&ldquo;We&rsquo;re trying to think out of the box,&rdquo; said Scott Clark, sales manager for Erb Equipment. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve designated someone in house at each location to make personal phone calls to our customers. We&rsquo;ve gotten a little liberal on payment terms and we&rsquo;ll work on lowering someone&rsquo;s interest rate.&rdquo;<br /><br />Contractors are not just scaling back equipment purchases, however, some are putting equipment back on the market. Anyone with a fleet of equipment and little work has a bunch of assets that aren&rsquo;t making any money. If a contractor is still making payments on that equipment, he&rsquo;ll have a negative cash flow and he will feel pressure to sell the equipment to remedy that cash flow problem. Clark said the result of that pressure is notable at equipment auctions, which had a 15 percent increase in volume in 2008, mostly from people who needed to unload their equipment.<br /><br />&ldquo;If a contractor wants out (of a contract to buy a piece of equipment), we&rsquo;ll work with him on a case-by-case scenario,&rdquo; Clark said. &ldquo;We can advertise to sell it on our web site, or if we see a market for that piece of equipment, we will go ahead and buy it from him. Sometimes, when we talk to a contractor, we can show him that it makes more sense to sell an older piece of equipment or trade out for something less expensive than what he has, which reduces his payments but allows him to stay in a piece of equipment. <br /><br />&ldquo;We try to tailor our recommendation to a contractor&rsquo;s own circumstances,&rdquo; Clark said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve done quite a few trades and consignments.&rdquo;<br /><br />William Mitchell, general manager of Roland Machinery, said his company also was seeing some customers want to get out of the new equipment they had recently purchased. &ldquo;We help them to try and sell it, but the big problem right now is finding a buyer,&rdquo; he said. What they have to watch out for is selling their equipment for less than its value, he said.<br /><br />More commonly, Mitchell said, he is seeing customers put off decisions to buy equipment while they wait to see if Congress approves a stimulus bill that gets projects going. In the meantime, they&rsquo;ll rent what they need.<br /><br />Ray Jost, branch manager for Kirby-Smith Machinery Inc., said he has seen some contractors cut their capital budgets, but he added that many others are waiting. &ldquo;The U.S. has always recovered from recession, it is just a question of how quickly it will recover this time. Some contractors are delaying making decisions on their capital budgets until they see if something is going to happen with the stimulus package,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Kirby-Smith Machinery Inc. is a full-service equipment dealer that rents, sells, and repairs construction equipment. Business has slowed overall, but it was a needed respite for crane builders, Jost said. &ldquo;Crane manufacturers had such a backlog of orders that they are now just getting caught up,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Jeff Budrovich, president of Budrovich Inc., agreed. &ldquo;A year ago it was hard to get crane equipment. We still have some cranes back ordered,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Rentals are holding strong as some companies turn to long-term rentals as an alternative to buying, Mitchell said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re seeing people lease at long-term rates, such as six months, because the rates are lower than for a 30-day rental,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />When everything in the economy seemed to be growing, many contractors wanted to own whatever equipment they used because equipment was the only serious physical asset in their business. Acquiring equipment bumped up their borrowing and bonding capacity, so it not only added to their physical ability to take on jobs, it added to their financial ability to take on work, too. <br /><br />Nowadays, smart contractors are evaluating their equipment in terms of what they historically used in order to determine what equipment and how big a fleet they absolutely need and how renting can help them through peaks and special needs &ndash; a strategy made possible by the great availability and quality of rental equipment.<br /><br />Although such strategies maybe buoying the rental market, Dan Martino, St. Louis branch manager for Midwest Aerials, said, &ldquo;I always think it is better to rent than to buy because there is so much you have to do to maintain equipment according to ANSI guidelines and the inspections and recordkeeping.&rdquo;<br /><br />Budrovich&rsquo;s rental business is holding steady on the strength of heavy industrial work in the area. They have cranes at Holcim&rsquo;s new cement plant in Ste. Genevieve, MO and at several energy projects, including ConocoPhillips in Wood River, IL and Peabody&rsquo;s Prairie State Energy Campus in Washington County, IL. Budrovich said his company snags a lot of big industrial work because they can provide bigger cranes than their competitors, all with highly skilled operators.<br /><br />&ldquo;Last year was a record year for us and we&rsquo;re looking to build on it for &rsquo;09,&rdquo; Budrovich said. &ldquo;Our fiscal year starts in September and our revenue in our first quarter was up 20 percent from last year,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />While the rental business remains strong, Martino said he has seen a surge in service work, too. &ldquo;We have a company called MAE Parts and Services that maintains customer-owned equipment and we have seen a big increase in customers&rsquo; wanting to make their equipment last longer, so much so that we don&rsquo;t have a one-day turnaround anymore. <br /><br />&ldquo;People aren&rsquo;t ready to toss a piece out and make it garbage over a few parts anymore,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Contractors have to be careful, however, that they don&rsquo;t hold onto old, obsolete equipment simply because it is paid off. There comes a point where the maintenance can become more expensive than the equipment is worth. In today&rsquo;s market one can get a great deal on a modern piece of equipment of similar size to an old piece, but which will be more efficient and will put a contractor in a better position to bid on a job with emissions criteria. Air pollution regulations here are not as strict as in California, but changes are coming.<br /><br />&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve already seen some bid documents that require that the contractor&rsquo;s equipment must be compliant with Tier III engines, mostly for indoor jobs,&rdquo; Clark said. As tighter regulations and &ldquo;green&rdquo; construction practices spread, &ldquo;we will see more of that,&rdquo; he said. Indeed, contractors on Illinois projects could labor under California-like emissions rules in as little as four years from now.<br /><br />Stricter national rules for new truck and equipment engines &ndash; called Tier IV rules &ndash; are due to take effect in 2011. &ldquo;Deere is requiring us to learn Tier IV engines now,&rdquo; Clark said. &ldquo;Deere is ahead of the game and we&rsquo;ll probably see certain models with Tier IV engines in a year. It will be a slow phase in, but Deere requires that all of a dealer&rsquo;s sales, service, and parts people pass tests, and the dealer stock parts and tools, before it can sell Deere&rsquo;s Tier IV equipment,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />The big question for many companies is: what will happen as current big jobs end if the recession continues into 2010 or 2011?<br /><br />&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve heard so much talk about infrastructure work, if they spend money on roads and bridges, that will help us,&rdquo; said Budrovich. &ldquo;But the biggest thing that would help our industry is getting home sales back on their feet. We have a lot of new competitors from people who used to do residential work. If we could re-inflate the housing market to keep them busy, it would help all of us,&rdquo; he said.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:29:\"/images/uploads/equipment.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"41\";}'),(1227,451,4,2,1235125905,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"451\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-19 11:11 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"41\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:44:\"Missouri Growth Association Announces Awards\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:44:\"missouri_growth_association_announces_awards\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:44:\"Missouri Growth Association Announces Awards\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:286:\"The Missouri Growth Association (MGA) has announced the winners of its annual awards, to be presented at a Feb. 26 luncheon.  The 2009 Community Betterment Awards will be presented to Forest Park Forever and Denny Coleman.  The Eads Award honorees are Lewis Levey and Donald Klingler.  \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:36:\"Missouri Growth Association, awards \";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:5122:\"<p>The Missouri Growth Association (MGA) has announced the winners of its annual awards, to be presented at a Feb. 26 luncheon.&nbsp; The 2009 Community Betterment Awards will be presented to Forest Park Forever and Denny Coleman.&nbsp; The Eads Award honorees are Lewis Levey and Donald Klingler.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;<br />MGA\\\'s Community Betterment Awards annually honor an individual and an organization for significant contributions made to benefit Missouri\\\'s economy, region and commercial real estate industry.&nbsp; Winners are selected by industry peers. <br />&nbsp;<br />The Eads Awards were founded in 2004 to recognize innovators and pioneering leaders who defined and established industry standards, including new business methods that transformed the commercial real estate industry.<br />&nbsp;<strong><br />Forest Park Forever - Community Betterment Award Winner</strong><br />Dee Joyner, Board Chair Elect, will accept the honor for Forest Park Forever at the event. Forest Park Forever was founded by the City of St. Louis and the Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry not only to preserve the park grounds but also to enhance its value as one of the country\\\'s premier urban parks.<br />&nbsp;<br />In 2003, the Master Plan improvements totaling $94 million concluded with much success and catapulted&nbsp; St. Louis as the national model for urban park renewal through a Public-Private Partnership. Forest Park Forever recently adopted a 2009 Strategic Plan for the continued sustainability of the beloved park that brings such pride and joy to the citizens of St. Louis. Learn more at <a href=\\\"http://www.forestparkforever.org \\\">www.forestparkforever.org&nbsp;</a> . <br /><strong>&nbsp;<br />Denny Coleman - Community Betterment Award Winner</strong><br />For 25 years, Denny Coleman has shaped positive economic development throughout St. Louis County.&nbsp; President and CEO of the St. Louis County Economic Council for 18 years, Coleman\\\'s reaching influence has extended to a number of major regional projects, including NorthPark, Express Scripts, Pfizer, the Edward Jones Dome expansion and Union 70.&nbsp; Further, Coleman also serves as Treasuer and member of the Governance Committee for International Economic Development Council.<br />&nbsp;<br />Coleman serves on a number of Boards, including the Urban Land Institute,&nbsp; St. Louis Sports Commission and Bridges Foundation. Also, he was vice president of Community Development of Mercantile Bank (now U.S. Bank) when the division received the National Fair Housing Award and Private Sector Initiatives Award from the White House.<br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>Lewis Levey - Eads Award Winner</strong><br />As Chairman of Enhanced Value Strategies since 1998, Lewis Levey provides strategic real estate consulting and advisory services to both private and institutional owners.&nbsp; He was among the first to recognize the importance of the bio-tech/life sciences industry to the St. Louis Community and serves as a Board member and President of Real Estate for CORTEX, a 2007 Community Betterment Award Winner. <br />&nbsp;<br />Levey was a founder and Managing Partner/Director of Paragon Group, Inc. that, until it merged with Camden Property Trust (CPT, NYSE) in 1997, was a fully integrated, self-managed Real Estate Investment Trust operating a near-billion-dollar real estate investment portfolio located in 18 different states. Although Paragon Group&rsquo;s activities reached from coast to coast, local developments included Gateway One on the Mall, Magna Place and Westgate Village. <br />&nbsp;<br />Levey also previously served on a number of prestigious Boards such as the Urban Land Institute, Grand Center, the St. Louis Sports Commission and Washington University Olin School of Business. <br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>Donald Klingler - Eads Award Winner</strong><br />Posthumously honored, Donald Klingler left his legacy on St. Louis as one of the country\\\'s first pioneers of \\\"mixed-use development.\\\" Klingler spent 25 years with White Company where he was integral to the 1970 development of West Port Plaza. He continued through the 1970s and 1980s as a leader of commercial real estate in the region. During his life, Klingler remained an active and passionate community member supporting St. Louis Children\\\'s Hospital, the Saint Louis Art Museum, and his alma mater, Normandy High School.<br />&nbsp;<br />Klingler\\\'s family will accept the 2009 Eads Award. Klingler\\\'s wife Katie, sons Donald and Jim, and daughter Kathy will be among the recipients.<br />&nbsp;<br />MGA is a statewide trade alliance advancing public policy for the commercial real estate industry. Comprised of commercial property owners, managers and developers, MGA is increasingly more proactive in shaping industry-specific state and local public policy.&nbsp; Formed in 1985, MGA&rsquo;s mission vows to support or oppose initiatives at the state and municipal levels that affect the commercial real estate industry and to ensure greater equity between commercial and residential interests at the legislative level.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"41\";}'),(1228,449,4,2,1235125978,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"449\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-19 10:51 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"5\";i:1;s:2:\"41\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:35:\"28 GCs, 1,100 Attendees at ASA Expo\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:33:\"28_gcs_1100_attendees_at_asa_expo\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:35:\"28 GCs, 1,100 Attendees at ASA Expo\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:346:\"The American Subcontractors Association-Midwest Council hosted the 7th Annual Meet the GCs Expo on January 28, 2009 at the Kemp Auto Museum from 3:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Twenty-eight general contractors participated with booths.  A record number of subcontractors, suppliers and vendors attended the event, with nearly 1,100 people participating. \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:36:\"ASA, general contractors, Kemp, Expo\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1429:\"<p>The American Subcontractors Association-Midwest Council hosted the 7th Annual Meet the GCs Expo on January 28, 2009 at the Kemp Auto Museum from 3:30 p.m. &ndash; 8:00 p.m. Twenty-eight general contractors participated with booths.&nbsp; <img alt=\\\"Brinkmann Clayco\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"168\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/brinkmann-clayco.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"250\\\" />A record\nnumber of subcontractors, suppliers and vendors attended the event,\nwith nearly 1,100 people participating.&nbsp;</p>\n<h4>The ASA GC Expo was held at the kemp auto museum.<br /></h4>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"ASA Expo\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"157\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/asa-expo.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"300\\\" />\\\"We believe that the attendees benefitted from this networking in a very tough economic climate,\\\" Michael Fogarty Jr., ASA council president, said.<br /><br />The Expo is an event for subcontractors, vendors and supplies to meet general contractors.&nbsp; It is set up like a trade show where guests can mingle with general contactors they currently do business with or get reacquainted if they have worked together in the past.&nbsp; One of the prime benefits is the opportunity for ASA members and general contractors to meet each other and discuss the potential for business relationships.&nbsp; Networking with other subcontractors is also a strong purpose for attendance.&nbsp; <br /></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"5\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"41\";}'),(1229,445,4,2,1235126050,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"445\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-19 09:55 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"6\";i:1;s:2:\"41\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:43:\"Frost Electric Celebrates 100th Anniversary\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:43:\"frost_electric_celebrates_100th_anniversary\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:43:\"Frost Electric Celebrates 100th Anniversary\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:179:\"Frost, a local leader in the electrical supply industry celebrated their 100th anniversary with a ribbon cutting and plaque presentation on Feb. 12, inside their new sales center.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:32:\"Frost, Dooley, 100th Anniversary\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:5105:\"<p><a href=\\\"http://www.frostelectric.com\\\">Frost</a>, a local leader in the electrical supply industry celebrated their 100th anniversary with a ribbon cutting and plaque presentation on Feb. 12, inside their new sales center.</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Dooley and Frost\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"257\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/Dooley-and-Frost.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"250\\\" />The event kicked off at 11a.m. with Jeff Frost, executive vice president, speaking about Frost&rsquo;s history and their dedicated service to the St. Louis and metropolitan communities. In recognition of this historic milestone Saint Louis County Executive, Charlie Dooley and Maryland Heights President pro-tem, Dan Johnson congratulated Frost with a proclamation and plaques. The ceremony concluded with Jeff Frost and the Maryland Heights Chamber of Commerce honoring the grand opening of the new Sales Center with a ribbon cutting.</p>\n<div class=\\\"Normal\\\" id=\\\"dnn_ctr551_HtmlModule_HtmlModule_lblContent\\\">\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<h4>County Executive Charlie Dooley and Jeff Frost</h4>\n<p>During 100th anniversary year,&nbsp; the company marked three generations of the Frost family in the business by building the new sales center and undertaking a rebranding which moved the company from \\\"Frost Electric\\\"&nbsp;&mdash; its name for a century &mdash; to a new brand identity as \\\"Frost\\\".</p>\n<p>&ldquo;Our new branding captures our electrical heritage, but also\nreflects Frost&rsquo;s additional areas of expertise beyond what has\nhistorically been found at an electrical distributor,&rdquo; said Jeff Frost. &ldquo;We are moving forward with the\n&lsquo;Frost&rsquo; name, only, since we offer our customers so much more than just\nelectrical supplies.&rdquo;</p>\n<p>Frost has spent the last year researching the industry and evaluating opportunities for future growth.</p>\n<p>&ldquo;It became evident there was an opportunity to become an industry\nleader by evolving the traditional distributor business model to one\nmuch more consultative and service-oriented,&rdquo; said Frost President John\nFrost.</p>\n<p>The new Frost Sales Center, located at the company&rsquo;s Maryland\nHeights headquarters, opened for business on Dec. 1, 2008 and boasts an\nenvironment more typically found at a retail store vs. the traditional\nbranch counter.</p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have completely changed the standard of what a branch location\noffers and how products are presented to the customers,&rdquo; said Lori\nMillner, Frost&rsquo;s head of marketing. &ldquo;Our new Sales Center allows\ncustomers to physically see, touch and try our products in action, plus\nbe able to consult with an expert on the premises about any questions\nthat they may have about those products. This unique approach sets a\nnew benchmark for both Frost and the industry.&rdquo;</p>\n<p>Another unique aspect of the Sales Center is its new &ldquo;T.E.C.&rdquo; Center\nthat is a separate part of the Sales Center wholly dedicated to\n&ldquo;training, educating and consulting&rdquo; with customers.</p>\n<p>&ldquo;We wanted to provide our customers with an area where they could\nreap the full benefits of our in-house experts in areas not usually\nfound at a branch location,&rdquo; said Jeff Frost. &ldquo;This includes the\naddition of a certified lighting consultant, safety, firestop &amp;\nsystems engineers, as well as a Sales Center manager wholly dedicated\nto serving everyone who walks in the door.&rdquo;</p>\n<p>The Frost T.E.C. Center features a state-of-the-art, energy-savings\nlighting plan, industrial and automation controls, voice and data\ndemonstrations, as well as provide a unique environment for customer\ntraining events.</p>\n<p>&ldquo;In the lighting portion of the T.E.C. Center, we can explain and\ndemonstrate the visible differences in how light sources render color,&rdquo;\nsaid Frost&rsquo;s Certified Lighting Consultant &amp; Account Manager\nClaudia Gabay-Jones. &ldquo;We can also demonstrate the visual effects\nproduced by the latest energy efficient lighting products in their\napplications, plus showcase various energy efficient lamp technology\nincluding T8, T5, Ceramic Metal Halide and LED lamps. We also have the\nlatest in emergency and exit sign technology on display, in addition to\nthe newest lighting control systems and occupancy and daylight sensors.&rdquo;</p>\n<p>Additionally, Frost has dedicated itself to providing customers with\nthe latest in environmentally friendly products and solutions through\nthe launch of its &ldquo;Green Choice&rdquo; program. Customers will be able to\neasily identify &ldquo;green&rdquo; products displayed at various locations\nthroughout the Sales Center.</p>\n<p>&ldquo;We want to make it easy for customers to find the green products\nthat they are looking for, while establishing ourselves as leaders in\nproviding energy efficient solutions,&rdquo; said Jeff Frost.</p>\n<p>Within the next year, Frost plans to apply much of its new Sales\nCenter model to its branch locations in St. Louis City; O&rsquo;Fallon and\nColumbia, MO; and Collinsville and Lebanon, IL.</p>\n</div>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"6\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"41\";}'),(1230,445,4,2,1235126083,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"445\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-19 09:55 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"6\";i:1;s:2:\"41\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:43:\"Frost Electric Celebrates 100th Anniversary\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:43:\"frost_electric_celebrates_100th_anniversary\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:43:\"Frost Electric Celebrates 100th Anniversary\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:179:\"Frost, a local leader in the electrical supply industry celebrated their 100th anniversary with a ribbon cutting and plaque presentation on Feb. 12, inside their new sales center.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:32:\"Frost, Dooley, 100th Anniversary\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:5121:\"<p><a href=\\\"http://www.frostelectric.com\\\">Frost</a>, a local leader in the electrical supply industry celebrated their 100th anniversary with a ribbon cutting and plaque presentation on Feb. 12, inside their new sales center.</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Dooley and Frost\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"257\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/Dooley-and-Frost.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"250\\\" />The event kicked off at 11a.m. with Jeff Frost, executive vice president, speaking about Frost&rsquo;s history and their dedicated service to the St. Louis and metropolitan communities. In recognition of this historic milestone Saint Louis County Executive, Charlie Dooley and Maryland Heights President pro-tem, Dan Johnson congratulated Frost with a proclamation and plaques. The ceremony concluded with Jeff Frost and the Maryland Heights Chamber of Commerce honoring the grand opening of the new Sales Center with a ribbon cutting.</p>\n<div class=\\\"Normal\\\" id=\\\"dnn_ctr551_HtmlModule_HtmlModule_lblContent\\\">\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<h4><br /></h4>\n<h4>County Executive Charlie Dooley and Jeff Frost</h4>\n<p>During 100th anniversary year,&nbsp; the company marked three generations of the Frost family in the business by building the new sales center and undertaking a rebranding which moved the company from \\\"Frost Electric\\\"&nbsp;&mdash; its name for a century &mdash; to a new brand identity as \\\"Frost\\\".</p>\n<p>&ldquo;Our new branding captures our electrical heritage, but also\nreflects Frost&rsquo;s additional areas of expertise beyond what has\nhistorically been found at an electrical distributor,&rdquo; said Jeff Frost. &ldquo;We are moving forward with the\n&lsquo;Frost&rsquo; name, only, since we offer our customers so much more than just\nelectrical supplies.&rdquo;</p>\n<p>Frost has spent the last year researching the industry and evaluating opportunities for future growth.</p>\n<p>&ldquo;It became evident there was an opportunity to become an industry\nleader by evolving the traditional distributor business model to one\nmuch more consultative and service-oriented,&rdquo; said Frost President John\nFrost.</p>\n<p>The new Frost Sales Center, located at the company&rsquo;s Maryland\nHeights headquarters, opened for business on Dec. 1, 2008 and boasts an\nenvironment more typically found at a retail store vs. the traditional\nbranch counter.</p>\n<p>&ldquo;We have completely changed the standard of what a branch location\noffers and how products are presented to the customers,&rdquo; said Lori\nMillner, Frost&rsquo;s head of marketing. &ldquo;Our new Sales Center allows\ncustomers to physically see, touch and try our products in action, plus\nbe able to consult with an expert on the premises about any questions\nthat they may have about those products. This unique approach sets a\nnew benchmark for both Frost and the industry.&rdquo;</p>\n<p>Another unique aspect of the Sales Center is its new &ldquo;T.E.C.&rdquo; Center\nthat is a separate part of the Sales Center wholly dedicated to\n&ldquo;training, educating and consulting&rdquo; with customers.</p>\n<p>&ldquo;We wanted to provide our customers with an area where they could\nreap the full benefits of our in-house experts in areas not usually\nfound at a branch location,&rdquo; said Jeff Frost. &ldquo;This includes the\naddition of a certified lighting consultant, safety, firestop &amp;\nsystems engineers, as well as a Sales Center manager wholly dedicated\nto serving everyone who walks in the door.&rdquo;</p>\n<p>The Frost T.E.C. Center features a state-of-the-art, energy-savings\nlighting plan, industrial and automation controls, voice and data\ndemonstrations, as well as provide a unique environment for customer\ntraining events.</p>\n<p>&ldquo;In the lighting portion of the T.E.C. Center, we can explain and\ndemonstrate the visible differences in how light sources render color,&rdquo;\nsaid Frost&rsquo;s Certified Lighting Consultant &amp; Account Manager\nClaudia Gabay-Jones. &ldquo;We can also demonstrate the visual effects\nproduced by the latest energy efficient lighting products in their\napplications, plus showcase various energy efficient lamp technology\nincluding T8, T5, Ceramic Metal Halide and LED lamps. We also have the\nlatest in emergency and exit sign technology on display, in addition to\nthe newest lighting control systems and occupancy and daylight sensors.&rdquo;</p>\n<p>Additionally, Frost has dedicated itself to providing customers with\nthe latest in environmentally friendly products and solutions through\nthe launch of its &ldquo;Green Choice&rdquo; program. Customers will be able to\neasily identify &ldquo;green&rdquo; products displayed at various locations\nthroughout the Sales Center.</p>\n<p>&ldquo;We want to make it easy for customers to find the green products\nthat they are looking for, while establishing ourselves as leaders in\nproviding energy efficient solutions,&rdquo; said Jeff Frost.</p>\n<p>Within the next year, Frost plans to apply much of its new Sales\nCenter model to its branch locations in St. Louis City; O&rsquo;Fallon and\nColumbia, MO; and Collinsville and Lebanon, IL.</p>\n</div>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"6\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"41\";}'),(1231,443,4,2,1235126140,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"443\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-19 09:27 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"41\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:18:\"Sign of the Times?\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:17:\"sign_of_the_times\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:17:\"Sign of the Times\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:204:\"In a move reflecting new economic realities, here’s an announcement from a concrete precaster that they are now requiring payment of one-third the purchase price in advance on all custom precast orders.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:36:\"economic, concrete, precast, Contech\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:919:\"<p>In a move reflecting new economic realities, here&rsquo;s an announcement from a concrete precaster that they are now requiring payment of one-third the purchase price in advance on all custom precast orders.</p>\n<p>Effective Feb. 1, Westchester, OH-based Contech Construction Products Inc. requires a deposit on all custom products.&nbsp; The deposit is one-third down at the time of order. The remaining two-thirds is due 30 days from the date of invoice. &nbsp;<br /><br />&ldquo;This new deposit policy allows CONTECH to continue to provide the best service to our customers and to ensure that we can continue to meet and exceed their needs,&rdquo; said Steve Spanagel, president of Sales for CONTECH.&nbsp; &nbsp;<br /><br />The policy affects non standard products which include but are not limited to: bridge products, detention systems, large diameter pipe, slotted drain, stormwater units and ArmorFlex.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"41\";}'),(1232,444,4,2,1235155022,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"444\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-19 09:33 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"6\";i:1;s:2:\"41\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:49:\"Three Energy/Sustainability Firms Form Consortium\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:49:\"three_energy_sustainability_firms_form_consortium\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:49:\"Three Energy/Sustainability Firms Form Consortium\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:96:\"Three established players in the sustainablilty/energy efficiency field have formed a consortium\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:78:\"Salian, Architectural Design Guild, Energy Solutions, EDG, Energy Design Group\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2886:\"<p><a href=\\\"http://www.edg-stl.com\\\">Energy Design Group</a> (EDG) was recently formed in response to the growing demand for energy efficient buildings. The group is a consortium of firms made up of Architectural Design Guild, Energy Solutions, Inc. and Salian Commercial, LLC.</p>\n<p>Architectural Design Guild has LEED accredited professionals in the areas of architecture, mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering and interior design. Their role on the team is to provide a range of services from design to construction administration. By integrating engineering with architectural functions inhouse, there are fewer discrepancies and the work can be performed in less time and with less cost.</p>\n<p>Energy Solutions started doing energy work in the mid 1970&rsquo;s.&nbsp; The firm performs energy audits and analysis to make sure that clients achieve maximum energy savings and return on investment. They approach each project as a unique set of circumstances and take a comprehensive view of what energy conservation measures can be best employed to accomplish our client&rsquo;s goals.</p>\n<p>Salian provides construction management, LEED consulting, and cost estimating services. They work as part of the EDG team to implement the retrofit of existing facilities and build out new construction in an environmentally responsible manner.</p>\n<p>\\\"In the United States, 48% of energy and 76% of electricity is used by buildings. Energy Star estimates that at least 30% of that is wasted or not used efficiently,\\\" Karen Duree, LEED AP,&nbsp; sustainable construction manager for Salian, said.&nbsp; \\\"EDG will familiarize clients with the process of implementing energy conservation measures in existing and new facilities.</p>\n<p>\\\"Energy Design Group can work with building owners to accomplish this goal with zero impact to the existing budget,\\\" she stated. What EDG is offering is similar to an Energy Service Company (ESCO) in the services they provide. However, Duree explained, Energy Design Group is more appropriately called an ESCO-OP or Energy Service Cooperative.</p>\n<p>\\\"A main difference between EDG and an ESCO is that we don&rsquo;t limit our clients to just energy savings projects. With money saved from reduced energy use, and with \\\'net zero\\\' financing options, companies can invest in other infrastructure improvements. There are opportunities for governmental agencies and private facility owners to build and operate more sustainable or LEED certified buildings. Besides reducing your carbon footprint and saving energy costs, clients can create a healthier and more productive environment for their staff,\\\" Duree said.</p>\n<p>For additional information on EDG or their offerings, please contact Dan Sammartano, Salian Commercial, LLC,<br />telephone 314-524-5846, or email at <a href=\\\"mailto:dsammartano@salian.com\\\">dsammartano@salian.com</a>.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"6\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"41\";}'),(1233,444,4,2,1235155289,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"444\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-19 09:33 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"6\";i:1;s:2:\"41\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:49:\"Three Energy/Sustainability Firms Form Consortium\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:49:\"three_energy_sustainability_firms_form_consortium\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:49:\"Three Energy/Sustainability Firms Form Consortium\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:96:\"Three established players in the sustainablilty/energy efficiency field have formed a consortium\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:78:\"Salian, Architectural Design Guild, Energy Solutions, EDG, Energy Design Group\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2892:\"<p><a href=\\\"http://www.edg-stl.com\\\">Energy Design Group</a> (EDG) was recently formed in response to the growing demand for energy efficient buildings. The group is a consortium of firms made up of Architectural Design Guild, Energy Solutions, Inc. and Salian Commercial, LLC.</p>\n<p>Architectural Design Guild has LEED accredited professionals in the areas of architecture, mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering and interior design. Their role on the team is to provide a range of services from design to construction administration. By integrating engineering with architectural functions inhouse, there are fewer discrepancies and the work can be performed in less time and with less cost.</p>\n<p>Energy Solutions started doing energy work in the mid 1970&rsquo;s.&nbsp; The firm performs energy audits and analysis to make sure that clients achieve maximum energy savings and return on investment. They approach each project as a unique set of circumstances and take a comprehensive view of what energy conservation measures can be best employed to accomplish our client&rsquo;s goals.</p>\n<p>Salian provides construction management, LEED consulting, and cost estimating services. They work as part of the EDG team to implement the retrofit of existing facilities and build out new construction in an environmentally responsible manner.</p>\n<p>\\\"In the United States, 48% of energy and 76% of electricity is used by buildings. Energy Star estimates that at least 30% of that is wasted or not used efficiently,\\\" Karen Duree, LEED AP,&nbsp; sustainable construction manager for Salian, said.&nbsp; \\\"EDG will familiarize clients with the process of implementing energy conservation measures in existing and new facilities.</p>\n<p>\\\"Energy Design Group can work with building owners to accomplish this goal with zero impact to the existing budget,\\\" she stated. What EDG is offering is similar to an Energy Service Company (ESCO) in the services they provide. However, Duree explained, Energy Design Group is more appropriately called an ESCO-OP or Energy Service Cooperative.</p>\n<p>\\\"A main difference between EDG and an ESCO is that we don&rsquo;t limit our clients to just energy savings projects. With money saved from reduced energy use, and with \\\'net zero\\\' financing options, companies can invest in other infrastructure improvements. There are opportunities for governmental agencies and private facility owners to build and operate more sustainable or LEED certified buildings. Besides reducing your carbon footprint and saving energy costs, clients can create a healthier and more productive environment for their staff,\\\" Duree said.</p>\n<p>For additional information on EDG or their offerings, please contact Dan Sammartano, Salian Commercial, LLC, telephone 314-524-5846, ext. 2796. or email at <a href=\\\"mailto:dsammartano@salian.com\\\">dsammartano@salian.com</a>.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"6\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"41\";}'),(1292,471,5,2,1236210921,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"5\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-04 12:49 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"12\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:64:\"SOLID FOUNDATION: Four “Cornerstones for Building Your Brand  \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:58:\"solid_foundation_four_cornerstones_for_building_your_brand\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_20\";s:64:\"SOLID FOUNDATION: Four “Cornerstones for Building Your Brand  \";s:11:\"field_ft_20\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_25\";s:1:\"4\";s:11:\"field_id_45\";s:476:\"On Feb. 26, 2008, all Starbucks coffee shops across the United States shut their doors at 5:30 p.m., for a special training session on techniques and standards. \\\"It\\\'s really about ensuring that the customer experience that we provide is the best that it can be,\\\" a Starbucks spokesperson said at the time. The program was conducted in an effort to reconnect Starbucks associates with the reasons patrons first visited the company\\\'s stores – and were now going elsewhere.\";s:11:\"field_ft_45\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_22\";s:60:\"brand, marketing, Tom Finan, Starbucks, Foster, cornerstones\";s:11:\"field_ft_22\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_23\";s:6953:\"<p><em>by Tom Finan</em><br /><br />On Feb. 26, 2008, all Starbucks coffee shops across the United States shut their doors at 5:30 p.m., for a special training session on techniques and standards. \\\"It\\\'s really about ensuring that the customer experience that we provide is the best that it can be,\\\" a Starbucks spokesperson said at the time. The program was conducted in an effort to reconnect Starbucks associates with the reasons patrons first visited the company\\\'s stores &ndash; and were now going elsewhere. <br />&nbsp;<br />Starbucks&rsquo; story very closely parallels that of the construction industry over the last decade. In an age of easy credit, the never-ending emergence of strip malls and office buildings paralleled the spread of the green Starbucks logo from Fargo to Beijing.&nbsp; But breakneck expansion comes with a price; in Starbuck&rsquo;s case the price was core values. <br /><br />In 2007, Josh Foster, president of J.E. Foster Building Company said his company built entire stores and/or did tenant finishes for 30 Starbucks locations. In 2008, J.E. Foster, which has been ASA Midwest Council&rsquo;s small GC of the year for six of the last seven years, helped to dismantle eight of the 600 stores that Starbucks shut down last year.&nbsp; &ldquo;There was a guy with a clipboard there, making sure that everything went on the truck,&rdquo; Foster said.&nbsp; Somewhere there&rsquo;s a Raiders of the Lost Ark warehouse piled full of espresso machines. <br /><br />Meanwhile, the same well-communicated reputation for strong relationships and performance that landed Foster so many coffee shops during good times is allowing him to win work away from competitors now. <br /><strong><br />What is Your PROMISE? </strong><br /><br />Foster has driven the performance/relationships message of his brand throughout his company&rsquo;s culture. Thirty years ago, subcontractors asked us to develop brochures and logos to meet the expectations of GCs and owners. Today we get calls for branding strategies and for websites. But, now as then, tactics that have no connection to your core values are doomed to be ineffective. <br /><br />Companies lose sight of their brand at a significant cost to their bottom line. Three years ago Wal-Mart announced a more \\\"upscale\\\" approach. It was a fiasco. Now, Wal-Mart is advertising \\\"Save Money. Live Better,&rdquo; and the tough economic times have actually worked in its favor. <br /><br />To understand the importance of branding and to appreciate its significance to your company, it\\\'s helpful to understand what a brand is&hellip; and what it isn\\\'t. <br /><br />The first brands were used to mark game or cattle. Then, artisans and craftsmen began putting their \\\"brand\\\" on objects they made.&nbsp; Today, a brand is a promise to consistently meet expectations. Those expectations are not about attributes (four-wheel drive, robust coffee flavor); instead, those expectations are about benefits (the level of service at an Acura dealership, the personalized experience at Starbucks). In the book Married to the Brand, William J. McEwen makes the case that strong brand loyalties are both quantifiable and explainable. Loyalty is not the result of marketing hype: You buy coffee at Starbucks because they remember your name and the way you like your coffee, not because of advertising or because their coffee is &ldquo;better&rdquo; than McDonald&rsquo;s. <br /><br /><strong>The Rewards of Strong Branding</strong><br /><br />Chadwick Communications reports that strong brands command a seven-percent premium on price and make sales 40 percent more effective. Chadwick says that building a brand has more to do with what is communicated than with the product or service itself. <br /><br />Brand alignment must permeate every aspect of your company and extend through the way you communicate and market that identity. There are four \\\"cornerstones\\\" for every brand, and understanding them is crucial to success: <br /><br />1.&nbsp; <strong>EXEMPLIFY YOUR BRAND IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.</strong>&nbsp; It&rsquo;s not enough to have a great logo or tagline or an outstanding website. Whether you are known for high-touch service, or for &ldquo;green&rdquo; building knowledge, everything communicated inside and outside of your company should resonate that message. <br /><br />2.<strong> ESTABLISH AND STRENGTHEN YOUR BRAND THROUGH ASSOCIATIONS.</strong> These \\\"associations\\\" can be either internal or external. Are you involved in community groups? Do you give thoughtful consideration to the charity events that you sponsor and leverage what you donate to attain maximum visibility? <br /><br />Do you create a sense of &ldquo;belonging to the club&rdquo; by sharing your expertise in certain construction disciplines, techniques, or knowledge through presentations, opt-in newsletters, enews, or participation in Web 2.0 blogs?&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />3. <strong>LET THE CONVERTED PREACH.</strong> This metaphor is borrowed from Sunday morning: You as &ldquo;pastor&rdquo; can \\\"preach\\\" to someone all day long, but the way to make a \\\"convert\\\" is through the daily practice of a true believer. <br /><br />Better than a great website or brochure is the GC or customer who tells a friend or colleague about your company in glowing terms. By focusing on communicating your values, maximizing &ldquo;touches&rdquo; in the industry and with customers, you increase the likelihood they will do just that. <br /><br />4. <strong>BACK THE TEAM IN THE FIELD.&nbsp;</strong> Empowerment, enthusiasm and education are the three \\\"E&rsquo;s\\\" that form this cornerstone. Turn your company team into ambassadors and salespeople who will speak enthusiastically to their friends and associates.&nbsp; Are your employees empowered to make decisions or spend money when they need to \\\"find a way to say yes\\\" and \\\"make it right\\\" for a customer? Do you create employee-specific communications, such as a newsletter or website? Do you plan special events that make your field managers and core craftspeople feel part of a team and understand customers&rsquo; experience? <br /><br /><strong>Making Branding a Personal Agenda </strong><br /><br />Great brands are built from the inside out. Your company&rsquo;s brand should be written in your customers\\\' minds and engraved on your employees\\\' hearts. Your brand is that One True Thing about your company that\\\'s blazing in your gut.&nbsp; <br /><br />You can\\\'t market your way to a great brand: Your \\\"walk\\\" must match your \\\"talk.\\\" A brand isn\\\'t a website or a logo embroidered on a shirt: Your company\\\'s culture brings your brand to life.<br /><em><br />Tom Finan has been the publisher of St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate since 1976. He is the director of business development for Paradowski Creative, a strategic and creative firm located in St. Louis. He can be contacted at tom@paradowski.com.</em><br /></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"12\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1239,453,2,2,1235726412,'a:29:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:12 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"16\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:46:\"St. Charles County Community Goes “Greenâ€ \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:38:\"st_charles_county_community_goes_green\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:45:\"St. Charles County Community Goes “Greenâ€\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:488:\"When the citizens of Cottleville, MO, decided it was time for their municipality to have its own city hall, they also decided that the times demanded that they build an environmentally friendly city hall. When construction was completed on the town’s $5.3 million city hall and police station in December, city government could boast that their new home used 30 percent less energy than a similar traditional building and reduced water pollution by capturing and treating water on site.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:1:\"9\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:42:\"Cottleville, muncipal center, green, Paric\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:8711:\"<p>When the citizens of Cottleville, MO, decided it was time for their municipality to have its own city hall, they also decided that the times demanded that they build an environmentally friendly city hall. When construction was completed on the town&rsquo;s $5.3 million city hall and police station in December, city government could boast that their new home used 30 percent less energy than a similar traditional building and reduced water pollution by capturing and treating water on site.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Cottleville Muncipal Center\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"168\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/cottleville.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />Paric Corporation managed construction of the two-story, 15,888-square-foot facility, which sits on a 40-acre site at Highway N and Fifth Street north of the Cottleville Town Centre. The project was funded by a one-half cent sales tax approved by the town&rsquo;s voters in April 2006.<br /><br />&ldquo;The community, to their credit, wanted a LEED project,&rdquo; said Bob Leonard, Paric&rsquo;s senior project manager. LEED, which is short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a building rating system designed by the U.S. Green Building Council. The level of certification &ndash; certified, silver, gold, or platinum &ndash; reflects how many environmental and sustainability standards were met during the construction of the project. Certified buildings meet the minimum number of standards to be considered &ldquo;green&rdquo;. Platinum buildings meet the highest number of standards. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going for silver certification,&rdquo; Leonard said. St. Charles County currently has no green-certified buildings, although five facilities, including Cottleville&rsquo;s City Hall, have registered with the U.S. Green Building Council and have begun the process of moving towards certification.<br /><br />Leonard said that the easiest thing to do &ldquo;green&rdquo; is energy efficiency. &ldquo;Everybody wants energy efficiency. It is easy to do and it pays you back so you would be idiotic not to do it,&rdquo; he said. Treating water on site was not that hard either. Designers used both bioswales and a clay-lined detention system, as required by most sewer districts, to handle storm water. &ldquo;We built bioswales into the landscaping, which connects to a 37-acre park,&rdquo; Leonard said. <br /><br />Energy Efficiency &ndash;Easy; Paperwork &ndash; Hard<br /><br />The hard things are making sure building materials and recycling meet LEED standards. &ldquo;You have to be very careful when ordering materials that you are getting materials that satisfy LEED, and that involves a lot of paperwork,&rdquo; Leonard said. &ldquo;One of the things we were fearful of, for example, is caulking. Some caulking does not meet LEED air quality standards. The last thing you want is a contractor who installs a product that when you submit it to the Green Building Council gets rejected because it doesn&rsquo;t meet LEED,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The paperwork falls on the contractors and as CM we assisted them, but we had to make it clear that until a product was approved by our LEED consultant, it was not acceptable to use it,&rdquo; he added. Daniel Hellmuth of Hellmuth &amp; Bicknese Architects was the LEED consultant.<br /><br />Leonard recalled having a problem with doors. &ldquo;The manufacturer stated they would meet LEED requirements, but when it came time to submit them there were problems with them and we had to replace that choice of door,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Paric specified LEED requirements in the bid documents and even brought in someone to explain to contractors before the bid deadline how many hours they should anticipate needing to fulfill all the LEED requirements, so that they could include that in their bids.<br /><br />Paric made the general trades contractor responsible for recycling construction waste. &ldquo;We made the general contractor responsible for having dumpsters and made the other contractors responsible for disposing of waste in the proper containers. We had a container for concrete, another for drywall, and another for wood products,&rdquo; said Leonard. &ldquo;And then the general contractor has to police the bins and pick out any noncomplying material. One worry on a project like this is that the public will put stuff in your dumpsters,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />The city contracted with C. Rallo Contracting Co. for general construction and broke ground for the building in September 2007. &ldquo;This was my first LEED project and for a lot of the contractors, including Rallo, there was a learning curve, too,&rdquo; Leonard said. Concurrently with this project, Rallo was involved in another LEED project, Cannon Design&rsquo;s Powerhouse project in downtown St. Louis.<br /><br />Cottleville City Hall also was the first green project for Kurt Kostecki, principal of St. Peters-based Kostecki Architects. The city&rsquo;s decision to go green required him to make changes in his initial design. &ldquo;The first thing we had to do was entirely reorient the building,&rdquo; he said. He had originally designed the building to face Highway N, but, with the length of the building facing the street that meant the long side of the building faced east. &ldquo;When a building faces east or west, it experiences significant solar heat gain through windows in the morning and evening,&rdquo; Kostecki said.<br /><br />&ldquo;I wound up looking at the site and realized that we had the building close to being perpendicular to Fifth Street in Old Town Cottleville, so we turned it to face Fifth Street,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Facing south, we can keep the windows covered more when the sun is up high and we don&rsquo;t get as much heat gain,&rdquo; he said. <br /><br />The building&rsquo;s design also grew more windows to let in more natural light and energy efficient glass to reduce heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter, said Leonard. Kostecki also added more insulation to the walls and attic spaces. &ldquo;It all goes together with the electrical and mechanical systems to save energy,&rdquo; Leonard said.<br /><br />&lsquo;We also added windows in different places in the interior to get natural light into the interior space. We call them &ldquo;borrow lights,&rdquo; because they are borrowing light from other spaces. That was a major change,&rsquo; Kostecki said.<br /><br />Contractors finished work on the building in December. Work on the adjacent park, also funded by the one-half cent sales tax, is expected to be finished in April. The park will include biking and hiking trails, and outdoor amphitheater, athletic fields, and a playground.<br /><br />Simple Things Make a Difference<br /><br />The Chicago-based Heartland Institute, which bills itself as &ldquo;a free market think tank,&rdquo; specifically targeted Cottleville for criticism for raising a sales tax to build a &ldquo;green&rdquo; city hall and decried &ldquo;costly environmental gestures&rdquo; on the building that, the institute claimed,&nbsp; &ldquo;include solar collectors, wind turbines, and rainwater collectors.&rdquo;<br /><br />In reality, the building has none of those. Indeed, anyone looking for exotic or cutting edge environmental features would like come away disappointed. &ldquo;The city wanted a classical look, like an old time city hall,&rdquo; Kostecki said. In addition to a sloped roof and shingle, &ldquo;We tried to incorporate brickwork and lintels and soffits to bring that about. We&rsquo;re happy with the way it turned out,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />So what makes Cottleville&rsquo;s city hall green? Many simple things do, but nothing very exotic. In addition to orienting the building to make better use of the sun; windows; energy efficient glass; insulation; an efficient heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system; recycling construction waste and using products that don&rsquo;t emit volatile organic compounds; &ldquo;in general, all the materials are as local as we can get them to avoid transporting materials a great distance,&rdquo; Kostecki said.<br /><br />Doing all those simple things does take work and money. Kostecki said he found with the Cottleville City Hall that, &ldquo;in the beginning, LEED is more expensive, but in the long run it is cheaper because it makes the building more efficient. In the meantime, it is better for the environment and the whole building can be torn down and recycled in the future when it is not needed anymore.<br /><br />&ldquo;The sooner people and architects realize that green is the new thing, the better off we all will be,&rdquo; he added.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"16\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1240,454,4,2,1235728153,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:29 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"6\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:42:\"A.C.T. Metal Deck Opens San Antonio Center\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:39:\"act_metal_deck_opens_san_antonio_center\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:42:\"A.C.T. Metal Deck Opens San Antonio Center\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:103:\"A.C.T. Metal Deck Supply has announced the opening of its 11th distribution center, in San Antonio, TX.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:31:\"A.C.T., San Antonio, metal deck\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:983:\"<p>A.C.T. Metal Deck Supply has announced the opening of its 11th distribution center, in San Antonio, TX.<br /><br />With its newly added warehouse, A.C.T. Metal Deck Supply increases its network of distribution centers which include:&nbsp; Chicago, IL; Indianapolis, IN; St. Louis, MO; Kansas City, MO; Fort Worth, TX; Knoxville, TN; Greensboro, NC; Jacksonville, FL; Columbus, OH; and Birmingham, AL.<br /><br />A.C.T. Metal Deck Supply stocks the metal deck and metal deck accessories in all types, gauges, and finishes.&nbsp; From roofs to floors, mezzanines and canopies, as well as shelving, we have what&rsquo;s needed to get the job done.&nbsp; <br /><br />\\\'Our distribution centers allow us to meet metal deck needs with lower costs, tighter turnaround times and better service overall,\\\" Carm Termini, marketing director for A.C.T. said.&nbsp; \\\"We also maintain relationships with many carriers, insuring prompt delivery anywhere in the country or internationally.\\\"</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"6\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1241,455,4,2,1235728451,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:50 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:48:\"Holland Completes Fox Meadows Supportive Living \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:47:\"holland_completes_fox_meadows_supportive_living\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:47:\"Holland Completes Fox Meadows Supportive Living\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:113:\"Holland Construction Services, Inc. recently completed Fox Meadows supportive living facility in McLeansboro, IL.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:30:\"Fox Meadows, supportive living\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:845:\"<p>Holland Construction Services, Inc. recently completed Fox Meadows supportive living facility in McLeansboro, IL.</p>\n<p>Randy Dauby, president of Fox Meadows, said the need for a facility of this type for adults aged 65 and older was determined in 2001.a&nbsp; &ldquo;Holland Construction did a super job,&rdquo; Dauby said. &ldquo;The company is very business-oriented and timely. Even though the project lost 35 days to rain, it was still completed on time.&rdquo;</p>\n<p>The $4 million, 30,430-square-foot Fox Meadows offers 41 studio and one-bedroom apartments, central full-service kitchen and dining room, and kitchenettes within individual apartments.</p>\n<p>&nbsp; Blair Minton and Associates, Inc. will manage Fox Meadows.&nbsp; Gleason Architects, P.C. of Sugar Grove, Ill. provided architectural services on Fox Meadows.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1242,456,4,2,1235728626,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:54 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:40:\"January Home Starts Decline 10.2 Percent\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:39:\"january_home_starts_decline_102_percent\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:40:\"January Home Starts Decline 10.2 Percent\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:221:\"Newly reported data from the U.S. Commerce Departmentindicates that sales of newly built, single-family homes fell 10.2 percent\nto a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 309,000 units in January, which is a new record low.\n\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2095:\"<p>Newly reported data from the U.S. Commerce Departmentindicates that sales of newly built, single-family homes fell 10.2 percent<br />to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 309,000 units in January, which is a new record low.<br /><br />\\\"As disturbing as this report sounds, there is reason to believe that some potential home buyers may have purposely delayed action in January as they<br />waited to see how details of the President\\\'s economic stimulus plan could affect a home purchase,\\\" said Joe Robson, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Tulsa, Okla. \\\"Now that those details are known - particularly those relating to the new<br />first-time home buyer tax credit and higher loan limits for government-backed mortgages - we are hopeful that many buyers will be looking to take advantage of them in the coming months.\\\"<br /><br />\\\"Clearly, the downward pressures that have been exerting themselves on the housing market remain in place, including the weakened economy, ongoing job losses and very low consumer confidence,\\\" said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. \\\"But as more home buyers find out about the newly enhanced tax credit, and other parts of the economic stimulus package start kicking in, we expect to see some firming effect on home sales. The hope is that a certain amount of pent-up demand will be released as those who were in a wait-and-see\\\' mode decide they now have the information they need to<br />proceed.\\\"<br /><br />Home builders continued to do a good job of reducing their inventories in January, with the number of new homes on the market falling for a 21st consecutive month to 342,000 units. However, due to the historically slow sales pace, the months\\\' supply continued to rise for a fourth consecutive<br />month, to 13.3.<br /><br />Three out of four regions posted declining new-home sales in January. Sales fell 5.6 percent in the Midwest, 6.5 percent in the South and 28 percent in<br />the West. The Northeast was only exception to the rule, registering a 12.5 percent gain for the month.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1243,457,2,2,1235730104,'a:29:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:59 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:40:\"CNR Seeks Regional Exellence Nominations\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:40:\"cnr_seeks_regional_exellence_nominations\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:40:\"CNR Seeks Regional Exellence Nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:174:\"St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:44:\"CNR, Regional Excellence Awards, nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4096:\"<p><em>St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate</em> (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.</p>\n<p><img class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/awards_1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />This year\\\'s award presentations will be very special,\\\" Publisher Tom Finan said. \\\"It is the 20th year that we have presented the awards, and it is also the 40th year for<em> CNR</em>.&nbsp; We plan a very special presentation event this year.\\\"</p>\n<p>The\nstated purpose of the awards is to recognize\nprojects completed in the last year that \\\"in sum, demonstrate\nexcellence in design, excellence in construction, and a positive\ncontribution to the St. Louis community.\\\" Awards are presented to the\ndesigner the general contractor/construction manager, and the owner for\neach project.</p>\n<p>The winning entries are selected by a distinguished panel of judges from the design, construction, academic, and labor communities, plus the editor and publisher of <em>CNR</em>.</p>\n<p>To download an entry form, <a href=\\\"http://www.stlouiscnr.com/blogfiles/regional_excellence.doc\\\">click this link.</a></p>\n<p><iframe id=\\\"AnswersBalloonIframe\\\" src=\\\"javascript:;\\\" style=\\\"border: medium none; z-index: 99998; position: absolute; width: 490px; height: 306px; visibility: hidden; background-color: transparent; top: 293px; left: 460px; margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 10px;\\\"></iframe></p>\n<div id=\\\"AnswersBalloon\\\" style=\\\"width: 490px; position: absolute; visibility: hidden; z-index: 99999; text-align: left; top: 269px; left: 460px;\\\">\n<div id=\\\"AnswerTipHook\\\" style=\\\"background-image: url(http://www.answers.com/main/images/hook-topL.gif); width: 67px; height: 24px; margin-left: 25px; position: relative; top: 10px;\\\"></div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeaderInner\\\" id=\\\"AnswersHandle0\\\" style=\\\"cursor: move;\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader1\\\"><a onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\'; return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Close\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersCloseImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/close.gif\\\" style=\\\"margin-right: 10px; position: relative; cursor: pointer;\\\" /></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipMore\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; visibility: hidden; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\" target=\\\"AnswersQueryWindow\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Read more &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipOptions\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'options\\\'; else window.status=\\\'options\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Options &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a></div>\n<div><a href=\\\"http://www.answers.com?initiator=FFANS\\\" style=\\\"float: left; cursor: pointer;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Visit Answers.com\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersLogoImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/answers-logo.gif\\\" /></a></div>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersContentFrame\\\" id=\\\"Answers_frame\\\">\n<table class=\\\"donotmoveme\\\" id=\\\"Balloontable2\\\" style=\\\"width: 480px; float: left;\\\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\\\"Answertip\\\" style=\\\"overflow: hidden; height: 235px; width: 473px;\\\"></div>\n<div id=\\\"answertipClose\\\" style=\\\"display: none;\\\"></div>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersFooter\\\" id=\\\"Answers_footer\\\">\n<div style=\\\"width: 471px; height: 22px; float: left;\\\"><iframe frameborder=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersAds\\\" scrolling=\\\"no\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/tip2.jsp?s=click%2520this%2520link.%2520%2520&amp;wt=1&amp;nafid=&amp;cobrand=\\\" style=\\\"border: 0px none; padding: 0px; width: 100%; height: 22px;\\\"></iframe></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:39:\"/images/uploads/regional-excellence.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1244,448,2,2,1235730129,'a:29:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"448\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-19 10:41 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:2:\"16\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:42:\"Equipment Dealers Share Contractors\\\' Pain\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:40:\"equipment_dealers_share_contractors_pain\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:42:\"Equipment Dealers Share Contractors\\\' Pain\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:562:\"The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, a global trade body comprising manufacturers of heavy equipment, paints a bleak picture of the U.S. and global heavy equipment markets. The overall economic slowdown, coupled with falling prices in the housing market and the collapse of major financial institutions, has affected sales of new construction equipment across all product categories. Local equipment dealers are doing what they can to help contractors survive these tough times. They see themselves as partners with their customers instead of competitors.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:31:\"equipment, dealers, contractors\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:8704:\"<p>The Association of Equipment Manufacturers, a global trade body comprising manufacturers of heavy equipment, paints a bleak picture of the U.S. and global heavy equipment markets. The overall economic slowdown, coupled with falling prices in the housing market and the collapse of major financial institutions, has affected sales of new construction equipment across all product categories. Local equipment dealers are doing what they can to help contractors survive these tough times. They see themselves as partners with their customers instead of competitors.</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Eqiupment\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/equipment.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" /><br /><br />&ldquo;We&rsquo;re trying to think out of the box,&rdquo; said Scott Clark, sales manager for Erb Equipment. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve designated someone in house at each location to make personal phone calls to our customers. We&rsquo;ve gotten a little liberal on payment terms and we&rsquo;ll work on lowering someone&rsquo;s interest rate.&rdquo;<br /><br />Contractors are not just scaling back equipment purchases, however, some are putting equipment back on the market. Anyone with a fleet of equipment and little work has a bunch of assets that aren&rsquo;t making any money. If a contractor is still making payments on that equipment, he&rsquo;ll have a negative cash flow and he will feel pressure to sell the equipment to remedy that cash flow problem. Clark said the result of that pressure is notable at equipment auctions, which had a 15 percent increase in volume in 2008, mostly from people who needed to unload their equipment.<br /><br />&ldquo;If a contractor wants out (of a contract to buy a piece of equipment), we&rsquo;ll work with him on a case-by-case scenario,&rdquo; Clark said. &ldquo;We can advertise to sell it on our web site, or if we see a market for that piece of equipment, we will go ahead and buy it from him. Sometimes, when we talk to a contractor, we can show him that it makes more sense to sell an older piece of equipment or trade out for something less expensive than what he has, which reduces his payments but allows him to stay in a piece of equipment. <br /><br />&ldquo;We try to tailor our recommendation to a contractor&rsquo;s own circumstances,&rdquo; Clark said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve done quite a few trades and consignments.&rdquo;<br /><br />William Mitchell, general manager of Roland Machinery, said his company also was seeing some customers want to get out of the new equipment they had recently purchased. &ldquo;We help them to try and sell it, but the big problem right now is finding a buyer,&rdquo; he said. What they have to watch out for is selling their equipment for less than its value, he said.<br /><br />More commonly, Mitchell said, he is seeing customers put off decisions to buy equipment while they wait to see if Congress approves a stimulus bill that gets projects going. In the meantime, they&rsquo;ll rent what they need.<br /><br />Ray Jost, branch manager for Kirby-Smith Machinery Inc., said he has seen some contractors cut their capital budgets, but he added that many others are waiting. &ldquo;The U.S. has always recovered from recession, it is just a question of how quickly it will recover this time. Some contractors are delaying making decisions on their capital budgets until they see if something is going to happen with the stimulus package,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Kirby-Smith Machinery Inc. is a full-service equipment dealer that rents, sells, and repairs construction equipment. Business has slowed overall, but it was a needed respite for crane builders, Jost said. &ldquo;Crane manufacturers had such a backlog of orders that they are now just getting caught up,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Jeff Budrovich, president of Budrovich Inc., agreed. &ldquo;A year ago it was hard to get crane equipment. We still have some cranes back ordered,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Rentals are holding strong as some companies turn to long-term rentals as an alternative to buying, Mitchell said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re seeing people lease at long-term rates, such as six months, because the rates are lower than for a 30-day rental,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />When everything in the economy seemed to be growing, many contractors wanted to own whatever equipment they used because equipment was the only serious physical asset in their business. Acquiring equipment bumped up their borrowing and bonding capacity, so it not only added to their physical ability to take on jobs, it added to their financial ability to take on work, too. <br /><br />Nowadays, smart contractors are evaluating their equipment in terms of what they historically used in order to determine what equipment and how big a fleet they absolutely need and how renting can help them through peaks and special needs &ndash; a strategy made possible by the great availability and quality of rental equipment.<br /><br />Although such strategies maybe buoying the rental market, Dan Martino, St. Louis branch manager for Midwest Aerials, said, &ldquo;I always think it is better to rent than to buy because there is so much you have to do to maintain equipment according to ANSI guidelines and the inspections and recordkeeping.&rdquo;<br /><br />Budrovich&rsquo;s rental business is holding steady on the strength of heavy industrial work in the area. They have cranes at Holcim&rsquo;s new cement plant in Ste. Genevieve, MO and at several energy projects, including ConocoPhillips in Wood River, IL and Peabody&rsquo;s Prairie State Energy Campus in Washington County, IL. Budrovich said his company snags a lot of big industrial work because they can provide bigger cranes than their competitors, all with highly skilled operators.<br /><br />&ldquo;Last year was a record year for us and we&rsquo;re looking to build on it for &rsquo;09,&rdquo; Budrovich said. &ldquo;Our fiscal year starts in September and our revenue in our first quarter was up 20 percent from last year,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />While the rental business remains strong, Martino said he has seen a surge in service work, too. &ldquo;We have a company called MAE Parts and Services that maintains customer-owned equipment and we have seen a big increase in customers&rsquo; wanting to make their equipment last longer, so much so that we don&rsquo;t have a one-day turnaround anymore. <br /><br />&ldquo;People aren&rsquo;t ready to toss a piece out and make it garbage over a few parts anymore,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Contractors have to be careful, however, that they don&rsquo;t hold onto old, obsolete equipment simply because it is paid off. There comes a point where the maintenance can become more expensive than the equipment is worth. In today&rsquo;s market one can get a great deal on a modern piece of equipment of similar size to an old piece, but which will be more efficient and will put a contractor in a better position to bid on a job with emissions criteria. Air pollution regulations here are not as strict as in California, but changes are coming.<br /><br />&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve already seen some bid documents that require that the contractor&rsquo;s equipment must be compliant with Tier III engines, mostly for indoor jobs,&rdquo; Clark said. As tighter regulations and &ldquo;green&rdquo; construction practices spread, &ldquo;we will see more of that,&rdquo; he said. Indeed, contractors on Illinois projects could labor under California-like emissions rules in as little as four years from now.<br /><br />Stricter national rules for new truck and equipment engines &ndash; called Tier IV rules &ndash; are due to take effect in 2011. &ldquo;Deere is requiring us to learn Tier IV engines now,&rdquo; Clark said. &ldquo;Deere is ahead of the game and we&rsquo;ll probably see certain models with Tier IV engines in a year. It will be a slow phase in, but Deere requires that all of a dealer&rsquo;s sales, service, and parts people pass tests, and the dealer stock parts and tools, before it can sell Deere&rsquo;s Tier IV equipment,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />The big question for many companies is: what will happen as current big jobs end if the recession continues into 2010 or 2011?<br /><br />&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve heard so much talk about infrastructure work, if they spend money on roads and bridges, that will help us,&rdquo; said Budrovich. &ldquo;But the biggest thing that would help our industry is getting home sales back on their feet. We have a lot of new competitors from people who used to do residential work. If we could re-inflate the housing market to keep them busy, it would help all of us,&rdquo; he said.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:29:\"/images/uploads/equipment.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"16\";}'),(1245,437,10,2,1235730156,'a:33:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:2:\"10\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"437\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-12 10:10 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:2:\"10\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:41:\"2009 SIOR St. Louis Metro Market Forecast\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:40:\"2009_sior_st_louis_metro_market_forecast\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_58\";s:41:\"2009 SIOR St. Louis Metro Market Forecast\";s:11:\"field_ft_58\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_62\";s:209:\" The 25th anniversary of St. Louis’ largest commercial real estate forecast, providing a professional perspective on the St. Louis commercial real estate market in the areas of office, industrial and retail.\";s:11:\"field_ft_62\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_59\";s:21:\"SIOR, Market Forecast\";s:11:\"field_ft_59\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_63\";s:57:\"The Ritz-Carlton St. Louis, 100 Carondelet Plaza, Clayton\";s:11:\"field_ft_63\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_57\";s:19:\"2009-03-25 07:15 AM\";s:15:\"field_offset_57\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_56\";s:0:\"\";s:15:\"field_offset_56\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_55\";s:14:\"7:15 to 9 a.m.\";s:11:\"field_ft_55\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_60\";s:932:\"<p>&nbsp;The 25th anniversary of St. Louis&rsquo; largest commercial real estate forecast, providing a professional perspective on the St. Louis commercial real estate market in the areas of office, industrial and retail. The event attracts more than 700 attendees annually. This year&rsquo;s specialty topic will be capital markets.<br /><br />Speakers:<br />National President &ndash; Craig S. Meyer, SIOR, Jones Lang LaSalle<br />Office &ndash; Glenn Guenther, SIOR, Discovery Group L.L.C.<br />Industrial &ndash; J. Patrick Reilly, SIOR, Gateway Commercial<br />Retail &ndash; Alan Bornstein, THF Realty Inc.<br />Capital Markets &ndash; Joseph P. Monteleone, Q10 | Triad Capital Advisors Inc.<br /><br />Cost:<br />&nbsp;$50 at the door, $40 in advance.<br />&nbsp;<br />RSVP:<br />&nbsp;Lauren Gallagher, Hughes, 314.571.6313 (office) or<a href=\\\"mailto:PRIntern@hughes-stl.com.\\\"> PRIntern@hughes-stl.com.</a><br />&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1246,457,2,2,1235730471,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"457\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:59 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:40:\"CNR Seeks Regional Exellence Nominations\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:40:\"cnr_seeks_regional_exellence_nominations\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:40:\"CNR Seeks Regional Exellence Nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:174:\"St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:44:\"CNR, Regional Excellence Awards, nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4083:\"<p><em>St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate</em> (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.</p>\n<p><img class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/awards_1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />This year\\\'s award presentations will be very special,\\\" Publisher Tom Finan said. \\\"It is the 20th year that we have presented the awards, and it is also the 40th year for<em> CNR</em>.&nbsp; We plan a very special presentation event this year.\\\"</p>\n<p>The\nstated purpose of the awards is to recognize\nprojects completed in the last year that \\\"in sum, demonstrate\nexcellence in design, excellence in construction, and a positive\ncontribution to the St. Louis community.\\\" Awards are presented to the\ndesigner the general contractor/construction manager, and the owner for\neach project.</p>\n<p>The winning entries are selected by a distinguished panel of judges from the design, construction, academic, and labor communities, plus the editor and publisher of <em>CNR</em>.</p>\n<p>To download an entry form, <a href=\\\"http://www.stlouiscnr.com/blogfiles/awards.doc\\\">click this link.</a></p>\n<p><iframe id=\\\"AnswersBalloonIframe\\\" src=\\\"javascript:;\\\" style=\\\"border: medium none; z-index: 99998; position: absolute; width: 490px; height: 306px; visibility: hidden; background-color: transparent; top: 293px; left: 460px; margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 10px;\\\"></iframe></p>\n<div id=\\\"AnswersBalloon\\\" style=\\\"width: 490px; position: absolute; visibility: hidden; z-index: 99999; text-align: left; top: 269px; left: 460px;\\\">\n<div id=\\\"AnswerTipHook\\\" style=\\\"background-image: url(http://www.answers.com/main/images/hook-topL.gif); width: 67px; height: 24px; margin-left: 25px; position: relative; top: 10px;\\\"></div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeaderInner\\\" id=\\\"AnswersHandle0\\\" style=\\\"cursor: move;\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader1\\\"><a onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\'; return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Close\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersCloseImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/close.gif\\\" style=\\\"margin-right: 10px; position: relative; cursor: pointer;\\\" /></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipMore\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; visibility: hidden; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\" target=\\\"AnswersQueryWindow\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Read more &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipOptions\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'options\\\'; else window.status=\\\'options\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Options &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a></div>\n<div><a href=\\\"http://www.answers.com?initiator=FFANS\\\" style=\\\"float: left; cursor: pointer;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Visit Answers.com\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersLogoImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/answers-logo.gif\\\" /></a></div>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersContentFrame\\\" id=\\\"Answers_frame\\\">\n<table class=\\\"donotmoveme\\\" id=\\\"Balloontable2\\\" style=\\\"width: 480px; float: left;\\\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\\\"Answertip\\\" style=\\\"overflow: hidden; height: 235px; width: 473px;\\\"></div>\n<div id=\\\"answertipClose\\\" style=\\\"display: none;\\\"></div>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersFooter\\\" id=\\\"Answers_footer\\\">\n<div style=\\\"width: 471px; height: 22px; float: left;\\\"><iframe frameborder=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersAds\\\" scrolling=\\\"no\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/tip2.jsp?s=click%2520this%2520link.%2520%2520&amp;wt=1&amp;nafid=&amp;cobrand=\\\" style=\\\"border: 0px none; padding: 0px; width: 100%; height: 22px;\\\"></iframe></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:39:\"/images/uploads/regional-excellence.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1247,457,2,2,1235730556,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"457\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:59 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:40:\"CNR Seeks Regional Exellence Nominations\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:40:\"cnr_seeks_regional_exellence_nominations\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:40:\"CNR Seeks Regional Exellence Nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:174:\"St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:44:\"CNR, Regional Excellence Awards, nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4083:\"<p><em>St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate</em> (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.</p>\n<p><img class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/awards_1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />This year\\\'s award presentations will be very special,\\\" Publisher Tom Finan said. \\\"It is the 20th year that we have presented the awards, and it is also the 40th year for<em> CNR</em>.&nbsp; We plan a very special presentation event this year.\\\"</p>\n<p>The\nstated purpose of the awards is to recognize\nprojects completed in the last year that \\\"in sum, demonstrate\nexcellence in design, excellence in construction, and a positive\ncontribution to the St. Louis community.\\\" Awards are presented to the\ndesigner the general contractor/construction manager, and the owner for\neach project.</p>\n<p>The winning entries are selected by a distinguished panel of judges from the design, construction, academic, and labor communities, plus the editor and publisher of <em>CNR</em>.</p>\n<p>To download an entry form in Microsoft Word format, <a href=\\\"/blogfiles/awards.doc\\\">click this link.</a></p>\n<p><iframe id=\\\"AnswersBalloonIframe\\\" src=\\\"javascript:;\\\" style=\\\"border: medium none; z-index: 99998; position: absolute; width: 490px; height: 306px; visibility: hidden; background-color: transparent; top: 293px; left: 460px; margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 10px;\\\"></iframe></p>\n<div id=\\\"AnswersBalloon\\\" style=\\\"width: 490px; position: absolute; visibility: hidden; z-index: 99999; text-align: left; top: 269px; left: 460px;\\\">\n<div id=\\\"AnswerTipHook\\\" style=\\\"background-image: url(http://www.answers.com/main/images/hook-topL.gif); width: 67px; height: 24px; margin-left: 25px; position: relative; top: 10px;\\\"></div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeaderInner\\\" id=\\\"AnswersHandle0\\\" style=\\\"cursor: move;\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader1\\\"><a onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\'; return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Close\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersCloseImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/close.gif\\\" style=\\\"margin-right: 10px; position: relative; cursor: pointer;\\\" /></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipMore\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; visibility: hidden; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\" target=\\\"AnswersQueryWindow\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Read more &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipOptions\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'options\\\'; else window.status=\\\'options\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Options &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a></div>\n<div><a href=\\\"http://www.answers.com?initiator=FFANS\\\" style=\\\"float: left; cursor: pointer;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Visit Answers.com\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersLogoImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/answers-logo.gif\\\" /></a></div>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersContentFrame\\\" id=\\\"Answers_frame\\\">\n<table class=\\\"donotmoveme\\\" id=\\\"Balloontable2\\\" style=\\\"width: 480px; float: left;\\\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\\\"Answertip\\\" style=\\\"overflow: hidden; height: 235px; width: 473px;\\\"></div>\n<div id=\\\"answertipClose\\\" style=\\\"display: none;\\\"></div>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersFooter\\\" id=\\\"Answers_footer\\\">\n<div style=\\\"width: 471px; height: 22px; float: left;\\\"><iframe frameborder=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersAds\\\" scrolling=\\\"no\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/tip2.jsp?s=click%2520this%2520link.%2520%2520&amp;wt=1&amp;nafid=&amp;cobrand=\\\" style=\\\"border: 0px none; padding: 0px; width: 100%; height: 22px;\\\"></iframe></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:39:\"/images/uploads/regional-excellence.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1248,458,4,2,1235731340,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 11:35 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:45:\"Kwame Building Group Completes 1st Financial \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:44:\"kwame_building_group_completes_1st_financial\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:44:\"Kwame Building Group Completes 1st Financial\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:205:\"Kwame Building Group (KWAME) of St. Louis has completed work as construction manager and owner representative on new corporate headquarters and branch for 1st Financial Federal Credit Union, in Wentzville.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:41:\"1st Financial Federal Credit Union, Kwame\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1597:\"<p><a href=\\\"http://www.kwamebuildinggroup.com\\\">Kwame Building Group</a> (KWAME) of St. Louis has completed work as construction manager and owner representative on new corporate headquarters and branch for 1st Financial Federal Credit Union, in Wentzville.<br />&nbsp;<br />The 23,000-square-foot two-story building features an atrium lobby with a children&rsquo;s corner, an employee break room/kitchen, a patio balcony overlooking the main entrance and a large training room for community seminars. Branch features include five walk-up teller stations, four drive-through lanes and a drive-up ATM. The new building serves as corporate headquarters for the credit union&rsquo;s executive staff, accounting, collections, marketing, business services, human resources and compliance departments.<br />&nbsp;<br />&ldquo;We were pleased to manage this construction project, the first new structure that 1st Financial has built in 20 years,&rdquo; said Dave Sampl, vice president operations for Kwame Building Group. &ldquo;We delivered the project on-budget despite rising costs for construction materials.&rdquo; KWAME recommended cost-efficient alternatives such as an ArcuStone decorative limestone coating for the building exterior and concrete instead of asphalt for the parking lot.<br />&nbsp;<br />1st Financial Federal Credit Union is a full service financial institution with locations in St. Louis, St. Charles, Hazelwood, and Wentzville. The architect for the project was Tri Architects and the general contractor was United Construction, both of St. Louis.<br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1249,459,4,2,1235731658,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 11:43 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"20\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:47:\"Grubb & Ellis|Gundaker Announces  Transactions \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:42:\"grubb_ellisgundaker_announces_transactions\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:44:\"Grubb & Ellis|Gundaker Announces  Transactio\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:122:\" Grubb & Ellis|Gundaker Commercial, a leading local real estate services firm, today announced the following transactions.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:38:\"Grubb & Ellis, commercial, real estate\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:3612:\"<p>&nbsp;Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial, a leading local real estate services firm, today announced the following transactions.<br /></p>\n<ul>\n<li>Don Worley of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Dudley Miller in the sale of 280 acres of land at 344 Audrain Road in Mexico, Missouri to Rick Meyer of Meyer &amp; Company Real Estate.</li>\n<li>Vince Bajardi and Paul Zimny, CCIM of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Jamieson Manufacturing Company, d/b/a Jamieson Fence in the lease of 9,000 square feet of industrial space at 801 Marshall Road in Valley Park, Missouri from 801 Marshall, LLC.</li>\n<li>John McDonald of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented APR, LLC in the purchase of 3,850 square feet of industrial space at 1060 Vondera Avenue in Union, Missouri from Envirotest Systems.Joe Allison, Dave Biales &amp; Andrea Aston of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Minkler Properties in the sale of 16 multi-family units at 150 S. Durkin Drive in Springfield, Illinois to Paul &amp; Jacqueline Carey.</li>\n<li>Vince Bajardi of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Fontbonne University in the lease of 34,000 square feet of office space at 1265-1300 Strassner Drive in Brentwood, Missouri from 1265-1300 Strassner Drive, LLC.</li>\n<li>Robert A. Busch, Esq. of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented The St. Louis Society for Children and Adults with Physical Disabilities in the lease of 3,675 square feet of office space at 1187 Corporate Lake Drive in St. Louis, Missouri from Tomorrow 32 Corporate Square L.P.</li>\n<li>David Biales, CCIM &amp; John McDonald of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Holleran Duitsman Architects in the lease of 7,651 square feet of office space at 16150 Main Circle Drive in Chesterfield, Missouri from Central Park Square, Inc.</li>\n<li>David Biales, CCIM &amp; Andy Bagy of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented The Boulevard-St. Louis, LLC in the lease of 4,851 square feet of office space at 15 The Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri to Eye Care Associates of St. Louis, LLC.</li>\n<li>David Biales, CCIM &amp; Andy Bagy of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented The Boulevard-St. Louis, LLC in the lease of 3,808 square feet of office space at 17 The Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri to Retina Consultants Ltd.</li>\n<li>Don Worley of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Peoples Savings Bank in the sale of 3,600 square feet of retail space at 602 Progress Parkway in Warrenton, Missouri.</li>\n<li>David Gitt of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Risen Lord Community Church in the lease of 47,000 square feet of space at 1402 First Capitol Drive in St. Charles, Missouri from Ridgecrest Baptist Church.</li>\n<li>Rudy Stinnett and Paul Nagel of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Lawrence W. Fick Revocable Living Trust in the sale of 41.43 acres of land at 120 N. Eatherton Road in Chesterfield, Missouri to Keller Williams Realty.</li>\n<li>Ingrid Long and Steve May represented Donald L. Cannon Trust in the sale of 2,125 square feet of office space at 4150 Crescent Drive in St. Louis, Missouri.</li>\n<li>John T. McDonald, Jr. represented VJH, Inc (Nail Lounge) in the lease of 1,843 square feet of retail space at 10417 Clayton Road in Frontenac, Missouri from Frontenac Grove, LLC.Josh Hibbits represented General Parts International (CarQuest) in the lease of 5,910 square feet of retail space at 1601 Washington Avenue in Alton, Illinois from TMAAB Washington Square, LLC.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"20\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1250,459,4,2,1235731694,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"459\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 11:43 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"20\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:46:\"Grubb & Ellis|Gundaker Announces  Transactions\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:42:\"grubb_ellisgundaker_announces_transactions\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:46:\"Grubb & Ellis|Gundaker Announces  Transactions\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:122:\" Grubb & Ellis|Gundaker Commercial, a leading local real estate services firm, today announced the following transactions.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:38:\"Grubb & Ellis, commercial, real estate\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:3606:\"<p>&nbsp;Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial, a leading local real estate services firm, today announced the following transactions.</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Don Worley of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Dudley Miller in the sale of 280 acres of land at 344 Audrain Road in Mexico, Missouri to Rick Meyer of Meyer &amp; Company Real Estate.</li>\n<li>Vince Bajardi and Paul Zimny, CCIM of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Jamieson Manufacturing Company, d/b/a Jamieson Fence in the lease of 9,000 square feet of industrial space at 801 Marshall Road in Valley Park, Missouri from 801 Marshall, LLC.</li>\n<li>John McDonald of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented APR, LLC in the purchase of 3,850 square feet of industrial space at 1060 Vondera Avenue in Union, Missouri from Envirotest Systems.Joe Allison, Dave Biales &amp; Andrea Aston of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Minkler Properties in the sale of 16 multi-family units at 150 S. Durkin Drive in Springfield, Illinois to Paul &amp; Jacqueline Carey.</li>\n<li>Vince Bajardi of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Fontbonne University in the lease of 34,000 square feet of office space at 1265-1300 Strassner Drive in Brentwood, Missouri from 1265-1300 Strassner Drive, LLC.</li>\n<li>Robert A. Busch, Esq. of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented The St. Louis Society for Children and Adults with Physical Disabilities in the lease of 3,675 square feet of office space at 1187 Corporate Lake Drive in St. Louis, Missouri from Tomorrow 32 Corporate Square L.P.</li>\n<li>David Biales, CCIM &amp; John McDonald of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Holleran Duitsman Architects in the lease of 7,651 square feet of office space at 16150 Main Circle Drive in Chesterfield, Missouri from Central Park Square, Inc.</li>\n<li>David Biales, CCIM &amp; Andy Bagy of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented The Boulevard-St. Louis, LLC in the lease of 4,851 square feet of office space at 15 The Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri to Eye Care Associates of St. Louis, LLC.</li>\n<li>David Biales, CCIM &amp; Andy Bagy of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented The Boulevard-St. Louis, LLC in the lease of 3,808 square feet of office space at 17 The Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri to Retina Consultants Ltd.</li>\n<li>Don Worley of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Peoples Savings Bank in the sale of 3,600 square feet of retail space at 602 Progress Parkway in Warrenton, Missouri.</li>\n<li>David Gitt of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Risen Lord Community Church in the lease of 47,000 square feet of space at 1402 First Capitol Drive in St. Charles, Missouri from Ridgecrest Baptist Church.</li>\n<li>Rudy Stinnett and Paul Nagel of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Lawrence W. Fick Revocable Living Trust in the sale of 41.43 acres of land at 120 N. Eatherton Road in Chesterfield, Missouri to Keller Williams Realty.</li>\n<li>Ingrid Long and Steve May represented Donald L. Cannon Trust in the sale of 2,125 square feet of office space at 4150 Crescent Drive in St. Louis, Missouri.</li>\n<li>John T. McDonald, Jr. represented VJH, Inc (Nail Lounge) in the lease of 1,843 square feet of retail space at 10417 Clayton Road in Frontenac, Missouri from Frontenac Grove, LLC.Josh Hibbits represented General Parts International (CarQuest) in the lease of 5,910 square feet of retail space at 1601 Washington Avenue in Alton, Illinois from TMAAB Washington Square, LLC.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"20\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1251,453,2,2,1235732387,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"453\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:12 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"16\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:43:\"St. Charles County Community Goes \\\"Green\\\"\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:38:\"st_charles_county_community_goes_green\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:43:\"St. Charles County Community Goes \\\"Green\\\"\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:488:\"When the citizens of Cottleville, MO, decided it was time for their municipality to have its own city hall, they also decided that the times demanded that they build an environmentally friendly city hall. When construction was completed on the town’s $5.3 million city hall and police station in December, city government could boast that their new home used 30 percent less energy than a similar traditional building and reduced water pollution by capturing and treating water on site.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:1:\"9\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:42:\"Cottleville, muncipal center, green, Paric\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:8711:\"<p>When the citizens of Cottleville, MO, decided it was time for their municipality to have its own city hall, they also decided that the times demanded that they build an environmentally friendly city hall. When construction was completed on the town&rsquo;s $5.3 million city hall and police station in December, city government could boast that their new home used 30 percent less energy than a similar traditional building and reduced water pollution by capturing and treating water on site.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Cottleville Muncipal Center\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"168\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/cottleville.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />Paric Corporation managed construction of the two-story, 15,888-square-foot facility, which sits on a 40-acre site at Highway N and Fifth Street north of the Cottleville Town Centre. The project was funded by a one-half cent sales tax approved by the town&rsquo;s voters in April 2006.<br /><br />&ldquo;The community, to their credit, wanted a LEED project,&rdquo; said Bob Leonard, Paric&rsquo;s senior project manager. LEED, which is short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a building rating system designed by the U.S. Green Building Council. The level of certification &ndash; certified, silver, gold, or platinum &ndash; reflects how many environmental and sustainability standards were met during the construction of the project. Certified buildings meet the minimum number of standards to be considered &ldquo;green&rdquo;. Platinum buildings meet the highest number of standards. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going for silver certification,&rdquo; Leonard said. St. Charles County currently has no green-certified buildings, although five facilities, including Cottleville&rsquo;s City Hall, have registered with the U.S. Green Building Council and have begun the process of moving towards certification.<br /><br />Leonard said that the easiest thing to do &ldquo;green&rdquo; is energy efficiency. &ldquo;Everybody wants energy efficiency. It is easy to do and it pays you back so you would be idiotic not to do it,&rdquo; he said. Treating water on site was not that hard either. Designers used both bioswales and a clay-lined detention system, as required by most sewer districts, to handle storm water. &ldquo;We built bioswales into the landscaping, which connects to a 37-acre park,&rdquo; Leonard said. <br /><br />Energy Efficiency &ndash;Easy; Paperwork &ndash; Hard<br /><br />The hard things are making sure building materials and recycling meet LEED standards. &ldquo;You have to be very careful when ordering materials that you are getting materials that satisfy LEED, and that involves a lot of paperwork,&rdquo; Leonard said. &ldquo;One of the things we were fearful of, for example, is caulking. Some caulking does not meet LEED air quality standards. The last thing you want is a contractor who installs a product that when you submit it to the Green Building Council gets rejected because it doesn&rsquo;t meet LEED,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The paperwork falls on the contractors and as CM we assisted them, but we had to make it clear that until a product was approved by our LEED consultant, it was not acceptable to use it,&rdquo; he added. Daniel Hellmuth of Hellmuth &amp; Bicknese Architects was the LEED consultant.<br /><br />Leonard recalled having a problem with doors. &ldquo;The manufacturer stated they would meet LEED requirements, but when it came time to submit them there were problems with them and we had to replace that choice of door,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Paric specified LEED requirements in the bid documents and even brought in someone to explain to contractors before the bid deadline how many hours they should anticipate needing to fulfill all the LEED requirements, so that they could include that in their bids.<br /><br />Paric made the general trades contractor responsible for recycling construction waste. &ldquo;We made the general contractor responsible for having dumpsters and made the other contractors responsible for disposing of waste in the proper containers. We had a container for concrete, another for drywall, and another for wood products,&rdquo; said Leonard. &ldquo;And then the general contractor has to police the bins and pick out any noncomplying material. One worry on a project like this is that the public will put stuff in your dumpsters,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />The city contracted with C. Rallo Contracting Co. for general construction and broke ground for the building in September 2007. &ldquo;This was my first LEED project and for a lot of the contractors, including Rallo, there was a learning curve, too,&rdquo; Leonard said. Concurrently with this project, Rallo was involved in another LEED project, Cannon Design&rsquo;s Powerhouse project in downtown St. Louis.<br /><br />Cottleville City Hall also was the first green project for Kurt Kostecki, principal of St. Peters-based Kostecki Architects. The city&rsquo;s decision to go green required him to make changes in his initial design. &ldquo;The first thing we had to do was entirely reorient the building,&rdquo; he said. He had originally designed the building to face Highway N, but, with the length of the building facing the street that meant the long side of the building faced east. &ldquo;When a building faces east or west, it experiences significant solar heat gain through windows in the morning and evening,&rdquo; Kostecki said.<br /><br />&ldquo;I wound up looking at the site and realized that we had the building close to being perpendicular to Fifth Street in Old Town Cottleville, so we turned it to face Fifth Street,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Facing south, we can keep the windows covered more when the sun is up high and we don&rsquo;t get as much heat gain,&rdquo; he said. <br /><br />The building&rsquo;s design also grew more windows to let in more natural light and energy efficient glass to reduce heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter, said Leonard. Kostecki also added more insulation to the walls and attic spaces. &ldquo;It all goes together with the electrical and mechanical systems to save energy,&rdquo; Leonard said.<br /><br />&lsquo;We also added windows in different places in the interior to get natural light into the interior space. We call them &ldquo;borrow lights,&rdquo; because they are borrowing light from other spaces. That was a major change,&rsquo; Kostecki said.<br /><br />Contractors finished work on the building in December. Work on the adjacent park, also funded by the one-half cent sales tax, is expected to be finished in April. The park will include biking and hiking trails, and outdoor amphitheater, athletic fields, and a playground.<br /><br />Simple Things Make a Difference<br /><br />The Chicago-based Heartland Institute, which bills itself as &ldquo;a free market think tank,&rdquo; specifically targeted Cottleville for criticism for raising a sales tax to build a &ldquo;green&rdquo; city hall and decried &ldquo;costly environmental gestures&rdquo; on the building that, the institute claimed,&nbsp; &ldquo;include solar collectors, wind turbines, and rainwater collectors.&rdquo;<br /><br />In reality, the building has none of those. Indeed, anyone looking for exotic or cutting edge environmental features would like come away disappointed. &ldquo;The city wanted a classical look, like an old time city hall,&rdquo; Kostecki said. In addition to a sloped roof and shingle, &ldquo;We tried to incorporate brickwork and lintels and soffits to bring that about. We&rsquo;re happy with the way it turned out,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />So what makes Cottleville&rsquo;s city hall green? Many simple things do, but nothing very exotic. In addition to orienting the building to make better use of the sun; windows; energy efficient glass; insulation; an efficient heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system; recycling construction waste and using products that don&rsquo;t emit volatile organic compounds; &ldquo;in general, all the materials are as local as we can get them to avoid transporting materials a great distance,&rdquo; Kostecki said.<br /><br />Doing all those simple things does take work and money. Kostecki said he found with the Cottleville City Hall that, &ldquo;in the beginning, LEED is more expensive, but in the long run it is cheaper because it makes the building more efficient. In the meantime, it is better for the environment and the whole building can be torn down and recycled in the future when it is not needed anymore.<br /><br />&ldquo;The sooner people and architects realize that green is the new thing, the better off we all will be,&rdquo; he added.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"16\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1252,453,2,2,1235732434,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"453\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:12 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"16\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:43:\"St. Charles County Community Goes \\\"Green\\\"\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:38:\"st_charles_county_community_goes_green\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:43:\"St. Charles County Community Goes \\\"Green\\\"\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:488:\"When the citizens of Cottleville, MO, decided it was time for their municipality to have its own city hall, they also decided that the times demanded that they build an environmentally friendly city hall. When construction was completed on the town’s $5.3 million city hall and police station in December, city government could boast that their new home used 30 percent less energy than a similar traditional building and reduced water pollution by capturing and treating water on site.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:1:\"9\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:42:\"Cottleville, muncipal center, green, Paric\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:8745:\"<p>When the citizens of Cottleville, MO, decided it was time for their municipality to have its own city hall, they also decided that the times demanded that they build an environmentally friendly city hall. When construction was completed on the town&rsquo;s $5.3 million city hall and police station in December, city government could boast that their new home used 30 percent less energy than a similar traditional building and reduced water pollution by capturing and treating water on site.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Cottleville Muncipal Center\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"168\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/cottleville.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />Paric Corporation managed construction of the two-story, 15,888-square-foot facility, which sits on a 40-acre site at Highway N and Fifth Street north of the Cottleville Town Centre. The project was funded by a one-half cent sales tax approved by the town&rsquo;s voters in April 2006.<br /><br />&ldquo;The community, to their credit, wanted a LEED project,&rdquo; said Bob Leonard, Paric&rsquo;s senior project manager. LEED, which is short for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a building rating system designed by the U.S. Green Building Council. The level of certification &ndash; certified, silver, gold, or platinum &ndash; reflects how many environmental and sustainability standards were met during the construction of the project. Certified buildings meet the minimum number of standards to be considered &ldquo;green&rdquo;. Platinum buildings meet the highest number of standards. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re going for silver certification,&rdquo; Leonard said. St. Charles County currently has no green-certified buildings, although five facilities, including Cottleville&rsquo;s City Hall, have registered with the U.S. Green Building Council and have begun the process of moving towards certification.<br /><br />Leonard said that the easiest thing to do &ldquo;green&rdquo; is energy efficiency. &ldquo;Everybody wants energy efficiency. It is easy to do and it pays you back so you would be idiotic not to do it,&rdquo; he said. Treating water on site was not that hard either. Designers used both bioswales and a clay-lined detention system, as required by most sewer districts, to handle storm water. &ldquo;We built bioswales into the landscaping, which connects to a 37-acre park,&rdquo; Leonard said. <br /><strong><br />Energy Efficiency &ndash;Easy; Paperwork &ndash; Hard</strong><br /><br />The hard things are making sure building materials and recycling meet LEED standards. &ldquo;You have to be very careful when ordering materials that you are getting materials that satisfy LEED, and that involves a lot of paperwork,&rdquo; Leonard said. &ldquo;One of the things we were fearful of, for example, is caulking. Some caulking does not meet LEED air quality standards. The last thing you want is a contractor who installs a product that when you submit it to the Green Building Council gets rejected because it doesn&rsquo;t meet LEED,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;The paperwork falls on the contractors and as CM we assisted them, but we had to make it clear that until a product was approved by our LEED consultant, it was not acceptable to use it,&rdquo; he added. Daniel Hellmuth of Hellmuth &amp; Bicknese Architects was the LEED consultant.<br /><br />Leonard recalled having a problem with doors. &ldquo;The manufacturer stated they would meet LEED requirements, but when it came time to submit them there were problems with them and we had to replace that choice of door,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Paric specified LEED requirements in the bid documents and even brought in someone to explain to contractors before the bid deadline how many hours they should anticipate needing to fulfill all the LEED requirements, so that they could include that in their bids.<br /><br />Paric made the general trades contractor responsible for recycling construction waste. &ldquo;We made the general contractor responsible for having dumpsters and made the other contractors responsible for disposing of waste in the proper containers. We had a container for concrete, another for drywall, and another for wood products,&rdquo; said Leonard. &ldquo;And then the general contractor has to police the bins and pick out any noncomplying material. One worry on a project like this is that the public will put stuff in your dumpsters,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />The city contracted with C. Rallo Contracting Co. for general construction and broke ground for the building in September 2007. &ldquo;This was my first LEED project and for a lot of the contractors, including Rallo, there was a learning curve, too,&rdquo; Leonard said. Concurrently with this project, Rallo was involved in another LEED project, Cannon Design&rsquo;s Powerhouse project in downtown St. Louis.<br /><br />Cottleville City Hall also was the first green project for Kurt Kostecki, principal of St. Peters-based Kostecki Architects. The city&rsquo;s decision to go green required him to make changes in his initial design. &ldquo;The first thing we had to do was entirely reorient the building,&rdquo; he said. He had originally designed the building to face Highway N, but, with the length of the building facing the street that meant the long side of the building faced east. &ldquo;When a building faces east or west, it experiences significant solar heat gain through windows in the morning and evening,&rdquo; Kostecki said.<br /><br />&ldquo;I wound up looking at the site and realized that we had the building close to being perpendicular to Fifth Street in Old Town Cottleville, so we turned it to face Fifth Street,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Facing south, we can keep the windows covered more when the sun is up high and we don&rsquo;t get as much heat gain,&rdquo; he said. <br /><br />The building&rsquo;s design also grew more windows to let in more natural light and energy efficient glass to reduce heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter, said Leonard. Kostecki also added more insulation to the walls and attic spaces. &ldquo;It all goes together with the electrical and mechanical systems to save energy,&rdquo; Leonard said.<br /><br />&lsquo;We also added windows in different places in the interior to get natural light into the interior space. We call them &ldquo;borrow lights,&rdquo; because they are borrowing light from other spaces. That was a major change,&rsquo; Kostecki said.<br /><br />Contractors finished work on the building in December. Work on the adjacent park, also funded by the one-half cent sales tax, is expected to be finished in April. The park will include biking and hiking trails, and outdoor amphitheater, athletic fields, and a playground.<br /><br /><strong>Simple Things Make a Difference</strong><br /><br />The Chicago-based Heartland Institute, which bills itself as &ldquo;a free market think tank,&rdquo; specifically targeted Cottleville for criticism for raising a sales tax to build a &ldquo;green&rdquo; city hall and decried &ldquo;costly environmental gestures&rdquo; on the building that, the institute claimed,&nbsp; &ldquo;include solar collectors, wind turbines, and rainwater collectors.&rdquo;<br /><br />In reality, the building has none of those. Indeed, anyone looking for exotic or cutting edge environmental features would like come away disappointed. &ldquo;The city wanted a classical look, like an old time city hall,&rdquo; Kostecki said. In addition to a sloped roof and shingle, &ldquo;We tried to incorporate brickwork and lintels and soffits to bring that about. We&rsquo;re happy with the way it turned out,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />So what makes Cottleville&rsquo;s city hall green? Many simple things do, but nothing very exotic. In addition to orienting the building to make better use of the sun; windows; energy efficient glass; insulation; an efficient heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system; recycling construction waste and using products that don&rsquo;t emit volatile organic compounds; &ldquo;in general, all the materials are as local as we can get them to avoid transporting materials a great distance,&rdquo; Kostecki said.<br /><br />Doing all those simple things does take work and money. Kostecki said he found with the Cottleville City Hall that, &ldquo;in the beginning, LEED is more expensive, but in the long run it is cheaper because it makes the building more efficient. In the meantime, it is better for the environment and the whole building can be torn down and recycled in the future when it is not needed anymore.<br /><br />&ldquo;The sooner people and architects realize that green is the new thing, the better off we all will be,&rdquo; he added.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"16\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1253,459,4,2,1235733060,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"459\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 11:43 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"20\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:46:\"Grubb & Ellis|Gundaker Announces  Transactions\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:42:\"grubb_ellisgundaker_announces_transactions\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:46:\"Grubb & Ellis|Gundaker Announces  Transactions\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:108:\" Grubb & Ellis|Gundaker Commercial, a local real estate services firm, announced the following transactions.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:38:\"Grubb & Ellis, commercial, real estate\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:3592:\"<p>&nbsp;Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial, a local real estate services firm, announced the following transactions.</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Don Worley of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Dudley Miller in the sale of 280 acres of land at 344 Audrain Road in Mexico, Missouri to Rick Meyer of Meyer &amp; Company Real Estate.</li>\n<li>Vince Bajardi and Paul Zimny, CCIM of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Jamieson Manufacturing Company, d/b/a Jamieson Fence in the lease of 9,000 square feet of industrial space at 801 Marshall Road in Valley Park, Missouri from 801 Marshall, LLC.</li>\n<li>John McDonald of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented APR, LLC in the purchase of 3,850 square feet of industrial space at 1060 Vondera Avenue in Union, Missouri from Envirotest Systems.Joe Allison, Dave Biales &amp; Andrea Aston of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Minkler Properties in the sale of 16 multi-family units at 150 S. Durkin Drive in Springfield, Illinois to Paul &amp; Jacqueline Carey.</li>\n<li>Vince Bajardi of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Fontbonne University in the lease of 34,000 square feet of office space at 1265-1300 Strassner Drive in Brentwood, Missouri from 1265-1300 Strassner Drive, LLC.</li>\n<li>Robert A. Busch, Esq. of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented The St. Louis Society for Children and Adults with Physical Disabilities in the lease of 3,675 square feet of office space at 1187 Corporate Lake Drive in St. Louis, Missouri from Tomorrow 32 Corporate Square L.P.</li>\n<li>David Biales, CCIM &amp; John McDonald of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Holleran Duitsman Architects in the lease of 7,651 square feet of office space at 16150 Main Circle Drive in Chesterfield, Missouri from Central Park Square, Inc.</li>\n<li>David Biales, CCIM &amp; Andy Bagy of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented The Boulevard-St. Louis, LLC in the lease of 4,851 square feet of office space at 15 The Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri to Eye Care Associates of St. Louis, LLC.</li>\n<li>David Biales, CCIM &amp; Andy Bagy of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented The Boulevard-St. Louis, LLC in the lease of 3,808 square feet of office space at 17 The Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri to Retina Consultants Ltd.</li>\n<li>Don Worley of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Peoples Savings Bank in the sale of 3,600 square feet of retail space at 602 Progress Parkway in Warrenton, Missouri.</li>\n<li>David Gitt of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Risen Lord Community Church in the lease of 47,000 square feet of space at 1402 First Capitol Drive in St. Charles, Missouri from Ridgecrest Baptist Church.</li>\n<li>Rudy Stinnett and Paul Nagel of Grubb &amp; Ellis|Gundaker Commercial represented Lawrence W. Fick Revocable Living Trust in the sale of 41.43 acres of land at 120 N. Eatherton Road in Chesterfield, Missouri to Keller Williams Realty.</li>\n<li>Ingrid Long and Steve May represented Donald L. Cannon Trust in the sale of 2,125 square feet of office space at 4150 Crescent Drive in St. Louis, Missouri.</li>\n<li>John T. McDonald, Jr. represented VJH, Inc (Nail Lounge) in the lease of 1,843 square feet of retail space at 10417 Clayton Road in Frontenac, Missouri from Frontenac Grove, LLC.Josh Hibbits represented General Parts International (CarQuest) in the lease of 5,910 square feet of retail space at 1601 Washington Avenue in Alton, Illinois from TMAAB Washington Square, LLC.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"20\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1254,456,4,2,1235733110,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"456\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:54 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:40:\"January Home Starts Decline 10.2 Percent\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:39:\"january_home_starts_decline_102_percent\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:40:\"January Home Starts Decline 10.2 Percent\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:221:\"Newly reported data from the U.S. Commerce Departmentindicates that sales of newly built, single-family homes fell 10.2 percent\nto a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 309,000 units in January, which is a new record low.\n\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2097:\"<p>Newly reported data from the U.S. Commerce Departmentindicates that sales of newly built, single-family homes fell 10.2 percent<br />to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 309,000 units in January, which is a new record low.<br /><br />\\\"As disturbing as this report sounds, there is reason to believe that some potential home buyers may have purposely delayed action in January as they<br />waited to see how details of the President\\\'s economic stimulus plan could affect a home purchase,\\\" said Joe Robson, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Tulsa, Okla.</p>\n<p>\\\"Now that those details are known - particularly those relating to the new first-time home buyer tax credit and higher loan limits for government-backed mortgages - we are hopeful that many buyers will be looking to take advantage of them in the coming months.\\\"<br /><br />\\\"Clearly, the downward pressures that have been exerting themselves on the housing market remain in place, including the weakened economy, ongoing job losses and very low consumer confidence,\\\" said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. \\\"But as more home buyers find out about the newly enhanced tax credit, and other parts of the economic stimulus package start kicking in, we expect to see some firming effect on home sales. The hope is that a certain amount of pent-up demand will be released as those who were in a wait-and-see\\\' mode decide they now have the information they need to<br />proceed.\\\"<br /><br />Home builders continued to do a good job of reducing their inventories in January, with the number of new homes on the market falling for a 21st consecutive month to 342,000 units. However, due to the historically slow sales pace, the months\\\' supply continued to rise for a fourth consecutive<br />month, to 13.3.<br /><br />Three out of four regions posted declining new-home sales in January. Sales fell 5.6 percent in the Midwest, 6.5 percent in the South and 28 percent in<br />the West. The Northeast was only exception to the rule, registering a 12.5 percent gain for the month.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1255,456,4,2,1235733139,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"456\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:54 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:40:\"January Home Starts Decline 10.2 Percent\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:39:\"january_home_starts_decline_102_percent\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:40:\"January Home Starts Decline 10.2 Percent\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:221:\"Newly reported data from the U.S. Commerce Departmentindicates that sales of newly built, single-family homes fell 10.2 percent\nto a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 309,000 units in January, which is a new record low.\n\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2092:\"<p>Newly reported data from the U.S. Commerce Departmentindicates that sales of newly built, single-family homes fell 10.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 309,000 units in January, which is a new record low.<br /><br />\\\"As disturbing as this report sounds, there is reason to believe that some potential home buyers may have purposely delayed action in January as they<br />waited to see how details of the President\\\'s economic stimulus plan could affect a home purchase,\\\" said Joe Robson, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a home builder from Tulsa, Okla.</p>\n<p>\\\"Now that those details are known - particularly those relating to the new first-time home buyer tax credit and higher loan limits for government-backed mortgages - we are hopeful that many buyers will be looking to take advantage of them in the coming months.\\\"<br /><br />\\\"Clearly, the downward pressures that have been exerting themselves on the housing market remain in place, including the weakened economy, ongoing job losses and very low consumer confidence,\\\" said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. \\\"But as more home buyers find out about the newly enhanced tax credit, and other parts of the economic stimulus package start kicking in, we expect to see some firming effect on home sales. The hope is that a certain amount of pent-up demand will be released as those who were in a wait-and-see\\\' mode decide they now have the information they need to<br />proceed.\\\"<br /><br />Home builders continued to do a good job of reducing their inventories in January, with the number of new homes on the market falling for a 21st consecutive month to 342,000 units. However, due to the historically slow sales pace, the months\\\' supply continued to rise for a fourth consecutive<br />month, to 13.3.<br /><br />Three out of four regions posted declining new-home sales in January. Sales fell 5.6 percent in the Midwest, 6.5 percent in the South and 28 percent in<br />the West. The Northeast was only exception to the rule, registering a 12.5 percent gain for the month.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1256,455,4,2,1235733171,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"455\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:50 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:47:\"Holland Completes Fox Meadows Supportive Living\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:47:\"holland_completes_fox_meadows_supportive_living\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:47:\"Holland Completes Fox Meadows Supportive Living\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:113:\"Holland Construction Services, Inc. recently completed Fox Meadows supportive living facility in McLeansboro, IL.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:30:\"Fox Meadows, supportive living\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:838:\"<p>Holland Construction Services, Inc. recently completed Fox Meadows supportive living facility in McLeansboro, IL.</p>\n<p>Randy Dauby, president of Fox Meadows, said the need for a facility of this type for adults aged 65 and older was determined in 2001.a&nbsp; &ldquo;Holland Construction did a super job,&rdquo; Dauby said. &ldquo;The company is very business-oriented and timely. Even though the project lost 35 days to rain, it was still completed on time.&rdquo;</p>\n<p>The $4 million, 30,430-square-foot Fox Meadows offers 41 studio and one-bedroom apartments, central full-service kitchen and dining room, and kitchenettes within individual apartments.</p>\n<p>Blair Minton and Associates, Inc. will manage Fox Meadows.&nbsp; Gleason Architects, P.C. of Sugar Grove, Ill. provided architectural services on Fox Meadows.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1257,452,5,2,1235733245,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"5\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"452\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:02 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"11\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"5\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:13:\"Hard Hat Zone\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:13:\"hard_hat_zone\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_20\";s:13:\"Hard Hat Zone\";s:11:\"field_ft_20\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_25\";s:1:\"4\";s:11:\"field_id_45\";s:544:\"Part of the annual Christmas ritual for my family is a game of “Rob Your Neighborâ€. The object of the game is to stick someone else with a particularly unattractive item that has been darkening a corner of  your closet. My six siblings, our many kids, and grandkids all get into the spirit. I once unloaded a plaster copy of Michelangelo’s nude statue “Davidâ€ – only to have it reappear for the next five years dressed in increasingly bizarre outfits.\n\nThis year was different for me: I actually WANTED the item I wound up getting. \";s:11:\"field_ft_45\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_22\";s:39:\"hard hat, stimulus, green, make it work\";s:11:\"field_ft_22\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_23\";s:5491:\"<p>Part of the annual Christmas ritual for my family is a game of &ldquo;Rob Your Neighbor&rdquo;. The object of the game is to stick someone else with a particularly unattractive item that has been darkening a corner of&nbsp; your closet. My six siblings, our many kids, and grandkids all get into the spirit. I once unloaded a plaster copy of Michelangelo&rsquo;s nude statue &ldquo;David&rdquo; &ndash; only to have it reappear for the next five years dressed in increasingly bizarre outfits.<br /><br />This year was different for me: I actually WANTED the item I wound up getting. My youngest brother had brought an old hard hat.&nbsp; But it was a hard hat fraught with meaning for me. It has a Day-Glo orange band, an old PRIDE logo in the same orange hue, and &ndash; Scotch-taped to the side &ndash; the original logo for St. Louis CNR. It was my Dad&rsquo;s hard hat, the same one that he wore for many years in the &ldquo;Perspective&rdquo; column that he wrote for CNR.<br /><br />The hard hat then, as now, had symbolic value beyond its role as protective gear. The hard hat represents the risk, hard work, and uncertainty that are an inherent part of the construction industry. Ours is an industry that gets things done.&nbsp; At New York&rsquo;s Center for Architecture the current exhibit is called &ldquo;Make It Work: Engineering Possibilities.&rdquo;&nbsp; The exhibit examines new technologies, materials, and building designs that will shape the future. &ldquo;Make It Work&rdquo; might be the mission statement for our construction industry.<br /><br />When we discussing the theme for this month&rsquo;s CNR cover, Art Director Scott Tripp came up with the idea for the &ldquo;stimulus drink&rdquo; that appears in the photo illustration. Originally the idea was to have the model wearing a hard hat holding the can. <br /><br />I&rsquo;m glad that the final image focuses only on the can and that there&rsquo;s no hard hat in sight. Because our industry&rsquo;s role is not to create the environment in which things are built. The Stimulus Package is not something we have created &ndash; it just part of the environment in which we operate. The role of our construction industry is to take the conditions and resources as they come and to &ldquo;make it work.&rdquo;&nbsp; Making it work is the kind of job that requires rolling up your sleeves and putting on a hard hat. <br /><br />Freeing the chokehold that financial institutions have on cash for projects will make a difference. The infusion of federal dollars &ndash; at no small cost to the future &ndash; for shovel-ready stimulus projects will also make a difference.&nbsp; <br /><br />But our industry can a BIG difference by fearlessly championing new ideas and technologies, by stretching resources to the breaking point. This month Dan Galvin, public information manager, Gateway Constructors and the public face of&nbsp; &ldquo;The New I-64&rdquo;, spoke before the Midwest Council, American Subcontractors Association. Galvin pointed out the daring thinking that allowed MoDot and its contractors to shave four years off the project schedule. Their faith that it could be done &ndash; and their ability to get the public to embrace that idea&nbsp; &ndash; has created a model that is being studied for other projects around the country.<br /><br />At the Society for Marketing of Professional Services (SMPS) meeting in February, Emily Andrews, executive director, U.S. Green Building Council - St. Louis Regional Chapter, moderated a &ldquo;sustainability panel&rdquo;comprised of Mathew Malten, MEM, LEED AP, assistant vice chancellor for sustainability, Washington University in St. Louis; Grant Lanham, LEED AP/operations specialist, Vertegy Consultants; and&nbsp; Christopher Hulse, LEED AP, vice president, Green Street Properties.<br /><br />Malten told how the university&rsquo;s desire to&nbsp; &ldquo;do the right thing,&rdquo; coupled with the construction expertise of its own facilities management team and outside construction experts was creating a steady stream of projects at Wash U. with incredibly quick ROI. <br /><br />Lanham stressed the need to &ldquo;be more sophisticated. We need to be really careful in how we market what it is to be sustainable. Don&rsquo;t just push the idea of &lsquo;green&rsquo;.&rdquo; <br /><br />Hulse said that Green Street, a developer focusing on sustainable projects, is experiencing strong interest even in these times because owners are recognizing the difference that an environmentally healthy building can make in worker productivity. <br /><br />This March/April of CNR addresses some of the ways in which various segments of our industry are making a difference in current economic times.&nbsp; One article takes a measured look at green/sustainable construction and what it means in the future. In another, we examine at the ways in which the area&rsquo;s equipment dealers are sharing the pain of their cash-strapped contractor customers.&nbsp; Electrical contractors are applying more and more of their engineering expertise to help customers save energy and expedite installations, as yet another feature explains. <br /><br />The construction industry doesn&rsquo;t dictate the state of the economy or the mood of public sentiment&hellip; and we certainly don&rsquo;t control the whims of government. Our job, whatever the situation, is to roll up our sleeves, put on our thinking caps (hard hats) and &ldquo;make it work&rdquo;.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"11\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1258,457,2,2,1235751434,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"457\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:59 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:40:\"CNR Seeks Regional Exellence Nominations\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:40:\"cnr_seeks_regional_exellence_nominations\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:40:\"CNR Seeks Regional Exellence Nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:174:\"St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:44:\"CNR, Regional Excellence Awards, nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4087:\"<p><em>St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate</em> (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.</p>\n<p><img class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/awards_1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />This year\\\'s award presentations will be very special,\\\" Publisher Tom Finan said. \\\"It is the 20th year that we have presented the awards, and it is also the 40th year for<em> CNR</em>.&nbsp; We plan an especially memorable program event this year.\\\"</p>\n<p>The\nstated purpose of the awards is to recognize\nprojects completed in the last year that \\\"in sum, demonstrate\nexcellence in design, excellence in construction, and a positive\ncontribution to the St. Louis community.\\\" Awards are presented to the\ndesigner the general contractor/construction manager, and the owner for\neach project.</p>\n<p>The winning entries are selected by a distinguished panel of judges from the design, construction, academic, and labor communities, plus the editor and publisher of <em>CNR</em>.</p>\n<p>To download an entry form in Microsoft Word format, <a href=\\\"/blogfiles/awards.doc\\\">click this link.</a></p>\n<p><iframe id=\\\"AnswersBalloonIframe\\\" src=\\\"javascript:;\\\" style=\\\"border: medium none; z-index: 99998; position: absolute; width: 490px; height: 306px; visibility: hidden; background-color: transparent; top: 293px; left: 460px; margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 10px;\\\"></iframe></p>\n<div id=\\\"AnswersBalloon\\\" style=\\\"width: 490px; position: absolute; visibility: hidden; z-index: 99999; text-align: left; top: 269px; left: 460px;\\\">\n<div id=\\\"AnswerTipHook\\\" style=\\\"background-image: url(http://www.answers.com/main/images/hook-topL.gif); width: 67px; height: 24px; margin-left: 25px; position: relative; top: 10px;\\\"></div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeaderInner\\\" id=\\\"AnswersHandle0\\\" style=\\\"cursor: move;\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader1\\\"><a onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\'; return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Close\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersCloseImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/close.gif\\\" style=\\\"margin-right: 10px; position: relative; cursor: pointer;\\\" /></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipMore\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; visibility: hidden; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\" target=\\\"AnswersQueryWindow\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Read more &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipOptions\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'options\\\'; else window.status=\\\'options\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Options &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a></div>\n<div><a href=\\\"http://www.answers.com?initiator=FFANS\\\" style=\\\"float: left; cursor: pointer;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Visit Answers.com\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersLogoImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/answers-logo.gif\\\" /></a></div>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersContentFrame\\\" id=\\\"Answers_frame\\\">\n<table class=\\\"donotmoveme\\\" id=\\\"Balloontable2\\\" style=\\\"width: 480px; float: left;\\\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\\\"Answertip\\\" style=\\\"overflow: hidden; height: 235px; width: 473px;\\\"></div>\n<div id=\\\"answertipClose\\\" style=\\\"display: none;\\\"></div>\n</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersFooter\\\" id=\\\"Answers_footer\\\">\n<div style=\\\"width: 471px; height: 22px; float: left;\\\"><iframe frameborder=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersAds\\\" scrolling=\\\"no\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/tip2.jsp?s=click%2520this%2520link.%2520%2520&amp;wt=1&amp;nafid=&amp;cobrand=\\\" style=\\\"border: 0px none; padding: 0px; width: 100%; height: 22px;\\\"></iframe></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:39:\"/images/uploads/regional-excellence.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1259,452,5,2,1235786458,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"5\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"452\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:02 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"11\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"5\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:13:\"Hard Hat Zone\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:13:\"hard_hat_zone\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_20\";s:13:\"Hard Hat Zone\";s:11:\"field_ft_20\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_25\";s:1:\"4\";s:11:\"field_id_45\";s:544:\"Part of the annual Christmas ritual for my family is a game of “Rob Your Neighborâ€. The object of the game is to stick someone else with a particularly unattractive item that has been darkening a corner of  your closet. My six siblings, our many kids, and grandkids all get into the spirit. I once unloaded a plaster copy of Michelangelo’s nude statue “Davidâ€ – only to have it reappear for the next five years dressed in increasingly bizarre outfits.\n\nThis year was different for me: I actually WANTED the item I wound up getting. \";s:11:\"field_ft_45\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_22\";s:39:\"hard hat, stimulus, green, make it work\";s:11:\"field_ft_22\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_23\";s:5633:\"<p>Part of the annual Christmas ritual for my family is a game of &ldquo;Rob Your Neighbor&rdquo;. The object of the game is to stick someone else with a particularly unattractive item that has been darkening a corner of&nbsp; your closet. My six siblings, our many kids, and grandkids all get into the spirit. I once unloaded a plaster copy of Michelangelo&rsquo;s nude statue &ldquo;David&rdquo; &ndash; only to have it reappear for the next five years dressed in increasingly bizarre outfits.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Tom hard hat\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"375\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/tom-hard-hat.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"250\\\" />This year was different for me: I actually WANTED the item I wound up getting. My youngest brother had brought an old hard hat.&nbsp; But it was a hard hat fraught with meaning for me. It has a Day-Glo orange band, an old PRIDE logo in the same orange hue, and &ndash; Scotch-taped to the side &ndash; the original logo for St. Louis CNR. It was my Dad&rsquo;s hard hat, the same one that he wore for many years in the &ldquo;Perspective&rdquo; column that he wrote for CNR.<br /><br />The hard hat then, as now, had symbolic value beyond its role as protective gear. The hard hat represents the risk, hard work, and uncertainty that are an inherent part of the construction industry. Ours is an industry that gets things done.&nbsp; At New York&rsquo;s Center for Architecture the current exhibit is called &ldquo;Make It Work: Engineering Possibilities.&rdquo;&nbsp; The exhibit examines new technologies, materials, and building designs that will shape the future. &ldquo;Make It Work&rdquo; might be the mission statement for our construction industry.<br /><br />When we discussing the theme for this month&rsquo;s CNR cover, Art Director Scott Tripp came up with the idea for the &ldquo;stimulus drink&rdquo; that appears in the photo illustration. Originally the idea was to have the model wearing a hard hat holding the can. <br /><br />I&rsquo;m glad that the final image focuses only on the can and that there&rsquo;s no hard hat in sight. Because our industry&rsquo;s role is not to create the environment in which things are built. The Stimulus Package is not something we have created &ndash; it just part of the environment in which we operate. The role of our construction industry is to take the conditions and resources as they come and to &ldquo;make it work.&rdquo;&nbsp; Making it work is the kind of job that requires rolling up your sleeves and putting on a hard hat. <br /><br />Freeing the chokehold that financial institutions have on cash for projects will make a difference. The infusion of federal dollars &ndash; at no small cost to the future &ndash; for shovel-ready stimulus projects will also make a difference.&nbsp; <br /><br />But our industry can a BIG difference by fearlessly championing new ideas and technologies, by stretching resources to the breaking point. This month Dan Galvin, public information manager, Gateway Constructors and the public face of&nbsp; &ldquo;The New I-64&rdquo;, spoke before the Midwest Council, American Subcontractors Association. Galvin pointed out the daring thinking that allowed MoDot and its contractors to shave four years off the project schedule. Their faith that it could be done &ndash; and their ability to get the public to embrace that idea&nbsp; &ndash; has created a model that is being studied for other projects around the country.<br /><br />At the Society for Marketing of Professional Services (SMPS) meeting in February, Emily Andrews, executive director, U.S. Green Building Council - St. Louis Regional Chapter, moderated a &ldquo;sustainability panel&rdquo;comprised of Mathew Malten, MEM, LEED AP, assistant vice chancellor for sustainability, Washington University in St. Louis; Grant Lanham, LEED AP/operations specialist, Vertegy Consultants; and&nbsp; Christopher Hulse, LEED AP, vice president, Green Street Properties.<br /><br />Malten told how the university&rsquo;s desire to&nbsp; &ldquo;do the right thing,&rdquo; coupled with the construction expertise of its own facilities management team and outside construction experts was creating a steady stream of projects at Wash U. with incredibly quick ROI. <br /><br />Lanham stressed the need to &ldquo;be more sophisticated. We need to be really careful in how we market what it is to be sustainable. Don&rsquo;t just push the idea of &lsquo;green&rsquo;.&rdquo; <br /><br />Hulse said that Green Street, a developer focusing on sustainable projects, is experiencing strong interest even in these times because owners are recognizing the difference that an environmentally healthy building can make in worker productivity. <br /><br />This March/April of CNR addresses some of the ways in which various segments of our industry are making a difference in current economic times.&nbsp; One article takes a measured look at green/sustainable construction and what it means in the future. In another, we examine at the ways in which the area&rsquo;s equipment dealers are sharing the pain of their cash-strapped contractor customers.&nbsp; Electrical contractors are applying more and more of their engineering expertise to help customers save energy and expedite installations, as yet another feature explains. <br /><br />The construction industry doesn&rsquo;t dictate the state of the economy or the mood of public sentiment&hellip; and we certainly don&rsquo;t control the whims of government. Our job, whatever the situation, is to roll up our sleeves, put on our thinking caps (hard hats) and &ldquo;make it work&rdquo;.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"11\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1260,452,5,2,1235786551,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"5\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"452\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:02 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"11\";i:1;s:2:\"42\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"5\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:13:\"Hard Hat Zone\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:13:\"hard_hat_zone\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_20\";s:13:\"Hard Hat Zone\";s:11:\"field_ft_20\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_25\";s:1:\"4\";s:11:\"field_id_45\";s:544:\"Part of the annual Christmas ritual for my family is a game of “Rob Your Neighborâ€. The object of the game is to stick someone else with a particularly unattractive item that has been darkening a corner of  your closet. My six siblings, our many kids, and grandkids all get into the spirit. I once unloaded a plaster copy of Michelangelo’s nude statue “Davidâ€ – only to have it reappear for the next five years dressed in increasingly bizarre outfits.\n\nThis year was different for me: I actually WANTED the item I wound up getting. \";s:11:\"field_ft_45\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_22\";s:39:\"hard hat, stimulus, green, make it work\";s:11:\"field_ft_22\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_23\";s:5633:\"<p>Part of the annual Christmas ritual for my family is a game of &ldquo;Rob Your Neighbor&rdquo;. The object of the game is to stick someone else with a particularly unattractive item that has been darkening a corner of&nbsp; your closet. My six siblings, our many kids, and grandkids all get into the spirit. I once unloaded a plaster copy of Michelangelo&rsquo;s nude statue &ldquo;David&rdquo; &ndash; only to have it reappear for the next five years dressed in increasingly bizarre outfits.<br /><br />This year was different for me: I actually WANTED the item I wound up getting. My youngest brother had brought an old hard hat.&nbsp; But it was a hard hat fraught with meaning for me. It has a Day-Glo orange band, an old PRIDE logo in the same orange hue, and &ndash; Scotch-taped to the side &ndash; the original logo for St. Louis CNR. It was my Dad&rsquo;s hard hat, the same one that he wore for many years in the &ldquo;Perspective&rdquo; column that he wrote for CNR.<br /><br />The hard hat then, as now, had symbolic value beyond its role as protective gear. The hard hat represents the risk, hard work, and uncertainty that are an inherent part of the construction industry. Ours is an industry that gets things done.&nbsp; At New York&rsquo;s Center for Architecture the current exhibit is called &ldquo;Make It Work: Engineering Possibilities.&rdquo;&nbsp; The exhibit examines new technologies, materials, and building designs that will shape the future. &ldquo;Make It Work&rdquo; might be the mission statement for our construction industry.<br /><br />When we discussing the theme for this month&rsquo;s CNR cover, Art Director Scott Tripp came up with the idea for the &ldquo;stimulus drink&rdquo; that appears in the photo illustration. Originally the idea was to have the model we<img alt=\\\"Tom hard hat\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"375\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/tom-hard-hat.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"250\\\" />aring a hard hat holding the can. <br /><br />I&rsquo;m glad that the final image focuses only on the can and that there&rsquo;s no hard hat in sight. Because our industry&rsquo;s role is not to create the environment in which things are built. The Stimulus Package is not something we have created &ndash; it just part of the environment in which we operate. The role of our construction industry is to take the conditions and resources as they come and to &ldquo;make it work.&rdquo;&nbsp; Making it work is the kind of job that requires rolling up your sleeves and putting on a hard hat. <br /><br />Freeing the chokehold that financial institutions have on cash for projects will make a difference. The infusion of federal dollars &ndash; at no small cost to the future &ndash; for shovel-ready stimulus projects will also make a difference.&nbsp; <br /><br />But our industry can a BIG difference by fearlessly championing new ideas and technologies, by stretching resources to the breaking point. This month Dan Galvin, public information manager, Gateway Constructors and the public face of&nbsp; &ldquo;The New I-64&rdquo;, spoke before the Midwest Council, American Subcontractors Association. Galvin pointed out the daring thinking that allowed MoDot and its contractors to shave four years off the project schedule. Their faith that it could be done &ndash; and their ability to get the public to embrace that idea&nbsp; &ndash; has created a model that is being studied for other projects around the country.<br /><br />At the Society for Marketing of Professional Services (SMPS) meeting in February, Emily Andrews, executive director, U.S. Green Building Council - St. Louis Regional Chapter, moderated a &ldquo;sustainability panel&rdquo;comprised of Mathew Malten, MEM, LEED AP, assistant vice chancellor for sustainability, Washington University in St. Louis; Grant Lanham, LEED AP/operations specialist, Vertegy Consultants; and&nbsp; Christopher Hulse, LEED AP, vice president, Green Street Properties.<br /><br />Malten told how the university&rsquo;s desire to&nbsp; &ldquo;do the right thing,&rdquo; coupled with the construction expertise of its own facilities management team and outside construction experts was creating a steady stream of projects at Wash U. with incredibly quick ROI. <br /><br />Lanham stressed the need to &ldquo;be more sophisticated. We need to be really careful in how we market what it is to be sustainable. Don&rsquo;t just push the idea of &lsquo;green&rsquo;.&rdquo; <br /><br />Hulse said that Green Street, a developer focusing on sustainable projects, is experiencing strong interest even in these times because owners are recognizing the difference that an environmentally healthy building can make in worker productivity. <br /><br />This March/April of CNR addresses some of the ways in which various segments of our industry are making a difference in current economic times.&nbsp; One article takes a measured look at green/sustainable construction and what it means in the future. In another, we examine at the ways in which the area&rsquo;s equipment dealers are sharing the pain of their cash-strapped contractor customers.&nbsp; Electrical contractors are applying more and more of their engineering expertise to help customers save energy and expedite installations, as yet another feature explains. <br /><br />The construction industry doesn&rsquo;t dictate the state of the economy or the mood of public sentiment&hellip; and we certainly don&rsquo;t control the whims of government. Our job, whatever the situation, is to roll up our sleeves, put on our thinking caps (hard hats) and &ldquo;make it work&rdquo;.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"11\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"42\";}'),(1261,460,4,2,1235843406,'a:25:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 06:47 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"6\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:35:\"Geotechnology, Inc. Wins ACEC Award\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:33:\"geotechnology_inc_wins_acec_award\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:35:\"Geotechnology, Inc. Wins ACEC Award\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:408:\"Geotechnology, Inc., a provider of consulting services in geotechnical and environmental engineering, materials testing and drilling, has won an Honor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)-Missouri for  its evaluation of the project site for a new, 400,000-gallon elevated water storage tower for the City of Jackson, Missouri. Geotechnology’s client was Horner & Shifrin, Inc.   \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:32:\"Geotechnology, Inc., award, ACEC\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1405:\"<p>Geotechnology, Inc., a provider of consulting services in geotechnical and environmental engineering, materials testing and drilling, has won an Honor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC)-Missouri for&nbsp; its evaluation of the project site for a new, 400,000-gallon elevated water storage tower for the City of Jackson, Missouri. Geotechnology&rsquo;s client was Horner &amp; Shifrin, Inc.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The project presented two challenges:&nbsp; the tower had to be built near the existing water well and pump house, and the area had karst (underground voids) with an existing sinkhole located nearby. Geotechnology&rsquo;s engineers developed an interdisciplinary approach to these challenges.&nbsp; First, they performed a geophysical survey using the seismic reflection method to profile the subsurface and then used that data to perform \\\"smart borings\\\" in the locations where they were truly needed. The approach helped them identify higher quality bedrock, and avoid the karst features.&nbsp; The result was a simpler design for the tower, which was relocated away from the area most impacted by the karst, and a reduction in overall construction cost and performance risk.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"6\";}'),(1262,461,4,2,1235843691,'a:25:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 06:52 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:46:\"EPA Accepts \\\"Smart Growth\\\" Award Nominations\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:42:\"epa_accepts_smart_growth_award_nominations\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:46:\"EPA Accepts \\\"Smart Growth\\\" Award Nominations\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:455:\"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the eighth annual National Award for Smart Growth Achievement. This competition is open to public-sector or private sector applicants that have used the principles of smart growth to create better places. Private-sector applicants are encouraged to submit applications for projects that demonstrate a significant public-private partnership.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:25:\"Smart Growth, EPA, awards\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2053:\"<p>The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the eighth annual National Award for Smart Growth Achievement. This competition is open to public-sector or private sector applicants that have used the principles of smart growth to create better places. Private-sector applicants are encouraged to submit applications for projects that demonstrate a significant public-private partnership.<br /><br />Smart growth development serves the economy, the community, and the environment. Smart growth approaches to development create clear environmental benefits, including improved air and water quality, preservation of critical habitat and open space, and more cleanup and re-use of brownfield sites.<br /><br />This year, applications will be accepted in five categories:<br /><br />- Built Projects:<br />- Policies and Regulations<br />- Smart Growth and Green Building<br />- Smart Growth Streets<br />- Overall Excellence in Smart Growth<br /><br />Interested parties are encouraged to submit applications for smart growth activities that have shown significant activity between April 23, 2004, and April 23, 2009. Successful applicants will have incorporated the principles of smart growth to create places that respect community culture and the environment, foster economic development, and enhance quality of life and public health.<br /><br />This year, the public sector winners will receive support for further implementing smart growth strategies in their communities. In addition, public sector winners will receive one complementary registration to the New Partners for Smart Growth Conference in 2010.<br /><br />Applications are due on April 23, 2009. Up to five winners will be recognized at a ceremony in Washington, DC in December 2009.<br /><br />For more details about the National Award for Smart Growth Achievement, including an application packet, visit:<br /><a href=\\\"http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/awards.htm\\\">http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/awards.htm</a></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";}'),(1263,462,4,2,1235844233,'a:25:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 06:55 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:42:\"Subcontractors Lead Charge for Lien Reform\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:42:\"subcontractors_lead_charge_for_lien_reform\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:42:\"Subcontractors Lead Charge for Lien Reform\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:215:\"On Feb. 24 about 60 subcontractors representing various association converged on the Jefferson City to speak with legislators about legislation addressing the crisis in lien situations caused by the current economy.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:43:\"ASA, liens, legislators, Bill 595, Bill 267\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1237:\"<p>On Feb. 24 about 60 subcontractors representing various association converged on the Jefferson City to speak with legislators about legislation addressing the crisis in lien situations caused by the current economy.</p>\n<p>Led by American Subcontractors Association (ASA) members from both St. Louis and Kansas City, the delegation included members from the SITE Improvement Association, Mason Contractors Association,&nbsp; Painting and Decorating Foundation, Independent Electrical Contractors of St. Louis, and&nbsp; the Wall and Ceiling Contractors Association.</p>\n<p>The contractors handed out ASA hardhats and talked to legislators about the importance of passing legislation to improve payment on construction projects.&nbsp; Both House Bill 595 and Senate Bill 267 would standardize lien waiver forms and allow for attorney fees to be reimbursed to a contractor who perfects its mechanics lien.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Compared to 2007, the average number of monthly liens above $1,000\nfiled through mid-November of 2008, was 14 percent higher in the city\nof St. Louis, 15 percent higher in St. Louis County and 48 percent\nhigher in St. Charles County, according to data compiled from public\nrecords by American City Business Leads.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";}'),(1264,463,4,2,1235887470,'a:25:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 07:02 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:64:\"Army Selects Walton Construction for LEED Project at Fort Polk  \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:62:\"army_selects_walton_construction_for_leed_project_at_fort_polk\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:63:\"Army Selects Walton Construction for LEED Project at Fort Polk \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:212:\"The Department of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District has selected Walton Construction as general contractor on the - $182 million Fort Polk Barracks Realignment renovation project in Louisiana. \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:29:\"Army, Walton, LEED, Fort Polk\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1718:\"<p>The Department of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District has selected Walton Construction as general contractor on the - $182 million Fort Polk Barracks Realignment renovation project in Louisiana. Walton received &ldquo;notice to proceed&rdquo; from the contracting officer on January 29.&nbsp; Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2009, with completion targeted for October 2012. The architect is VOA Associates Incorporated, of Orlando, FL.<br /><br />Walton Construction will work to achieve Silver LEED certification on the Louisiana based barracks complex as part of a concerted effort by the USACE to cut energy use and create a healthier sustainable training environment.&nbsp; <br /><br />Walton will incorporate environmentally friendly design, recyclable materials and energy efficient products in the construction of the Fort Polk Barracks Complex. The project includes design and construction for renovation of 13 barracks, and four central energy plants that serve the 13 barracks and 57 other buildings.<br /><br />Contractor evaluations for military projects of this magnitude are based on past performance of cost and schedule growth as well as the contractor&rsquo;s safety and quality control programs, according to Steve Biederman, president of Walton Construction St. Louis.<br /><br />&ldquo;We&rsquo;re proud to know that this project award affirms the strengths and capabilities of our professionals at Walton Construction,&rdquo; said Biederman.&nbsp; &ldquo;We&rsquo;re also pleased to show support for our nation&rsquo;s military by creating a healthy living environment through the sustainable design and construction of their barracks at Fort Polk.&rdquo;<br /></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";}'),(1265,464,10,2,1235888189,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:2:\"10\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 07:10 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:52:\"Lambert Schedules Quarterly Certification Workshop  \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:50:\"lambert_schedules_quarterly_certification_workshop\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_58\";s:51:\"Lambert Schedules Quarterly Certification Workshop \";s:11:\"field_ft_58\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_62\";s:242:\"Lambert\\\'s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program Office is sponsoring a Certification Workshop at the Airport\\\'s DBE Program Office 4th Floor Training Room located in theLambert Airport Office Building, 11495 Navaid Road, Bridgeton.\";s:11:\"field_ft_62\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_59\";s:33:\"DBE, MBE, Lambert, cerftification\";s:11:\"field_ft_59\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_63\";s:71:\"Lambert Airport Office Building, 11495 Navaid Road, Bridgeton, Missouri\";s:11:\"field_ft_63\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_57\";s:19:\"2009-03-04  9:30 AM\";s:15:\"field_offset_57\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_56\";s:0:\"\";s:15:\"field_offset_56\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_55\";s:20:\" 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m\";s:11:\"field_ft_55\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_60\";s:1900:\"<p>Lambert\\\'s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program Office is sponsoring a Certification Workshop at the Airport\\\'s DBE Program Office 4th Floor Training Room located in theLambert Airport Office Building, 11495 Navaid Road, Bridgeton.</p>\n<p>The purpose of the workshop is to give minority and women owned businesses information about the M/W/DBE Program, the certification process and how to become certified. These quarterly workshops will educate minority and women business owners about the certification process and the advantages of having M/W/DBE status.</p>\n<p>The certification workshop is sponsored by Lambert\\\'s DBE Program Office.&nbsp; Its mission is to ensure that M/W/DBE\\\'s have the opportunity to participate in airport and city contracts.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>A DBE is a small business that is at least 51 percent owned by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals.&nbsp; Socially and economically disadvantaged individuals are those citizens of the United States who are Black American, Hispanic American, Native American, Asian-Pacific American, Asian-Indian American, women or any other disadvantaged group or individuals disadvantaged by the Small Business Administration.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />The remaining DBE Certification Workshops are scheduled June 10, September 9, and December 9, all workshop times will be from 9 am to 11:30 a.m.&nbsp; The remaining workshops&nbsp; will be held at METRO&rsquo;s 6th Floor Board Room located at 707 North First Street, St. Louis Missouri. Seating is limited and you must register in advance to attend the workshop.&nbsp; For more information and a registration form visit our website, <a href=\\\"http://www.mwdbe.com\\\">www.mwdbe.org</a> or contact the DBE Program Office 314.551.5000.</p>\";}'),(1266,463,4,2,1235892432,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"463\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 07:02 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:62:\"Army Selects Walton Construction for LEED Project at Fort Polk\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:62:\"army_selects_walton_construction_for_leed_project_at_fort_polk\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:63:\"Army Selects Walton Construction for LEED Project at Fort Polk \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:212:\"The Department of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District has selected Walton Construction as general contractor on the - $182 million Fort Polk Barracks Realignment renovation project in Louisiana. \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:29:\"Army, Walton, LEED, Fort Polk\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1861:\"<p>The Department of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District has selected Walton Construction as general contractor on the - $182 million Fort Polk Barracks Realignment renovation project in Louisiana. Walton received &ldquo;notice to proceed&rdquo; from the contracting officer on January 29.&nbsp; Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2009, with completion targeted for October 2012. The architect is VOA Associates Incorporated, of Orlando, FL.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Fort Polk LEED barracks\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"182\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/FortPolk.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />Walton Construction will work to achieve Silver LEED certification on the Louisiana based barracks complex as part of a concerted effort by the USACE to cut energy use and create a healthier sustainable training environment.&nbsp; <br /><br />Walton will incorporate environmentally friendly design, recyclable materials and energy efficient products in the construction of the Fort Polk Barracks Complex. The project includes design and construction for renovation of 13 barracks, and four central energy plants that serve the 13 barracks and 57 other buildings.<br /><br />Contractor evaluations for military projects of this magnitude are based on past performance of cost and schedule growth as well as the contractor&rsquo;s safety and quality control programs, according to Steve Biederman, president of Walton Construction St. Louis.<br /><br />&ldquo;We&rsquo;re proud to know that this project award affirms the strengths and capabilities of our professionals at Walton Construction,&rdquo; said Biederman.&nbsp; &ldquo;We&rsquo;re also pleased to show support for our nation&rsquo;s military by creating a healthy living environment through the sustainable design and construction of their barracks at Fort Polk.&rdquo;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";}'),(1267,463,4,2,1235892477,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"463\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 07:02 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:49:\"Army Selects Walton for LEED Project at Fort Polk\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:49:\"army_selects_walton_for_leed_project_at_fort_polk\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:50:\"Army Selects Walton for LEED Project at Fort Polk \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:212:\"The Department of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District has selected Walton Construction as general contractor on the - $182 million Fort Polk Barracks Realignment renovation project in Louisiana. \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:29:\"Army, Walton, LEED, Fort Polk\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1861:\"<p>The Department of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District has selected Walton Construction as general contractor on the - $182 million Fort Polk Barracks Realignment renovation project in Louisiana. Walton received &ldquo;notice to proceed&rdquo; from the contracting officer on January 29.&nbsp; Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2009, with completion targeted for October 2012. The architect is VOA Associates Incorporated, of Orlando, FL.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Fort Polk LEED barracks\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"182\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/FortPolk.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />Walton Construction will work to achieve Silver LEED certification on the Louisiana based barracks complex as part of a concerted effort by the USACE to cut energy use and create a healthier sustainable training environment.&nbsp; <br /><br />Walton will incorporate environmentally friendly design, recyclable materials and energy efficient products in the construction of the Fort Polk Barracks Complex. The project includes design and construction for renovation of 13 barracks, and four central energy plants that serve the 13 barracks and 57 other buildings.<br /><br />Contractor evaluations for military projects of this magnitude are based on past performance of cost and schedule growth as well as the contractor&rsquo;s safety and quality control programs, according to Steve Biederman, president of Walton Construction St. Louis.<br /><br />&ldquo;We&rsquo;re proud to know that this project award affirms the strengths and capabilities of our professionals at Walton Construction,&rdquo; said Biederman.&nbsp; &ldquo;We&rsquo;re also pleased to show support for our nation&rsquo;s military by creating a healthy living environment through the sustainable design and construction of their barracks at Fort Polk.&rdquo;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";}'),(1268,465,4,2,1235892819,'a:25:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 08:30 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"7\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:30:\"Boatman Joins Sak Construction\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:30:\"boatman_joins_sak_construction\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:30:\"Boatman Joins Sak Construction\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:97:\"Eligie “Jackâ€ Boatman of Mobile, AL., has joined the management team at SAK Construction LLC.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:37:\"SAK, Boatman, trenchless, underground\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2247:\"<p>Eligie &ldquo;Jack&rdquo; Boatman of Mobile, AL., has joined the management team at SAK Construction LLC, a national pipeline rehabilitation and tunneling industries contractor headquartered in the St. Louis area. Based in Mobile, Boatman will manage SAK&rsquo;s business development efforts in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. SAK serves a variety of city, county and state agencies; industrial sectors; municipalities; and water and sewer cooperatives coast-to-coast.</p>\n<p>Boatman brings to SAK 13 years of experience in business management, community development, safety and training in the pipeline rehabilitation industry.&nbsp; His background also includes 27 years with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Co., where he served in various engineering and upper management roles.&nbsp; Boatman holds a master&rsquo;s degree in management from Webster University and a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in electronic engineering from Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala. He also completed advanced studies in urban affairs at Saint Louis University. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>He has served in a number of humanitarian and community leadership roles in St. Louis.&nbsp; He served as a mentor at the St. Louis Boys &amp; Girls Club and garnered the &ldquo;Sheer Elegance Community Service Award&rdquo; from Mathews-Dickey Boys&rsquo; and Girls&rsquo; Club and the Sammy Davis Jr. &ldquo;Yes I Can&rdquo; award. The neighborhood alliance in Augusta, GA, recently honored Boatman with the establishment of the &ldquo;Jack Boatman Community Development Award&rdquo; that recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding community service.</p>\n<p>Boatman is a member of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and serves on the corporate advisory committee of the National Forum of Black Public Administrators (NFBPA). He also serves on the economic advisory committee for the City of Pritchard, AL &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Founded in 2006, SAK Construction is led by industry veterans Jerry Shaw, president; Tom Kalishman, chairman; and Robert Affholder, vice chairman. The three SAK leaders are known for their expertise in trenchless underground technology, including cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) rehabilitation.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"7\";}'),(1269,465,4,2,1235892861,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"465\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 08:30 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"7\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:30:\"Boatman Joins SAK Construction\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:30:\"boatman_joins_sak_construction\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:30:\"Boatman Joins SAK Construction\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:97:\"Eligie “Jackâ€ Boatman of Mobile, AL., has joined the management team at SAK Construction LLC.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:37:\"SAK, Boatman, trenchless, underground\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2247:\"<p>Eligie &ldquo;Jack&rdquo; Boatman of Mobile, AL., has joined the management team at SAK Construction LLC, a national pipeline rehabilitation and tunneling industries contractor headquartered in the St. Louis area. Based in Mobile, Boatman will manage SAK&rsquo;s business development efforts in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. SAK serves a variety of city, county and state agencies; industrial sectors; municipalities; and water and sewer cooperatives coast-to-coast.</p>\n<p>Boatman brings to SAK 13 years of experience in business management, community development, safety and training in the pipeline rehabilitation industry.&nbsp; His background also includes 27 years with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Co., where he served in various engineering and upper management roles.&nbsp; Boatman holds a master&rsquo;s degree in management from Webster University and a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in electronic engineering from Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala. He also completed advanced studies in urban affairs at Saint Louis University. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>He has served in a number of humanitarian and community leadership roles in St. Louis.&nbsp; He served as a mentor at the St. Louis Boys &amp; Girls Club and garnered the &ldquo;Sheer Elegance Community Service Award&rdquo; from Mathews-Dickey Boys&rsquo; and Girls&rsquo; Club and the Sammy Davis Jr. &ldquo;Yes I Can&rdquo; award. The neighborhood alliance in Augusta, GA, recently honored Boatman with the establishment of the &ldquo;Jack Boatman Community Development Award&rdquo; that recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding community service.</p>\n<p>Boatman is a member of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and serves on the corporate advisory committee of the National Forum of Black Public Administrators (NFBPA). He also serves on the economic advisory committee for the City of Pritchard, AL &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Founded in 2006, SAK Construction is led by industry veterans Jerry Shaw, president; Tom Kalishman, chairman; and Robert Affholder, vice chairman. The three SAK leaders are known for their expertise in trenchless underground technology, including cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) rehabilitation.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"7\";}'),(1270,466,4,2,1235893623,'a:25:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 08:35 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:53:\"Commission to Urge Break With Fuel-Based Road Funding\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:53:\"commission_to_urge_break_with_fuel_based_road_funding\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:53:\"Commission to Urge Break With Fuel-Based Road Funding\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:179:\"A bi-partisan Congressionally-created commission will urge lawmakers to fundamentally shift the way the federal government collects revenues to fund transportation infrastructure.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:22:\"highway, finance, fuel\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:3365:\"<p><a href=\\\"http://financecommission.dot.gov/\\\">A bi-partisan Congressionally-created commission</a> will urge lawmakers to fundamentally shift the way the federal government collects revenues to fund transportation infrastructure. Culminating nearly two years of study and deliberation, the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission offered its consensus view and roadmap for sweeping reform of the nation\\\'s transportation infrastructure funding approach with the release of its final report Paying Our Way: A New Framework for Transportation Finance during a press<br />conference on Feb. 26. <br /><br />The Financing Commission will offer specific recommendations for addressing the significant and widening gap between federal investment and the nation\\\'s transportation infrastructure needs, while at the same time moving the federal government away from reliance on motor fuel taxes toward more direct fees charged to transportation infrastructure users. Charging vehicle drivers a mileage fee embodies the \\\"user pays\\\" principle and more accurately aligns the costs and benefits of the<br />surface transportation system to those who are using it. More transparent charges for using infrastructure may also spur drivers to use the system more efficiently, reducing the overall investment need.</p>\n<p>\\\"With the expected shift to more fuel efficient vehicles,\\\" said Robert Atkinson, the chair of the inancing Commission and president of the Information Technology and<br />Innovation Foundation, \\\"it will be increasingly difficult to rely on the gas tax to raise the funds needed to improve, let alone maintain our nation\\\'s surface transportation infrastructure.\\\" In Addition to a federal mileage based Charge, the Financing Commission calls for the federal government to Facilitate state and local governments\\\' ability to raise their share of needed revenues in ways that also spur efficient use of the system and stepped-up investment, including through tolling<br />portions of roads and charging premiums for rush hour travel in heavily used urban corridors, so-called congestion pricing. The Financing Commission provides detailed recommendations for lawmakers to facilitate the effective use of private investment and to provide government credit support to assist in the financing of transportation infrastructure projects to stretch the federal government\\\'s limited resources. In order to support the transition from the gas tax to a mileage-based charge, the Financing Commission recommends a ten cent per gallon increase in the federal gas tax (15 cents for diesel) and indexing the tax to inflation going forward. The gas tax, which is not currently indexed to inflation, has lost 1/3 of its purchasing power since 1993, the last time the tax was increased. The Financing Commission urges the federal government to act swiftly. While the nearly $40 billion in transportation infrastructure spending included in the stimulus package will be helpful, it will cover only a very small share of the shortfall in highway and transit funding and will<br />not address the systemic crisis the nation faces in its surface transportation infrastructure investment.</p>\n<p>\\\"We must start transitioning to a new paradigm now,\\\" says Commissioner Mike Krusee \\\"If we don\\\'t start, we will never get there.\\\"<br /><br /></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";}'),(1271,467,4,2,1236056206,'a:25:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-02 05:48 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:50:\"Construction Materials Prices Drop 0.3% in January\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:48:\"construction_materials_prices_drop_03_in_january\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:50:\"Construction Materials Prices Drop 0.3% in January\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:384:\"The construction materials price index fell 0.3% in January while the price index for the whole economy rose for the second month, Reed Construction Data reported. This was the fourth consecutive monthly decline. Sources for the data in Reed\\\'s price index include the Producer Price Index, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, Federal Reserve Board, and Census Bureau.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:42:\"construction materials price index, Reed, \";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2122:\"<p>The construction materials price index fell 0.3% in January while\nthe price index for the whole economy rose for the second month, Reed Construction Data reported. This\nwas the fourth consecutive monthly decline. Sources for the data in Reed\\\'s price index include the Producer Price Index, Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, Federal Reserve Board, and Census Bureau.</p>\n<p>\\\"The index is now at the\nyear ago level before the world wide commodity boom spiked prices in\nthe middle of 2008. Further declines in the overall construction price\nindex are possible but the expected trend into the fall is for a very\nmodest rise in the index. This will be a combination of further drops\nin energy and metal based products but progressive price firming in\nproducts that include more manufacturing labor,\\\" Reed reported.</p>\n<p>According to the report, energy prices have been stable and metal prices fell further from\nmid-January to mid-February when the survey for the next PPI report was\ntaken. Declining energy and metal prices have not yet fully been passed\nthrough to the prices of products manufactured from these commodities.\nThe final pass through, including into freight rates, will be the key\ndriver of weak materials pricing in the next few months.</p>\n<p>The most significant declines last month were 34% for copper ore,\n23% for asphalt (at the refinery), 7% for extruded aluminum, 5% for\nsteel pipe and 4% for plastic resins and structural steel. The asphalt\nprice drop will partially reverse when the additional $30 B for\nhighways begins to be spent later this year. &ldquo;Paving&rdquo; is the most\nshovel ready of any road project.</p>\n<p>There most significant price increases in January was 2.3% for\nready-mix concrete. Aggregates prices continue to increase, rising 1.3%\nin January. Also steel scrap prices rose 22% in January on top of a\nJanuary increase.</p>\n<p>\\\"But this is random noise in an extremely volatile\nmarket,\\\" Reed stated. \\\"Steel product prices are still declining. Recent scrap price\ntrends probably signal that the drop in steel product prices will be\nending soon.\\\"</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";}'),(1272,468,10,2,1236062970,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:2:\"10\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-02 07:42 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:22:\"ASA Hosts Lien Seminar\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:22:\"asa_hosts_lien_seminar\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_58\";s:22:\"ASA Hosts Lien Seminar\";s:11:\"field_ft_58\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_62\";s:301:\"SPEAKER: Richard A. Stockenberg.  Stockenberg is a partner with Gallop, Johnson & Neuman. He serves an General Counsel to the ASA-Midwest Council and has practiced exclusively in construction law for over 35 years filing, perfecting and enforcing literally thousands of liens in Missouri and Illinois.\";s:11:\"field_ft_62\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_59\";s:36:\"lien, seminar, ASA, MCA, Stockenberg\";s:11:\"field_ft_59\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_63\";s:90:\"Gallop, Johnson & Neuman 101 S. Hanley, Suite 1700 St. Louis, MO 63105 (parking validated)\";s:11:\"field_ft_63\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_57\";s:19:\"2009-03-25  3:00 PM\";s:15:\"field_offset_57\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_56\";s:0:\"\";s:15:\"field_offset_56\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_55\";s:48:\" 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.(food and drink following)\";s:11:\"field_ft_55\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_60\";s:5043:\"<p><em><br />SPEAKER: Richard A. Stockenberg.&nbsp; Stockenberg is a partner with Gallop, Johnson &amp; Neuman. He serves\nan General Counsel to the ASA-Midwest Council and has practiced\nexclusively in construction law for over 35 years filing, perfecting\nand enforcing literally thousands of liens in Missouri and Illinois.</em><br /><br />Since the days of Jefferson and Madison, a subcontractor\\\'s best collection tool is the mechanic\\\'s lien. Liens are especially helpful in periods of economic down turn. When there are payment problems, they are resolved faster and more favorably when there is a lien or bond to secure payment. Liens are the best device against allowing a general contractor\\\'s or owner\\\'s financial problems from becoming your problem.<br /><br />Payment bonds offer good substitute security when liens are not available. This seminar, designed especially for subcontractors and suppliers, will focus on the nuts and bolts of preserving and enforcing lien and bond rights. We will discuss the detailed requirements of enforcing these rights, focusing on who, what, when, how and why. Lien rights are invaluable when properly enforced and extremely costly when they are lost.<br /><br />The program is designed to help you understand how to use these important tools in times of financial difficulty by lessening your write-offs and expediting your cash flow!<br /><br />3:00 p.m. PROGRAM BEGINS<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pre-Lien Issues<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Who is Entitled to File a Lien?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams; New Rules for Rental Equipment<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; What Property is Subject to a Lien?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; What Work is Lienable?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; How Much Do You Recover?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; How Do You Protect Yourself?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams; Notice to Owner<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams; Sub\\\'s 10-Day Notice<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lien Preparation and Enforcement <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Time to File Lien<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; What Must a Lien Contain?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; The Perfect Job Cost Report<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; How Long Does the Lien Last?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Priority of Lien Versus Mortgages<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Mechanic\\\'s Lien Waivers<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams; Beware of Pitfalls<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Payment Bonds as Substitute for Mechanic\\\'s Liens<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Federal Bond Claims<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; State Bond Claims<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Required Notices for Bond Claims<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Time Limits to Enforce Bond Claims<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Amount Recovered Under a Bond Claim<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Comparison of Liens and Bonds<br /></p>\n<p>Contact Reba Gillick, ASA executive director with guest(s) names at<a href=\\\"reba@asamidwest.com \\\"> reba@asamidwest.com </a>314.214.1664 (p); 314.214.1665 (f)<br /><br /><br />Reservations are due before March 18, 2009 Cost: $50/Attendee ASA or MCA Members<br />&nbsp;$65/Attendee Non-Members. No-shows will be billed.<br /><br />&nbsp;Make check payable to: ASA Midwest Council, P.O. Box 270 , Union, MO 63084<br /></p>\";}'),(1273,468,10,2,1236063062,'a:33:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:2:\"10\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"468\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-02 07:42 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:2:\"10\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:22:\"ASA Hosts Lien Seminar\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:22:\"asa_hosts_lien_seminar\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_58\";s:22:\"ASA Hosts Lien Seminar\";s:11:\"field_ft_58\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_62\";s:301:\"SPEAKER: Richard A. Stockenberg.  Stockenberg is a partner with Gallop, Johnson & Neuman. He serves an General Counsel to the ASA-Midwest Council and has practiced exclusively in construction law for over 35 years filing, perfecting and enforcing literally thousands of liens in Missouri and Illinois.\";s:11:\"field_ft_62\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_59\";s:36:\"lien, seminar, ASA, MCA, Stockenberg\";s:11:\"field_ft_59\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_63\";s:90:\"Gallop, Johnson & Neuman 101 S. Hanley, Suite 1700 St. Louis, MO 63105 (parking validated)\";s:11:\"field_ft_63\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_57\";s:19:\"2009-03-25 03:00 PM\";s:15:\"field_offset_57\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_56\";s:0:\"\";s:15:\"field_offset_56\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_55\";s:48:\" 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.(food and drink following)\";s:11:\"field_ft_55\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_60\";s:5046:\"<p><em><br />SPEAKER: Richard A. Stockenberg.&nbsp; Stockenberg is a partner with Gallop, Johnson &amp; Neuman. He serves\nan General Counsel to the ASA-Midwest Council and has practiced\nexclusively in construction law for over 35 years filing, perfecting\nand enforcing literally thousands of liens in Missouri and Illinois.</em><br /><br />Since the days of Jefferson and Madison, a subcontractor\\\'s best collection tool is the mechanic\\\'s lien. Liens are especially helpful in periods of economic down turn. When there are payment problems, they are resolved faster and more favorably when there is a lien or bond to secure payment. Liens are the best device against allowing a general contractor\\\'s or owner\\\'s financial problems from becoming your problem.<br /><br />Payment bonds offer good substitute security when liens are not available. This seminar, designed especially for subcontractors and suppliers, will focus on the nuts and bolts of preserving and enforcing lien and bond rights. We will discuss the detailed requirements of enforcing these rights, focusing on who, what, when, how and why. Lien rights are invaluable when properly enforced and extremely costly when they are lost.<br /><br />The program is designed to help you understand how to use these important tools in times of financial difficulty by lessening your write-offs and expediting your cash flow!<br /><br />3:00 p.m. PROGRAM BEGINS<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pre-Lien Issues<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Who is Entitled to File a Lien?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams; New Rules for Rental Equipment<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; What Property is Subject to a Lien?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; What Work is Lienable?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; How Much Do You Recover?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; How Do You Protect Yourself?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams; Notice to Owner<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams; Sub\\\'s 10-Day Notice<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Lien Preparation and Enforcement <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Time to File Lien<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; What Must a Lien Contain?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; The Perfect Job Cost Report<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; How Long Does the Lien Last?<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Priority of Lien Versus Mortgages<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Mechanic\\\'s Lien Waivers<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &diams; Beware of Pitfalls<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Payment Bonds as Substitute for Mechanic\\\'s Liens<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Federal Bond Claims<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; State Bond Claims<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Required Notices for Bond Claims<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Time Limits to Enforce Bond Claims<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull; Amount Recovered Under a Bond Claim<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Comparison of Liens and Bond</p>\n<p>Contact Reba Gillick, ASA executive director with guest(s) names at<a href=\\\"http://mce_host/reba@asamidwest.com \\\"> reba@asamidwest.com </a>314.214.1664 (p); 314.214.1665 (f)<br /><br /><br />Reservations are due before March 18, 2009 Cost: $50/Attendee ASA or MCA Members<br />&nbsp;$65/Attendee Non-Members. No-shows will be billed.<br /><br />&nbsp;Make check payable to: ASA Midwest Council, P.O. Box 270 , Union, MO 63084</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1274,437,10,2,1236063092,'a:33:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:2:\"10\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"437\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-12 10:10 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:2:\"10\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:41:\"2009 SIOR St. Louis Metro Market Forecast\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:40:\"2009_sior_st_louis_metro_market_forecast\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_58\";s:41:\"2009 SIOR St. Louis Metro Market Forecast\";s:11:\"field_ft_58\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_62\";s:209:\" The 25th anniversary of St. Louis’ largest commercial real estate forecast, providing a professional perspective on the St. Louis commercial real estate market in the areas of office, industrial and retail.\";s:11:\"field_ft_62\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_59\";s:21:\"SIOR, Market Forecast\";s:11:\"field_ft_59\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_63\";s:57:\"The Ritz-Carlton St. Louis, 100 Carondelet Plaza, Clayton\";s:11:\"field_ft_63\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_57\";s:19:\"2009-03-25 07:15 AM\";s:15:\"field_offset_57\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_56\";s:0:\"\";s:15:\"field_offset_56\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_55\";s:14:\"7:15 to 9 a.m.\";s:11:\"field_ft_55\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_60\";s:932:\"<p>&nbsp;The 25th anniversary of St. Louis&rsquo; largest commercial real estate forecast, providing a professional perspective on the St. Louis commercial real estate market in the areas of office, industrial and retail. The event attracts more than 700 attendees annually. This year&rsquo;s specialty topic will be capital markets.<br /><br />Speakers:<br />National President &ndash; Craig S. Meyer, SIOR, Jones Lang LaSalle<br />Office &ndash; Glenn Guenther, SIOR, Discovery Group L.L.C.<br />Industrial &ndash; J. Patrick Reilly, SIOR, Gateway Commercial<br />Retail &ndash; Alan Bornstein, THF Realty Inc.<br />Capital Markets &ndash; Joseph P. Monteleone, Q10 | Triad Capital Advisors Inc.<br /><br />Cost:<br />&nbsp;$50 at the door, $40 in advance.<br />&nbsp;<br />RSVP:<br />&nbsp;Lauren Gallagher, Hughes, 314.571.6313 (office) or<a href=\\\"mailto:PRIntern@hughes-stl.com.\\\"> PRIntern@hughes-stl.com.</a><br />&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1332,480,4,2,1237011780,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-13 08:18 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"7\";i:1;s:2:\"45\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:43:\"Naumann to Head Kaiser\\\'s Illinois Division\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:41:\"naumann_to_head_kaisers_illinois_division\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:43:\"Naumann to Head Kaiser\\\'s Illinois Division\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:211:\"Kaiser Electric Inc. recently promoted Ken Naumann of O’Fallon, MO to the position of vice president of operations, Illinois Division. Naumann previously held the title of Vice-President of Project Management.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:25:\"Naumann, Kaiser, Illinois\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1243:\"<p>Kaiser Electric Inc. recently promoted Ken Naumann of O&rsquo;Fallon, MO to the position of vice president of operations, Illinois Division. Naumann previously held the title of vice president of project management.<br />&nbsp;<br />In his new position, Naumann will oversee the daily operations of Kaiser&rsquo;s Granite City, IL office, which opened in November 2008. The new office and warehouse at 10 Central Industrial Drive, off Illinois Route 3, is home to three full-time project managers.<br />&nbsp;<br />&ldquo;My goal in this new position will be to grow the Illinois division into a viable, competitive electrical source for our Illinois customers in the construction, service, communications and design/build fields,&rdquo; Naumann said.<br />&nbsp;<br />Kaiser is currently working on several Illinois projects, including a new assisted living facility in Godfrey, remodeling of the library at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, and the Amelia V. Carriel Jr. High School Technology Package in O&rsquo;Fallon.<br />&nbsp;<br />Naumann has been with Kaiser Electric for almost nine years, where he has also worked as a project manager and as manager of the communications division. <br />&nbsp;<br /><br />&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"7\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"45\";}'),(1339,481,2,2,1237609785,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"481\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-20 06:12 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"46\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:48:\"Hutchinson of Interface Joins AGC National Board\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:48:\"hutchinson_of_interface_joins_agc_national_board\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:48:\"Hutchinson of Interface Joins AGC National Board\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:181:\"Samuel Hutchinson, founder and president of St. Louis-based Interface Construction Corporation has been elected to serve as the Associated General Contractors of America treasurer. \";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:44:\"Hutchinson, Interface, AGC, board, treasurer\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:2523:\"<p>Samuel Hutchinson, founder and president of St. Louis-based Interface Construction Corporation has been elected to serve as the Associated General Contractors of America treasurer.&nbsp; Hutchinson becomes the third St. Louisan elected to the executive board of the national organization, following Gabe Alberici and Bob Elsperman who previously served in this national office.&nbsp; As a member of the board, Hutchinson will lead a national effort to improve the productivity of the nation&rsquo;s construction companies, oversee the group&rsquo;s advocacy efforts on behalf of the industry and help builders weather today&rsquo;s challenging economic conditions.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Sam Hutchinson\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/hutchinson.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />&ldquo;We are very pleased to have such a distinguished St. Louis businessman playing such a major role in the leadership of the national organization&rdquo; said Leonard Toenjes, president, AGC of St. Louis.&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Sam brings integrity and leadership to the job,&rdquo; added Toenjes.<br /><br />Interface began as a concrete construction company, completing concrete flatwork for highway contractors in the Metro East area of St. Louis.&nbsp; In 1988, Hutchinson transitioned the company from being a subcontractor to a general contractor and a construction manager in heavy construction, earning Interface the title of one of the top 25 small businesses in the St. Louis area. Hutchinson has served as chairman of AGC&rsquo;s Building Division and is a four-time member of the executive board.<br /><br />Simultaneously while serving in the position of AGC treasurer, Hutchinson will chair the task force on Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, a job he has held before for the AGC of America, &ldquo; As a minority-owned contractor I learned the meaning and value of good construction management and what it takes to make a business successful&rdquo; said Hutchinson.&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I hope to assist other minority firms onto the path to success.&rdquo;<br /><br />AGC is the largest and oldest national construction trade association in the United States, and represents&nbsp; more than 33,000 firms nationwide, including 7,500 general contractors, and more than 12,500 specialty-contracting firms. <br /><br />The Associated General Contractors of St. Louis is the united voice of the area&rsquo;s construction industry, representing <br />more than 450 area construction firms.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:30:\"/images/uploads/hutchinson.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"46\";}'),(1343,483,4,2,1237610646,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-20 06:40 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"6\";i:1;s:2:\"46\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:37:\"TR,i Architects Opens Swanswea Office\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:36:\"tri_architects_opens_swanswea_office\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:36:\"TR,i Architects Opens Swansea Office\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:172:\"TR,i Architects recently opened an Illinois office.  Their new office is located at 28 Bronze Point North, Suite B, Swansea, IL  62226,  618.416.4707 (p);  618.416.4708(f).\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:14:\"TR, i, Swansea\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:542:\"<p>TR,i Architects recently opened an Illinois office.&nbsp; Their new office is located at 28 Bronze Point North, Suite B, Swansea, IL&nbsp; 62226,&nbsp; 618.416.4707 (p);&nbsp; 618.416.4708(f).<br /><br />TR,i Architects is a full service architectural firm with headquarters located in St. Louis.&nbsp; In addition to providing basic architectural services, TR,i serves both public and private clients with a broad range of project types involving K-12, universities, municipal, commercial, industrial, hospitality and interiors.<br /></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"6\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"46\";}'),(1282,463,4,2,1236064645,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"463\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 07:02 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:49:\"Army Selects Walton for LEED Project at Fort Polk\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:49:\"army_selects_walton_for_leed_project_at_fort_polk\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:50:\"Army Selects Walton for LEED Project at Fort Polk \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:212:\"The Department of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District has selected Walton Construction as general contractor on the - $182 million Fort Polk Barracks Realignment renovation project in Louisiana. \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:29:\"Army, Walton, LEED, Fort Polk\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1861:\"<p>The Department of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fort Worth District has selected Walton Construction as general contractor on the - $182 million Fort Polk Barracks Realignment renovation project in Louisiana. Walton received &ldquo;notice to proceed&rdquo; from the contracting officer on January 29.&nbsp; Construction is scheduled to begin in March 2009, with completion targeted for October 2012. The architect is VOA Associates Incorporated, of Orlando, FL.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Fort Polk LEED barracks\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"182\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/FortPolk.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />Walton Construction will work to achieve Silver LEED certification on the Louisiana based barracks complex as part of a concerted effort by the USACE to cut energy use and create a healthier sustainable training environment.&nbsp; <br /><br />Walton will incorporate environmentally friendly design, recyclable materials and energy efficient products in the construction of the Fort Polk Barracks Complex. The project includes design and construction for renovation of 13 barracks, and four central energy plants that serve the 13 barracks and 57 other buildings.<br /><br />Contractor evaluations for military projects of this magnitude are based on past performance of cost and schedule growth as well as the contractor&rsquo;s safety and quality control programs, according to Steve Biederman, president of Walton Construction St. Louis.<br /><br />&ldquo;We&rsquo;re proud to know that this project award affirms the strengths and capabilities of our professionals at Walton Construction,&rdquo; said Biederman.&nbsp; &ldquo;We&rsquo;re also pleased to show support for our nation&rsquo;s military by creating a healthy living environment through the sustainable design and construction of their barracks at Fort Polk.&rdquo;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1283,465,4,2,1236064681,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"465\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 08:30 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"7\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:30:\"Boatman Joins SAK Construction\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:30:\"boatman_joins_sak_construction\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:30:\"Boatman Joins SAK Construction\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:97:\"Eligie “Jackâ€ Boatman of Mobile, AL., has joined the management team at SAK Construction LLC.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:37:\"SAK, Boatman, trenchless, underground\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2247:\"<p>Eligie &ldquo;Jack&rdquo; Boatman of Mobile, AL., has joined the management team at SAK Construction LLC, a national pipeline rehabilitation and tunneling industries contractor headquartered in the St. Louis area. Based in Mobile, Boatman will manage SAK&rsquo;s business development efforts in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. SAK serves a variety of city, county and state agencies; industrial sectors; municipalities; and water and sewer cooperatives coast-to-coast.</p>\n<p>Boatman brings to SAK 13 years of experience in business management, community development, safety and training in the pipeline rehabilitation industry.&nbsp; His background also includes 27 years with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Co., where he served in various engineering and upper management roles.&nbsp; Boatman holds a master&rsquo;s degree in management from Webster University and a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in electronic engineering from Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala. He also completed advanced studies in urban affairs at Saint Louis University. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>He has served in a number of humanitarian and community leadership roles in St. Louis.&nbsp; He served as a mentor at the St. Louis Boys &amp; Girls Club and garnered the &ldquo;Sheer Elegance Community Service Award&rdquo; from Mathews-Dickey Boys&rsquo; and Girls&rsquo; Club and the Sammy Davis Jr. &ldquo;Yes I Can&rdquo; award. The neighborhood alliance in Augusta, GA, recently honored Boatman with the establishment of the &ldquo;Jack Boatman Community Development Award&rdquo; that recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding community service.</p>\n<p>Boatman is a member of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and serves on the corporate advisory committee of the National Forum of Black Public Administrators (NFBPA). He also serves on the economic advisory committee for the City of Pritchard, AL &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Founded in 2006, SAK Construction is led by industry veterans Jerry Shaw, president; Tom Kalishman, chairman; and Robert Affholder, vice chairman. The three SAK leaders are known for their expertise in trenchless underground technology, including cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) rehabilitation.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"7\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1284,465,4,2,1236064730,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"465\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 08:30 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"7\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:30:\"Boatman Joins SAK Construction\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:30:\"boatman_joins_sak_construction\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:30:\"Boatman Joins SAK Construction\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:97:\"Eligie “Jackâ€ Boatman of Mobile, AL., has joined the management team at SAK Construction LLC.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:37:\"SAK, Boatman, trenchless, underground\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2247:\"<p>Eligie &ldquo;Jack&rdquo; Boatman of Mobile, AL., has joined the management team at SAK Construction LLC, a national pipeline rehabilitation and tunneling industries contractor headquartered in the St. Louis area. Based in Mobile, Boatman will manage SAK&rsquo;s business development efforts in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. SAK serves a variety of city, county and state agencies; industrial sectors; municipalities; and water and sewer cooperatives coast-to-coast.</p>\n<p>Boatman brings to SAK 13 years of experience in business management, community development, safety and training in the pipeline rehabilitation industry.&nbsp; His background also includes 27 years with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Co., where he served in various engineering and upper management roles.&nbsp; Boatman holds a master&rsquo;s degree in management from Webster University and a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in electronic engineering from Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala. He also completed advanced studies in urban affairs at Saint Louis University. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>He has served in a number of humanitarian and community leadership roles in St. Louis.&nbsp; He served as a mentor at the St. Louis Boys &amp; Girls Club and garnered the &ldquo;Sheer Elegance Community Service Award&rdquo; from Mathews-Dickey Boys&rsquo; and Girls&rsquo; Club and the Sammy Davis Jr. &ldquo;Yes I Can&rdquo; award. The neighborhood alliance in Augusta, GA, recently honored Boatman with the establishment of the &ldquo;Jack Boatman Community Development Award&rdquo; that recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding community service.</p>\n<p>Boatman is a member of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and serves on the corporate advisory committee of the National Forum of Black Public Administrators (NFBPA). He also serves on the economic advisory committee for the City of Pritchard, AL &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Founded in 2006, SAK Construction is led by industry veterans Jerry Shaw, president; Tom Kalishman, chairman; and Robert Affholder, vice chairman. The three SAK leaders are known for their expertise in trenchless underground technology, including cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) rehabilitation.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"7\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1285,466,4,2,1236064754,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"466\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 08:35 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:53:\"Commission to Urge Break With Fuel-Based Road Funding\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:53:\"commission_to_urge_break_with_fuel_based_road_funding\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:53:\"Commission to Urge Break With Fuel-Based Road Funding\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:179:\"A bi-partisan Congressionally-created commission will urge lawmakers to fundamentally shift the way the federal government collects revenues to fund transportation infrastructure.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:22:\"highway, finance, fuel\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:3359:\"<p><a href=\\\"http://financecommission.dot.gov/\\\">A bi-partisan Congressionally-created commission</a> will urge lawmakers to fundamentally shift the way the federal government collects revenues to fund transportation infrastructure. Culminating nearly two years of study and deliberation, the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission offered its consensus view and roadmap for sweeping reform of the nation\\\'s transportation infrastructure funding approach with the release of its final report Paying Our Way: A New Framework for Transportation Finance during a press<br />conference on Feb. 26. <br /><br />The Financing Commission will offer specific recommendations for addressing the significant and widening gap between federal investment and the nation\\\'s transportation infrastructure needs, while at the same time moving the federal government away from reliance on motor fuel taxes toward more direct fees charged to transportation infrastructure users. Charging vehicle drivers a mileage fee embodies the \\\"user pays\\\" principle and more accurately aligns the costs and benefits of the<br />surface transportation system to those who are using it. More transparent charges for using infrastructure may also spur drivers to use the system more efficiently, reducing the overall investment need.</p>\n<p>\\\"With the expected shift to more fuel efficient vehicles,\\\" said Robert Atkinson, the chair of the inancing Commission and president of the Information Technology and<br />Innovation Foundation, \\\"it will be increasingly difficult to rely on the gas tax to raise the funds needed to improve, let alone maintain our nation\\\'s surface transportation infrastructure.\\\" In Addition to a federal mileage based Charge, the Financing Commission calls for the federal government to Facilitate state and local governments\\\' ability to raise their share of needed revenues in ways that also spur efficient use of the system and stepped-up investment, including through tolling<br />portions of roads and charging premiums for rush hour travel in heavily used urban corridors, so-called congestion pricing. The Financing Commission provides detailed recommendations for lawmakers to facilitate the effective use of private investment and to provide government credit support to assist in the financing of transportation infrastructure projects to stretch the federal government\\\'s limited resources. In order to support the transition from the gas tax to a mileage-based charge, the Financing Commission recommends a ten cent per gallon increase in the federal gas tax (15 cents for diesel) and indexing the tax to inflation going forward. The gas tax, which is not currently indexed to inflation, has lost 1/3 of its purchasing power since 1993, the last time the tax was increased. The Financing Commission urges the federal government to act swiftly. While the nearly $40 billion in transportation infrastructure spending included in the stimulus package will be helpful, it will cover only a very small share of the shortfall in highway and transit funding and will<br />not address the systemic crisis the nation faces in its surface transportation infrastructure investment.</p>\n<p>\\\"We must start transitioning to a new paradigm now,\\\" says Commissioner Mike Krusee \\\"If we don\\\'t start, we will never get there.\\\"<br /></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1286,462,4,2,1236065077,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"462\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 06:55 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:42:\"Subcontractors Lead Charge for Lien Reform\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:42:\"subcontractors_lead_charge_for_lien_reform\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:42:\"Subcontractors Lead Charge for Lien Reform\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:215:\"On Feb. 24 about 60 subcontractors representing various association converged on the Jefferson City to speak with legislators about legislation addressing the crisis in lien situations caused by the current economy.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:43:\"ASA, liens, legislators, Bill 595, Bill 267\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1237:\"<p>On Feb. 24 about 60 subcontractors representing various association converged on the Jefferson City to speak with legislators about legislation addressing the crisis in lien situations caused by the current economy.</p>\n<p>Led by American Subcontractors Association (ASA) members from both St. Louis and Kansas City, the delegation included members from the SITE Improvement Association, Mason Contractors Association,&nbsp; Painting and Decorating Foundation, Independent Electrical Contractors of St. Louis, and&nbsp; the Wall and Ceiling Contractors Association.</p>\n<p>The contractors handed out ASA hardhats and talked to legislators about the importance of passing legislation to improve payment on construction projects.&nbsp; Both House Bill 595 and Senate Bill 267 would standardize lien waiver forms and allow for attorney fees to be reimbursed to a contractor who perfects its mechanics lien.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Compared to 2007, the average number of monthly liens above $1,000\nfiled through mid-November of 2008, was 14 percent higher in the city\nof St. Louis, 15 percent higher in St. Louis County and 48 percent\nhigher in St. Charles County, according to data compiled from public\nrecords by American City Business Leads.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1287,462,4,2,1236065211,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"462\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 06:55 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:42:\"Subcontractors Lead Charge for Lien Reform\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:42:\"subcontractors_lead_charge_for_lien_reform\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:42:\"Subcontractors Lead Charge for Lien Reform\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:215:\"On Feb. 24 about 60 subcontractors representing various association converged on the Jefferson City to speak with legislators about legislation addressing the crisis in lien situations caused by the current economy.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:43:\"ASA, liens, legislators, Bill 595, Bill 267\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1384:\"<p>On Feb. 24 about 60 subcontractors representing various association converged on the Jefferson City to speak with legislators about legislation addressing the crisis in lien situations caused by the current economy.</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"ASA lien lobbyists\\\" class=\\\"table-left\\\" height=\\\"205\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/legislative.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"300\\\" />Led by American Subcontractors Association (ASA) members from both St. Louis and Kansas City, the delegation included members from the SITE Improvement Association, Mason Contractors Association,&nbsp; Painting and Decorating Foundation, Independent Electrical Contractors of St. Louis, and&nbsp; the Wall and Ceiling Contractors Association.</p>\n<p>The contractors handed out ASA hardhats and talked to legislators about the importance of passing legislation to improve payment on construction projects.&nbsp; Both House Bill 595 and Senate Bill 267 would standardize lien waiver forms and allow for attorney fees to be reimbursed to a contractor who perfects its mechanics lien.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Compared to 2007, the average number of monthly liens above $1,000\nfiled through mid-November of 2008, was 14 percent higher in the city\nof St. Louis, 15 percent higher in St. Louis County and 48 percent\nhigher in St. Charles County, according to data compiled from public\nrecords by American City Business Leads.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1288,469,2,2,1236067813,'a:29:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-02 08:42 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"16\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:71:\"Advisors Say Stimulus Helps, But Rough Times Still Ahead for Commercial\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:70:\"advisors_say_stimulus_helps_but_rough_times_still_ahead_for_commercial\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:71:\"Advisors Say Stimulus Helps, But Rough Times Still Ahead for Commercial\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:274:\"Public works will pick up some of the slack in a non-residential construction market gone completely south. But commercial construction may continue to suffer for some time to come, economists told those attending a New York conference on the ailing construction industry.\n\n\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:36:\"public works, conference, economists\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4001:\"<p>Public works will pick up some of the slack in a non-residential construction market gone completely south. But commercial construction may continue to suffer for some time to come, economists told those attending a New York conference on the ailing construction industry.</p>\n<p>&ldquo;The stimulus bill will certainly be shaping construction this\nyear,&rdquo; said Robert Murray, vice president of economic affairs at\nMcGraw-Hill Construction. As a result, the public works sector will be\nthe &ldquo;saving grace of construction&rdquo; in 2009 and 2010, Murray said.\nMurray spoke at the McGraw-Hill &ldquo;Managing Construction&rsquo;s Financial\nCrisis&rdquo; Conference in New York Feb. 24-25.<br /> <br /> The conference\nfocused on navigating the current market, new visions pertaining to\nconstruction, and preparing for a changing future.</p>\n<p><strong>Stimulus</strong></p>\n<p>The Federal economic stimulus package will pump\nmore than $136 billion into the construction industry. The figure\nrepresents a 130-percent increase in federal construction spending\ncompared to fiscal year 2008, said Stephen Sandherr, CEO of Associated\nGeneral Contractors of America (AGC). The assistance comes as the\nunemployment rate in the industry hit 18.3 percent in January, with job\nlosses totaling more than 747,000 in the last year.<br /> <br /> The\nstimulus package is &ldquo;nowhere near a panacea for the construction\nindustry,&rdquo; Sandherr said, but having both political parties talking\nabout the importance of infrastructure is promising.<br /></p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"AGC\\\'s Ken Simonson\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"313\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/Simonson.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />&ldquo;There is\na real emphasis on getting this money out fast,\\\" said chief economist\nfor the Association of General Contractors of America (AGC) Ken\nSimonson. States must obligate half of their total stimulus package\nwithin 120-180 days and the remainder within one year</p>\n<h4>AGC ECONOMIST KEN SIMONSON<br /></h4>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>&ldquo;There is\na real emphasis on getting this money out fast,\\\" said chief economist\nfor the Association of General Contractors of America (AGC) Ken\nSimonson. States must obligate half of their total stimulus package\nwithin 120-180 days and the remainder within one year.</p>\n<p><strong>Tough Years for Commercial Building</strong></p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Commercial building\nhas been hit hard by the credit crunch. Large projects nationwide such\nas Atlantic Yards in New York, the Chicago Spire, and the Echelon\nResort in Las Vegas have been put on hold.</p>\n<p><br /> Construction of\nstores and large shopping centers is declining and another large\ndecline can be expected this year as retail is the most overbuilt\ncategory, Murray said.<br /> <br /> &ldquo;I can\\\'t remember seeing this before &hellip;\nThis is going to be a tough year for commercial building, there\\\'s no\ndoubt about it.&rdquo; He doesn\\\'t expect the commercial industry to rebound\nuntil 2011 to 2012.<br /> <br /> His advice to developers is to find niches\nthat are still showing decent activity and look even harder for\nprojects that are still going ahead.<br /> <br /> For many companies it\nwill mean re-tooling and keeping a tight ship. Companies should look at\nstaffing with multi-skilled employees and do more in-house, advised Ira\nLevy, Northeast Region chief executive of AECOM. Sub-contractors will\nlikely suffer as companies broaden their skills but he remains\noptimistic.</p>\n<p><strong>Expect Material Costs to Rise</strong></p>\n<p>Material costs could be shooting up again by 2010, driven by demand and transportation costs, said economist Simonson. <br /> <br /> &ldquo;By 2010, if economies like China and other developing nations get\ngoing again, they\\\'re going to add to that demand of materials that we\nneed here for construction&rdquo; and anytime there\\\'s a surge in shipping\ncosts, or fuel surcharges, &ldquo;you feel it on the construction site,&rdquo;\nSimonson said.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"16\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1289,470,4,2,1236068241,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-02 09:13 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:43:\"First Stimulus Project in U.S. is MO Bridge\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:41:\"first_stimulus_project_in_us_is_mo_bridge\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:1003:\"First Stimulus Project in U.S. is MO BridgeSteel bridge kicks off infrastructure stimulus program   (Chicago, IL) - The first infrastructure project to move forward under the new federal economic stimulus package was recently announced. The project, a replacement bridge in Miller County near Tuscumbia, Mo., was approved for construction as a top priority for the State of Missouri at a cost of $8.5 million, which will be funded by the stimulus plan. Because of the desire for rapid and economical construction, steel was selected for the bridge\\\'s main span.   \\\"Today, the Show Me State again showed the nation we are leaders in transportation by having the first economic recovery act project in the country under construction,\\\" said Missouri Department of Transportation director Pete Rahn. \\\"We promised we would be ready to go to make the best use of every dollar we receive through the economic recovery act to create jobs and make our highways safer. We delivered on that promise and then som\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:306:\"The first infrastructure project to move forward under the new federal economic stimulus package was a replacement bridge in Miller County near Tuscumbia, MO. Ot was approved for construction as a top priority for the State of Missouri at a cost of $8.5 million, which will be funded by the stimulus plan.\n\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:31:\"bridge, first, stimulus package\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1173:\"<p>The first infrastructure project to move forward under the new federal economic stimulus package was a replacement bridge in Miller County near Tuscumbia, MO. Ot was approved for construction as a top priority for the State of Missouri at a cost of $8.5 million, which will be funded by the stimulus plan. <br /><br />\\\"Today, the Show Me State again showed the nation we are leaders in transportation by having the first economic recovery act project in the country under construction,\\\" said Missouri Department of Transportation director Pete Rahn. \\\"We promised we would be ready to go to make the best use of every dollar we receive through the economic recovery act to create jobs and make our highways safer. We delivered on that promise and then some.\\\" <br /><br />The new 1,000-ft long, 28-ft-wide steel bridge will replace the existing 75-year-old Osage River Bridge, which is the same length and just 20 ft wide. The bridge crosses a Missouri River tributary near the middle of the state, where the average daily traffic is more than 1,000 cars per day. However, it has been off-limits to large trucks since 2007 because of its poor structural condition.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1290,470,4,2,1236068305,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"470\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-02 09:13 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:43:\"First Stimulus Project in U.S. is MO Bridge\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:41:\"first_stimulus_project_in_us_is_mo_bridge\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:43:\"First Stimulus Project in U.S. is MO Bridge\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:306:\"The first infrastructure project to move forward under the new federal economic stimulus package was a replacement bridge in Miller County near Tuscumbia, MO. Ot was approved for construction as a top priority for the State of Missouri at a cost of $8.5 million, which will be funded by the stimulus plan.\n\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:31:\"bridge, first, stimulus package\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1173:\"<p>The first infrastructure project to move forward under the new federal economic stimulus package was a replacement bridge in Miller County near Tuscumbia, MO. Ot was approved for construction as a top priority for the State of Missouri at a cost of $8.5 million, which will be funded by the stimulus plan. <br /><br />\\\"Today, the Show Me State again showed the nation we are leaders in transportation by having the first economic recovery act project in the country under construction,\\\" said Missouri Department of Transportation director Pete Rahn. \\\"We promised we would be ready to go to make the best use of every dollar we receive through the economic recovery act to create jobs and make our highways safer. We delivered on that promise and then some.\\\" <br /><br />The new 1,000-ft long, 28-ft-wide steel bridge will replace the existing 75-year-old Osage River Bridge, which is the same length and just 20 ft wide. The bridge crosses a Missouri River tributary near the middle of the state, where the average daily traffic is more than 1,000 cars per day. However, it has been off-limits to large trucks since 2007 because of its poor structural condition.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1613,598,4,2,1245430353,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-06-19 06:48 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"60\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:38:\"PRIDE Honors Four Leaders  Aug. 20    \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:32:\"pride_honors_four_leaders_aug_20\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:37:\"PRIDE Honors Four Leaders  Aug. 20   \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:194:\"PRIDE of St. Louis, Inc., the region’s construction labor-management organization, will honor legacies of building, philanthropy and construction teamwork at its second annual awards luncheon.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:46:\"PRIDE, awards, Millstone, Mulligan, Post, Hunt\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2168:\"<p>PRIDE of St. Louis, Inc., the region&rsquo;s construction labor-management organization, will honor legacies of building, philanthropy and construction teamwork at its second annual awards luncheon. On Aug. 20, 2009, PRIDE will salute men for their roles in advancing PRIDE&rsquo;s mission to make St. Louis the best place to build at a luncheon at the Renaissance St. Louis Grand&nbsp; Suites Hotel in downtown St. Louis.</p>\n<p>The honorees are:</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<ul>\n<li>The&nbsp; late I.E. Millstone, visionary, philanthropist and founder of Millstone Construction, now Millstone-Bangert, Inc.&nbsp;&nbsp; Millstone will be honored with the Industry Impact Award.</li>\n<li>John Mulligan, owner and&nbsp; founder Mulligan Construction, Inc. Mulligan will receive the Al Fleischer Management Award named for the late Alfred J. Fleischer, who helped co-found PRIDE and was its first management co-chair.</li>\n<li>Rick Post, construction, transmission&nbsp; and specialty contractor manager, Prairie State Generating Company, LLC. Post will be honored with the Joe Rinke Owner Award. The award is named for Joseph W. Rinke, PRIDE&rsquo;s first owner co-chair.</li>\n<li>Joseph J. Hunt, general president, International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hunt will be honored with the Dick Mantia Labor Award. The award is named for Dick Mantia, who co-founded&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; PRIDE and remains board member emeritus of the organization. </li>\n</ul>\n<p>&ldquo;In their own unique way, each of these men has advanced economic development through construction teamwork,&rdquo; said Jim LaMantia, executive director of PRIDE. &ldquo;They have been dedicated to the highest quality, most productive and safest construction practices.&rdquo;<br /><br />PRIDE, founded in 1972, is an acronym for Productivity and Responsibility Increase Development&nbsp; Employment. For more than 35 years, PRIDE has worked to maintain harmony and build cooperation among St. Louis area AFL-CIO construction craft workers, contractors, construction buyers, architects, engineers and suppliers.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"60\";}'),(1293,471,5,2,1236210970,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"5\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"471\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-04 12:49 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"12\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"5\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:61:\"SOLID FOUNDATION: Four \\\"Cornerstones for Building Your Brand\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:58:\"solid_foundation_four_cornerstones_for_building_your_brand\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_20\";s:65:\"SOLID FOUNDATION: Four \\\"Cornerstones\\\" for Building Your Brand  \";s:11:\"field_ft_20\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_25\";s:1:\"4\";s:11:\"field_id_45\";s:476:\"On Feb. 26, 2008, all Starbucks coffee shops across the United States shut their doors at 5:30 p.m., for a special training session on techniques and standards. \\\"It\\\'s really about ensuring that the customer experience that we provide is the best that it can be,\\\" a Starbucks spokesperson said at the time. The program was conducted in an effort to reconnect Starbucks associates with the reasons patrons first visited the company\\\'s stores – and were now going elsewhere.\";s:11:\"field_ft_45\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_22\";s:60:\"brand, marketing, Tom Finan, Starbucks, Foster, cornerstones\";s:11:\"field_ft_22\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_23\";s:6947:\"<p><em>by Tom Finan</em><br /><br />On Feb. 26, 2008, all Starbucks coffee shops across the United States shut their doors at 5:30 p.m., for a special training session on techniques and standards. \\\"It\\\'s really about ensuring that the customer experience that we provide is the best that it can be,\\\" a Starbucks spokesperson said at the time. The program was conducted in an effort to reconnect Starbucks associates with the reasons patrons first visited the company\\\'s stores &ndash; and were now going elsewhere. <br />&nbsp;<br />Starbucks&rsquo; story very closely parallels that of the construction industry over the last decade. In an age of easy credit, the never-ending emergence of strip malls and office buildings paralleled the spread of the green Starbucks logo from Fargo to Beijing.&nbsp; But breakneck expansion comes with a price; in Starbuck&rsquo;s case the price was core values. <br /><br />In 2007, Josh Foster, president of J.E. Foster Building Company said his company built entire stores and/or did tenant finishes for 30 Starbucks locations. In 2008, J.E. Foster, which has been ASA Midwest Council&rsquo;s small GC of the year for six of the last seven years, helped to dismantle eight of the 600 stores that Starbucks shut down last year.&nbsp; &ldquo;There was a guy with a clipboard there, making sure that everything went on the truck,&rdquo; Foster said.&nbsp; Somewhere there&rsquo;s a Raiders of the Lost Ark warehouse piled full of espresso machines. <br /><br />Meanwhile, the same well-communicated reputation for strong relationships and performance that landed Foster so many coffee shops during good times is allowing him to win work away from competitors now. <br /><strong><br />What is Your PROMISE? </strong><br /><br />Foster has driven the performance/relationships message of his brand throughout his company&rsquo;s culture. Thirty years ago, subcontractors asked us to develop brochures and logos to meet the expectations of GCs and owners. Today we get calls for branding strategies and for websites. But, now as then, tactics that have no connection to your core values are doomed to be ineffective. <br /><br />Companies lose sight of their brand at a significant cost to their bottom line. Three years ago Wal-Mart announced a more \\\"upscale\\\" approach. It was a fiasco. Now, Wal-Mart is advertising \\\"Save Money. Live Better,&rdquo; and the tough economic times have actually worked in its favor. <br /><br />To understand the importance of branding and to appreciate its significance to your company, it\\\'s helpful to understand what a brand is&hellip; and what it isn\\\'t. <br /><br />The first brands were used to mark game or cattle. Then, artisans and craftsmen began putting their \\\"brand\\\" on objects they made.&nbsp; Today, a brand is a promise to consistently meet expectations. Those expectations are not about attributes (four-wheel drive, robust coffee flavor); instead, those expectations are about benefits (the level of service at an Acura dealership, the personalized experience at Starbucks). In the book Married to the Brand, William J. McEwen makes the case that strong brand loyalties are both quantifiable and explainable. Loyalty is not the result of marketing hype: You buy coffee at Starbucks because they remember your name and the way you like your coffee, not because of advertising or because their coffee is &ldquo;better&rdquo; than McDonald&rsquo;s. <br /><br /><strong>The Rewards of Strong Branding</strong><br /><br />Chadwick Communications reports that strong brands command a seven-percent premium on price and make sales 40 percent more effective. Chadwick says that building a brand has more to do with what is communicated than with the product or service itself. <br /><br />Brand alignment must permeate every aspect of your company and extend through the way you communicate and market that identity. There are four \\\"cornerstones\\\" for every brand, and understanding them is crucial to success: <br /><br />1.&nbsp; <strong>EXEMPLIFY YOUR BRAND IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.</strong>&nbsp; It&rsquo;s not enough to have a great logo or tagline or an outstanding website. Whether you are known for high-touch service, or for &ldquo;green&rdquo; building knowledge, everything communicated inside and outside of your company should resonate that message. <br /><br />2.<strong> ESTABLISH AND STRENGTHEN YOUR BRAND THROUGH ASSOCIATIONS.</strong> These \\\"associations\\\" can be either internal or external. Are you involved in community groups? Do you give thoughtful consideration to the charity events that you sponsor and leverage what you donate to attain maximum visibility? <br /><br />Do you create a sense of &ldquo;belonging to the club&rdquo; by sharing your expertise in certain construction disciplines, techniques, or knowledge through presentations, opt-in newsletters, enews, or participation in Web 2.0 blogs?&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />3. <strong>LET THE CONVERTED PREACH.</strong> This metaphor is borrowed from Sunday morning: You as &ldquo;pastor&rdquo; can \\\"preach\\\" to someone all day long, but the way to make a \\\"convert\\\" is through the daily practice of a true believer. <br /><br />Better than a great website or brochure is the GC or customer who tells a friend or colleague about your company in glowing terms. By focusing on communicating your values, maximizing &ldquo;touches&rdquo; in the industry and with customers, you increase the likelihood they will do just that. <br /><br />4. <strong>BACK THE TEAM IN THE FIELD.&nbsp;</strong> Empowerment, enthusiasm and education are the three \\\"E&rsquo;s\\\" that form this cornerstone. Turn your company team into ambassadors and salespeople who will speak enthusiastically to their friends and associates.&nbsp; Are your employees empowered to make decisions or spend money when they need to \\\"find a way to say yes\\\" and \\\"make it right\\\" for a customer? Do you create employee-specific communications, such as a newsletter or website? Do you plan special events that make your field managers and core craftspeople feel part of a team and understand customers&rsquo; experience? <br /><br /><strong>Making Branding a Personal Agenda </strong><br /><br />Great brands are built from the inside out. Your company&rsquo;s brand should be written in your customers\\\' minds and engraved on your employees\\\' hearts. Your brand is that One True Thing about your company that\\\'s blazing in your gut.&nbsp; <br /><br />You can\\\'t market your way to a great brand: Your \\\"walk\\\" must match your \\\"talk.\\\" A brand isn\\\'t a website or a logo embroidered on a shirt: Your company\\\'s culture brings your brand to life.<br /><em><br />Tom Finan has been the publisher of St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate since 1976. He is the director of business development for Paradowski Creative, a strategic and creative firm located in St. Louis. He can be contacted at tom@paradowski.com.</em></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"12\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1294,471,5,2,1236210999,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"5\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"471\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-04 12:49 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"12\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"5\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:63:\"SOLID FOUNDATION: Four \\\"Cornerstones\\\" for Building Your Brand\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:58:\"solid_foundation_four_cornerstones_for_building_your_brand\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_20\";s:65:\"SOLID FOUNDATION: Four \\\"Cornerstones\\\" for Building Your Brand  \";s:11:\"field_ft_20\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_25\";s:1:\"4\";s:11:\"field_id_45\";s:476:\"On Feb. 26, 2008, all Starbucks coffee shops across the United States shut their doors at 5:30 p.m., for a special training session on techniques and standards. \\\"It\\\'s really about ensuring that the customer experience that we provide is the best that it can be,\\\" a Starbucks spokesperson said at the time. The program was conducted in an effort to reconnect Starbucks associates with the reasons patrons first visited the company\\\'s stores – and were now going elsewhere.\";s:11:\"field_ft_45\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_22\";s:60:\"brand, marketing, Tom Finan, Starbucks, Foster, cornerstones\";s:11:\"field_ft_22\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_23\";s:6947:\"<p><em>by Tom Finan</em><br /><br />On Feb. 26, 2008, all Starbucks coffee shops across the United States shut their doors at 5:30 p.m., for a special training session on techniques and standards. \\\"It\\\'s really about ensuring that the customer experience that we provide is the best that it can be,\\\" a Starbucks spokesperson said at the time. The program was conducted in an effort to reconnect Starbucks associates with the reasons patrons first visited the company\\\'s stores &ndash; and were now going elsewhere. <br />&nbsp;<br />Starbucks&rsquo; story very closely parallels that of the construction industry over the last decade. In an age of easy credit, the never-ending emergence of strip malls and office buildings paralleled the spread of the green Starbucks logo from Fargo to Beijing.&nbsp; But breakneck expansion comes with a price; in Starbuck&rsquo;s case the price was core values. <br /><br />In 2007, Josh Foster, president of J.E. Foster Building Company said his company built entire stores and/or did tenant finishes for 30 Starbucks locations. In 2008, J.E. Foster, which has been ASA Midwest Council&rsquo;s small GC of the year for six of the last seven years, helped to dismantle eight of the 600 stores that Starbucks shut down last year.&nbsp; &ldquo;There was a guy with a clipboard there, making sure that everything went on the truck,&rdquo; Foster said.&nbsp; Somewhere there&rsquo;s a Raiders of the Lost Ark warehouse piled full of espresso machines. <br /><br />Meanwhile, the same well-communicated reputation for strong relationships and performance that landed Foster so many coffee shops during good times is allowing him to win work away from competitors now. <br /><strong><br />What is Your PROMISE? </strong><br /><br />Foster has driven the performance/relationships message of his brand throughout his company&rsquo;s culture. Thirty years ago, subcontractors asked us to develop brochures and logos to meet the expectations of GCs and owners. Today we get calls for branding strategies and for websites. But, now as then, tactics that have no connection to your core values are doomed to be ineffective. <br /><br />Companies lose sight of their brand at a significant cost to their bottom line. Three years ago Wal-Mart announced a more \\\"upscale\\\" approach. It was a fiasco. Now, Wal-Mart is advertising \\\"Save Money. Live Better,&rdquo; and the tough economic times have actually worked in its favor. <br /><br />To understand the importance of branding and to appreciate its significance to your company, it\\\'s helpful to understand what a brand is&hellip; and what it isn\\\'t. <br /><br />The first brands were used to mark game or cattle. Then, artisans and craftsmen began putting their \\\"brand\\\" on objects they made.&nbsp; Today, a brand is a promise to consistently meet expectations. Those expectations are not about attributes (four-wheel drive, robust coffee flavor); instead, those expectations are about benefits (the level of service at an Acura dealership, the personalized experience at Starbucks). In the book Married to the Brand, William J. McEwen makes the case that strong brand loyalties are both quantifiable and explainable. Loyalty is not the result of marketing hype: You buy coffee at Starbucks because they remember your name and the way you like your coffee, not because of advertising or because their coffee is &ldquo;better&rdquo; than McDonald&rsquo;s. <br /><br /><strong>The Rewards of Strong Branding</strong><br /><br />Chadwick Communications reports that strong brands command a seven-percent premium on price and make sales 40 percent more effective. Chadwick says that building a brand has more to do with what is communicated than with the product or service itself. <br /><br />Brand alignment must permeate every aspect of your company and extend through the way you communicate and market that identity. There are four \\\"cornerstones\\\" for every brand, and understanding them is crucial to success: <br /><br />1.&nbsp; <strong>EXEMPLIFY YOUR BRAND IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.</strong>&nbsp; It&rsquo;s not enough to have a great logo or tagline or an outstanding website. Whether you are known for high-touch service, or for &ldquo;green&rdquo; building knowledge, everything communicated inside and outside of your company should resonate that message. <br /><br />2.<strong> ESTABLISH AND STRENGTHEN YOUR BRAND THROUGH ASSOCIATIONS.</strong> These \\\"associations\\\" can be either internal or external. Are you involved in community groups? Do you give thoughtful consideration to the charity events that you sponsor and leverage what you donate to attain maximum visibility? <br /><br />Do you create a sense of &ldquo;belonging to the club&rdquo; by sharing your expertise in certain construction disciplines, techniques, or knowledge through presentations, opt-in newsletters, enews, or participation in Web 2.0 blogs?&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />3. <strong>LET THE CONVERTED PREACH.</strong> This metaphor is borrowed from Sunday morning: You as &ldquo;pastor&rdquo; can \\\"preach\\\" to someone all day long, but the way to make a \\\"convert\\\" is through the daily practice of a true believer. <br /><br />Better than a great website or brochure is the GC or customer who tells a friend or colleague about your company in glowing terms. By focusing on communicating your values, maximizing &ldquo;touches&rdquo; in the industry and with customers, you increase the likelihood they will do just that. <br /><br />4. <strong>BACK THE TEAM IN THE FIELD.&nbsp;</strong> Empowerment, enthusiasm and education are the three \\\"E&rsquo;s\\\" that form this cornerstone. Turn your company team into ambassadors and salespeople who will speak enthusiastically to their friends and associates.&nbsp; Are your employees empowered to make decisions or spend money when they need to \\\"find a way to say yes\\\" and \\\"make it right\\\" for a customer? Do you create employee-specific communications, such as a newsletter or website? Do you plan special events that make your field managers and core craftspeople feel part of a team and understand customers&rsquo; experience? <br /><br /><strong>Making Branding a Personal Agenda </strong><br /><br />Great brands are built from the inside out. Your company&rsquo;s brand should be written in your customers\\\' minds and engraved on your employees\\\' hearts. Your brand is that One True Thing about your company that\\\'s blazing in your gut.&nbsp; <br /><br />You can\\\'t market your way to a great brand: Your \\\"walk\\\" must match your \\\"talk.\\\" A brand isn\\\'t a website or a logo embroidered on a shirt: Your company\\\'s culture brings your brand to life.<br /><em><br />Tom Finan has been the publisher of St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate since 1976. He is the director of business development for Paradowski Creative, a strategic and creative firm located in St. Louis. He can be contacted at tom@paradowski.com.</em></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"12\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1295,457,2,2,1236211247,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"457\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:59 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:44:\"Friday the 13th – Your Day to be a Winner \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:39:\"friday_the_13th_your_day_to_be_a_winner\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:44:\"Friday the 13th – Your Day to be a Winner \";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:174:\"St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:44:\"CNR, Regional Excellence Awards, nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4093:\"<p><em>St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate</em> (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.</p>\n<p><img class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/awards_1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />This year\\\'s award presentations will be very special,\\\" Publisher Tom Finan said. \\\"It is the 20th year that we have presented the awards, and it is also the 40th year for<em> CNR</em>.&nbsp; We plan an especially memorable program event this year.\\\"</p>\n<p>The\nstated purpose of the awards is to recognize\nprojects completed in the last year that \\\"in sum, demonstrate\nexcellence in design, excellence in construction, and a positive\ncontribution to the St. Louis community.\\\" Awards are presented to the\ndesigner the general contractor/construction manager, and the owner for\neach project.</p>\n<p>The winning entries are selected by a distinguished panel of judges from the design, construction, academic, and labor communities, plus the editor and publisher of <em>CNR</em>.</p>\n<p>To download an entry form in Microsoft Word format, <a href=\\\"/blogfiles/awards.doc\\\">click this link.</a></p>\n<p><iframe id=\\\"AnswersBalloonIframe\\\" src=\\\"javascript:;\\\" style=\\\"border: medium none; z-index: 99998; position: absolute; width: 490px; height: 306px; visibility: hidden; background-color: transparent; top: 293px; left: 460px; margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 10px;\\\"></iframe></p>\n<div id=\\\"AnswersBalloon\\\" style=\\\"width: 490px; position: absolute; visibility: hidden; z-index: 99999; text-align: left; top: 269px; left: 460px;\\\">\n<div id=\\\"AnswerTipHook\\\" style=\\\"background-image: url(http://www.answers.com/main/images/hook-topL.gif); width: 67px; height: 24px; margin-left: 25px; position: relative; top: 10px;\\\"></div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeaderInner\\\" id=\\\"AnswersHandle0\\\" style=\\\"cursor: move;\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader1\\\"><a onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\'; return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Close\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersCloseImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/close.gif\\\" style=\\\"margin-right: 10px; position: relative; cursor: pointer;\\\" /></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipMore\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; visibility: hidden; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\" target=\\\"AnswersQueryWindow\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Read more &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipOptions\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'options\\\'; else window.status=\\\'options\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Options &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a></div>\n<div><a href=\\\"http://www.answers.com?initiator=FFANS\\\" style=\\\"float: left; cursor: pointer;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Visit Answers.com\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersLogoImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/answers-logo.gif\\\" /></a></div>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersContentFrame\\\" id=\\\"Answers_frame\\\">\n<table class=\\\"donotmoveme\\\" id=\\\"Balloontable2\\\" style=\\\"width: 480px; float: left;\\\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\\\"Answertip\\\" style=\\\"overflow: hidden; height: 235px; width: 473px;\\\"></div>\n<div id=\\\"answertipClose\\\" style=\\\"display: none;\\\"></div>\n<br /></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersFooter\\\" id=\\\"Answers_footer\\\">\n<div style=\\\"width: 471px; height: 22px; float: left;\\\"><iframe frameborder=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersAds\\\" scrolling=\\\"no\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/tip2.jsp?s=click%2520this%2520link.%2520%2520&amp;wt=1&amp;nafid=&amp;cobrand=\\\" style=\\\"border: 0px none; padding: 0px; width: 100%; height: 22px;\\\"></iframe></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:39:\"/images/uploads/regional-excellence.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1296,462,4,2,1236211283,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"462\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 06:55 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:20:\"2009-03-04  12:01 PM\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:42:\"Subcontractors Lead Charge for Lien Reform\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:42:\"subcontractors_lead_charge_for_lien_reform\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:42:\"Subcontractors Lead Charge for Lien Reform\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:215:\"On Feb. 24 about 60 subcontractors representing various association converged on the Jefferson City to speak with legislators about legislation addressing the crisis in lien situations caused by the current economy.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:43:\"ASA, liens, legislators, Bill 595, Bill 267\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1384:\"<p>On Feb. 24 about 60 subcontractors representing various association converged on the Jefferson City to speak with legislators about legislation addressing the crisis in lien situations caused by the current economy.</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"ASA lien lobbyists\\\" class=\\\"table-left\\\" height=\\\"205\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/legislative.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"300\\\" />Led by American Subcontractors Association (ASA) members from both St. Louis and Kansas City, the delegation included members from the SITE Improvement Association, Mason Contractors Association,&nbsp; Painting and Decorating Foundation, Independent Electrical Contractors of St. Louis, and&nbsp; the Wall and Ceiling Contractors Association.</p>\n<p>The contractors handed out ASA hardhats and talked to legislators about the importance of passing legislation to improve payment on construction projects.&nbsp; Both House Bill 595 and Senate Bill 267 would standardize lien waiver forms and allow for attorney fees to be reimbursed to a contractor who perfects its mechanics lien.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Compared to 2007, the average number of monthly liens above $1,000\nfiled through mid-November of 2008, was 14 percent higher in the city\nof St. Louis, 15 percent higher in St. Louis County and 48 percent\nhigher in St. Charles County, according to data compiled from public\nrecords by American City Business Leads.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1297,449,4,2,1236211437,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"449\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-19 10:51 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"5\";i:1;s:2:\"41\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:35:\"28 GCs, 1,100 Attendees at ASA Expo\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:33:\"28_gcs_1100_attendees_at_asa_expo\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:35:\"28 GCs, 1,100 Attendees at ASA Expo\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:347:\"The American Subcontractors Association-Midwest Council hosted the 7th Annual Meet the GCs Expo on January 28, 2009 at the Kemp Auto Museum from 3:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Twenty-eight general contractors participated with booths.  A record number of subcontractors, suppliers and vendors attended the event, with nearly 1,100 people participating. \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:36:\"ASA, general contractors, Kemp, Expo\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1422:\"<p>The American Subcontractors Association-Midwest Council hosted the 7th Annual Meet the GCs Expo on January 28, 2009 at the Kemp Auto Museum from 3:30 p.m. &ndash; 8:00 p.m. Twenty-eight general contractors participated with booths.&nbsp; <img alt=\\\"Brinkmann Clayco\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"168\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/brinkmann-clayco.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"250\\\" />A record\nnumber of subcontractors, suppliers and vendors attended the event,\nwith nearly 1,100 people participating.&nbsp;</p>\n<h4>The ASA GC Expo was held at the kemp auto museum.<br /></h4>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"ASA Expo\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"157\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/asa-expo.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"300\\\" />\\\"We believe that the attendees benefitted from this networking in a very tough economic climate,\\\" Michael Fogarty Jr., ASA council president, said.<br /><br />The Expo is an event for subcontractors, vendors and supplies to meet general contractors.&nbsp; It is set up like a trade show where guests can mingle with general contactors they currently do business with or get reacquainted if they have worked together in the past.&nbsp; One of the prime benefits is the opportunity for ASA members and general contractors to meet each other and discuss the potential for business relationships.&nbsp; Networking with other subcontractors is also a strong purpose for attendance.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"5\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"41\";}'),(1298,462,4,2,1236211587,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"462\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-04 06:55 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:42:\"Subcontractors Lead Charge for Lien Reform\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:42:\"subcontractors_lead_charge_for_lien_reform\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:42:\"Subcontractors Lead Charge for Lien Reform\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:215:\"On Feb. 24 about 60 subcontractors representing various association converged on the Jefferson City to speak with legislators about legislation addressing the crisis in lien situations caused by the current economy.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:43:\"ASA, liens, legislators, Bill 595, Bill 267\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1384:\"<p>On Feb. 24 about 60 subcontractors representing various association converged on the Jefferson City to speak with legislators about legislation addressing the crisis in lien situations caused by the current economy.</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"ASA lien lobbyists\\\" class=\\\"table-left\\\" height=\\\"205\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/legislative.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"300\\\" />Led by American Subcontractors Association (ASA) members from both St. Louis and Kansas City, the delegation included members from the SITE Improvement Association, Mason Contractors Association,&nbsp; Painting and Decorating Foundation, Independent Electrical Contractors of St. Louis, and&nbsp; the Wall and Ceiling Contractors Association.</p>\n<p>The contractors handed out ASA hardhats and talked to legislators about the importance of passing legislation to improve payment on construction projects.&nbsp; Both House Bill 595 and Senate Bill 267 would standardize lien waiver forms and allow for attorney fees to be reimbursed to a contractor who perfects its mechanics lien.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Compared to 2007, the average number of monthly liens above $1,000\nfiled through mid-November of 2008, was 14 percent higher in the city\nof St. Louis, 15 percent higher in St. Louis County and 48 percent\nhigher in St. Charles County, according to data compiled from public\nrecords by American City Business Leads.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1299,465,4,2,1236211715,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"465\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 08:30 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"7\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:30:\"Boatman Joins SAK Construction\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:30:\"boatman_joins_sak_construction\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:30:\"Boatman Joins SAK Construction\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:95:\"Eligie \\\"Jack\\\" Boatman of Mobile, AL., has joined the management team at SAK Construction LLC.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:37:\"SAK, Boatman, trenchless, underground\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2237:\"<p>Eligie \\\"Jack\\\" Boatman of Mobile, AL., has joined the management team at SAK Construction LLC, a national pipeline rehabilitation and tunneling industries contractor headquartered in the St. Louis area. Based in Mobile, Boatman will manage SAK&rsquo;s business development efforts in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. SAK serves a variety of city, county and state agencies; industrial sectors; municipalities; and water and sewer cooperatives coast-to-coast.</p>\n<p>Boatman brings to SAK 13 years of experience in business management, community development, safety and training in the pipeline rehabilitation industry.&nbsp; His background also includes 27 years with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Co., where he served in various engineering and upper management roles.&nbsp; Boatman holds a master&rsquo;s degree in management from Webster University and a bachelor&rsquo;s degree in electronic engineering from Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Ala. He also completed advanced studies in urban affairs at Saint Louis University. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>He has served in a number of humanitarian and community leadership roles in St. Louis.&nbsp; He served as a mentor at the St. Louis Boys &amp; Girls Club and garnered the &ldquo;Sheer Elegance Community Service Award&rdquo; from Mathews-Dickey Boys&rsquo; and Girls&rsquo; Club and the Sammy Davis Jr. &ldquo;Yes I Can&rdquo; award. The neighborhood alliance in Augusta, GA, recently honored Boatman with the establishment of the &ldquo;Jack Boatman Community Development Award&rdquo; that recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding community service.</p>\n<p>Boatman is a member of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) and serves on the corporate advisory committee of the National Forum of Black Public Administrators (NFBPA). He also serves on the economic advisory committee for the City of Pritchard, AL &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>Founded in 2006, SAK Construction is led by industry veterans Jerry Shaw, president; Tom Kalishman, chairman; and Robert Affholder, vice chairman. The three SAK leaders are known for their expertise in trenchless underground technology, including cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) rehabilitation.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"7\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1300,457,2,2,1236233841,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"457\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:59 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:43:\"Friday the 13th – Your Day to be a Winner\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:39:\"friday_the_13th_your_day_to_be_a_winner\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:44:\"Friday the 13th – Your Day to be a Winner \";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:174:\"St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:44:\"CNR, Regional Excellence Awards, nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4093:\"<p><em>St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate</em> (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.</p>\n<p><img class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/awards_1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />This year\\\'s award presentations will be very special,\\\" Publisher Tom Finan said. \\\"It is the 20th year that we have presented the awards, and it is also the 40th year for<em> CNR</em>.&nbsp; We plan an especially memorable program event this year.\\\"</p>\n<p>The\nstated purpose of the awards is to recognize\nprojects completed in the last year that \\\"in sum, demonstrate\nexcellence in design, excellence in construction, and a positive\ncontribution to the St. Louis community.\\\" Awards are presented to the\ndesigner the general contractor/construction manager, and the owner for\neach project.</p>\n<p>The winning entries are selected by a distinguished panel of judges from the design, construction, academic, and labor communities, plus the editor and publisher of <em>CNR</em>.</p>\n<p>To download an entry form in Microsoft Word format, <a href=\\\"/blogfiles/awards.doc\\\">click this link.</a></p>\n<p><iframe id=\\\"AnswersBalloonIframe\\\" src=\\\"javascript:;\\\" style=\\\"border: medium none; z-index: 99998; position: absolute; width: 490px; height: 306px; visibility: hidden; background-color: transparent; top: 293px; left: 460px; margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 10px;\\\"></iframe></p>\n<div id=\\\"AnswersBalloon\\\" style=\\\"width: 490px; position: absolute; visibility: hidden; z-index: 99999; text-align: left; top: 269px; left: 460px;\\\">\n<div id=\\\"AnswerTipHook\\\" style=\\\"background-image: url(http://www.answers.com/main/images/hook-topL.gif); width: 67px; height: 24px; margin-left: 25px; position: relative; top: 10px;\\\"></div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeaderInner\\\" id=\\\"AnswersHandle0\\\" style=\\\"cursor: move;\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader1\\\"><a onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\'; return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Close\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersCloseImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/close.gif\\\" style=\\\"margin-right: 10px; position: relative; cursor: pointer;\\\" /></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipMore\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; visibility: hidden; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\" target=\\\"AnswersQueryWindow\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Read more &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipOptions\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'options\\\'; else window.status=\\\'options\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Options &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a></div>\n<div><a href=\\\"http://www.answers.com?initiator=FFANS\\\" style=\\\"float: left; cursor: pointer;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Visit Answers.com\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersLogoImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/answers-logo.gif\\\" /></a></div>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersContentFrame\\\" id=\\\"Answers_frame\\\">\n<table class=\\\"donotmoveme\\\" id=\\\"Balloontable2\\\" style=\\\"width: 480px; float: left;\\\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\\\"Answertip\\\" style=\\\"overflow: hidden; height: 235px; width: 473px;\\\"></div>\n<div id=\\\"answertipClose\\\" style=\\\"display: none;\\\"></div>\n<br /></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersFooter\\\" id=\\\"Answers_footer\\\">\n<div style=\\\"width: 471px; height: 22px; float: left;\\\"><iframe frameborder=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersAds\\\" scrolling=\\\"no\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/tip2.jsp?s=click%2520this%2520link.%2520%2520&amp;wt=1&amp;nafid=&amp;cobrand=\\\" style=\\\"border: 0px none; padding: 0px; width: 100%; height: 22px;\\\"></iframe></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:39:\"/images/uploads/regional-excellence.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1301,457,2,2,1236233871,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"457\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:59 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:40:\"Friday the 13th: Your Day to be a Winner\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:39:\"friday_the_13th_your_day_to_be_a_winner\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:41:\"Friday the 13th: Your Day to be a Winner \";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:174:\"St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:44:\"CNR, Regional Excellence Awards, nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4093:\"<p><em>St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate</em> (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.</p>\n<p><img class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/awards_1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />This year\\\'s award presentations will be very special,\\\" Publisher Tom Finan said. \\\"It is the 20th year that we have presented the awards, and it is also the 40th year for<em> CNR</em>.&nbsp; We plan an especially memorable program event this year.\\\"</p>\n<p>The\nstated purpose of the awards is to recognize\nprojects completed in the last year that \\\"in sum, demonstrate\nexcellence in design, excellence in construction, and a positive\ncontribution to the St. Louis community.\\\" Awards are presented to the\ndesigner the general contractor/construction manager, and the owner for\neach project.</p>\n<p>The winning entries are selected by a distinguished panel of judges from the design, construction, academic, and labor communities, plus the editor and publisher of <em>CNR</em>.</p>\n<p>To download an entry form in Microsoft Word format, <a href=\\\"/blogfiles/awards.doc\\\">click this link.</a></p>\n<p><iframe id=\\\"AnswersBalloonIframe\\\" src=\\\"javascript:;\\\" style=\\\"border: medium none; z-index: 99998; position: absolute; width: 490px; height: 306px; visibility: hidden; background-color: transparent; top: 293px; left: 460px; margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 10px;\\\"></iframe></p>\n<div id=\\\"AnswersBalloon\\\" style=\\\"width: 490px; position: absolute; visibility: hidden; z-index: 99999; text-align: left; top: 269px; left: 460px;\\\">\n<div id=\\\"AnswerTipHook\\\" style=\\\"background-image: url(http://www.answers.com/main/images/hook-topL.gif); width: 67px; height: 24px; margin-left: 25px; position: relative; top: 10px;\\\"></div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeaderInner\\\" id=\\\"AnswersHandle0\\\" style=\\\"cursor: move;\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader1\\\"><a onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\'; return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Close\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersCloseImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/close.gif\\\" style=\\\"margin-right: 10px; position: relative; cursor: pointer;\\\" /></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipMore\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; visibility: hidden; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\" target=\\\"AnswersQueryWindow\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Read more &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipOptions\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'options\\\'; else window.status=\\\'options\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Options &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a></div>\n<div><a href=\\\"http://www.answers.com?initiator=FFANS\\\" style=\\\"float: left; cursor: pointer;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Visit Answers.com\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersLogoImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/answers-logo.gif\\\" /></a></div>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersContentFrame\\\" id=\\\"Answers_frame\\\">\n<table class=\\\"donotmoveme\\\" id=\\\"Balloontable2\\\" style=\\\"width: 480px; float: left;\\\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\\\"Answertip\\\" style=\\\"overflow: hidden; height: 235px; width: 473px;\\\"></div>\n<div id=\\\"answertipClose\\\" style=\\\"display: none;\\\"></div>\n<br /></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersFooter\\\" id=\\\"Answers_footer\\\">\n<div style=\\\"width: 471px; height: 22px; float: left;\\\"><iframe frameborder=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersAds\\\" scrolling=\\\"no\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/tip2.jsp?s=click%2520this%2520link.%2520%2520&amp;wt=1&amp;nafid=&amp;cobrand=\\\" style=\\\"border: 0px none; padding: 0px; width: 100%; height: 22px;\\\"></iframe></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:39:\"/images/uploads/regional-excellence.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1302,472,2,2,1236329762,'a:29:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-05 09:42 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next?  A Few WordsFrom Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:49:\"whats_next_a_few_wordsfrom_peter_downs_cnr_editor\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next? A Few Words From Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:287:\"While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask,\n“do you know what’s coming up next?â€  They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:1:\"9\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:39:\"Downs, Peter, anxious, unemployed, work\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:2456:\"<p>While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask,<br />&ldquo;do you know what&rsquo;s coming up next?&rdquo;&nbsp; They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"crystal ball\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />2010 seems to be on everyone&rsquo;s mind. Many contractors started 2009 with plenty of work, but finding the next jobs to replace those is a problem. Current work secured financing one, two, or three years ago, but in the current credit climate many projects aren&rsquo;t even getting to the drawing the board. The American Institute of Architects&rsquo; measure of work on the boards has been in a recessionary mode for months, leading the AIA to predict that<br />there will be no upturn in construction activity this year.<br /><br />\\\"As profits for businesses have fallen and the ability to get credit to finance projects has become far more difficult, construction plans have been put on hold or canceled outright in recent months,\\\" said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker. \\\"This is not expected to turn around anytime soon and it\\\'s likely to get worse before it gets better.\\\" The semi-annual construction forecast from the AIA projects an 11 percent decline in nonresidential construction spending in inflation adjusted terms in 2009,<br />and a further decline in 2010.<br /><br />With The Conference Board estimating that there are over 50 unemployed construction workers for every advertised job vacancy, it is not surprising that those who have a job look at the near future with some trepidation. Nor is it surprising that &ldquo;jobs&rdquo; has become the rallying cry for any policy<br />issue touching on construction. At the state level, the Missouri Association for Historic Preservation and Economic Development is crying that proposals<br />in the Missouri Senate to do away with or cap historic renovation tax credits is an attack on construction jobs. Meanwhile, the Associated General<br />Contractors and other groups are claiming that proposed Employee Free Choice Act in the U.S. Congress would destroy jobs. Regardless, the cry of &ldquo;jobs,<br />jobs,&rdquo; is one we are certain to hear often in coming months from people on both sides of many issues.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:32:\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1303,457,2,2,1236329790,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"457\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:59 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"16\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:40:\"Friday the 13th: Your Day to be a Winner\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:39:\"friday_the_13th_your_day_to_be_a_winner\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:41:\"Friday the 13th: Your Day to be a Winner \";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:174:\"St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:44:\"CNR, Regional Excellence Awards, nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4093:\"<p><em>St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate</em> (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.</p>\n<p><img class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/awards_1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />This year\\\'s award presentations will be very special,\\\" Publisher Tom Finan said. \\\"It is the 20th year that we have presented the awards, and it is also the 40th year for<em> CNR</em>.&nbsp; We plan an especially memorable program event this year.\\\"</p>\n<p>The\nstated purpose of the awards is to recognize\nprojects completed in the last year that \\\"in sum, demonstrate\nexcellence in design, excellence in construction, and a positive\ncontribution to the St. Louis community.\\\" Awards are presented to the\ndesigner the general contractor/construction manager, and the owner for\neach project.</p>\n<p>The winning entries are selected by a distinguished panel of judges from the design, construction, academic, and labor communities, plus the editor and publisher of <em>CNR</em>.</p>\n<p>To download an entry form in Microsoft Word format, <a href=\\\"/blogfiles/awards.doc\\\">click this link.</a></p>\n<p><iframe id=\\\"AnswersBalloonIframe\\\" src=\\\"javascript:;\\\" style=\\\"border: medium none; z-index: 99998; position: absolute; width: 490px; height: 306px; visibility: hidden; background-color: transparent; top: 293px; left: 460px; margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 10px;\\\"></iframe></p>\n<div id=\\\"AnswersBalloon\\\" style=\\\"width: 490px; position: absolute; visibility: hidden; z-index: 99999; text-align: left; top: 269px; left: 460px;\\\">\n<div id=\\\"AnswerTipHook\\\" style=\\\"background-image: url(http://www.answers.com/main/images/hook-topL.gif); width: 67px; height: 24px; margin-left: 25px; position: relative; top: 10px;\\\"></div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeaderInner\\\" id=\\\"AnswersHandle0\\\" style=\\\"cursor: move;\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader1\\\"><a onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\'; return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Close\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersCloseImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/close.gif\\\" style=\\\"margin-right: 10px; position: relative; cursor: pointer;\\\" /></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipMore\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; visibility: hidden; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\" target=\\\"AnswersQueryWindow\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Read more &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipOptions\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'options\\\'; else window.status=\\\'options\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Options &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a></div>\n<div><a href=\\\"http://www.answers.com?initiator=FFANS\\\" style=\\\"float: left; cursor: pointer;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Visit Answers.com\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersLogoImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/answers-logo.gif\\\" /></a></div>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersContentFrame\\\" id=\\\"Answers_frame\\\">\n<table class=\\\"donotmoveme\\\" id=\\\"Balloontable2\\\" style=\\\"width: 480px; float: left;\\\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\\\"Answertip\\\" style=\\\"overflow: hidden; height: 235px; width: 473px;\\\"></div>\n<div id=\\\"answertipClose\\\" style=\\\"display: none;\\\"></div>\n<br /></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersFooter\\\" id=\\\"Answers_footer\\\">\n<div style=\\\"width: 471px; height: 22px; float: left;\\\"><iframe frameborder=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersAds\\\" scrolling=\\\"no\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/tip2.jsp?s=click%2520this%2520link.%2520%2520&amp;wt=1&amp;nafid=&amp;cobrand=\\\" style=\\\"border: 0px none; padding: 0px; width: 100%; height: 22px;\\\"></iframe></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:39:\"/images/uploads/regional-excellence.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"16\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1304,472,2,2,1236329833,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"472\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-05 09:42 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next?  A Few WordsFrom Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:49:\"whats_next_a_few_wordsfrom_peter_downs_cnr_editor\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next? A Few Words From Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:285:\"While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask,\n\\\"do you know what’s coming up next?\\\"  They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:1:\"9\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:39:\"Downs, Peter, anxious, unemployed, work\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:2456:\"<p>While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask,<br />&ldquo;do you know what&rsquo;s coming up next?&rdquo;&nbsp; They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"crystal ball\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />2010 seems to be on everyone&rsquo;s mind. Many contractors started 2009 with plenty of work, but finding the next jobs to replace those is a problem. Current work secured financing one, two, or three years ago, but in the current credit climate many projects aren&rsquo;t even getting to the drawing the board. The American Institute of Architects&rsquo; measure of work on the boards has been in a recessionary mode for months, leading the AIA to predict that<br />there will be no upturn in construction activity this year.<br /><br />\\\"As profits for businesses have fallen and the ability to get credit to finance projects has become far more difficult, construction plans have been put on hold or canceled outright in recent months,\\\" said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker. \\\"This is not expected to turn around anytime soon and it\\\'s likely to get worse before it gets better.\\\" The semi-annual construction forecast from the AIA projects an 11 percent decline in nonresidential construction spending in inflation adjusted terms in 2009,<br />and a further decline in 2010.<br /><br />With The Conference Board estimating that there are over 50 unemployed construction workers for every advertised job vacancy, it is not surprising that those who have a job look at the near future with some trepidation. Nor is it surprising that &ldquo;jobs&rdquo; has become the rallying cry for any policy<br />issue touching on construction. At the state level, the Missouri Association for Historic Preservation and Economic Development is crying that proposals<br />in the Missouri Senate to do away with or cap historic renovation tax credits is an attack on construction jobs. Meanwhile, the Associated General<br />Contractors and other groups are claiming that proposed Employee Free Choice Act in the U.S. Congress would destroy jobs. Regardless, the cry of &ldquo;jobs,<br />jobs,&rdquo; is one we are certain to hear often in coming months from people on both sides of many issues.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:32:\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1305,472,2,2,1236329864,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"472\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-05 09:42 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next?  A Few WordsFrom Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:49:\"whats_next_a_few_wordsfrom_peter_downs_cnr_editor\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next? A Few Words From Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:284:\"While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask,\n\\\"do you know what\\\'s coming up next?\\\"  They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:1:\"9\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:39:\"Downs, Peter, anxious, unemployed, work\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:2456:\"<p>While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask,<br />&ldquo;do you know what&rsquo;s coming up next?&rdquo;&nbsp; They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"crystal ball\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />2010 seems to be on everyone&rsquo;s mind. Many contractors started 2009 with plenty of work, but finding the next jobs to replace those is a problem. Current work secured financing one, two, or three years ago, but in the current credit climate many projects aren&rsquo;t even getting to the drawing the board. The American Institute of Architects&rsquo; measure of work on the boards has been in a recessionary mode for months, leading the AIA to predict that<br />there will be no upturn in construction activity this year.<br /><br />\\\"As profits for businesses have fallen and the ability to get credit to finance projects has become far more difficult, construction plans have been put on hold or canceled outright in recent months,\\\" said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker. \\\"This is not expected to turn around anytime soon and it\\\'s likely to get worse before it gets better.\\\" The semi-annual construction forecast from the AIA projects an 11 percent decline in nonresidential construction spending in inflation adjusted terms in 2009,<br />and a further decline in 2010.<br /><br />With The Conference Board estimating that there are over 50 unemployed construction workers for every advertised job vacancy, it is not surprising that those who have a job look at the near future with some trepidation. Nor is it surprising that &ldquo;jobs&rdquo; has become the rallying cry for any policy<br />issue touching on construction. At the state level, the Missouri Association for Historic Preservation and Economic Development is crying that proposals<br />in the Missouri Senate to do away with or cap historic renovation tax credits is an attack on construction jobs. Meanwhile, the Associated General<br />Contractors and other groups are claiming that proposed Employee Free Choice Act in the U.S. Congress would destroy jobs. Regardless, the cry of &ldquo;jobs,<br />jobs,&rdquo; is one we are certain to hear often in coming months from people on both sides of many issues.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:32:\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1306,472,2,2,1236330721,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"472\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-05 09:42 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next?  A Few WordsFrom Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:49:\"whats_next_a_few_wordsfrom_peter_downs_cnr_editor\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next? A Few Words From Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:284:\"While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask,\n\\\"do you know what\\\'s coming up next?\\\"  They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:1:\"9\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:39:\"Downs, Peter, anxious, unemployed, work\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:2448:\"<p>While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask,<br />&ldquo;do you know what&rsquo;s coming up next?&rdquo;&nbsp; They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"crystal ball\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />2010 seems to be on everyone&rsquo;s mind. Many contractors started 2009 with plenty of work, but finding the next jobs to replace those is a problem. Current work secured financing one, two, or three years ago, but in the current credit climate many projects aren&rsquo;t even getting to the drawing the board. The American Institute of Architects&rsquo; measure of work on the boards has been in a recessionary mode for months, leading the AIA to predict that<br />there will be no upturn in construction activity this year.<br /><br />\\\"As profits for businesses have fallen and the ability to get credit to finance projects has become far more difficult, construction plans have been put on hold or canceled outright in recent months,\\\" said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker. \\\"This is not expected to turn around anytime soon and it\\\'s likely to get worse before it gets better.\\\" The semi-annual construction forecast from the AIA projects an 11 percent decline in nonresidential construction spending in inflation adjusted terms in 2009,<br />and a further decline in 2010.<br /><br />With The Conference Board estimating that there are over 50 unemployed construction workers for every advertised job vacancy, it is not surprising that those who have a job look at the near future with some trepidation. Nor is it surprising that &ldquo;jobs&rdquo; has become the rallying cry for any policy issue touching on construction.</p>\n<p>At the state level, the Missouri Association for Historic Preservation and Economic Development is crying that proposals<br />in the Missouri Senate to do away with or cap historic renovation tax credits is an attack on construction jobs. Meanwhile, the Associated General Contractors and other groups are claiming that proposed Employee Free Choice Act in the U.S. Congress would destroy jobs. Regardless, the cry of &ldquo;jobs, jobs,&rdquo; is one we are certain to hear often in coming months from people on both sides of many issues.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:32:\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1307,466,4,2,1236330931,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"466\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-28 08:35 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:53:\"Commission to Urge Break With Fuel-Based Road Funding\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:53:\"commission_to_urge_break_with_fuel_based_road_funding\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:53:\"Commission to Urge Break With Fuel-Based Road Funding\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:179:\"A bi-partisan Congressionally-created commission will urge lawmakers to fundamentally shift the way the federal government collects revenues to fund transportation infrastructure.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:22:\"highway, finance, fuel\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:3389:\"<p><a href=\\\"http://financecommission.dot.gov/\\\">A bi-partisan Congressionally-created commission</a> will urge lawmakers to fundamentally shift the way the federal government collects revenues to fund transportation infrastructure. Culminating nearly two years of study and deliberation, the National Surface Transportation Infrastructure Financing Commission offered its consensus view and roadmap for sweeping reform of the nation\\\'s transportation infrastructure funding approach with the release of its final report Paying Our Way: A New Framework for Transportation Finance during a press<br />conference on Feb. 26. <br /><br />The Financing Commission will offer specific recommendations for addressing the significant and widening gap between federal investment and the nation\\\'s transportation infrastructure needs, while at the same time moving the federal government away from reliance on motor fuel taxes toward more direct fees charged to transportation infrastructure users. Charging vehicle drivers a mileage fee embodies the \\\"user pays\\\" principle and more accurately aligns the costs and benefits of the<br />surface transportation system to those who are using it. More transparent charges for using infrastructure may also spur drivers to use the system more efficiently, reducing the overall investment need.</p>\n<p>\\\"With the expected shift to more fuel efficient vehicles,\\\" said Robert Atkinson, the chair of the inancing Commission and president of the Information Technology and<br />Innovation Foundation, \\\"it will be increasingly difficult to rely on the gas tax to raise the funds needed to improve, let alone maintain our nation\\\'s surface transportation infrastructure.\\\"</p>\n<p>In Addition to a federal mileage based Charge, the Financing Commission calls for the federal government to Facilitate state and local governments\\\' ability to raise their share of needed revenues in ways that also spur efficient use of the system and stepped-up investment, including through tolling portions of roads and charging premiums for rush hour travel in heavily used urban corridors, so-called congestion pricing. The Financing Commission provides detailed recommendations for lawmakers to facilitate the effective use of private investment and to provide government credit support to assist in the financing of transportation infrastructure projects to stretch the federal government\\\'s limited resources.</p>\n<p>In order to support the transition from the gas tax to a mileage-based charge, the Financing Commission recommends a ten cent per gallon increase in the federal gas tax (15 cents for diesel) and indexing the tax to inflation going forward. The gas tax, which is not currently indexed to inflation, has lost 1/3 of its purchasing power since 1993, the last time the tax was increased. The Financing Commission has urged the federal government to act swiftly. While the nearly $40 billion in transportation infrastructure spending included in the stimulus package will be helpful, it the commission says it will cover only a very small share of the shortfall in highway and transit funding and will<br />not address the systemic crisis the nation faces in its surface transportation infrastructure investment.</p>\n<p>\\\"We must start transitioning to a new paradigm now,\\\" says Commissioner Mike Krusee \\\"If we don\\\'t start, we will never get there.\\\"</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1308,472,2,2,1236363456,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"472\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-05 09:42 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next?  A Few WordsFrom Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:49:\"whats_next_a_few_wordsfrom_peter_downs_cnr_editor\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next? A Few Words From Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:284:\"While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask,\n\\\"do you know what\\\'s coming up next?\\\"  They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:1:\"9\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:39:\"Downs, Peter, anxious, unemployed, work\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:2438:\"<p>While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask, &ldquo;do you know what&rsquo;s coming up next?&rdquo;&nbsp; They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"crystal ball\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />2010 seems to be on everyone&rsquo;s mind. Many contractors started 2009 with plenty of work, but finding the next jobs to replace those is a problem. Current work secured financing one, two, or three years ago, but in the current credit climate many projects aren&rsquo;t even getting to the drawing the board. The American Institute of Architects&rsquo; measure of work on the boards has been in a recessionary mode for months, leading the AIA to predict that there will be no upturn in construction activity this year.<br /><br />\\\"As profits for businesses have fallen and the ability to get credit to finance projects has become far more difficult, construction plans have been put on hold or canceled outright in recent months,\\\" said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker. \\\"This is not expected to turn around anytime soon and it\\\'s likely to get worse before it gets better.\\\" The semi-annual construction forecast from the AIA projects an 11 percent decline in nonresidential construction spending in inflation adjusted terms in 2009,<br />and a further decline in 2010.<br /><br />With The Conference Board estimating that there are over 50 unemployed construction workers for every advertised job vacancy, it is not surprising that those who have a job look at the near future with some trepidation. Nor is it surprising that &ldquo;jobs&rdquo; has become the rallying cry for any policy issue touching on construction.</p>\n<p>At the state level, the Missouri Association for Historic Preservation and Economic Development is crying that proposals<br />in the Missouri Senate to do away with or cap historic renovation tax credits is an attack on construction jobs. Meanwhile, the Associated General Contractors and other groups are claiming that proposed Employee Free Choice Act in the U.S. Congress would destroy jobs. Regardless, the cry of &ldquo;jobs, jobs,&rdquo; is one we are certain to hear often in coming months from people on both sides of many issues.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:32:\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1309,472,2,2,1236363497,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"472\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-05 09:42 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next?  A Few WordsFrom Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:49:\"whats_next_a_few_wordsfrom_peter_downs_cnr_editor\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next? A Few Words From Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:284:\"While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask,\n\\\"do you know what\\\'s coming up next?\\\"  They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:1:\"9\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:39:\"Downs, Peter, anxious, unemployed, work\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:2433:\"<p>While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask, &ldquo;do you know what&rsquo;s coming up next?&rdquo;&nbsp; They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"crystal ball\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />2010 seems to be on everyone&rsquo;s mind. Many contractors started 2009 with plenty of work, but finding the next jobs to replace those is a problem. Current work secured financing one, two, or three years ago, but in the current credit climate many projects aren&rsquo;t even getting to the drawing the board. The American Institute of Architects&rsquo; measure of work on the boards has been in a recessionary mode for months, leading the AIA to predict that there will be no upturn in construction activity this year.<br /><br />\\\"As profits for businesses have fallen and the ability to get credit to finance projects has become far more difficult, construction plans have been put on hold or canceled outright in recent months,\\\" said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker. \\\"This is not expected to turn around anytime soon and it\\\'s likely to get worse before it gets better.\\\" The semi-annual construction forecast from the AIA projects an 11 percent decline in nonresidential construction spending in inflation adjusted terms in 2009,<br />and a further decline in 2010.<br /><br />With The Conference Board estimating that there are over 50 unemployed construction workers for every advertised job vacancy, it is not surprising that those who have a job look at the near future with some trepidation. Nor is it surprising that &ldquo;jobs&rdquo; has become the rallying cry for any policy issue touching on construction.</p>\n<p>At the state level, the Missouri Association for Historic Preservation and Economic Development is crying that proposals in the Missouri Senate to do away with or cap historic renovation tax credits is an attack on construction jobs. Meanwhile, the Associated General Contractors and other groups are claiming that proposed Employee Free Choice Act in the U.S. Congress would destroy jobs. Regardless, the cry of &ldquo;jobs, jobs,&rdquo; is one we are certain to hear often in coming months from people on both sides of many issues.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:32:\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1310,473,4,2,1236364664,'a:25:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-06 07:25 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:61:\" “Meet the Machinesâ€ Family Event Expands Sponsor Lineup \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:53:\"meet_the_machines_family_event_expands_sponsor_lineup\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:61:\" “Meet the Machinesâ€ Family Event Expands Sponsor Lineup \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:310:\"The Budrovich Companies along with several major sponsors will, once again, present “Meet the Machinesâ€.  Building on the unqualified success of the inaugural event in 2005, and the overwhelming growth since, the event promises much more in 2009.  Last year’s event drew approximately 12,000 attendees.  \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:28:\"Meet the Machines, Budrovich\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2966:\"<h4>Bring your Family To \\\"Meet The MACHINES\\\"</h4>\n<p><strong>Saturday April 25, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.<br /><br /></strong><strong>Location: Budrovich Excavating &amp; Contracting, 10328 Lake Bluff Drive </strong></p>\n<p>The Budrovich Companies along with several major sponsors will, once again, present &ldquo;Meet the Machines&rdquo;.&nbsp; Building on the unqualified success of the inaugural event in 2005, and the overwhelming growth since, the event promises much more in 2009.&nbsp; Last year&rsquo;s event drew approximately 12,000 attendees.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"163\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/meet-the-machines1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />Many sponsors such as McCarthy Building Companies, MC Industrial, Guarantee Electrical Schnuck&rsquo;s, Luby Equipment Company, JD Kutter Insurance, AmeriSure, Manitowoc Crane and others have seen the explosive growth of the free event and are supporting it through full sponsorships, in-kind donations and volunteers.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The event will be held Saturday, April 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.&nbsp; This exciting family outing is held at the Budrovich Excavating &amp; Contracting headquarters, which is in an old quarry located at 10328 Lake Bluff Drive in St. Louis, MO.</p>\n<p>The purpose of the educational event is to introduce children, ages 3-15 years old, to the heavy equipment side of the construction business.&nbsp; Guests should arrive at the north gate and stop at the registration table.&nbsp; The first 1,500 kids will receive their Meet the Machines hard hat and other giveaways.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>This year&rsquo;s event promises more interactive elements.&nbsp; Children and adults, alike, will have the opportunity to climb aboard and explore giant excavation and hoisting machinery.&nbsp; Additionally, visitors can participate in hands-on, educational activities such as &ldquo;digging&rdquo; for prizes or operating a crane via a training simulator.&nbsp; There will be games and prizes, face painting and opportunities to get pictures taken with a local sports team mascot, other local celebrities and, of course, the heavy machinery itself.&nbsp; An operator skill challenge will allow the youngsters to see professionals operate heavy equipment for contest prizes.&nbsp; Food and beverages will be provided to attendees at a minimal cost.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"365\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/meet-the-machines4.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />The Budrovich Companies specialize in site utility excavation, mass &amp; finish grading, crane rental, and residential, commercial and industrial land development.&nbsp; Budrovich employs nearly 150 skilled operators, laborers and teamsters in the St. Louis metropolitan region, utilizing nearly 90 pieces of excavation &amp; grading equipment and 40 mobile hydraulic cranes.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";}'),(1311,473,4,2,1236364719,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"473\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-06 07:25 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:53:\"Meet the Machines  Family Event Expands Sponsor Lineu\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:52:\"meet_the_machines_family_event_expands_sponsor_lineu\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:54:\"Meet the Machines Family Event Expands Sponsor Lineup \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:310:\"The Budrovich Companies along with several major sponsors will, once again, present “Meet the Machinesâ€.  Building on the unqualified success of the inaugural event in 2005, and the overwhelming growth since, the event promises much more in 2009.  Last year’s event drew approximately 12,000 attendees.  \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:28:\"Meet the Machines, Budrovich\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2966:\"<h4>Bring your Family To \\\"Meet The MACHINES\\\"</h4>\n<p><strong>Saturday April 25, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.<br /><br /></strong><strong>Location: Budrovich Excavating &amp; Contracting, 10328 Lake Bluff Drive </strong></p>\n<p>The Budrovich Companies along with several major sponsors will, once again, present &ldquo;Meet the Machines&rdquo;.&nbsp; Building on the unqualified success of the inaugural event in 2005, and the overwhelming growth since, the event promises much more in 2009.&nbsp; Last year&rsquo;s event drew approximately 12,000 attendees.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"163\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/meet-the-machines1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />Many sponsors such as McCarthy Building Companies, MC Industrial, Guarantee Electrical Schnuck&rsquo;s, Luby Equipment Company, JD Kutter Insurance, AmeriSure, Manitowoc Crane and others have seen the explosive growth of the free event and are supporting it through full sponsorships, in-kind donations and volunteers.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The event will be held Saturday, April 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.&nbsp; This exciting family outing is held at the Budrovich Excavating &amp; Contracting headquarters, which is in an old quarry located at 10328 Lake Bluff Drive in St. Louis, MO.</p>\n<p>The purpose of the educational event is to introduce children, ages 3-15 years old, to the heavy equipment side of the construction business.&nbsp; Guests should arrive at the north gate and stop at the registration table.&nbsp; The first 1,500 kids will receive their Meet the Machines hard hat and other giveaways.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>This year&rsquo;s event promises more interactive elements.&nbsp; Children and adults, alike, will have the opportunity to climb aboard and explore giant excavation and hoisting machinery.&nbsp; Additionally, visitors can participate in hands-on, educational activities such as &ldquo;digging&rdquo; for prizes or operating a crane via a training simulator.&nbsp; There will be games and prizes, face painting and opportunities to get pictures taken with a local sports team mascot, other local celebrities and, of course, the heavy machinery itself.&nbsp; An operator skill challenge will allow the youngsters to see professionals operate heavy equipment for contest prizes.&nbsp; Food and beverages will be provided to attendees at a minimal cost.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"365\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/meet-the-machines4.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />The Budrovich Companies specialize in site utility excavation, mass &amp; finish grading, crane rental, and residential, commercial and industrial land development.&nbsp; Budrovich employs nearly 150 skilled operators, laborers and teamsters in the St. Louis metropolitan region, utilizing nearly 90 pieces of excavation &amp; grading equipment and 40 mobile hydraulic cranes.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";}'),(1312,473,4,2,1236364788,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"473\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-06 07:25 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:57:\"\\\"Meet the Machines\\\"  Family Event Expands Sponsor Lineu\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:52:\"meet_the_machines_family_event_expands_sponsor_lineu\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:54:\"Meet the Machines Family Event Expands Sponsor Lineup \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:308:\"The Budrovich Companies along with several major sponsors will, once again, present \\\"Meet the Machines\\\".  Building on the unqualified success of the inaugural event in 2005, and the overwhelming growth since, the event promises much more in 2009.  Last year’s event drew approximately 12,000 attendees.  \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:28:\"Meet the Machines, Budrovich\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2956:\"<h4>Bring your Family To \\\"Meet The MACHINES\\\"</h4>\n<p><strong>Saturday April 25, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.<br /><br /></strong><strong>Location: Budrovich Excavating &amp; Contracting, 10328 Lake Bluff Drive </strong></p>\n<p>The Budrovich Companies along with several major sponsors will, once again, present \\\"Meet the Machines\\\".&nbsp; Building on the unqualified success of the inaugural event in 2005, and the overwhelming growth since, the event promises much more in 2009.&nbsp; Last year&rsquo;s event drew approximately 12,000 attendees.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"163\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/meet-the-machines1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />Many sponsors such as McCarthy Building Companies, MC Industrial, Guarantee Electrical Schnuck&rsquo;s, Luby Equipment Company, JD Kutter Insurance, AmeriSure, Manitowoc Crane and others have seen the explosive growth of the free event and are supporting it through full sponsorships, in-kind donations and volunteers.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The event will be held Saturday, April 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.&nbsp; This exciting family outing is held at the Budrovich Excavating &amp; Contracting headquarters, which is in an old quarry located at 10328 Lake Bluff Drive in St. Louis, MO.</p>\n<p>The purpose of the educational event is to introduce children, ages 3-15 years old, to the heavy equipment side of the construction business.&nbsp; Guests should arrive at the north gate and stop at the registration table.&nbsp; The first 1,500 kids will receive their Meet the Machines hard hat and other giveaways.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>This year&rsquo;s event promises more interactive elements.&nbsp; Children and adults, alike, will have the opportunity to climb aboard and explore giant excavation and hoisting machinery.&nbsp; Additionally, visitors can participate in hands-on, educational activities such as &ldquo;digging&rdquo; for prizes or operating a crane via a training simulator.&nbsp; There will be games and prizes, face painting and opportunities to get pictures taken with a local sports team mascot, other local celebrities and, of course, the heavy machinery itself.&nbsp; An operator skill challenge will allow the youngsters to see professionals operate heavy equipment for contest prizes.&nbsp; Food and beverages will be provided to attendees at a minimal cost.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"365\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/meet-the-machines4.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />The Budrovich Companies specialize in site utility excavation, mass &amp; finish grading, crane rental, and residential, commercial and industrial land development.&nbsp; Budrovich employs nearly 150 skilled operators, laborers and teamsters in the St. Louis metropolitan region, utilizing nearly 90 pieces of excavation &amp; grading equipment and 40 mobile hydraulic cranes.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";}'),(1313,473,4,2,1236364847,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"473\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-06 07:25 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:57:\"\\\"Meet the Machines\\\"  Family Event Expands Sponsor Lineu\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:52:\"meet_the_machines_family_event_expands_sponsor_lineu\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:58:\"\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" Family Event Expands Sponsor Lineup \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:308:\"The Budrovich Companies along with several major sponsors will, once again, present \\\"Meet the Machines\\\".  Building on the unqualified success of the inaugural event in 2005, and the overwhelming growth since, the event promises much more in 2009.  Last year’s event drew approximately 12,000 attendees.  \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:28:\"Meet the Machines, Budrovich\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2955:\"<h4>Bring your Family To \\\"Meet The MACHINES\\\"</h4>\n<p><strong>Saturday April 25, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.<br /></strong><strong>Location: Budrovich Excavating &amp; Contracting<br /> 10328 Lake Bluff Drive </strong></p>\n<p>The Budrovich Companies along with several major sponsors will, once again, present \\\"Meet the Machines\\\".&nbsp; Building on the unqualified success of the inaugural event in 2005, and the overwhelming growth since, the event promises much more in 2009.&nbsp; Last year&rsquo;s event drew approximately 12,000 attendees.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"163\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/meet-the-machines1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />Many sponsors such as McCarthy Building Companies, MC Industrial, Guarantee Electrical Schnuck&rsquo;s, Luby Equipment Company, JD Kutter Insurance, AmeriSure, Manitowoc Crane and others have seen the explosive growth of the free event and are supporting it through full sponsorships, in-kind donations and volunteers.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The event will be held Saturday, April 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.&nbsp; This exciting family outing is held at the Budrovich Excavating &amp; Contracting headquarters, which is in an old quarry located at 10328 Lake Bluff Drive in St. Louis, MO.</p>\n<p>The purpose of the educational event is to introduce children, ages 3-15 years old, to the heavy equipment side of the construction business.&nbsp; Guests should arrive at the north gate and stop at the registration table.&nbsp; The first 1,500 kids will receive their Meet the Machines hard hat and other giveaways.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>This year&rsquo;s event promises more interactive elements.&nbsp; Children and adults, alike, will have the opportunity to climb aboard and explore giant excavation and hoisting machinery.&nbsp; Additionally, visitors can participate in hands-on, educational activities such as &ldquo;digging&rdquo; for prizes or operating a crane via a training simulator.&nbsp; There will be games and prizes, face painting and opportunities to get pictures taken with a local sports team mascot, other local celebrities and, of course, the heavy machinery itself.&nbsp; An operator skill challenge will allow the youngsters to see professionals operate heavy equipment for contest prizes.&nbsp; Food and beverages will be provided to attendees at a minimal cost.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"365\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/meet-the-machines4.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />The Budrovich Companies specialize in site utility excavation, mass &amp; finish grading, crane rental, and residential, commercial and industrial land development.&nbsp; Budrovich employs nearly 150 skilled operators, laborers and teamsters in the St. Louis metropolitan region, utilizing nearly 90 pieces of excavation &amp; grading equipment and 40 mobile hydraulic cranes.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";}'),(1314,473,4,2,1236365197,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"473\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-06 07:25 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:57:\"\\\"Meet the Machines\\\"  Family Event Expands Sponsor Lineu\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:52:\"meet_the_machines_family_event_expands_sponsor_lineu\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:58:\"\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" Family Event Expands Sponsor Lineup \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:307:\"The Budrovich Companies along with several major sponsors will, once again, present \\\"Meet the Machines\\\".  Building on the unqualified success of the inaugural event in 2005, and the overwhelming growth since, the event promises much more in 2009.  Last year\\\'s event drew approximately 12,000 attendees.  \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:28:\"Meet the Machines, Budrovich\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2955:\"<h4>Bring your Family To \\\"Meet The MACHINES\\\"</h4>\n<p><strong>Saturday April 25, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.<br /></strong><strong>Location: Budrovich Excavating &amp; Contracting<br /> 10328 Lake Bluff Drive </strong></p>\n<p>The Budrovich Companies along with several major sponsors will, once again, present \\\"Meet the Machines\\\".&nbsp; Building on the unqualified success of the inaugural event in 2005, and the overwhelming growth since, the event promises much more in 2009.&nbsp; Last year&rsquo;s event drew approximately 12,000 attendees.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"163\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/meet-the-machines1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />Many sponsors such as McCarthy Building Companies, MC Industrial, Guarantee Electrical Schnuck&rsquo;s, Luby Equipment Company, JD Kutter Insurance, AmeriSure, Manitowoc Crane and others have seen the explosive growth of the free event and are supporting it through full sponsorships, in-kind donations and volunteers.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The event will be held Saturday, April 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.&nbsp; This exciting family outing is held at the Budrovich Excavating &amp; Contracting headquarters, which is in an old quarry located at 10328 Lake Bluff Drive in St. Louis, MO.</p>\n<p>The purpose of the educational event is to introduce children, ages 3-15 years old, to the heavy equipment side of the construction business.&nbsp; Guests should arrive at the north gate and stop at the registration table.&nbsp; The first 1,500 kids will receive their Meet the Machines hard hat and other giveaways.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>This year&rsquo;s event promises more interactive elements.&nbsp; Children and adults, alike, will have the opportunity to climb aboard and explore giant excavation and hoisting machinery.&nbsp; Additionally, visitors can participate in hands-on, educational activities such as &ldquo;digging&rdquo; for prizes or operating a crane via a training simulator.&nbsp; There will be games and prizes, face painting and opportunities to get pictures taken with a local sports team mascot, other local celebrities and, of course, the heavy machinery itself.&nbsp; An operator skill challenge will allow the youngsters to see professionals operate heavy equipment for contest prizes.&nbsp; Food and beverages will be provided to attendees at a minimal cost.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"365\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/meet-the-machines4.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />The Budrovich Companies specialize in site utility excavation, mass &amp; finish grading, crane rental, and residential, commercial and industrial land development.&nbsp; Budrovich employs nearly 150 skilled operators, laborers and teamsters in the St. Louis metropolitan region, utilizing nearly 90 pieces of excavation &amp; grading equipment and 40 mobile hydraulic cranes.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";}'),(1315,471,5,2,1236453108,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"5\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"471\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-04 12:49 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"12\";i:1;s:2:\"43\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"5\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:63:\"SOLID FOUNDATION: Four \\\"Cornerstones\\\" for Building Your Brand\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:58:\"solid_foundation_four_cornerstones_for_building_your_brand\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_20\";s:65:\"SOLID FOUNDATION: Four \\\"Cornerstones\\\" for Building Your Brand  \";s:11:\"field_ft_20\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_25\";s:1:\"4\";s:11:\"field_id_45\";s:476:\"On Feb. 26, 2008, all Starbucks coffee shops across the United States shut their doors at 5:30 p.m., for a special training session on techniques and standards. \\\"It\\\'s really about ensuring that the customer experience that we provide is the best that it can be,\\\" a Starbucks spokesperson said at the time. The program was conducted in an effort to reconnect Starbucks associates with the reasons patrons first visited the company\\\'s stores – and were now going elsewhere.\";s:11:\"field_ft_45\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_22\";s:60:\"brand, marketing, Tom Finan, Starbucks, Foster, cornerstones\";s:11:\"field_ft_22\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_23\";s:6954:\"<p><em>by Tom Finan</em><br /><br />On Feb. 26, 2008, all Starbucks coffee shops across the United States shut their doors at 5:30 p.m., for a special training session on techniques and standards. \\\"It\\\'s really about ensuring that the customer experience that we provide is the best that it can be,\\\" a Starbucks spokesperson said at the time. The program was conducted in an effort to reconnect Starbucks associates with the reasons patrons first visited the company\\\'s stores &ndash; and were now going elsewhere. <br />&nbsp;<br />Starbucks&rsquo; story very closely parallels that of the construction industry over the last decade. In an age of easy credit, the never-ending emergence of strip malls and office buildings paralleled the spread of the green Starbucks logo from Fargo to Beijing.&nbsp; But breakneck expansion comes with a price; in Starbuck&rsquo;s case the price was core values. <br /><br />In 2007, Josh Foster, president of J.E. Foster Building Company said his company built entire stores and/or did tenant finishes for 30 Starbucks locations. In 2008, J.E. Foster, which has been ASA Midwest Council&rsquo;s small GC of the year for six of the last seven years, helped to dismantle eight of the 600 stores that Starbucks shut down last year.&nbsp; &ldquo;There was a guy with a clipboard there, making sure that everything went on the truck,&rdquo; Foster said.&nbsp; Somewhere there&rsquo;s a Raiders of the Lost Ark warehouse piled full of espresso machines. <br /><br />Meanwhile, the same well-communicated reputation for strong relationships and performance that landed Foster so many coffee shops during good times is allowing him to win work away from competitors now. <br /><strong><br />What is Your PROMISE? </strong><br /><br />Foster has driven the performance/relationships message of his brand throughout his company&rsquo;s culture. Thirty years ago, subcontractors asked us to develop brochures and logos to meet the expectations of GCs and owners. Today we get calls for branding strategies and for websites. But, now as then, tactics that have no connection to your core values are doomed to be ineffective. <br /><br />Companies lose sight of their brand at a significant cost to their bottom line. Three years ago Wal-Mart announced a more \\\"upscale\\\" approach. It was a fiasco. Now, Wal-Mart is advertising \\\"Save Money. Live Better,&rdquo; and the tough economic times have actually worked in its favor. <br /><br />To understand the importance of branding and to appreciate its significance to your company, it\\\'s helpful to understand what a brand is&hellip; and what it isn\\\'t. <br /><br />The first brands were used to mark game or cattle. Then, artisans and craftsmen began putting their \\\"brand\\\" on objects they made.&nbsp; Today, a brand is a promise to consistently meet expectations. Those expectations are not about attributes (four-wheel drive, robust coffee flavor); instead, those expectations are about benefits (the level of service at an Acura dealership, the personalized experience at Starbucks). In the book Married to the Brand, William J. McEwen makes the case that strong brand loyalties are both quantifiable and explainable. Loyalty is not the result of marketing hype: You buy coffee at Starbucks because they remember your name and the way you like your coffee, not because of advertising or because their coffee is &ldquo;better&rdquo; than McDonald&rsquo;s. <br /><br /><strong>The Rewards of Strong Branding</strong><br /><br />Chadwick Communications reports that strong brands command a seven-percent premium on price and make sales 40 percent more effective. Chadwick says that building a brand has more to do with what is communicated than with the product or service itself. <br /><br />Brand alignment must permeate every aspect of your company and extend through the way you communicate and market that identity. There are four \\\"cornerstones\\\" for every brand, and understanding them is crucial to success: <br /><br />1.&nbsp; <strong>EXEMPLIFY YOUR BRAND IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.</strong>&nbsp; It&rsquo;s not enough to have a great logo or tagline or an outstanding website. Whether you are known for high-touch service, or for &ldquo;green&rdquo; building knowledge, everything communicated inside and outside of your company should resonate that message. <br /><br />2.<strong> ESTABLISH AND STRENGTHEN YOUR BRAND THROUGH ASSOCIATIONS.</strong> These \\\"associations\\\" can be either internal or external. Are you involved in community groups? Do you give thoughtful consideration to the charity events that you sponsor and leverage what you donate to attain maximum visibility? <br /><br />Do you create a sense of &ldquo;belonging to the club&rdquo; by sharing your expertise in certain construction disciplines, techniques, or knowledge through presentations, opt-in newsletters, enews, or participation in Web 2.0 blogs?&nbsp;&nbsp; <br /><br />3. <strong>LET THE CONVERTED PREACH.</strong> This metaphor is borrowed from Sunday morning: You as &ldquo;pastor&rdquo; can \\\"preach\\\" to someone all day long, but the way to make a \\\"convert\\\" is through the daily practice of a true believer. <br /><br />Better than a great website or brochure is the colleague or customer who tells a friend or colleague about your company in glowing terms. By focusing on communicating your values, maximizing &ldquo;touches&rdquo; in the industry and with customers, you increase the likelihood they will do just that. <br /><br />4. <strong>BACK THE TEAM IN THE FIELD.&nbsp;</strong> Empowerment, enthusiasm and education are the three \\\"E&rsquo;s\\\" that form this cornerstone. Turn your company team into ambassadors and salespeople who will speak enthusiastically to their friends and associates.&nbsp; Are your employees empowered to make decisions or spend money when they need to \\\"find a way to say yes\\\" and \\\"make it right\\\" for a customer? Do you create employee-specific communications, such as a newsletter or website? Do you plan special events that make your field managers and core craftspeople feel part of a team and understand customers&rsquo; experience? <br /><br /><strong>Making Branding a Personal Agenda </strong><br /><br />Great brands are built from the inside out. Your company&rsquo;s brand should be written in your customers\\\' minds and engraved on your employees\\\' hearts. Your brand is that One True Thing about your company that\\\'s blazing in your gut.&nbsp; <br /><br />You can\\\'t market your way to a great brand: Your \\\"walk\\\" must match your \\\"talk.\\\" A brand isn\\\'t a website or a logo embroidered on a shirt: Your company\\\'s culture brings your brand to life.<br /><em><br />Tom Finan has been the publisher of St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate since 1976. He is the director of business development for Paradowski Creative, a strategic and creative firm located in St. Louis. He can be contacted at tom@paradowski.com.</em></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"12\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"43\";}'),(1316,473,4,2,1236638469,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"473\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-06 07:25 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"45\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:57:\"\\\"Meet the Machines\\\"  Family Event Expands Sponsor Lineu\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:52:\"meet_the_machines_family_event_expands_sponsor_lineu\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:58:\"\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" Family Event Expands Sponsor Lineup \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:307:\"The Budrovich Companies along with several major sponsors will, once again, present \\\"Meet the Machines\\\".  Building on the unqualified success of the inaugural event in 2005, and the overwhelming growth since, the event promises much more in 2009.  Last year\\\'s event drew approximately 12,000 attendees.  \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:28:\"Meet the Machines, Budrovich\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2955:\"<h4>Bring your Family To \\\"Meet The MACHINES\\\"</h4>\n<p><strong>Saturday April 25, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.<br /></strong><strong>Location: Budrovich Excavating &amp; Contracting<br /> 10328 Lake Bluff Drive </strong></p>\n<p>The Budrovich Companies along with several major sponsors will, once again, present \\\"Meet the Machines\\\".&nbsp; Building on the unqualified success of the inaugural event in 2005, and the overwhelming growth since, the event promises much more in 2009.&nbsp; Last year&rsquo;s event drew approximately 12,000 attendees.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"163\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/meet-the-machines1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />Many sponsors such as McCarthy Building Companies, MC Industrial, Guarantee Electrical Schnuck&rsquo;s, Luby Equipment Company, JD Kutter Insurance, AmeriSure, Manitowoc Crane and others have seen the explosive growth of the free event and are supporting it through full sponsorships, in-kind donations and volunteers.&nbsp;</p>\n<p>The event will be held Saturday, April 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.&nbsp; This exciting family outing is held at the Budrovich Excavating &amp; Contracting headquarters, which is in an old quarry located at 10328 Lake Bluff Drive in St. Louis, MO.</p>\n<p>The purpose of the educational event is to introduce children, ages 3-15 years old, to the heavy equipment side of the construction business.&nbsp; Guests should arrive at the north gate and stop at the registration table.&nbsp; The first 1,500 kids will receive their Meet the Machines hard hat and other giveaways.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>\n<p>This year&rsquo;s event promises more interactive elements.&nbsp; Children and adults, alike, will have the opportunity to climb aboard and explore giant excavation and hoisting machinery.&nbsp; Additionally, visitors can participate in hands-on, educational activities such as &ldquo;digging&rdquo; for prizes or operating a crane via a training simulator.&nbsp; There will be games and prizes, face painting and opportunities to get pictures taken with a local sports team mascot, other local celebrities and, of course, the heavy machinery itself.&nbsp; An operator skill challenge will allow the youngsters to see professionals operate heavy equipment for contest prizes.&nbsp; Food and beverages will be provided to attendees at a minimal cost.&nbsp;</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Meet the Machines\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"365\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/meet-the-machines4.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"244\\\" />The Budrovich Companies specialize in site utility excavation, mass &amp; finish grading, crane rental, and residential, commercial and industrial land development.&nbsp; Budrovich employs nearly 150 skilled operators, laborers and teamsters in the St. Louis metropolitan region, utilizing nearly 90 pieces of excavation &amp; grading equipment and 40 mobile hydraulic cranes.&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"45\";}'),(1317,457,2,2,1236978717,'a:29:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"457\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:59 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:45:\"Today is Deadline for CNR Regional Excellence\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:45:\"today_is_deadline_for_cnr_regional_excellence\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:41:\"Friday the 13th: Your Day to be a Winner \";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:174:\"St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:44:\"CNR, Regional Excellence Awards, nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4093:\"<p><em>St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate</em> (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.</p>\n<p><img class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/awards_1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />This year\\\'s award presentations will be very special,\\\" Publisher Tom Finan said. \\\"It is the 20th year that we have presented the awards, and it is also the 40th year for<em> CNR</em>.&nbsp; We plan an especially memorable program event this year.\\\"</p>\n<p>The\nstated purpose of the awards is to recognize\nprojects completed in the last year that \\\"in sum, demonstrate\nexcellence in design, excellence in construction, and a positive\ncontribution to the St. Louis community.\\\" Awards are presented to the\ndesigner the general contractor/construction manager, and the owner for\neach project.</p>\n<p>The winning entries are selected by a distinguished panel of judges from the design, construction, academic, and labor communities, plus the editor and publisher of <em>CNR</em>.</p>\n<p>To download an entry form in Microsoft Word format, <a href=\\\"/blogfiles/awards.doc\\\">click this link.</a></p>\n<p><iframe id=\\\"AnswersBalloonIframe\\\" src=\\\"javascript:;\\\" style=\\\"border: medium none; z-index: 99998; position: absolute; width: 490px; height: 306px; visibility: hidden; background-color: transparent; top: 293px; left: 460px; margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 10px;\\\"></iframe></p>\n<div id=\\\"AnswersBalloon\\\" style=\\\"width: 490px; position: absolute; visibility: hidden; z-index: 99999; text-align: left; top: 269px; left: 460px;\\\">\n<div id=\\\"AnswerTipHook\\\" style=\\\"background-image: url(http://www.answers.com/main/images/hook-topL.gif); width: 67px; height: 24px; margin-left: 25px; position: relative; top: 10px;\\\"></div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeaderInner\\\" id=\\\"AnswersHandle0\\\" style=\\\"cursor: move;\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader1\\\"><a onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\'; return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Close\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersCloseImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/close.gif\\\" style=\\\"margin-right: 10px; position: relative; cursor: pointer;\\\" /></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipMore\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; visibility: hidden; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\" target=\\\"AnswersQueryWindow\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Read more &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipOptions\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'options\\\'; else window.status=\\\'options\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Options &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a></div>\n<div><a href=\\\"http://www.answers.com?initiator=FFANS\\\" style=\\\"float: left; cursor: pointer;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Visit Answers.com\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersLogoImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/answers-logo.gif\\\" /></a></div>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersContentFrame\\\" id=\\\"Answers_frame\\\">\n<table class=\\\"donotmoveme\\\" id=\\\"Balloontable2\\\" style=\\\"width: 480px; float: left;\\\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\\\"Answertip\\\" style=\\\"overflow: hidden; height: 235px; width: 473px;\\\"></div>\n<div id=\\\"answertipClose\\\" style=\\\"display: none;\\\"></div>\n<br /></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersFooter\\\" id=\\\"Answers_footer\\\">\n<div style=\\\"width: 471px; height: 22px; float: left;\\\"><iframe frameborder=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersAds\\\" scrolling=\\\"no\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/tip2.jsp?s=click%2520this%2520link.%2520%2520&amp;wt=1&amp;nafid=&amp;cobrand=\\\" style=\\\"border: 0px none; padding: 0px; width: 100%; height: 22px;\\\"></iframe></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:39:\"/images/uploads/regional-excellence.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";}'),(1318,472,2,2,1236978750,'a:29:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"472\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-05 09:42 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:2:\"16\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next?  A Few WordsFrom Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:49:\"whats_next_a_few_wordsfrom_peter_downs_cnr_editor\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:54:\"What\\\'s Next? A Few Words From Peter Downs, CNR Editor\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:284:\"While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask,\n\\\"do you know what\\\'s coming up next?\\\"  They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:1:\"9\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:39:\"Downs, Peter, anxious, unemployed, work\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:2433:\"<p>While a project manager for a local general contractor was giving me a tour of a large job site the other day, workers on the site kept stopping him to ask, &ldquo;do you know what&rsquo;s coming up next?&rdquo;&nbsp; They were anxious to know if there would be another job when the current one finished.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"crystal ball\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />2010 seems to be on everyone&rsquo;s mind. Many contractors started 2009 with plenty of work, but finding the next jobs to replace those is a problem. Current work secured financing one, two, or three years ago, but in the current credit climate many projects aren&rsquo;t even getting to the drawing the board. The American Institute of Architects&rsquo; measure of work on the boards has been in a recessionary mode for months, leading the AIA to predict that there will be no upturn in construction activity this year.<br /><br />\\\"As profits for businesses have fallen and the ability to get credit to finance projects has become far more difficult, construction plans have been put on hold or canceled outright in recent months,\\\" said AIA Chief Economist, Kermit Baker. \\\"This is not expected to turn around anytime soon and it\\\'s likely to get worse before it gets better.\\\" The semi-annual construction forecast from the AIA projects an 11 percent decline in nonresidential construction spending in inflation adjusted terms in 2009,<br />and a further decline in 2010.<br /><br />With The Conference Board estimating that there are over 50 unemployed construction workers for every advertised job vacancy, it is not surprising that those who have a job look at the near future with some trepidation. Nor is it surprising that &ldquo;jobs&rdquo; has become the rallying cry for any policy issue touching on construction.</p>\n<p>At the state level, the Missouri Association for Historic Preservation and Economic Development is crying that proposals in the Missouri Senate to do away with or cap historic renovation tax credits is an attack on construction jobs. Meanwhile, the Associated General Contractors and other groups are claiming that proposed Employee Free Choice Act in the U.S. Congress would destroy jobs. Regardless, the cry of &ldquo;jobs, jobs,&rdquo; is one we are certain to hear often in coming months from people on both sides of many issues.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:32:\"/images/uploads/crystal-ball.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"16\";}'),(1319,474,2,2,1237003236,'a:29:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-13 05:43 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"45\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:44:\"Construction Industry Splits on Lien Reform \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:43:\"construction_industry_splits_on_lien_reform\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:42:\"Construction Industry Splits on Lien Refor\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:303:\"Does Missouri law on real estate liens need fixing? Representatives from broad coalition of subcontractor groups testified to the House Special Committee on General Laws that it does, while representatives from a coalition of financial industry groups and general contractors testified that it does not.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:49:\"lien, Missouri, law, representatives, contractors\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4510:\"<p>Does Missouri law on real estate liens need fixing? Representatives from broad coalition of subcontractor groups testified to the House Special Committee on General Laws that it does, while representatives from a coalition of financial industry groups and general contractors testified that it does not.<br /><br />Subcontractor groups want to change lien law so that they can include the legal costs of applying a lien in the amount of the lien. Rep. Shane Schoeller (R-Willard) is sponsoring H.B. 595, which reflects the changes that subcontractor groups want.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Lien\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/lien.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />Opponents of the change say the law works fine just the way it is.<br /><br />&ldquo;The issue is people aren&rsquo;t paying their bills. That is why we are here,&rdquo; Rep. Schoeller told the committee at the start of the hearing on Tuesday afternoon.<br /><br />Joe Hoette, president of Hoette Concrete Construction said the problem has been growing for six years, since well before the start of the current downturn. &ldquo;I was in court recently to enforce a lien against a homebuilder for work we completed 20 months ago,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I was owed $120,000. He agreed I should be paid,&rdquo; but the problem was with the title company, Hoette said. &ldquo;I spent $24,000 in attorney&rsquo;s fees to collect what I was owed,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />&ldquo;I have declined to file liens when I am going to spend more on attorney&rsquo;s fees than the lien is worth. Property owners know that, so they reduce payments to increase their profits. We need this change in the law to help the small contractor,&rdquo; Hoette said. He noted that the total value of liens he has pending now is $600,000. &ldquo;If I can&rsquo;t collect it, this company will be out of business after 62 years,&rdquo; he said. His is the third generation to run the family-owned company.<br /><br />Jim Compton, president of the Roofing &amp; Siding Contractors Association and Compton Roofing, said adding attorney&rsquo;s fees to lienable costs is necessary to level the field for small contractors. Compton also dismissed as meaningless the criticism that contractors, who claim they are owed money, could drag out negotiations to settle debts owed them if they could get reimbursed for attorney&rsquo;s fees. &ldquo;What negotiations,&rdquo; he asked? &ldquo;This is money that is owed to me. I&rsquo;m being charged 25 &ndash; 35 percent of my contract amount by builders [now], so I say let&rsquo;s lengthen the time of negotiations, because I&rsquo;m in favor of getting all my money,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Opponents testifying against the bill, including Brad Goss and John Mattingly from the Home Builders Association, insisted there was no need for such a &ldquo;fundamental&rdquo; change in lien law, because all that subcontractors have to do to recover attorney&rsquo;s fees if they file a lien is have the prime contractor agree to it in advance by putting it either in their contract or in a credit application. <br /><br />&ldquo;I&rsquo;m shocked you would say that,&rdquo; Rep. Curt Dougherty (D-Independence) told Goss. &ldquo;In 15 years as a subcontractor, I never got to write contract terms. If I scratched one thing out, I didn&rsquo;t get the job,&rdquo; he said. As for requiring that the prime contractor fill out a credit application and agree the sub has a right to collect attorney&rsquo;s fees on any collection process, &ldquo;they would never agree to it,&rdquo; Rep. Dougherty said.<br /><br />&ldquo;Then I wouldn&rsquo;t do business with them,&rdquo; Mattingly retorted.<br /><br />Sean Flower, president of American Heritage Homes, said subcontractors should just accept that the cost of collecting bad debts is just a cost of doing business. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t come down to the state legislature when my concrete sub didn&rsquo;t pay his supplier. I sucked it up and handled it on my own. That&rsquo;s what you should do,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Flower and other opponents of the legislation also said it could delay the eventual economic recovery by increasing title insurance costs and thus the costs of doing business in Missouri.<br /><br />The hearing ended without any action by the committee. Similar legislation in the Senate, S.B. 267, was reported out of committee to the Senate floor on Thursday and is scheduled for debate and perfection on March 18.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:24:\"/images/uploads/lien.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"45\";}'),(1320,474,2,2,1237003260,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"474\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-13 05:43 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"45\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:43:\"Construction Industry Splits on Lien Reform\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:43:\"construction_industry_splits_on_lien_reform\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:43:\"Construction Industry Splits on Lien Reform\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:303:\"Does Missouri law on real estate liens need fixing? Representatives from broad coalition of subcontractor groups testified to the House Special Committee on General Laws that it does, while representatives from a coalition of financial industry groups and general contractors testified that it does not.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:49:\"lien, Missouri, law, representatives, contractors\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4510:\"<p>Does Missouri law on real estate liens need fixing? Representatives from broad coalition of subcontractor groups testified to the House Special Committee on General Laws that it does, while representatives from a coalition of financial industry groups and general contractors testified that it does not.<br /><br />Subcontractor groups want to change lien law so that they can include the legal costs of applying a lien in the amount of the lien. Rep. Shane Schoeller (R-Willard) is sponsoring H.B. 595, which reflects the changes that subcontractor groups want.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Lien\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/lien.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />Opponents of the change say the law works fine just the way it is.<br /><br />&ldquo;The issue is people aren&rsquo;t paying their bills. That is why we are here,&rdquo; Rep. Schoeller told the committee at the start of the hearing on Tuesday afternoon.<br /><br />Joe Hoette, president of Hoette Concrete Construction said the problem has been growing for six years, since well before the start of the current downturn. &ldquo;I was in court recently to enforce a lien against a homebuilder for work we completed 20 months ago,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I was owed $120,000. He agreed I should be paid,&rdquo; but the problem was with the title company, Hoette said. &ldquo;I spent $24,000 in attorney&rsquo;s fees to collect what I was owed,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />&ldquo;I have declined to file liens when I am going to spend more on attorney&rsquo;s fees than the lien is worth. Property owners know that, so they reduce payments to increase their profits. We need this change in the law to help the small contractor,&rdquo; Hoette said. He noted that the total value of liens he has pending now is $600,000. &ldquo;If I can&rsquo;t collect it, this company will be out of business after 62 years,&rdquo; he said. His is the third generation to run the family-owned company.<br /><br />Jim Compton, president of the Roofing &amp; Siding Contractors Association and Compton Roofing, said adding attorney&rsquo;s fees to lienable costs is necessary to level the field for small contractors. Compton also dismissed as meaningless the criticism that contractors, who claim they are owed money, could drag out negotiations to settle debts owed them if they could get reimbursed for attorney&rsquo;s fees. &ldquo;What negotiations,&rdquo; he asked? &ldquo;This is money that is owed to me. I&rsquo;m being charged 25 &ndash; 35 percent of my contract amount by builders [now], so I say let&rsquo;s lengthen the time of negotiations, because I&rsquo;m in favor of getting all my money,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Opponents testifying against the bill, including Brad Goss and John Mattingly from the Home Builders Association, insisted there was no need for such a &ldquo;fundamental&rdquo; change in lien law, because all that subcontractors have to do to recover attorney&rsquo;s fees if they file a lien is have the prime contractor agree to it in advance by putting it either in their contract or in a credit application. <br /><br />&ldquo;I&rsquo;m shocked you would say that,&rdquo; Rep. Curt Dougherty (D-Independence) told Goss. &ldquo;In 15 years as a subcontractor, I never got to write contract terms. If I scratched one thing out, I didn&rsquo;t get the job,&rdquo; he said. As for requiring that the prime contractor fill out a credit application and agree the sub has a right to collect attorney&rsquo;s fees on any collection process, &ldquo;they would never agree to it,&rdquo; Rep. Dougherty said.<br /><br />&ldquo;Then I wouldn&rsquo;t do business with them,&rdquo; Mattingly retorted.<br /><br />Sean Flower, president of American Heritage Homes, said subcontractors should just accept that the cost of collecting bad debts is just a cost of doing business. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t come down to the state legislature when my concrete sub didn&rsquo;t pay his supplier. I sucked it up and handled it on my own. That&rsquo;s what you should do,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Flower and other opponents of the legislation also said it could delay the eventual economic recovery by increasing title insurance costs and thus the costs of doing business in Missouri.<br /><br />The hearing ended without any action by the committee. Similar legislation in the Senate, S.B. 267, was reported out of committee to the Senate floor on Thursday and is scheduled for debate and perfection on March 18.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:24:\"/images/uploads/lien.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"45\";}'),(1321,457,2,2,1237003386,'a:29:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"457\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-02-26 10:59 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:2:\"16\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:45:\"Today is Deadline for CNR Regional Excellence\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:45:\"today_is_deadline_for_cnr_regional_excellence\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:41:\"Friday the 13th: Your Day to be a Winner \";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:174:\"St. Louis Construction News & Real Estate (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:44:\"CNR, Regional Excellence Awards, nominations\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4093:\"<p><em>St. Louis Construction News &amp; Real Estate</em> (CNR) is seeking nominations for its 20th annual \\\"Regional Excellence Awards\\\". The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 13th.</p>\n<p><img class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/awards_1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />This year\\\'s award presentations will be very special,\\\" Publisher Tom Finan said. \\\"It is the 20th year that we have presented the awards, and it is also the 40th year for<em> CNR</em>.&nbsp; We plan an especially memorable program event this year.\\\"</p>\n<p>The\nstated purpose of the awards is to recognize\nprojects completed in the last year that \\\"in sum, demonstrate\nexcellence in design, excellence in construction, and a positive\ncontribution to the St. Louis community.\\\" Awards are presented to the\ndesigner the general contractor/construction manager, and the owner for\neach project.</p>\n<p>The winning entries are selected by a distinguished panel of judges from the design, construction, academic, and labor communities, plus the editor and publisher of <em>CNR</em>.</p>\n<p>To download an entry form in Microsoft Word format, <a href=\\\"/blogfiles/awards.doc\\\">click this link.</a></p>\n<p><iframe id=\\\"AnswersBalloonIframe\\\" src=\\\"javascript:;\\\" style=\\\"border: medium none; z-index: 99998; position: absolute; width: 490px; height: 306px; visibility: hidden; background-color: transparent; top: 293px; left: 460px; margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 10px;\\\"></iframe></p>\n<div id=\\\"AnswersBalloon\\\" style=\\\"width: 490px; position: absolute; visibility: hidden; z-index: 99999; text-align: left; top: 269px; left: 460px;\\\">\n<div id=\\\"AnswerTipHook\\\" style=\\\"background-image: url(http://www.answers.com/main/images/hook-topL.gif); width: 67px; height: 24px; margin-left: 25px; position: relative; top: 10px;\\\"></div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeaderInner\\\" id=\\\"AnswersHandle0\\\" style=\\\"cursor: move;\\\">\n<div class=\\\"AnswersHeader1\\\"><a onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\'; return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Close\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersCloseImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/close.gif\\\" style=\\\"margin-right: 10px; position: relative; cursor: pointer;\\\" /></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipMore\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'close\\\'; else window.status=\\\'close\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; visibility: hidden; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\" target=\\\"AnswersQueryWindow\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Read more &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a><a id=\\\"AnswertipOptions\\\" onclick=\\\"var ac = document.getElementById(\\\'answertipClose\\\'); if (ac) ac.innerHTML=\\\'options\\\'; else window.status=\\\'options\\\';return true;\\\" style=\\\"float: right; text-decoration: none; padding-right: 10px; margin-top: 9px; cursor: pointer;\\\"><span class=\\\"AnswersHeader3\\\">&nbsp;Options &gt;&gt;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a></div>\n<div><a href=\\\"http://www.answers.com?initiator=FFANS\\\" style=\\\"float: left; cursor: pointer;\\\"><img align=\\\"top\\\" alt=\\\"Visit Answers.com\\\" border=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersLogoImage\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/images/answers-logo.gif\\\" /></a></div>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersContentFrame\\\" id=\\\"Answers_frame\\\">\n<table class=\\\"donotmoveme\\\" id=\\\"Balloontable2\\\" style=\\\"width: 480px; float: left;\\\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<div id=\\\"Answertip\\\" style=\\\"overflow: hidden; height: 235px; width: 473px;\\\"></div>\n<div id=\\\"answertipClose\\\" style=\\\"display: none;\\\"></div>\n<br /></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n</div>\n<div class=\\\"AnswersFooter\\\" id=\\\"Answers_footer\\\">\n<div style=\\\"width: 471px; height: 22px; float: left;\\\"><iframe frameborder=\\\"0\\\" id=\\\"AnswersAds\\\" scrolling=\\\"no\\\" src=\\\"http://www.answers.com/main/tip2.jsp?s=click%2520this%2520link.%2520%2520&amp;wt=1&amp;nafid=&amp;cobrand=\\\" style=\\\"border: 0px none; padding: 0px; width: 100%; height: 22px;\\\"></iframe></div>\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:39:\"/images/uploads/regional-excellence.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"16\";}'),(1322,475,4,2,1237008278,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-13 06:09 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"45\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:31:\"Korte Builds Green St. Louis HQ\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:30:\"korte_builds_green_st_louis_hq\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:31:\"Korte Builds Green St. Louis HQ\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:268:\"The Korte Company will be moving into its new facility, Highlands Plaza Two, at 5700 Oakland Avenue in St. Louis. The office building, a Design-Build project is located on the campus of The Highlands Office Park, a mixed-use campus developed by Balke Brown Associates.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:36:\"Korte, headquarters, LEED, St. Louis\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1719:\"<p>The <a href=\\\"http://www.korteco.com\\\">Korte Company</a> will be moving into its new facility, Highlands Plaza Two, at 5700 Oakland Avenue in St. Louis. The office building, a Design-Build project is located on the campus of The Highlands Office Park, a mixed-use campus developed by Balke Brown Associates. The Korte Company will occupy the second floor of the four-story building, which will include almost 70,000 square feet of space.&nbsp; The ground floor will house retail space, while the remaining three floors will be utilized for office space. <br /><br />The facility is expected to qualify as a Silver-level LEED certified building and incorporates a number of low-impact, sustainable features including; the utilization of rapidly renewable casework composed of bamboo and wheat board, low VOC paints and adhesives, as well as high recycled content carpet. The lighting system has been designed to consume 1 watt of power per square foot of office space by maximizing natural daylight harvesting from the continuous north facing ribbon window and open office floor plan.<br /><br />The building&rsquo;s exterior face will feature a curving fa&ccedil;ade of continuous bands of windows and aluminum panels.&nbsp; The west fa&ccedil;ade will have a sloping glass curtainwall that is the mirror image of the east wall of the Plaza One building and together flank the main entry into the office park.&nbsp; The balance of the building\\\'s exterior will be a combination of glass, brick and exterior insulated stucco.&nbsp; There will be a two level under parking garage attached on the south side with the upper parking deck level with the first floor of the building.<br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"45\";}'),(1365,493,10,2,1238121288,'a:33:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:2:\"10\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-26 04:23 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:2:\"47\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:2:\"10\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:20:\"Growing Green Awards\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:20:\"growing_green_awards\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_58\";s:20:\"Growing Green Awards\";s:11:\"field_ft_58\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_62\";s:273:\"Through the Growing Green Awards, USGBC-STL will recognize and celebrate the people, organizations, and companies that are transforming the St. Louis Region\\\'s built environment into a more environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy place to live, work, and play.\";s:11:\"field_ft_62\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_59\";s:28:\"Growing Green, awards, USGBC\";s:11:\"field_ft_59\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_63\";s:64:\"The Coronado Ballroom,  3701 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108 \";s:11:\"field_ft_63\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_57\";s:18:\"2009-04-31 6:00 PM\";s:15:\"field_offset_57\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_56\";s:0:\"\";s:15:\"field_offset_56\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_55\";s:80:\"6 p.m. cocktails, 7 p.m. dinner, 8 p.m. program and entertainment,  8:30 awards \";s:11:\"field_ft_55\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_60\";s:1382:\"<p>Through the Growing Green Awards, USGBC-STL will recognize and celebrate the people, organizations, and companies that are transforming the St. Louis Region\\\'s built environment into a more environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy place to live, work, and play. <br />&nbsp;<br />Cost: $70 per person&nbsp; <br />Includes a networking cocktail hour with hors d&rsquo;oeuvres, valet parking, dinner, open bar, and entertainment.&nbsp;&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>Introductory Speaker:</strong> Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge, Managing&nbsp; Director of the STL Operation for American Airlines and Board President of Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis&nbsp; <br /><strong>&nbsp;<br />Emcee:</strong> Glenda Abney, director of Missouri Botanical Garden&rsquo;s EarthWays Center&nbsp;</p>\n<p><strong>Keynote Speaker:</strong> Kyle Hunsberger, Director of Construction&nbsp; for Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Through the Growing Green Awards, USGBC-STL will recognize&nbsp; and celebrate the people, organizations and companies that are transforming the St. Louis Region\\\'s built environment into a&nbsp; more environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy place&nbsp; to live, work, and play.</p>\n<p>For reservations, call Rachel McCalla at 314.210.7764, or register <a href=\\\"http://growinggreenawards.eventbrite.com/\\\">online</a>.</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"47\";}'),(1326,477,4,2,1237010282,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-13 07:54 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"6\";i:1;s:2:\"45\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:43:\"McCarthy Named ACCESS Corporation of Year  \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:41:\"mccarthy_named_access_corporation_of_year\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:42:\"McCarthy Named ACCESS Corporation of Year \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:249:\"At a recent Black History Month Forum held at Forest Park Community College in St. Louis, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc was named the 2009 Corporation of the Year by ACCESS, theAssociation for Construction Careers, Education, and Support Services\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:37:\"ACCESS, McCarthy, corporation of year\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2307:\"<p>At a recent Black History Month Forum held at Forest Park Community College in <a href=\\\"http://www.mccarthy.com\\\">St. Louis, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc</a><br />was named the 2009 Corporation of the Year by ACCESS, theAssociation for Construction Careers, Education, and Support Services<br /><br />\\\"It\\\'s an honor to be recognized in this way,\\\" said Karl Kloster, retiring president of McCarthy\\\'s Midwest Division.&nbsp; \\\"It\\\'s been a long journey with<br />lots of positives but there is much work ahead.&nbsp; The addition of Marvin Sanders, an executive-on-loan from the Carpenter\\\'s Union, is great progress.<br />Support from the AGC is also a big plus.&nbsp; With all this help and support, ACCESS is moving closer to its goals and that is the best reward anyone can<br />receive.\\\"<br /><br />ACCESS is the evolution of Minority Youth In Construction, a program started by Kloster and Washington University\\\'s Director of Supplier Diversity<br />Programs Sandra Marks more than 10 years ago.&nbsp; The program, which ran for three years, was aimed at getting middle-school-level minority kids interested in construction as a career. Each year, for six weeks in the summer, 35 children from the Normandy, Wellston and University City areas<br />took classes in math, computer training and interpersonal skills taught by college graduates and mentors/teachers from various companies.&nbsp; The children also visited construction firms to learn about career opportunities.<br /><br />In 2004, Kloster and Marks once again collaborated to form a one-stop information and resource venue for St. Louis minorities interested in<br />entering the construction industry.&nbsp; ACCESS supports existing construction industry diversity development programs and builds partnerships with<br />organizations whose initiatives are aimed at workforce and W/M/DBE development.&nbsp; McCarthy has been a strong supporter of ACCESS since its<br />inception.<br /><br />Kloster, and Monica Bailey, director of Diversity for McCarthy\\\'s Central Division, sit on the ACCESS board. The partnership with McCarthy will<br />continue after Kloster retires in May 2009 as Paul Hartwig, senior vice president of the company\\\'s St. Louis Business Unit steps in to take his<br />place as an ACCESS Board member.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"6\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"45\";}'),(1327,478,4,2,1237010849,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-13 08:03 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"45\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:37:\"MO Highway Commission Awards Projects\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:37:\"mo_highway_commission_awards_projects\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:37:\"MO Highway Commission Awards Projects\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:212:\"The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MHTC) awarded several  St. Louis projects at its March meeting. Approximately$7.58 million was awarded to contractors for various roadway improvement projects.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:64:\"Missouri HIghways and Transportation Commission, projects, award\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:4287:\"<p>The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MHTC)awarded several&nbsp; St. Louis projects at its March meeting. Approximately$7.58 million was awarded to contractors for various roadway improvement projects. All contracts were awarded to the lowest bidder. The projects include:</p>\n<p><br />&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Interstate 44 at Lewis Road and I-44 at the Meramec River- This project consists of bridge replacement at the I-44 and Lewis Road<br />interchange, and bridge rehabilitation of the westbound bridges over the Meramec River west of Lewis Road. These projects were awarded to Concrete Strategies, LLC (St. Louis, MO) for $3,747,121.67. These projects are expected to begin in April 2009. The I-44 and Lewis Road project should be completed by July 2010. The I-44 at the Meramec River project should be completed by December 2009.<br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Various locations in St. Louis County, St. Louis City and Jefferson County-This project consists of bridge maintenance at various<br />locations in St. Louis County, St. Louis City, and Jefferson County. This project was awarded to Concrete Strategies, LLC (St. Louis, MO) for<br />$896,625.38. This project is expected to begin in May 2009 and should be completed by October 2009.<br />&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Interstate 55 at Lafayette Avenue, 12th Street, Gravois, Sidney, Pestalozzi, Arsenal and Utah Streets - These projects consists of bridge<br />rehabilitation on the Lafayette Avenue bridge over I-55, and bridge rehabilitation and installation of fencing and lighting to bridges at 12th<br />Street, Gravois, Sidney, Pestalozzi, Arsenal and Utah Streets. These projects were awarded to Concrete Strategies, LLC (St. Louis, MO) for<br />$2,699,827.30. This project is expected to begin in March 2009 and should be completed by August 2010.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Interstate 70 from 1&frasl;2 mile east of I-170 at Springdale Road to St. Louis City limits- This project consists of mowing and trimming of right of way and litter removal on I-70 from 1&frasl;2 mile east of I-170 at Springdale Road to the St. Louis City limits. This project was awarded to Millgoal<br />Enterprises II&nbsp; LLC (Platte City, MO) for $30,760.&nbsp; This project was awarded as a one-year contract.<br /><br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Interstate 70 from 1&frasl;2 mile east of Interstate 270 at McKelvey Road to 1&frasl;2 mile west of Interstate 170 at McDonnell Boulevard- This project<br />consists of mowing and trimming of right of way and litter removal on I-70 from 1&frasl;2 mile east of I-270 at McKelvey Road to 1&frasl;2 mile west of I-170 a McDonnell Boulevard. This project was awarded to Millgoal Enterprises LLC(Platte City, MO) for $38,948. This project was awarded as a one-year<br />contract.<br /><br />&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Route 141 from Route 340 to the Meramec River- This project consists of mowing and trimming right of way and litter removal on Route 141<br />from Route 340 to the Meramec River. This project was awarded to Malone\\\'s Landscaping LLC (St. Peters, MO) for $60,788. This project was awarded as a one-year contract.<br /><br />&nbsp; <br />&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Interstate 70 from 1&frasl;2 mile west of Route K at Woodlawn Avenue to the Missouri River- This project consists of mowing and trimming of right of way and litter removal on I-70 from 1&frasl;2 mile west of Route K at Woodlawn Avenue to the Missouri River.&nbsp; This project was awarded to Millgoal<br />Enterprises II LLC (Platte City, MO) for $49,434.&nbsp; This project was awarded as a one-year contract.<br /><br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;&nbsp; &bull;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Interstate 70 from the Warren County line to 1&frasl;2 mile west of Route K at Woodlawn Avenue- This project consists of mowing and trimming of right of way and litter removal on I-70 from the Warren County line to 1&frasl;2 mile west of Route K at Woodlawn Avenue.&nbsp; This project was awarded to Millgoal Enterprises II LLC (Platte City, MO) for $65,912. This project was awarded as a one-year contract.<br /><br />&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"45\";}'),(1328,479,5,2,1237011106,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"5\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-13 08:08 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"38\";i:1;s:2:\"45\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:63:\"The Balanced Scorecard Step 1 – Identify Barriers to Success \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:58:\"the_balanced_scorecard_step_1_identify_barriers_to_success\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_20\";s:62:\"The Balanced Scorecard Step 1 – Identify Barriers to Success\";s:11:\"field_ft_20\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_25\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_45\";s:343:\"It’s happened to almost every business owner or manager. You develop a great strategy, get your team all pumped up and then…everyday work gets in the way. Instead of working toward the long-term goal, your team loses sight of the bigger strategy and focuses on day-to-day issues.  The results aren’t anything close to what you’d hoped.\";s:11:\"field_ft_45\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_22\";s:71:\"Balanced Scorecard, barriers to success, Willbrand, Brown Smith Wallace\";s:11:\"field_ft_22\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_23\";s:3377:\"<p><em>By Bill Willbrand Jr., CPA<br />Member, Brown Smith Wallace LLC</em><br /><br />It&rsquo;s happened to almost every business owner or manager. You develop a great strategy, get your team all pumped up and then&hellip;everyday work gets in the way. Instead of working toward the long-term goal, your team loses sight of the bigger strategy and focuses on day-to-day issues.&nbsp; The results aren&rsquo;t anything close to what you&rsquo;d hoped. <br /><br />How can you improve your planning and your team&rsquo;s follow through to get the results you desire? Balanced Scorecard is a proven method that aligns strategies with everyday performance. The Balanced Scorecard is a management system that enables an organization to clarify its vision and strategy and translate them into action. <br /><br />The first step in the Balanced Scorecard method is to identify and overcome common barriers to success.&nbsp; Think for a minute about a strategy that didn&rsquo;t pan out. Before you look around your organization and start assigning blame, understand that there are four common barriers to success, and one or more of these often cause strategic plans to fail.<br /><br />The first roadblock is the vision barrier. You probably have a clear vision of your goals, and you might expect that everyone else in your company can see the same obvious path to success. But in reality, few people in an organization grasp the business strategy from the beginning. If your vision is yours alone, and others are just following blindly, you don&rsquo;t have a strong team working toward the same goal.<br /><br />The second obstacle is the people barrier. Most people have objectives that are not linked to the strategy of the organization. Perhaps some are only concerned with achieving their specific job objectives to earn a satisfactory performance review and receive their yearly salary increase. Others may focus on advancing their own careers, but without keeping the bigger picture in mind. The members of your team must be invested in the success of your business and properly motivated to achieve long-term results to carry out your vision.<br /><br />The third barrier to success is the resource barrier. Are you allocating enough time, energy and money to those things critical to the organization? For example, have you linked your budget to your overall strategy? A solid plan for future growth must be supported by adequate resources to come to fruition.<br /><br />The final reason strategic plans often fail is the management barrier. Managers often make the mistake of focusing on short-term tactics instead of efforts to advance the overall strategy. Maintaining strong communication with your management team regarding strategy and creating the expectation that all members of management work toward this goal is essential. Your management team must work on the business, not just in the business. <br /><br />The four barriers to success are often connected, but each plays a distinct role in determining the outcome of your business strategy. Identifying these barriers within your organization and making the proper adjustments for improvement is the first step in the process of aligning everyday performance with overall strategy. <br /><br /><em>The next Balanced Scorecard column will focus on the performance metrics that drive success.</em><br /></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"38\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"45\";}'),(1396,502,10,2,1238742359,'a:32:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:2:\"10\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-04-02 08:57 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:2:\"48\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:73:\" The Necessary Revolution:  Acting Together to Create a Sustainable World\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:70:\"the_necessary_revolution_acting_together_to_create_a_sustainable_world\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_58\";s:73:\" The Necessary Revolution:  Acting Together to Create a Sustainable World\";s:11:\"field_ft_58\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_62\";s:70:\"Learn about local and global cutting-edge  sustainability initiatives.\";s:11:\"field_ft_62\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_59\";s:49:\"sustainability, Peter Senge, St. Louis University\";s:11:\"field_ft_59\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_63\";s:132:\"St. Louis University, John Cook School of Business, Busch Auditorium, 3674 Lindell Blvd. (at Spring and Lindell) St. Louis, MO 63108\";s:11:\"field_ft_63\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_57\";s:19:\"2009-04-23  8:00 PM\";s:15:\"field_offset_57\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_56\";s:0:\"\";s:15:\"field_offset_56\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_55\";s:16:\"8 a.m. - 12 a.m.\";s:11:\"field_ft_55\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_60\";s:857:\"<ul>\n<li>Learn about local and global cutting-edge&nbsp; sustainability initiatives</li>\n<li>Network with business, education, youth and civic leaders</li>\n<li>Lead in creating a sustainable future for St. Louis<br /></li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>Keynote:</strong>Peter Senge, author of The Necessary Revolution: How Individuals and Organizations Are Working Together To Create a Sustainable World <br /><br /><strong>Registration Fee</strong><br />General $95, Non-Profit $55<br /><em>Tickets must be purchased in advance.</em> <br />&nbsp;<br /><a href=\\\"http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102537098717&amp;s=1922&amp;e=001pdmTc4Mv4ik9Etd_p6ehKSAfuwdPDy88OYldB5BxG03R_jT-ktQ8T1ym7sTWicfF25mERm-HQ31f8QNmyAJh8HpG2n9-PGoUvfSm-GHcXCjNJHOmMuuI6U7qnFZrYFjwPlLG44DKZ65ItmEZn7dKRTlxi3D9yg5iQj3lTZDW9kteZE_rOlRfuqNkAZhbeuzW\\\">More information and registration click here.</a></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"48\";}'),(1397,503,4,2,1238743046,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-04-02 09:08 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"48\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:41:\"2009 Starts Down 15%, McGraw-Hill Reports\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:39:\"2009_starts_down_15_mcgraw_hill_reports\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:41:\"2009 Starts Down 15%, McGraw-Hill Reports\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:127:\"Despite positive imacts from stimulus spending, overall construction starts will be down 15% this year, McGraw-Hill forecasts. \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:35:\"McGraw-Hill, Spring Outlook, starts\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:3336:\"<p>Despite positive imacts from stimulus spending, overall construction starts will be down 15% this year, McGraw-Hill forecasts.</p>\n<p><a href=\\\"http://vocuspr.vocus.com/VocusPR30/Url.aspx?517212x3127960x-2702884\\\">McGraw-Hill Construction</a>&nbsp; released its <a href=\\\"http://vocuspr.vocus.com/VocusPR30/Url.aspx?517212x3127959x-3220475\\\">2009 Construction Outlook Sprieng Update</a>, providing updated 2009 forecasts of construction starts for various project types.<br />&nbsp;<br />The major findings of the forecast, authored by Robert Murray, vice president of economic affairs for McGraw-Hill Construction, include:<br /><br />New construction starts for 2009 are estimated at $463.1 billion, down 15%, but cushioned by support provided by the recently enacted stimulus legislation, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.</p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Public works will see the most immediate benefit from the stimulus act, with construction starts climbing 10%, including a 15% rise for highways and bridges. Without the stimulus funding, it is estimated that public works in 2009 would have fallen 10%, restrained by the deteriorating fiscal health of state and local governments.</li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Institutional building in 2009 will retreat 6%, as the weak financial environment takes its toll on educational and healthcare facilities. The stimulus funding will provide a lift to military facilities and energy upgrades for federal buildings, which will moderate this year&rsquo;s overall institutional decline.</li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Commercial building in 2009 will drop 27%, steeper than the 17% slide reported last year. The tight lending environment has made it extremely difficult to obtain project financing, leading to more projects being deferred or cancelled. All commercial project types will register declines in 2009, with the most severe retrenchment anticipated for hotel construction.</li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Residential building in 2009 will drop an additional 31%, continuing the downward trend that&rsquo;s been underway since 2006. Similar declines are expected for single family housing (down 30%) and multifamily housing (down 31%). Steps taken in early 2009 to address the foreclosure problem should help to ease the rate of descent for housing as 2009 progresses.</li>\n</ul>\n<p><br />&ldquo;The construction industry is facing divergent forces in 2009,&rdquo; said Robert Murray, vice president of economic affairs, McGraw-Hill Construction. &ldquo;The economy has weakened substantially, and despite all the efforts last fall directed at thawing frozen credit markets, there&rsquo;s yet to be any sign that lending conditions for construction have improved. On the plus side, the federal stimulus bill is now in place, which will provide quick support to public works this year.&rdquo;<br /><br />The McGraw-Hill Construction Outlook is a mainstay of business planning for construction and manufacturing industry executives. Later this month, local <a href=\\\"http://vocuspr.vocus.com/VocusPR30/Url.aspx?517212x3127958x-92896\\\">Economic Stimulus and Recovery Watch Strategic Briefings</a>&nbsp; will dig deeper into these statistics and issues to provide regionally relevant analysis and intelligence in San Diego (April 3), Houston (April 15), Chicago (April 22) and Atlanta (April 24).</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"48\";}'),(1423,517,4,2,1239332141,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-04-09 04:52 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"49\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:45:\"Greensfelder Launches Stimulus Support Team  \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:43:\"greensfelder_launches_stimulus_support_team\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:44:\"Greensfelder Launches Stimulus Support Team \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:131:\"Law firm Greensfelder, Hemker  Gale, P.C. has launched a  group to help businesses on projects funded by federal stimulus dollars. \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:22:\"Greensfelder, stimulus\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1923:\"<p>Law firm Greensfelder, Hemker&nbsp; Gale, P.C. has launched a new multi-disciplinary practice group to help businesses learn how to most efficiently perform on projects funded by federal stimulus dollars.&nbsp; Its Stimulus Support Team will draw from multiple practice groups to shepherd clients through the complexities and compliance requirements of the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.<br /><br />&ldquo;For many businesses, the federal stimulus package is a lifeline to get through the recession, so it&rsquo;s important to know how to make the most of the opportunity by understanding how to work effectively on projects funded in whole or part with ARRA dollars,&rdquo; said Jim Scott, a Greensfelder officer and member of its construction law practice. &ldquo;Companies that traditionally focus on private sector work are likely to find the stipulations, processes and protocols mandated by the ARRA mystifying. Our Stimulus Support Team will help speed the learning curve.&rdquo; <br /><br />For the construction industry alone, Scott notes that stimulus contract opportunities will carry numerous contractual, legal and regulatory requirements that need to be carefully evaluated during the bid phase and complied with during contract performance. These range from prevailing wage and COBRA benefits to extensive new reporting and compliance obligations. <br /><br />&ldquo;The act&rsquo;s transparency requirements grant the Comptroller General and the Offices of Inspector General access to contractor and subcontractor records and employees. Other provisions mandate that firms performing such work disclose evidence of criminal wrongdoing by principals, employees, agents and subcontractors&rdquo; added Scott.<br /><br />Other Greensfelder practice groups represented on the Stimulus Support Team include labor and employment, immigration, corporate and real estate.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"49\";}'),(1441,524,10,2,1239994374,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:2:\"10\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-04-17 08:16 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:22:\"Seal the Deal Seminar \";s:9:\"url_title\";s:21:\"seal_the_deal_seminar\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_58\";s:22:\"Seal the Deal Seminar \";s:11:\"field_ft_58\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_62\";s:101:\"Tom Woodcock\\\'s tips and techniques for construction sales and marketing through current conditions. \";s:11:\"field_ft_62\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_59\";s:46:\"Woodcock, Seal the Deal, sales, marketing, ASA\";s:11:\"field_ft_59\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_63\";s:106:\"Quality Inn Amphitheatre 2434 Old Dorsett Road, Maryland Heights, MO 63043 (next to Syberg’s on Dorsett)\";s:11:\"field_ft_63\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_57\";s:19:\"2009-05-07  7:16 AM\";s:15:\"field_offset_57\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_56\";s:0:\"\";s:15:\"field_offset_56\";s:1:\"y\";s:11:\"field_id_55\";s:19:\" 8:00 a.m. – Noon\";s:11:\"field_ft_55\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_60\";s:2257:\"<p>Continental breakfast included.<br />Cost:&nbsp; $50 ASA Members; $65 Non-Members<br />Reservations due before May 1, 2009<br />NO SHOWS WILL BE BILLED!</p>\n<p><img alt=\\\"Seal the Deal\\\" height=\\\"170\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/seal-the-deal.jpg\\\" width=\\\"281\\\" /></p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\n<p><br /><strong>1. Cutting Through Tough Economic Conditions</strong><br />We will be discussing techniques in both sales and marketing to combat the practices used in a tough economy.&nbsp; Companies have to contend with ridiculous pricing schemes, unrealistic demands and inexperience with customers.&nbsp; This topic will deal directly with taking hold of your sales dynamic and working it effectively, regardless of where the economy trends.<br /><br /><strong>2. Market Thrifty, Sell Strong</strong><br />Stop blowing money on marketing ideas that don&rsquo;t work!&nbsp; Determine the most effective way to promote to customers while saving money.&nbsp; No need for an expensive campaign, just an intelligent one that&rsquo;s enacted.&nbsp; Properly link the marketing with your sales focus and have them team up to be even more effective.&nbsp; The how to&rsquo;s of doing just that.<br /><br /><strong>3. Educating Your Customer</strong><br />Do you have a strategy, system or format to educate your customers on making the best bidding choice?&nbsp; Probably not.&nbsp; You most likely put more effort into getting your &ldquo;number&rdquo; than getting your customer.&nbsp; An educated customer is the best customer.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s your job to teach them how to make the best choices in your trade.<br /><strong><br />4. Common Errors in Construction Selling</strong><br />Contractor after contractor make the same mistakes day in and day out.&nbsp; Repeating ineffective selling behaviors will contribute to scratching and clawing for every job.&nbsp; Being untrained, nervous or shy should not be a barrier to success.&nbsp; A few good practices can alleviate the pressure.&nbsp; We will point out many regularly made errors and present counter methods to eliminate them.<br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;For registration, go to&nbsp;<a href=\\\"http://www.tomwoodcocksealthedeal.com \\\" title=\\\"Seal the Deal\\\"> www.tomwoodcocksealthedeal.com </a>or call 314-775-9217.</p>\";}'),(1333,477,4,2,1237012572,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"477\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-13 07:54 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"6\";i:1;s:2:\"45\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:41:\"McCarthy Named ACCESS Corporation of Year\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:41:\"mccarthy_named_access_corporation_of_year\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:42:\"McCarthy Named ACCESS Corporation of Year \";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:249:\"At a recent Black History Month Forum held at Forest Park Community College in St. Louis, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc was named the 2009 Corporation of the Year by ACCESS, theAssociation for Construction Careers, Education, and Support Services\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:37:\"ACCESS, McCarthy, corporation of year\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2302:\"<p>At a recent Black History Month Forum held at Forest Park Community College in <a href=\\\"http://www.mccarthy.com\\\">St. Louis, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc</a> was named the 2009 Corporation of the Year by ACCESS, theAssociation for Construction Careers, Education, and Support Services<br /><br />\\\"It\\\'s an honor to be recognized in this way,\\\" said Karl Kloster, retiring president of McCarthy\\\'s Midwest Division.&nbsp; \\\"It\\\'s been a long journey with<br />lots of positives but there is much work ahead.&nbsp; The addition of Marvin Sanders, an executive-on-loan from the Carpenter\\\'s Union, is great progress.<br />Support from the AGC is also a big plus.&nbsp; With all this help and support, ACCESS is moving closer to its goals and that is the best reward anyone can<br />receive.\\\"<br /><br />ACCESS is the evolution of Minority Youth In Construction, a program started by Kloster and Washington University\\\'s Director of Supplier Diversity<br />Programs Sandra Marks more than 10 years ago.&nbsp; The program, which ran for three years, was aimed at getting middle-school-level minority kids interested in construction as a career. Each year, for six weeks in the summer, 35 children from the Normandy, Wellston and University City areas<br />took classes in math, computer training and interpersonal skills taught by college graduates and mentors/teachers from various companies.&nbsp; The children also visited construction firms to learn about career opportunities.<br /><br />In 2004, Kloster and Marks once again collaborated to form a one-stop information and resource venue for St. Louis minorities interested in<br />entering the construction industry.&nbsp; ACCESS supports existing construction industry diversity development programs and builds partnerships with<br />organizations whose initiatives are aimed at workforce and W/M/DBE development.&nbsp; McCarthy has been a strong supporter of ACCESS since its<br />inception.<br /><br />Kloster, and Monica Bailey, director of Diversity for McCarthy\\\'s Central Division, sit on the ACCESS board. The partnership with McCarthy will<br />continue after Kloster retires in May 2009 as Paul Hartwig, senior vice president of the company\\\'s St. Louis Business Unit steps in to take his<br />place as an ACCESS Board member.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"6\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"45\";}'),(1334,479,5,2,1237012668,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"5\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"479\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-13 08:08 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"38\";i:1;s:2:\"45\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"5\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:62:\"The Balanced Scorecard Step 1 – Identify Barriers to Success\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:58:\"the_balanced_scorecard_step_1_identify_barriers_to_success\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_20\";s:62:\"The Balanced Scorecard Step 1 – Identify Barriers to Success\";s:11:\"field_ft_20\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_25\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_45\";s:343:\"It’s happened to almost every business owner or manager. You develop a great strategy, get your team all pumped up and then…everyday work gets in the way. Instead of working toward the long-term goal, your team loses sight of the bigger strategy and focuses on day-to-day issues.  The results aren’t anything close to what you’d hoped.\";s:11:\"field_ft_45\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_22\";s:71:\"Balanced Scorecard, barriers to success, Willbrand, Brown Smith Wallace\";s:11:\"field_ft_22\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_23\";s:3371:\"<p><em>By Bill Willbrand Jr., CPA<br />Member, Brown Smith Wallace LLC</em><br /><br />It&rsquo;s happened to almost every business owner or manager. You develop a great strategy, get your team all pumped up and then&hellip;everyday work gets in the way. Instead of working toward the long-term goal, your team loses sight of the bigger strategy and focuses on day-to-day issues.&nbsp; The results aren&rsquo;t anything close to what you&rsquo;d hoped. <br /><br />How can you improve your planning and your team&rsquo;s follow through to get the results you desire? Balanced Scorecard is a proven method that aligns strategies with everyday performance. The Balanced Scorecard is a management system that enables an organization to clarify its vision and strategy and translate them into action. <br /><br />The first step in the Balanced Scorecard method is to identify and overcome common barriers to success.&nbsp; Think for a minute about a strategy that didn&rsquo;t pan out. Before you look around your organization and start assigning blame, understand that there are four common barriers to success, and one or more of these often cause strategic plans to fail.<br /><br />The first roadblock is the vision barrier. You probably have a clear vision of your goals, and you might expect that everyone else in your company can see the same obvious path to success. But in reality, few people in an organization grasp the business strategy from the beginning. If your vision is yours alone, and others are just following blindly, you don&rsquo;t have a strong team working toward the same goal.<br /><br />The second obstacle is the people barrier. Most people have objectives that are not linked to the strategy of the organization. Perhaps some are only concerned with achieving their specific job objectives to earn a satisfactory performance review and receive their yearly salary increase. Others may focus on advancing their own careers, but without keeping the bigger picture in mind. The members of your team must be invested in the success of your business and properly motivated to achieve long-term results to carry out your vision.<br /><br />The third barrier to success is the resource barrier. Are you allocating enough time, energy and money to those things critical to the organization? For example, have you linked your budget to your overall strategy? A solid plan for future growth must be supported by adequate resources to come to fruition.<br /><br />The final reason strategic plans often fail is the management barrier. Managers often make the mistake of focusing on short-term tactics instead of efforts to advance the overall strategy. Maintaining strong communication with your management team regarding strategy and creating the expectation that all members of management work toward this goal is essential. Your management team must work on the business, not just in the business. <br /><br />The four barriers to success are often connected, but each plays a distinct role in determining the outcome of your business strategy. Identifying these barriers within your organization and making the proper adjustments for improvement is the first step in the process of aligning everyday performance with overall strategy. <br /><br /><em>The next Balanced Scorecard column will focus on the performance metrics that drive success.</em></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"38\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"45\";}'),(1335,479,5,2,1237012699,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"5\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"479\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-13 08:08 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"38\";i:1;s:2:\"45\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"5\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:60:\"The Balanced Scorecard Step 1:  Identify Barriers to Success\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:58:\"the_balanced_scorecard_step_1_identify_barriers_to_success\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_20\";s:59:\"The Balanced Scorecard Step 1: Identify Barriers to Success\";s:11:\"field_ft_20\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_25\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_45\";s:343:\"It’s happened to almost every business owner or manager. You develop a great strategy, get your team all pumped up and then…everyday work gets in the way. Instead of working toward the long-term goal, your team loses sight of the bigger strategy and focuses on day-to-day issues.  The results aren’t anything close to what you’d hoped.\";s:11:\"field_ft_45\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_22\";s:71:\"Balanced Scorecard, barriers to success, Willbrand, Brown Smith Wallace\";s:11:\"field_ft_22\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_23\";s:3371:\"<p><em>By Bill Willbrand Jr., CPA<br />Member, Brown Smith Wallace LLC</em><br /><br />It&rsquo;s happened to almost every business owner or manager. You develop a great strategy, get your team all pumped up and then&hellip;everyday work gets in the way. Instead of working toward the long-term goal, your team loses sight of the bigger strategy and focuses on day-to-day issues.&nbsp; The results aren&rsquo;t anything close to what you&rsquo;d hoped. <br /><br />How can you improve your planning and your team&rsquo;s follow through to get the results you desire? Balanced Scorecard is a proven method that aligns strategies with everyday performance. The Balanced Scorecard is a management system that enables an organization to clarify its vision and strategy and translate them into action. <br /><br />The first step in the Balanced Scorecard method is to identify and overcome common barriers to success.&nbsp; Think for a minute about a strategy that didn&rsquo;t pan out. Before you look around your organization and start assigning blame, understand that there are four common barriers to success, and one or more of these often cause strategic plans to fail.<br /><br />The first roadblock is the vision barrier. You probably have a clear vision of your goals, and you might expect that everyone else in your company can see the same obvious path to success. But in reality, few people in an organization grasp the business strategy from the beginning. If your vision is yours alone, and others are just following blindly, you don&rsquo;t have a strong team working toward the same goal.<br /><br />The second obstacle is the people barrier. Most people have objectives that are not linked to the strategy of the organization. Perhaps some are only concerned with achieving their specific job objectives to earn a satisfactory performance review and receive their yearly salary increase. Others may focus on advancing their own careers, but without keeping the bigger picture in mind. The members of your team must be invested in the success of your business and properly motivated to achieve long-term results to carry out your vision.<br /><br />The third barrier to success is the resource barrier. Are you allocating enough time, energy and money to those things critical to the organization? For example, have you linked your budget to your overall strategy? A solid plan for future growth must be supported by adequate resources to come to fruition.<br /><br />The final reason strategic plans often fail is the management barrier. Managers often make the mistake of focusing on short-term tactics instead of efforts to advance the overall strategy. Maintaining strong communication with your management team regarding strategy and creating the expectation that all members of management work toward this goal is essential. Your management team must work on the business, not just in the business. <br /><br />The four barriers to success are often connected, but each plays a distinct role in determining the outcome of your business strategy. Identifying these barriers within your organization and making the proper adjustments for improvement is the first step in the process of aligning everyday performance with overall strategy. <br /><br /><em>The next Balanced Scorecard column will focus on the performance metrics that drive success.</em></p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"38\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"45\";}'),(1336,481,2,2,1237609137,'a:28:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-20 06:12 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:48:\"Hutchinson of Interface Joins AGC National Board\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:48:\"hutchinson_of_interface_joins_agc_national_board\";s:4:\"save\";s:10:\"Quick Save\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:48:\"Hutchinson of Interface Joins AGC National Board\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:184:\"Samuel Hutchinson, founder and president of St. Louis-based Interface Construction Corporation has been elected to serve as the Associated General Contractor’s of America treasurer. \";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:44:\"Hutchinson, Interface, AGC, board, treasurer\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:2401:\"<p>Samuel Hutchinson, founder and president of St. Louis-based Interface Construction Corporation has been elected to serve as the Associated General Contractor&rsquo;s of America treasurer.&nbsp; Hutchinson becomes the third St. Louisan elected to the executive board of the national organization, following Gabe Alberici and Bob Elsperman who previously served in this national office.&nbsp; As a member of the board, Hutchinson will lead a national effort to improve the productivity of the nation&rsquo;s construction companies, oversee the group&rsquo;s advocacy efforts on behalf of the industry and help builders weather today&rsquo;s challenging economic conditions.<br /><br />&ldquo;We are very pleased to have such a distinguished St. Louis businessman playing such a major role in the leadership of the national organization&rdquo; said Leonard Toenjes, president, AGC of St. Louis.&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Sam brings integrity and leadership to the job,&rdquo; added Toenjes.<br /><br />Interface began as a concrete construction company, completing concrete flatwork for highway contractors in the Metro East area of St. Louis.&nbsp; In 1988, Hutchinson transitioned the company from being a subcontractor to a general contractor and a construction manager in heavy construction, earning Interface the title of one of the top 25 small businesses in the St. Louis area. Hutchinson has served as chairman of AGC&rsquo;s Building Division and is a four-time member of the executive board.<br /><br />Simultaneously while serving in the position of AGC treasurer, Hutchinson will chair the task force on Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, a job he has held before for the AGC of America, &ldquo; As a minority-owned contractor I learned the meaning and value of good construction management and what it takes to make a business successful&rdquo; said Hutchinson.&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I hope to assist other minority firms onto the path to success.&rdquo;<br /><br />AGC is the largest and oldest national construction trade association in the United States, and represents&nbsp; more than 33,000 firms nationwide, including 7,500 general contractors, and more than 12,500 specialty-contracting firms. <br /><br />The Associated General Contractors of St. Louis is the united voice of the area&rsquo;s construction industry, representing <br />more than 450 area construction firms. <br /><br /></p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";}'),(1337,481,2,2,1237609677,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"481\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-20 06:12 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"46\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:48:\"Hutchinson of Interface Joins AGC National Board\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:48:\"hutchinson_of_interface_joins_agc_national_board\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:48:\"Hutchinson of Interface Joins AGC National Board\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:184:\"Samuel Hutchinson, founder and president of St. Louis-based Interface Construction Corporation has been elected to serve as the Associated General Contractor’s of America treasurer. \";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:44:\"Hutchinson, Interface, AGC, board, treasurer\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:2537:\"<p>Samuel Hutchinson, founder and president of St. Louis-based Interface Construction Corporation has been elected to serve as the Associated General Contractor&rsquo;s of America treasurer.&nbsp; Hutchinson becomes the third St. Louisan elected to the executive board of the national organization, following Gabe Alberici and Bob Elsperman who previously served in this national office.&nbsp; As a member of the board, Hutchinson will lead a national effort to improve the productivity of the nation&rsquo;s construction companies, oversee the group&rsquo;s advocacy efforts on behalf of the industry and help builders weather today&rsquo;s challenging economic conditions.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Sam Hutchinson\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/hutchinson.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />&ldquo;We are very pleased to have such a distinguished St. Louis businessman playing such a major role in the leadership of the national organization&rdquo; said Leonard Toenjes, president, AGC of St. Louis.&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;Sam brings integrity and leadership to the job,&rdquo; added Toenjes.<br /><br />Interface began as a concrete construction company, completing concrete flatwork for highway contractors in the Metro East area of St. Louis.&nbsp; In 1988, Hutchinson transitioned the company from being a subcontractor to a general contractor and a construction manager in heavy construction, earning Interface the title of one of the top 25 small businesses in the St. Louis area. Hutchinson has served as chairman of AGC&rsquo;s Building Division and is a four-time member of the executive board.<br /><br />Simultaneously while serving in the position of AGC treasurer, Hutchinson will chair the task force on Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, a job he has held before for the AGC of America, &ldquo; As a minority-owned contractor I learned the meaning and value of good construction management and what it takes to make a business successful&rdquo; said Hutchinson.&nbsp;&nbsp; &ldquo;I hope to assist other minority firms onto the path to success.&rdquo;<br /><br />AGC is the largest and oldest national construction trade association in the United States, and represents&nbsp; more than 33,000 firms nationwide, including 7,500 general contractors, and more than 12,500 specialty-contracting firms. <br /><br />The Associated General Contractors of St. Louis is the united voice of the area&rsquo;s construction industry, representing <br />more than 450 area construction firms. <br /></p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:30:\"/images/uploads/hutchinson.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"46\";}'),(1340,474,2,2,1237609817,'a:29:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"474\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-13 05:43 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:2:\"16\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:43:\"Construction Industry Splits on Lien Reform\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:43:\"construction_industry_splits_on_lien_reform\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:43:\"Construction Industry Splits on Lien Reform\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:303:\"Does Missouri law on real estate liens need fixing? Representatives from broad coalition of subcontractor groups testified to the House Special Committee on General Laws that it does, while representatives from a coalition of financial industry groups and general contractors testified that it does not.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:0:\"\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:49:\"lien, Missouri, law, representatives, contractors\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:4510:\"<p>Does Missouri law on real estate liens need fixing? Representatives from broad coalition of subcontractor groups testified to the House Special Committee on General Laws that it does, while representatives from a coalition of financial industry groups and general contractors testified that it does not.<br /><br />Subcontractor groups want to change lien law so that they can include the legal costs of applying a lien in the amount of the lien. Rep. Shane Schoeller (R-Willard) is sponsoring H.B. 595, which reflects the changes that subcontractor groups want.<br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Lien\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/lien.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" />Opponents of the change say the law works fine just the way it is.<br /><br />&ldquo;The issue is people aren&rsquo;t paying their bills. That is why we are here,&rdquo; Rep. Schoeller told the committee at the start of the hearing on Tuesday afternoon.<br /><br />Joe Hoette, president of Hoette Concrete Construction said the problem has been growing for six years, since well before the start of the current downturn. &ldquo;I was in court recently to enforce a lien against a homebuilder for work we completed 20 months ago,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I was owed $120,000. He agreed I should be paid,&rdquo; but the problem was with the title company, Hoette said. &ldquo;I spent $24,000 in attorney&rsquo;s fees to collect what I was owed,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />&ldquo;I have declined to file liens when I am going to spend more on attorney&rsquo;s fees than the lien is worth. Property owners know that, so they reduce payments to increase their profits. We need this change in the law to help the small contractor,&rdquo; Hoette said. He noted that the total value of liens he has pending now is $600,000. &ldquo;If I can&rsquo;t collect it, this company will be out of business after 62 years,&rdquo; he said. His is the third generation to run the family-owned company.<br /><br />Jim Compton, president of the Roofing &amp; Siding Contractors Association and Compton Roofing, said adding attorney&rsquo;s fees to lienable costs is necessary to level the field for small contractors. Compton also dismissed as meaningless the criticism that contractors, who claim they are owed money, could drag out negotiations to settle debts owed them if they could get reimbursed for attorney&rsquo;s fees. &ldquo;What negotiations,&rdquo; he asked? &ldquo;This is money that is owed to me. I&rsquo;m being charged 25 &ndash; 35 percent of my contract amount by builders [now], so I say let&rsquo;s lengthen the time of negotiations, because I&rsquo;m in favor of getting all my money,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Opponents testifying against the bill, including Brad Goss and John Mattingly from the Home Builders Association, insisted there was no need for such a &ldquo;fundamental&rdquo; change in lien law, because all that subcontractors have to do to recover attorney&rsquo;s fees if they file a lien is have the prime contractor agree to it in advance by putting it either in their contract or in a credit application. <br /><br />&ldquo;I&rsquo;m shocked you would say that,&rdquo; Rep. Curt Dougherty (D-Independence) told Goss. &ldquo;In 15 years as a subcontractor, I never got to write contract terms. If I scratched one thing out, I didn&rsquo;t get the job,&rdquo; he said. As for requiring that the prime contractor fill out a credit application and agree the sub has a right to collect attorney&rsquo;s fees on any collection process, &ldquo;they would never agree to it,&rdquo; Rep. Dougherty said.<br /><br />&ldquo;Then I wouldn&rsquo;t do business with them,&rdquo; Mattingly retorted.<br /><br />Sean Flower, president of American Heritage Homes, said subcontractors should just accept that the cost of collecting bad debts is just a cost of doing business. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t come down to the state legislature when my concrete sub didn&rsquo;t pay his supplier. I sucked it up and handled it on my own. That&rsquo;s what you should do,&rdquo; he said.<br /><br />Flower and other opponents of the legislation also said it could delay the eventual economic recovery by increasing title insurance costs and thus the costs of doing business in Missouri.<br /><br />The hearing ended without any action by the committee. Similar legislation in the Senate, S.B. 267, was reported out of committee to the Senate floor on Thursday and is scheduled for debate and perfection on March 18.</p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:24:\"/images/uploads/lien.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"16\";}'),(1341,482,4,2,1237610267,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-20 06:32 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"4\";i:1;s:2:\"46\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:41:\"Architcture Billings Up From Historic Low\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:41:\"architcture_billings_up_from_historic_low\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:42:\"Architecture Billings Up From Historic Low\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:118:\"Following another historic low score in January, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) was up two points in February. \";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2404:\"<p>Following another historic low score in January, the Architecture Billings Index (ABI) was up two points in February. As a leading economic indicator of construction activity, the ABI reflects the approximate nine to twelve month lag time between architecture billings and construction spending. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) reported the February ABI rating was 35.3, up from the 33.3 mark in January, but still pointing to a general lack of demand for design services (any score above 50 indicates an increase in billings). The new projects inquiry score was 49.5. <br />&nbsp;<br />&ldquo;Despite a higher score than last month, we are likely to see light demand for new construction projects through much of the year,&rdquo; said AIA chief economist Kermit Baker. &ldquo;There is hope that the stimulus bill will result in more project activity, but that is also dependent on banks easing lending standards in the months ahead. Still, the improvement in the inquiries index does provide hope that some stalled projects will resurface in the near future.&rdquo;<br />&nbsp;<br /><strong>Key February ABI Highlights</strong><br /><strong>&nbsp;<br />Regional averages:</strong> West (36.4), South (35.5), Midwest (35.0), Northeast (32.3)<br /><strong>Sector index breakdown:</strong> mixed practice (40.1), institutional (36.8), multi-family residential (33.3), commercial / industrial (32.0)<br /><strong>Project inquiries index:</strong> 49.5 <br /><strong><br />About the AIA Architecture Billings Index</strong></p>\n<p><br />The Architecture Billings Index is derived from a monthly &ldquo;Work-on-the-Boards&rdquo; survey and produced by the AIA Economics&nbsp; Market Research Group. Based on a comparison of data compiled since the survey&rsquo;s inception in 1995 with figures from the Department of Commerce on Construction Put in Place, the findings amount to a leading economic indicator that provides an approximately nine- to 12-month glimpse into the future of nonresidential construction activity. The indexes contained in the full report are derived from a monthly survey sent to a panel of AIA member-owned firms. Participants are asked whether their billings increased, decreased, or stayed the same in the month that just ended. According to the proportion of respondents choosing each option, a score is generated, which represents an index value for each month.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"46\";}'),(1470,525,2,2,1240017791,'a:30:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"525\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-04-17 08:55 AM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:2:\"15\";i:1;s:2:\"50\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:35:\"Greg Behlman and Finishing the Race\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:35:\"greg_behlman_and_finishing_the_race\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:10:\"field_id_5\";s:35:\"Greg Behlman and Finishing the Race\";s:10:\"field_ft_5\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_9\";s:264:\"(A Column by Publisher Tom Finan)\n\nIn the photo of me resplendent in spandex,  that you\\\'ll see when you click to read the rest of this column, I\\\'m displaying what is probably the broadest smile I\\\'ve shown in any photo ever taken of me, dating back to childhood.\";s:10:\"field_ft_9\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_13\";s:1:\"4\";s:10:\"field_id_7\";s:18:\"Greg Behlman, race\";s:10:\"field_ft_7\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"field_id_8\";s:5148:\"<p><em>&ldquo;The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong&hellip;&rdquo;<br /><br />&ldquo;I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.&rdquo;</em><br /><br />In the photo of me resplendent in spandex accompanying this column I&rsquo;m displaying what is probably the broadest smile I&rsquo;ve shown in any photo ever taken of me, dating back to childhood. <br /><br /><img alt=\\\"Tom Bike\\\" class=\\\"table-left\\\" height=\\\"243\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/tom-bike.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"150\\\" />I began the day the photo was taken in bone-chilling desert cold and finished it in beating Tucson, AZ sun. I had just ridden a bicycle 110 miles. The professional riders had completed their ride hours before me. But I had not given up. I had finished. <br /><br />Right now you may be struggling to stay in the race. Even if you&rsquo;re holding your own you may feel some days like you&rsquo;re running out of gas. In bicycling that&rsquo;s called &ldquo;bonking&rdquo;.&nbsp; Riders who have trained for distance pay careful attention to their intake of liquid and food while riding. Allow yourself to become dehydrated and your muscles will cramp; forget to eat and you&rsquo;ll &ldquo;bonk&rdquo;&mdash; run out of energy and be completely unable to continue. <br /><br />Attending to the family, spiritual, physical, business, financial and intellectual parts of our life and keeping them in balance are particularly hard in times like these. But they were never more important than they are right now. That balance is critical to our attitude. And attitude, backed by the right amount of fuel in all aspects of our life is what enables us to finish the race. <br /><br />I recently attended a half-day seminar presented by national sales coach Tom Hopkins. Early in his career Hopkins was taught that whatever kind of day, week or month he was having, the proper response when people asked how things were going was &ldquo;Unbelievable.&rdquo; &ldquo;Either way that pretty well covers it,&rdquo; Hopkins said.&nbsp; Tom Woodcock from Seal the Deal, whose column runs in CNR, encourages his clients to do the same.<br /><br />I was sharing stories with a group of folks during cocktails at a Midwest Council American Subcontractors Association meeting. The question went round the group about how business was going, prompting a lot of eye rolling. I was just a couple of days out of the Tom Hopkins seminar, so I told the group about Tom Hopkin&rsquo;s suggestion. <br /><br />That exchange led to a dinner conversation between myself and Dave Behlman, one of the fellows in the group. The Behlman family owns Behlman Builders, a large finish carpentry, framing, firm, plus drywall and crane companies. I have worked with the Behlman brothers on some projects and we have become friends.<img alt=\\\"Greg Behlman\\\" class=\\\"image-left\\\" height=\\\"303\\\" src=\\\"/images/uploads/greg-behlman_1.jpg\\\" style=\\\"float: left;\\\" width=\\\"266\\\" /><br /><br />At dinner Dave and I found out that our stories were very similar. We both grew up in families of seven children with contractor dads. We both remembered that when things were lean in construction growing up it had meant day-old bread stores and powdered milk. We talked about understanding what it takes to get through tough times in business and in life. <br /><br />Dave recalled a few years back when his mom was still alive they were sitting at the kitchen table talking about the time when Dave and his siblings were growing up.&nbsp; Dave&rsquo;s son was listening and his jaw began to drop. &ldquo;Grandma, were you poor?,&rdquo; the boy asked. Dave&rsquo;s mom thought about the question and said, \\\"I guess we WERE poor. But we didn\\\'t know it.\\\"<br /><br />Dave asked me if I had heard the latest news about his brother Greg, who is vice president at Behlman Builders. Last July Greg was diagnosed with cancer that a spread to a large mass pressing the kidneys on his back.&nbsp; He went through 12 weeks of chemotherapy, which lasted through November. <br /><br />I had seen Greg around the first of the year and he looked great.&nbsp; But on January 31st he went to the emergency room with a high fever. An infection, which perplexes his doctors to this day, had attacked his lungs. It was probably some vestige of the weakness caused by the chemo. For a while it was touch-and-go. But day-by-day Greg has come back. When Dave talked to me his brother was scheduled to go to a rehab center. <br /><br />Dave&rsquo;s pride for his brother was obvious in his eyes as he told me the story. &ldquo;My brother is determined to be there for his family,&rdquo; Dave said. &ldquo;He may end up needing to walk with an oxygen tank, but he will walk down the aisle when his daughters get married.&rdquo;<br /><br />That&rsquo;s what finishing the race is all about.</p>\n<p><br /><em>If you\\\'d like to see how Greg\\\'s doing or drop him a note, visit <a href=\\\"http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/gregbehlman/guestbook\\\">his web page at CaringBridge.com</a>. </em><a href=\\\"http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/gregbehlman/guestbook\\\"><br /></a></p>\";s:11:\"field_id_42\";s:34:\"/images/uploads/greg-behlman_1.jpg\";s:11:\"field_id_43\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_ft_43\";s:4:\"none\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"15\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"50\";}'),(1345,484,4,2,1237610960,'a:27:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:3:\"484\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:1:\"n\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-20 06:45 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"6\";i:1;s:2:\"46\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:10:\"new_weblog\";s:1:\"4\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:27:\"Valmik Thakore Joins Cannon\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:27:\"valmik_thakore_joins_cannon\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Update\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:27:\"Valmik Thakore Joins Cannon\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:163:\" Cannon Design, an architectural, engineering and planning firm announced that Valmik Thakore has joined the firm as vice president and senior healthcare provider.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:15:\"Thakore, Cannon\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1038:\"<p>&nbsp;Cannon Design, an architectural, engineering and planning firm announced that Valmik Thakore has joined the firm as vice president and senior healthcare provider.<br /><br />Prior to joining Cannon Design, Thakore served as senior healthcare planner and project manager for Christner, Inc. for over 23 years. He has more than 38 years of architectural and design experience, including 20 years in healthcare planning and programming.&nbsp; <br /><br />Current projects for Cannon include: the Center for Cancer and Liver Diseases for King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a 300-bed hospital and ambulatory facility with over 1 million square feet of new construction.<br /><br />Thakore is a graduate of The School of Architecture at CEPT University in Ahmedabad, India, and has a Master of Architecture and Urban Design from Washington University. He has served as visiting professor at the School of Architecture and School of Urban Design at CEPT University. <br /><br />-</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"6\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"46\";}'),(1346,485,4,2,1237611406,'a:25:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-20 06:52 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;s:2:\"46\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:54:\"Contractors Call for Construction Recycling Incentives\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:54:\"contractors_call_for_construction_recycling_incentives\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:54:\"Contractors Call for Construction Recycling Incentives\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:327:\"The environment and the economy would both see significant improvements if new federal incentives to encourage construction companies to replace older equipment with new, more efficient models were put in place, a representative of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) testified before a Congressional committee.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:49:\"equipment, greenhouse gases, recycling, materials\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:2491:\"<p>The environment and the economy would both see significant improvements if new federal incentives to encourage construction companies to replace older equipment with new, more efficient models were put in place, a representative of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) testified before a Congressional committee. <br /><br />Don Weaver, of Arkansas-based Weaver Bailey Contractors, added that new federal incentives to encourage recycling of construction materials would also benefit the environment.&nbsp; Weaver was in Washington today to provide testimony of behalf of the association in front of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.&nbsp; <br /><br />Noting that construction equipment accounts for only 0.86 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions according to the EPA, Weaver said &ldquo;this industry has a long history of developing construction techniques and practices that enhance our environment.&rdquo;&nbsp; He added though, that &ldquo;the federal government can assist in these practices by offering appropriate incentives.&rdquo;<br /><br />Weaver said the association was calling for the creation of a federal investment tax credit for contractors to replace their existing diesel powered equipment, including front loaders and on-site generators.&nbsp; He noted that such an incentive would cut diesel fuel consumption and reduce emissions of diesel particulates and black carbon.&nbsp; <br /><br />He noted incentives would stimulate purchases of new construction equipment at a time when many companies are cutting back on orders.&nbsp; He added that the new equipment would make it easier for construction companies to build the new transportation systems and more efficient buildings that could lead to major and lasting environmental benefits.<br /><br />Noting that every ton of asphalt recycled from construction results in the elimination of .03 tons of CO2 emissions, Weaver also urged Congress to put in place incentives to encourage the recycling and reuse of materials like concrete, asphalt, soil and construction debris.&nbsp; He said recycling and reuse of these materials reduces transportation costs, limits construction waste going to landfills and lowers energy use, in addition to reducing green house gas emissions.<br /><br />Weaver said the association also was encouraging federal and state agencies that commission construction projects to use local materials to save fuel and cut emissions.</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:2:\"46\";}'),(1347,486,4,2,1237611623,'a:26:{s:9:\"weblog_id\";s:1:\"4\";s:8:\"entry_id\";s:0:\"\";s:6:\"sticky\";s:0:\"\";s:14:\"allow_comments\";s:1:\"n\";s:16:\"allow_trackbacks\";s:1:\"n\";s:10:\"entry_date\";s:19:\"2009-03-20 06:57 PM\";s:15:\"expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:23:\"comment_expiration_date\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;s:1:\"7\";i:1;s:2:\"46\";}s:9:\"author_id\";s:1:\"2\";s:6:\"status\";s:4:\"open\";s:14:\"trackback_urls\";s:0:\"\";s:18:\"versioning_enabled\";s:1:\"y\";s:5:\"title\";s:40:\"Kaiser Promotes Names Murphy Head of STL\";s:9:\"url_title\";s:40:\"kaiser_promotes_names_murphy_head_of_stl\";s:6:\"submit\";s:6:\"Submit\";s:11:\"field_id_26\";s:40:\"Kaiser Promotes Names Murphy Head of STL\";s:11:\"field_ft_26\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_31\";s:0:\"\";s:11:\"field_id_44\";s:188:\"Kaiser Electric Inc. promoted Michael Murphy to the position of vice president of operations, St. Louis Division. Murphy previously held the title of vice president/senior project manager.\";s:11:\"field_ft_44\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_28\";s:23:\"Kaiser, Murphy promoted\";s:11:\"field_ft_28\";s:4:\"none\";s:11:\"field_id_29\";s:1433:\"<p>Kaiser Electric Inc. promoted Michael Murphy to the position of vice president of operations, St. Louis Division. Murphy previously held the title of vice president/senior project manager.<br />&nbsp;<br />In his new position, Murphy is responsible for achieving the management committee&rsquo;s goals, supporting the corporate strategy, and creating innovative new ways to be competitive and grow Kaiser Electric in the market place. <br />&nbsp;<br />&ldquo;One of our greatest strengths is our design/build group&rsquo;s successes in the healthcare and commercial arenas,&rdquo; Murphy said. &ldquo;To support this effort, I believe we need to build on the relationships between our project management and field staff by streamlining the communications process and improving our information flow. By getting the information from our customers, through design and into the field quickly, we can lessen the impact of change and add value to our team.&rdquo; <br />&nbsp;<br />Murphy has been with Kaiser Electric for nearly eight years and has previously held the positions of project manager, service group manager and vice president/senior project manager. <br />&nbsp;<br />He is a graduate of St. Louis University Parks College and is currently a member of the St. Louis Construction Consumers Council, International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and Associated General Contractors of America (AGC). <br />&nbsp;</p>\";s:10:\"category_0\";s:1:\"7\";s:10:\"category_1\";s:2:\"46\";}'),