Underground Construction - January 2022 - 27

DCA Returns to Convention Form in Recovery Year
our contractor members that this information gets pulled
together and shared.
UC: You mentioned how important it is for
contractors to manage costs. Has DCA been
able to help in this regard?
Nelson: There is an interesting project we've been working
on the last couple of years, where we decided to fund a study
to analyze the underground utility locating industry and the
claims that result from that industry, along with the related
processes in each of the 50 states. It looked at best practices
and how the insurance industry and local laws all fit in with
the One Call centers.
It's an area of great opportunity for improvement, because
the way it's handled in some states is different and better than
the way it's handled in others. And it's definitely a cost issue. All
of our members have been impacted by underground locating
and the delays that can put on our work, along with the claims
that can come up and the damage and safety issues that may
present for our workforce and the public we're working around.
The study started a couple of years ago, and it was just
finished within the last month or so. And now it's time to get
those materials and promote the results. I'm pretty excited
about it, because I think it has the potential to make a real,
tangible difference for everyone in our industry, whether
its contractors or our customers, as well as the public we're
working around.
UC: In closing, are there any accomplishments
during your term as DCA president that
you're especially proud of?
Nelson: There is one area that has been a personal concern of
mine is to encourage the involvement of some of the younger
employees and management folks from our member companies,
because it's important to make sure we have a good infusion
of new perspectives with new blood always coming in and
participating in our meetings.
Now, the DCA has established a new Strategic Vision
Committee, which has a cross-section of members - contractor
and associate members, big and small members, union and
nonunion, newer and older. It's a small group, but I think we did
a pretty good job of getting a diverse mix to really look at things
from all perspectives. And one of the things they will be looking
at is how the DCA can encourage member involvement and get
more involvement from that next generation.
That's something, as I was taking my turn as president, I
wanted to make sure that we were doing our best to address.
That's a direct result of my bringing it up and asking the DCA to
consider it, and I was happy to find that other members also felt
that's an important goal we should work toward. *
Register for FREE at UConOnline.com/Webcasts
LIVE WEBCAST
Tuesday, January 18, 2022 | 10 a.m. CST / 4 p.m. UTC
2022 Opportunities, Hopes & Challenges for
Underground Infrastructure
With record-setting Federal monies now available for municipal, telecom and electric
markets, underground infrastructure appears to have a very bright future not only for
2022, but for several years ahead.
Yet challenges and evolving market dynamics will also play a key role. Construction
challenges such as disruption of the supply chain and worker shortages plague markets
as they gear up for a busy 2022. Will the merger and acquisition market be active
again? Will the latest Covid-19 variant, Omicron (highly contagious but lacking the bite of
previous iterations) be only a brief market disruption?
Political winds continue to gust in all directions as North American markets adjust to
changes. What happens next with the U.S. economy is still a big question for construction
markets. How will soaring inflation impact construction and rehabilitation efforts?
This presentation, led by FMI Managing Director Daniel Shumate, will include
perspectives gathered from FMI's networks of industry's CEOs, owners and economists
to convey impacts, outlooks and market updates.
Opportunities clearly abound in 2022 but navigating through the rapidly-changing
sea can be a rough ride if you're not prepared. Don't miss this highly informative and
beneficial webinar!
Hosted By:
®
SPEAKER:
Daniel Shumate
Managing Director
FMI Capital Advisors
MODERATOR:
Robert Carpenter
Editor-in-Chief
Underground
Construction
Sponsored By:
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Underground Construction - January 2022

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