It is hard to believe I have already completed my first year as chair of ABC Maine. It has truly been a pleasure working with the ABC Maine team and the many dedicated members who volunteer their time to support and advance the Merit Shop Philosophy throughout our great state.

As I reflect on the past year, I would like to give you an update on what we set out to achieve and where we ended up. We said we were going to:

• Drive efforts to advocate for our industry and showcase to our youth the abundant career opportunities within the construction industry and our member companies.
  
  
  • I am pleased to report that in 2023, we brought back the ABC Maine Craft Championships and had close to 1,500 students in attendance. Thank you to the 39 member companies that either sponsored or participated in this magnificent event. We could not have pulled it off without you.

To those that were unable to participate in 2023, the good news is, you will have another chance to participate at the 2025 Craft Championships. It is truly a rewarding experience to engage with our youth, highlight careers in the construction industry and potentially influence their future and the future talent of our organizations.

• Provide workforce development opportunities that will add value to our members.
  
  
  • I am pleased to report we conducted 19 different educational programs over the course of the year.
  • We had 20 graduates from our Young Professionals program.
  • We now have four ABC Maine Apprenticeship Programs that are registered with the State of Maine in the occupations of: Laborer, Electrician, Carpenter and Painter. If there is another discipline that you need, please reach out and we can work to get other occupations approved to meet your company’s needs. 2024 is shaping up to be a big year in apprenticeships. In fact, we anticipate quadrupling the number of ABC member registered apprentices by year-end.

• Promote ABC’s STEP Safety Management System and help member companies improve their ability to send team members home in as good or better condition than when they arrived at work.
  
  
  • In 2023, we had 26% of our contractor members participate in STEP. We fell short of our 30% participation goal, but I am confident we can get there in 2024.

We would love to see more members take advantage of STEP. It is a free and effective tool that can help you continuously improve your safety culture. In fact, on a national level, ABC members that utilize STEP are more than six times safer than the industry average. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

• Raise awareness to our members on political issues and legislation that could directly impact the Merit Shop Philosophy and our industry. Facilitate collaborative action when needed to ensure the merit shop voice is heard.
  
  
  • In 2023, our members rallied to ensure the merit shop voice was heard. It was a tough year in Augusta, but we were able to celebrate some wins. Most notably, the defeat of the Responsible Contractor Bill.

Additionally, it was a pleasure to participate in the ABC National Legislative Conference, where I joined the ABC Maine team, along with other members, to visit Capitol Hill and meet with our representatives in Congress. This was a wonderful opportunity to advocate for critical policy priorities for the merit shop construction industry at the national and state levels.

• Grow our membership to 200 members.
  
  
  • We finished the year out at 180 members strong. We retained over 90% of our members and on a national level, ABC Maine was one of the top 10 chapters regarding member retention.

We will need your support in the year ahead. Help us spread the word about ABC. Share with others why you are an ABC Member and the value it brings to you and your organization, and encourage them to join this great association. Let’s hit the 200 mark this year!

Personally, I announced that the Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine was the charity I chose for ABC Cares. As we all know, it is tough out there right now. The cost of living has made it difficult for many families to put food on the table. Thanks to ABC Maine and our generous members, it brings me great pleasure to report that we raised over $9,000 for this vital nonprofit organization. This is a testament to the wonderful people and organizations that make up our membership. I look forward to seeing you at the next ABC Cares cornhole fundraiser on Oct. 22!

I eagerly anticipate seeing what we can accomplish in the year ahead. For those of you looking to get more involved with ABC, I would encourage you to reach out to learn about the various committees (Membership, Government Affairs and Environmental Health, Safety & Workforce Development) that are available for you to join. No one is smarter than all of us, and we would love to have you at the table, helping us make an even bigger impact.

In closing, I want to recognize Hope and Shari for their efforts in 2023. They were down a staff member and did not skip a beat! I would also like to thank the board of directors for all their efforts and the time they have volunteered towards helping this great association.

Additionally, I am happy to report that our co-chair, Larry Grondin of R.J. Grondin & Sons, will be our incoming chair for 2025 and 2026. I have had the opportunity to get to know Larry better over the last couple of years, and we will be truly fortunate to have him leading the way.

I look forward to collaborating with you all in making 2024 a great year.

Dan Coffey