This week, Chappell Covington, our director of talent and corporate development attended the Associated Builders and Contractors of Alabama convention. She is an ABC board member, and the conference was also was a good fit for her because workforce development is such a huge topic in our industry right now. When I asked her for …
This week was the annual ICSC RECon in Las Vegas, or “the Super Bowl of Retail,” as it has been nicknamed. This is an annual favorite trip for me, a chance to see old friends and make a few new ones. It’s also an opportunity to see what’s on the horizon for the industry, and …
The tariff wars between the U.S. and other nations, particularly China, have been a roller coaster, for sure. President Trump says he was able to reach an agreement with China last weekend. As I understand it, we will lower our tariffs from 145% to 30% and China’s tariffs on U.S. goods will drop from 125% …
We recently started a new project on 60 acres of formerly developed land that is now a long-abandoned industrial site. In the time the site has been vacant, foliage has grown, making it a potential nesting place for bats. Since some of these species might be endangered, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Alabama …
Being a regional general contractor comes with a few perks, one of which is exploring the places where we are privileged to work. I recently traveled to the Gulf Coast to visit a project we are finishing there, and took a detour to visit the site of a project we built almost 30 years ago …
Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with a former manager for the great developer Trammell Crow, a major player across several sectors of real estate development in both the U.S. and Europe. He and the company are known for their quality work. My friend recounted an interesting conversation he had with Trammell when he first …
When we first launched our business in 1984, we were the definition of low tech. There was no email, all our phones were landlines and there was no scheduling software. Hard copy plans were the only option. As I consider how our processes have evolved over the years, most of it is for the better, …
March Madness is upon us, and for the first time ever, I participated in our company’s “March Madness Bracket Challenge” that one of our sharp young APM’s put together. He told me his mother picks the teams based on which mascots she likes, and maybe I should have done the same thing. I might be …
For years, I have heard about a decreasing quantity of trades people entering the workforce. When we add in the impact of covid, it seems the challenge is even greater. I recently read a statistic that over the next dozen years or so, the high school graduation rate is expected to drop by about 10%, …
It seems like our executive branch is playing a baseball game with the tariffs. Everyday is like a replay of the old Abbott and Costello, skit “Who’s on First.” The White House promised to restore a true 25% tariff on steel imports and elevate the tariff to 25% on aluminum imports, eliminating the loopholes that …
While technology has changed, and we have a lot more tools in the toolbox, email is still the primary business communication for most of us. It has the advantage of being an easy searchable virtual paper trail. However, it can be nuanced, lack context and personality, and even feel a little cold. Over the years, …
When I first got started in the construction business, I was hesitant to turn down new projects. We might have been overwhelmed and understaffed, but I wanted to say “yes” and expand our customer base and portfolio. In those early years, I learned that hard way that outrunning your infrastructure is bad for multiple reasons. …