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GUCA Hosts Industry Meeting, Management Conference
North Carolina Chapter Undertakes 11th-Hour Mission to Capitol Hill
Another Banner Year for the NUCA Damage Prevention & Claims Avoidance Program
New Members
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| GUCA President Ricky Harp
addresses attendees at the
chapter’s Winter Management Conference in Colorado. |
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GUCA Hosts Industry Meeting, Management Conference
The Georgia Utility Contractors Association Inc. (GUCA) held an area industry meeting at Sconyers BBQ in Augusta, Ga., on Jan. 14. The 57 contractors, vendors and guests were updated by GUCA President Ricky Harp (Richard Harp Excavation Inc.) and GUCA Executive Director Vikki McReynolds on upcoming events, safety classes, legislative issues and industry issues, including holds put on federal regulations such as E-Verify and the Confined Space Rules. The meeting was sponsored by GUCA member Construction Perfected Inc.
Three days later, GUCA opened its 2009 Winter Management Conference (January 17-21) at the Elevation Hotel & Spa in Crested Butte, Colo. Braving snow and cold weather, more than 40 members and guests attended. Companies represented included: Archer Western Contractors Ltd.; Douglas Electrical & Plumbing Inc.; H&H Insurance Services Inc.; Richard Harp Excavation Inc.; Powell & Booth PC; Schulten, Ward & Turner LLP; Southern Trenching Inc.; John D. Stephens Inc.; Turpin Inc.; Utilities Protection Center; and Willow Construction Inc.
In addition to skiing and snowmobiling, attendees enjoyed educational sessions and presentations, including: “Current and Future Tax Issues” and “Your Company vs. Surety” by GUCA members Craig Pate and Andrew Talman of Powell & Booth, PC; “Advantages of Pollution Insurance” by GUCA Member Mike Jones, H & H Insurance Services Inc.; and “Lien Law Updates” by new GUCA member Tom Richelo, Schulten, Ward & Turner LLP.
For more information about GUCA, please visit www.guca.com.
North Carolina Chapter Undertakes 11th-Hour Mission to Capitol Hill
On Jan. 27, the North Carolina Utility Contractors Association (NCUCA) undertook an 11th hour advocacy mission in support of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. NCUCA’s mission — an example of grassroots lobbying at its finest — was to advise the members of the North Carolina Congressional Delegation on the importance of water and wastewater infrastructure funding, rural water system funding, highway infrastructure funding, broadband infrastructure funding and certain tax provisions in the bill.
Putting a personal face on the issue, NCUCA team members shared with their lawmakers how the current recession has affected their firms and employment levels. They also assured them that state and local water authorities and private industry had the need and the capacity to put the funds to work immediately and have a positive impact on private sector employment. The NCUCA teams were accompanied and assisted by NUCA Government Relations Vice President Eben Wyman and Government Relations Coordinator Ben Gann throughout the day.
For more information about NCUCA, visit the Web site at www.ncuca.org.
Another Banner Year for the NUCA Damage Prevention & Claims Avoidance Program
Ron Peterson (pictured) — Vice President of the Pipeline Assessment Division of TWS Technical Services LLC in Kansas City, Mo. — has, for the last three years, served as Program Administrator for the NUCA Damage Prevention and Claims Avoidance Program (CAP), providing consultation on both damage prevention and investigation free of charge to NUCA members. In terms of dollars saved in claims avoidance and litigation this valuable member benefit has been extremely successful, saving NUCA members nearly $1,000,000 in claims since its inception.
Of the 101 claims Peterson handled in 2008, 21 were reversed and 42 were substantially reduced. The remaining cases broke down as follows: 29 were settled by the client after consultation with Peterson, four could not be mitigated (client at fault) and five were still pending at press time.
From a safety point of view, it is important to note that three of the four that could not be mitigated involved the failure to call for a utility locate, the fourth a failure to hand dig to verify the markings. Remember: Calling 811 before you dig is the smart and responsible thing to do.
New Members
Crestline Paving & Excavating Co. Inc.
Jerry L. James
1913 Nebraska Ave.
Toledo, OH 43607
Work: (419) 536-8229
Fax: (419) 536-1351
Email: jreams@crestlinepaving.com
Web: www.crestlinepaving.com
On Site Developers
Kim Pelletir
61 Poland Brook Rd.
Terryville, CT 06786
Work: (860) 583-1174
Fax: (860) 583-5258
Email: krptrucks@yahoo.com
Stella May Contracting Inc.
Lauren Rotundo
1512 Edgewood Rd.
Edgewood, MD 21040
Work: (410) 679-8306
Fax: (410) 679-3642
Email: laurierotundo@stellamay.com
Web: www.stellamay.com
Bituminous Casualty Corp.
Jean Whyte
445 Union Blvd., Ste. 310
Lakewood, CO 80228
Work: (303) 985-9494
Fax: (303) 985-0808
Email: jwhyte@bituminousinsurance.com
Web: www.bitiminousinsurance.com
Mississippi Valley Equipment Co.
Karl Bogle
1198 Pershall Rd.
St Louis, MO 63137
Work: (314) 869-8600
Fax: (314) 869-6862
Email: kbogle@mve-stl.com
Web: www.mve-stl.com
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