Changes Are Afoot

Associated General Contractors of Alaska’s vibrant footprint in the Interior evolves

arlier this year the Associated General Contractors, or AGC, of Alaska held its annual construction spending forecast in both Anchorage and Fairbanks, sponsored by the Construction Industry Progress Fund, or CIPF. You can read more about the forecast here.

Those who attended the Fairbanks forecast breakfast might have noticed that it was not held in the training room at the office on Bonita Street that AGC has owned for decades. The forecast was instead delivered at the Westmark Fairbanks Hotel and Conference Center in Downtown Fairbanks. AGC of Alaska listed the Bonita Street property for sale, and it was under contract as we began the move to new, leased office space in Downtown Fairbanks.

Prior to the Online Plans service moving online, AGC’s Fairbanks office saw a substantial amount of foot traffic from contractors stopping by to copy plans and specifications for jobs they were bidding. The building was also frequently used for in-person training. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to excel at virtual training, and the convenience of that option made it the preferred format even after our routines returned to normal.

AGC constantly evolves to meet our mission to advocate, educate, and promote the construction industry. Our current building no longer met our needs. The AGC of Alaska Board of Directors voted unanimously to direct staff to sell the building and move to leased office space at its spring 2023 meeting. That decision kicked off an exhaustive process of identifying requirements for a new space, reviewing commercial space for lease throughout Fairbanks, and running budget calculations to ensure the change would not have a negative long-term effect on the association’s finances.

While the location where AGC hangs its shingle has changed, many of the activities, events, and partnerships that we forge in the Golden Heart City continue. Members braved the -40°F degree cold in January to attend the Construction Spending Forecast. In February, the annual Bowl-A-Thon fundraiser, a sold-out event, was held at Nugget Lanes on Fort Wainwright to raise funds to support education. Members will learn about contracting opportunities from a variety of public and private owners at Spring Agency Day at the Taiga Center on Wedgewood Resort’s campus April 11, followed by the spring AGC membership meeting April 12. Later this summer, the annual golf tournament will return to Chena Bend, where thirty-six teams will compete for a variety of trophies while raising proceeds to support our missions.

These missions include ongoing support of the AGC Student Chapter at UAF. This group of students competes annually in national competitions for both Steel Bridge and Concrete Canoe. AGC’s support allows them to undertake these expensive endeavors that teach real-world lessons about schedule, budget, and constructability, which will be important as they enter our industry. AGC’s members also provide direct guidance and mentorship to these students by being guest speakers at club meetings and providing feedback when reviewing résumés.

AGC continues to partner with the Construction Management program at the Community and Technical College at UAF. The program has seen a 51 percent increase in enrollment year over year. This increase can be attributed to outreach and advertising supported by AGC and its members, a shift to offering online options for students, and a commitment from the university to field a program that meets the needs of its industry partners.

Change is constant, and it is more obvious around AGC in Fairbanks these days, but know that the good work your association is doing in the Interior is continuing. These changes will increase our staff’s ability to focus on our core mission and ensure we have the resources available to continue to support our members’ needs. The next time you are in Fairbanks, stop by our new location at 100 Cushman Street, Suite 402, and see AGC’s new footprint in Alaska’s second-largest city.