NAWIC Annual Conference Session Descriptions

Wednesday, August 15NEF Certification Course — Estimating and Scheduling Practitioner (ESP)Peggy Newquist

Estimating Types of estimates • Estimating general and job overhead• Accounting for allowances• Alternates in the bid proposal• Estimator skills and attributes

The fundamentals of preparing estimates for the major trades

Scheduling A step-by-step approach is provided in preparing project schedules using the critical path method and precedence schedules. The importance of schedule adjustments is discussed to provide realistic and valid information for decision making. The comprehensive analysis of scheduling provides the attendee with an understanding of the optimal work sequence and the impact of deviations on the work schedule and, ultimately, on the project’s cost.

NAWIC Chapter President Leadership Training

Stepping into the top chapter leadership role can be daunting. This session will help ensure that you understand your role and responsibilities. You’ll hear from volunteer leaders, as well as NAWIC’s attorney and CPA. Topics include mandatory legal and financial reports, budgeting, chapter deadlines, resources and tools from NAWIC, committees, strategic planning and more. (For incoming Chapter Presidents or leadership. Registration is required to reserve your place. You can register for this session on the Annual Conference registration form.)

Thursday, August 16

NAWIC Annual Meeting

Join us as we kick off the Annual Conference with the latest news and updates from NAWIC, as well as an overview of what’s in store at the conference.

• Site work • Concrete • Masonry• Structural steel

• Interior finishes• Mechanical construction• Electrical construction

Sinkholes and Why They HappenFrank Vitale, L.R.E. Ground Services, Inc., and Laurel Hall, Ground Down Engineering

A gigantic hole opening up under/near our most expensive investment – our home. We’ve all seen sinkholes in the news, but do we understand them? How and why do they happen? Is my home at risk? How do I know if I have a sinkhole? Can my home be repaired? Inquiring minds will receive answers to these questions and more.

Managing Risk to Maximize MarginsAnn Hickman, CPCU, CRIS, ARM, International Risk Management Institute

Construction margins are notoriously thin, leaving little room for unexpected costs. By proactively pursuing a risk management strategy, risk can be identified and managed so that when the worst case happens, the project and the company can withstand the impact. In this session, you’ll learn the basic tools for identifying and managing the project risks that keep you up at night, as well as those lurking in the shadows.

You Are Capable of Amazing Things: An Interactive Lesson in Time ManagementAngela Highland, CIT

Using a creative and interactive method, we will assess your current schedule, identify your priorities and create a plan so you can organize, track and achieve your daily responsibilities. We’re going to modernize the traditional “to-do list,” get focused on what’s truly important, and build new habit muscles to achieve the thoughtful and actionable steps necessary to lead a success-“full” life!

Safety’s Impact on Women in the Construction Industry — From PPE to Harassment and Bullying: How These Affect Recruiting and Retaining Women (and What’s OSHA Doing About It)Kathi Dobson

PPE that doesn’t fit and isn’t available, lousy sanitation facilities and underlying issues of harassment all affect how inclusive the construction industry is for women. OSHA’s National Alliance is working to draw attention to these concerns and to make positive changes for all women. Join Kathi Dobson, Alliance co-chair, as she offers a review of these real-life challenges and discusses how NAWIC is working to align these issues within OSHA’s emphasis programs.

Dobson

Hall

Hickman

Highland

Vitale

Walk, Talk and Negotiate for High Stakes ResultsLinda Swindling, JD, CSP

What would be possible if you could master the art of deal making and high-stakes communication? Linda shares negotiation strategies learned as a partner of a law firm and in her extensive work with CEOs. Whether you want to positively influence decision makers at work, negotiate significant business deals or powerfully persuade stakeholders, this program will help you improve your outcomes when the results matter.

Battling Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Employee Rights and Employer ResponsibilitiesLillian C. Moon, Akerman LLP

With the sexual harassment allegations in Hollywood and other industries, the definitions of illegal harassment have become unclear. Concerns about addressing and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace have become a top concern for employees and employers alike. In this presentation, you’ll gain an understanding of the legal definition of sexual harassment, employee rights under the law, employer responsibilities, and best practices for addressing and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.

8 Strategies for Aspiring LeadersJim Bouchard

This highly interactive session focuses on the ever-changing circumstances and conditions you face as an emerging leader in the construction industry. Realize your potential and become a leader in your organization and your community. You’ll leave with actionable strategies and tactics you can put to work TODAY!

Keynote Luncheon: When It Helps to be a Smart AskLinda Swindling, JD, CSP

The strongest friendships, top sales teams and most successful businesses have one thing in common: courageous people who feel the fear and still ask for what they want. Back by popular demand, Linda Swindling will reveal how to overcome the top tricks and tactics designed to throw you off during a negotiation. You will discover how people like to be asked and implement the strategies for getting top results. Find out how to use your own communication biases to stay calm under pressure and stop holding yourself back. Asking for what you want doesn’t require you to make an obnoxious “ask” out of yourself. Instead, it’s time to become a Smart Ask.Swindling

Swindling

Moon

Bouchard

Friday, August 18General Session: Diversity and Workforce DevelopmentPanel Discussion

You’ll hear a panel of industry professionals discussing the challenges and opportunities in all companies dealing with diversity.

Setting Boundaries — 3 Keys for Handling Difficult PeopleJan Spence

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we lived in a world where everyone gets along and does what they’re supposed to do, when they’re supposed to do it, and do it the way WE want it done? Unfortunately, that is rarely a reality in today’s dynamic, fast-paced world. Vendors who over-promise and under-deliver, clients who won’t return phone calls and colleagues who don’t follow through can leave even the most patient person disappointed and frustrated. In this high-impact, interactive session, Jan will share actionable tools you can use to set boundaries, maintain a more positive outlook, and ultimately be more productive when faced with challenging individuals.

Silica Dust — OSHA Regulation and SolutionsSponsored by Hilti

The new OSHA respirable crystalline silica dust regulation offers several options for compliance, and Hilti wants to help you understand what has changed.

General Session: Industry Outlook/AwarenessPanel Discussion

Details to be published soon

Introduction to Emotional IntelligenceLeasa Geelings, JE Dunn

Any career professional, regardless of position or time in the workforce, can develop her “non-technical” skills. These skills, sometimes referred to as people skills, are also known as “Emotional Intelligence.” You’ll learn about the domains of emotional intelligence, understand how emotional intelligence can build your career, evaluate your own EQ traits and develop an action plan to strengthen one or two of your traits.

Geelings

Spence

The Rise of Drones in ConstructionLaurie Soleim

This workshop will cover different types of drone work taking place in construction. It will break down the information needed to decide whether companies should outsource or keep the activity in-house. Drone models of different sizes and types will be available for viewing.

Soleim

Start Talking — Connect with Introverts and Extroverts, EverywhereNancy McCabe, CPPC

Personalities of hundreds of people you interact with every day are mysteries to be solved. Create your personal Start Talking playbook in this workshop! • Discover where you land on the spectrum of Introvert to Extrovert• Explore personality types, shatter myths and challenge stereotypes • Create plans for making real connections and communicating like a pro

Move Up! Everything You Need to Know About the Job Search, Resumes and Interviews Panel from the Emerging Professionals Committee: Romina Byrd, SHRM, CP, Director of Education and Training, Miller and Long Co., Inc. Kizzy Ferrer, CIT, Assistant Project Manager, Boyer Building Corporation

Want to grow your professional career? Worried about how to prepare for that interview or land that promotion? We invite you to a highly interactive panel discussion which features panel participants from a range of career levels. You’ll hear about experience from both sides of the negotiating table and personal stories, as well as a Q&A on career paths and insights on professional development. After the session, you’re invited to network with panelists and other attendees.

Mock Board MeetingCatherine Schoenenberger, NAWIC President, and Beth Brooks, NAWIC EVP

Are your Board meetings “bored” meetings? Chapter board meetings, when run correctly, can be fast and efficient. This interactive session will show you how to correctly run a meeting, define who the key players are and learn how to handle unusual situations.

N. McCabe

Schoenenberger Brooks

Byrd Ferrer

Saturday, August 19Succeeding in a Male-Dominated IndustryBarb Allen, LEED AP

A major key to succeeding in a male-dominated industry is finding your leadership voice. To do this, you have to understand the difference between male and female conversational styles, create a diverse network, promote yourself and your career path, and adapt! Barb will lead you through her journey to success, sharing the lessons she learned as she found her leadership voice.

Allen

Closing Brunch: Following your Passion for the TradesKayleen McCabe, former host of the DIY Network Series “Rescue Renovation”

Kayleen will share her story on how important it is to follow your passion in order to make a measurable difference in the construction industry.

Her passion for the trades was put to the test on “Rescue Renovation,” the DIY Network series she hosted for five seasons. Today, this licensed contractor, sought-after speaker and the 2009 winner of DIY’s Stud Finder competition funnels her know-how and innovative spirit toward a more pressing need than outdated wall paneling: Vocational advocacy and awareness.

Kayleen’s non-profit organization, The McCabe Foundation, tightens America’s skills gap by encouraging young men and women to consider careers in our nation’s most undervalued, unfilled sector: the trades. A familiar face at industry events and in schools across the nation, Kayleen partners exclusively with respected partners including Skills USA.

When she’s not knocking down stereotypes or walls, Kayleen caters to a wide array of clients on custom projects ranging from pergolas and decks to furniture and custom storage.

The Art of Construction ManagementDoreen Bartoldus, PE, CCM, LEED GA, ENV SP

Project delivery methods will be shown, and you’ll learn how they influence construction management projects and risk. You’ll get an overview of the different types of project delivery through case studies, and you’ll learn how these methods affect how you do your job. The presentation will include a conversation of project controls and what “art” is required for true successful project/construction management.

Bartoldus

K. McCabe