50 Years of Building Relationships
American Subcontractors Association of Western Pennsylvania launches scholarship program, continues tradition of service and advocacy
In its 50 years of helping subcontractors and specialty trade contractors, the American Subcontractors Association of Western Pennsylvania (ASA WPA) has developed events and services to enhance its business operations. This year’s goal: create a scholarship program to address the shortage of young people entering into trades.
“Our mission is to improve the business environment in the construction industry through advocacy, communications, education and networking,” says ASA WPA Executive Director Angie Wentz. “Through the organization of the scholarship fund, we hope to address the shortage in getting the younger generation to pay attention to construction trades. This is a very important issue that everyone in the industry is facing.”
The organization’s board of directors and the scholarship committee are committed to setting up the scholarship fund, promoting it and getting it up and running, Wentz says.
“We anticipate the funds working within the entire construction community, both union and nonunion that do training for trades,” she says. “Those particular programs all have costs associated with them. There are many things students can do with a scholarship that doesn’t have to be all tuition related.”
Education for Future and Current Members
The scholarship fund is one piece of the group’s mission for education. That component of its mission statement is designed to assist with business management, Wentz says.
One of the key benefits of membership in ASA WPA is assistance with reviewing contracts. “We educate them on examining the language of the documents that they’re signing,” Wentz says. “We have attorney members who review and see where they are vulnerable and advise them on how best to protect themselves. These contracts are very detailed, and you almost need a law degree to decipher them. We understand that they are often small-business owners, and most don’t have a legal department.”
“The attorneys who attend the meetings decipher the language and new issues that are popping up in contracts and keep our members updated,” she says.
Monthly meetings from September to May now include a 15- to 20-minute discussion on a topic relevant to subcontractors. Recent topics have included tax changes, use of drones on construction projects, and the legalization of medical marijuana in Pennsylvania and how that will impact drug testing for the construction industry.
The meetings feature a speaker who addresses economic issues—market conditions, upcoming projects, and the latest on unemployment and how it affects the industry.
“Being a part of the association has been great,” says Randy Mongiovi, Senior Vice President of Mongiovi & Son Fire Protection Services, LP and President of the ASA WPA board of directors. “The monthly meetings allow me to discuss ideas with other contractors and get feedback on how various clients operate. Being an ASA member also provides opportunities to talk with general contractors one-on-one for five to 10 minutes when they come to speak at the monthly meetings. That’s valuable because trying to reach that potential customer can be difficult.”
The topics addressed at the meetings are also helpful because finding those resources to gather information can be elusive, he says.
Networking and Communication
The group also focuses on helping its members meet contractors and other subcontractors. “We network with general contractors who are leaders in the construction industry,” Wentz says. “It is crucial for them, as well as our members, to develop good working relationships because they can’t complete their projects without these trades.”
ASA WPA hosts an annual Networking Evening in February—complete with a three-piece instrumental jazz band and a premium wine bar—to bring general contractors and subcontractors together.
“We are the smallest construction association in Pittsburgh, but our event brings everyone together—from the general contractors to all of the trades—and the reason it is so successful is that it is all about networking,” Wentz says. “We only have high-top tables—no sitting. There is plenty of space to eat and drink and walk around. We fill that room up with as many general contractors as we can, and they know when they’re coming to this event that there will be a variety of subcontractors with whom they can do business.”
Beyond the annual gala, there are 45-minute networking opportunities before each of the monthly meetings. Those gatherings are a great way to build referrals from within the membership, she says. “I tell people who are looking to join our organization that one of the hidden benefits are the trade referrals. Often, if our members find a need on a jobsite they refer their fellow members to the general contractors.”
The meetings also allow members to talk about jobs they are currently working or have just finished. They can share the processes of each project and learn from one another.
“It is all about business, and there are times that these meetings help a member get a foot in the door with a general contractor they’ve been wanting to work with,” Wentz says. It is always beneficial when the members get to network with the general contractors.”
Industry Advocacy
ASA WPA takes pride in providing a voice for its members. “We promote the protection of the rights of subcontractors and specialty trade contractors to improve the business environment in which they operate, before all branches of government and the construction industry,” Wentz says.
More than three-quarters of the construction performed in the United States is performed by subcontractors, according to the American Subcontractors Association national organization. Members range from small, family-owned plastering subcontractors to multimillion-dollar commercial mechanical subcontractors. Regardless of size, their work is subject to general business laws and regulations (income tax, antitrust), laws and regulations specific to the construction industry (mechanic’s lien, anti-bid shopping, prompt pay), and the private law of the subcontracts that describe subcontractors’ performance obligations and allocate risk.
ASA WPA and the national organization serve as a united voice dedicated to improving the business environment in the construction industry, representing subcontractors before all branches (executive, legislative, judicial) and levels (federal, state, local) of government, Wentz says, as well as with organizations representing other parts of the construction industry and the news media. “We represent both union and non-union companies with that same enthusiasm. We don’t limit the number of trades who can participate. For instance, we have three steel erectors and several painting companies that are both union and non-union.
In Wentz’s 16-year tenure, the chapter has grown from 25 members to its current 85 member companies. Each of those member companies and its employees can participate in events.
Reaching Above and Beyond
Each year, the organization hosts an annual fundraising golf outing to support different charities, including Habitat for Humanity and Hosanna Industries, Inc.
Hosanna Industries mission workers build and repair homes for needy households, mobilize relief works to disaster areas and train young people in construction skills.
Golf tournament proceeds this year will go toward ASA WPA’s new scholarship fund.
“These tradesmen are passionate about what they do, and we want to share that enthusiasm and support throughout the community. The scholarships are one way we can do that,” she says.