PCCA 2008 Convenes in Mexico

More than 250 PCCA members, including 30 first-timers, convened at the Fiesta American Grande in Los Cabos, Mexico, Feb. 1-6, for the 63rd annual PCCA Convention.

The convention featured the official launching of PCCA’s Young Construction Professionals (YCP) program, educational sessions targeted specifically to the industry, a keynote from a top AT&T executive, an information-packed Construction Industry Roundtable, the annual Associates Exhibit and much more.
 
The highlight of the convention’s first full day was the  first YCP educational session, Leadership for Peak
Performance, led by FMI’s Andy Patron. He discussed when to manage and when to lead, improving leadership skills and how to work together for peak performance. YCP is an active, ongoing effort that will hold sessions at all future PCCA meetings.

Sunday was the convention’s busiest day, kicking off with the annual PCCA Prayer Breakfast, which included a heartbreaking, yet uplifting presentation by Michael and Michelle Tessendorf of Helping Hands in Africa, a group bringing help and hope to African communities devastated by poverty and HIV and AIDS.
As always, the Construction Industry Roundtable combined insightful reports from several industry sectors, lots of Q&A and in-depth discussions on a variety of issues. Mears Group’s John Fluharty moderated the discussion.

Monday morning was set aside for educational sessions, and members crowded into both sessions: 10 Rules for Financial Success and Attracting and Retaining a Quality Workforce. The convention’s final day started with the eighth annual Associates Exhibit & Breakfast, where contractors visited with their manufacturing and supplying colleagues to discuss their jobsite needs and learn about the vendors’ latest solutions.

One of the biggest crowds for any of the sessions was for the AT&T Keynote with Rick Resnick, AT&T senior vice president of global network field operations. He explained the post-merger of “new AT&T,” which is now the largest communications holding company in the world with more than 300,000 employees. Resnick reported that in the fourth quarter of 2007, AT&T had double-digit growth in wireless revenues, positive growth in enterprise service revenues and continued growth in regional business revenues.

The convention’s last day was also Fat Tuesday, so the theme for the closing party was a no-brainer: Mardi Gras in Mexico. Everybody donned beads and masks and danced the night away, celebrating yet another successful PCCA convention.

PCCA 2009 is March 13-18 at the Fairmont Orchid on Hawaii’s Big Island.