Building relationships which enable "project teaming" continues to be an essential element for the future growth of our industry. Owners expect design and construction professionals to come together quickly, work as a team and deliver a project that meets or exceeds the owner's goals and required outcomes. This is not an unreasonable expectation but requires exceptionally strong interdisciplinary ties.
Traditionally the way to build these relationships has been to let them develop organically. As you progress in your career, you work on projects with other professionals where you have intense contact for a period of time and then you go on your separate ways, possibly reconnecting on another project years later. But the demands of today's design, construction and real estate development markets require many more and much stronger business relationships, which requires industry professionals to build upon those organic relationships, by connecting more frequently with a focus on developing long term connections. The best way that I have found to do this is through industry organizations.
As president of the Connecticut Building Congress (CBC), I believe we are an organization uniquely positioned to help grow these "project teaming" relationships. Our monthly programs provide a structured, but open environment to address changes in our industry with our members and friends. Our membership spans the industry, incorporating owners, property managers, design professionals, contractors, suppliers, lawyers and consultants. It is always a thrill to see colleagues from past projects at a CBC event or to be pleasantly surprised at the next project meeting when you see someone you just had dinner with at a CBC function.
We are excited about our calendar of events this year. We will address several pressing issues in the industry like changes in insurance and the growing role of owner's representatives. We will learn from project teams about recently completed projects like the soon-to-be completed Hartford baseball stadium and a 2015 CBC Project Team Award winner. Programs are held across the state, many are at venues which offer an opportunity to explore newly constructed facilities or see emerging technologies in practice. Our evening program format affords attendees direct access to speakers, from both the public and private sectors, to discuss topics in a professional yet collegial atmosphere.
Our "Magic Bus Tour" program is a unique event that we host each spring. You can view videos of our past tours (New Haven and Waterbury) on our YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1rv9O7PPIEuOGZxVd-t6cg. This year, we are visiting Bridgeport where we will explore the city's architectural history and with an eye towards its current and future development.
As always, our year ends with our project team awards and scholarship dinner where we honor the year's best project teams and acknowledge with financial support some of the industry's brightest future leaders.
These are challenging times for our industry, but there is no better way to work through the challenges than with a dedicated team of professionals who you know both professionally and socially. Come join us at www.cbc-ct.org to learn from one of our programs, and stay to help develop your next project team.

Follow us on Twitter @CTBldgCongress, reconnect with CBC members on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/grp/home?gid=4135029.

Catherine Ellithorpe of The SLAM Collaborative is the president of the Connecticut Building Congress, Rocky Hill, Conn.