The holiday season typically elicits a wide variety of emotions, the most common being "nervous optimism." On one hand, the holidays are a time for family, friends, and good cheer. On the other, they can also be a time of stress and anxiety. This is especially true in the current economy.

In a broader sense, however, the holidays represent the end of one year and the beginning of a new one. No doubt many people will find the thought of a fresh start appealing. For a lot of ABC companies, 2010 was a difficult grind; for that matter, so was 2009.

If the past two years have taught us anything, it's that patience is indeed a virtue. While nobody expects 2011 to bring a significant turnaround, there are reasons to be optimistic. For one, there will be better political balance in Washington, D.C. come January. As a result, the so-called Employee Free Choice Act will have zero chance of passage in the Republican controlled House of Representatives.
With the re-election of governor Patrick, we will have to work hard to make our case that open and fair bidding is the best thing for our industry, our workers - 80% of whom are not in unions - and the taxpaying public. As our 2010 Excellence in Construction award winners demonstrate, ABC members have earned the right to compete fairly in any marketplace.

Working under the merit shop philosophy, with open shop and union firms alike, ABC's contractors have made outstanding contributions to the Massachusetts construction marketplace. One of our non-partisan awards judges commented that it should be obvious that any policy that excludes open shop contractors is bad for the industry. One of our goals for 2011 is to grow ABC: More members... more clout ....less chance to be denied work.

ABC has been hard at work for several months now laying the foundation for another successful and eventful year. Senator Scott Brown will kick it off when he addresses the membership on January 7, 2011. In the coming weeks and months, stay tuned for more information on our events for the upcoming year!

Mark Roberts of A & M Construction Co., Inc. will take the helm as ABC chairman for 2011 in January and I wish him the very best. Mark is a committed leader who will do his part to ensure that ABC is a strong and healthy association that stays in touch with our members' diverse needs.
In closing, I want to thank all of you who helped make my tenure as ABC chairman rewarding and memorable. I particularly want to thank those of you whose active participation helps make ABC a great organization.
I wish you, your families, and your companies a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy Holiday season!

Kyle Reagan is the 2010 chairman of the ABC-Mass. Chapter, Burlington and is with DECCO, Inc., Brookline, NH.