Summer vacations are winding down and most of us are back at work dealing with the day-to-day issues of making our companies successful in this booming economy. Of course, good times also present challenges, such as finding and retaining qualified employees, but all in all it’s a lot better than what our industry was experiencing less than a decade ago.

ABC is here to serve our member companies and help you address whatever needs you may have. I have noticed that many of our members are unaware of all the services we offer, and many can help your company address the challenges of keeping up with the growing demands we are facing.

Membership in the Merit Apprenticeship Program helps create a much-needed talent pipeline.  Apprentices in a range of trades qualify for the apprenticeship requirements associated with public jobs.

The Gould Construction Institute is a fully licensed training school that can help turn construction from a job into a satisfying career for many of your workers, and thereby making them more motivated and likely to stay with your company long term.

A new multiemployer 401(k) Plan enhances your recruitment and retention by providing good employee benefits at a competitive price.  It also frees you from most of the burden of administering the plan, allowing you to concentrate on construction.

ABC’s legal assistance and government affairs representation is the voice of merit shop construction, fighting for our members’ right to compete in a fair and open marketplace.

A full slate of educational and networking events keeps members informed, trained on the best and most current practices in a fast-changing industry, and connected within the industry for potential business opportunities.

ABC MeritChoice Insurance is a strategic growth partner for contractors.  This money-saving insurance is provided to member firms with objective, resource-based solutions that better equip them to attract, retain and reward employees so each company can grow consistently and profitably.

The ABC Mass. Workers’ Compensation Self-Insurance Group offers predictability, control, effective loss prevention and claims management, rate stability and dividend returns.

Our annual Excellence in Construction and Safety, Training and Education Program Awards provide wide recognition for the accomplishments of member companies.

A variety of member discounts cover everything from vehicle purchases and gasoline savings to telephone services and shipping.

And our services don’t just benefit business owners. Every employee of a member company is also a member. This both benefits workers and is a selling point that can help employers recruit a quality workforce in the midst of a construction labor shortage.

The key to maintaining and growing these offerings is membership, which, I’m happy to say has also been rising of late.  There’s no better way to recruit and maintain members than through referrals, so I thought I’d take this opportunity to provide you with some of the reasons why the top-notch open shop contractors you work with on projects and others involved in the construction industry should join ABC Massachusetts.

By telling potential members about the benefits of ABC membership, you’re helping them and also helping yourself.  The more we grow, the more we can do to help your business.

If you have any questions, require further information on any of our member benefits, or have someone who’s interested in joining ABC, have them contact Membership Director Ken Ledwak at ken@abcma.org or (781) 273-0123.  I bet they’ll thank you for it – and so will your fellow members.

Thanks and please accept my very best wishes to you all for continued success and prosperity.

Joe Barbone is the 2017 chairman of the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. – Mass. Chapter, Woburn, Mass. and is the president and CEO of Methuen Construction, Plaistow, N.H.