ABC of Western Washington represents over 500 general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and industry professionals, both union and open shop, who are united in the beliefs that:
- Projects should be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, or owner's contractor of choice, regardless of labor affiliation.
- Union and open shop workers should be able to work side-by-side to provide the best project for the owner.
- Workers should have the choice of whether they wish to join a union or not.
- Workers should be rewarded on the basis of their individual skill and initiative.
A merit shop project provides the best value to the construction owner.
This is
ABC's Merit Shop philosophy.
Associated Builders & Contractors of Western Washington is the premier construction association supporting freedom of economic opportunity through political influence, financial growth, and effective personal and professional growth, led by an involved membership.
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national association with 75 chapters representing 23,000 merit shop construction and construction-related firms with two million employees. ABC's membership represents all specialties within the U.S. construction industry and is comprised primarily of firms that perform work in the industrial and commercial sectors of the industry.
- ABC is the construction industry's voice with the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the federal government and with state and local governments, as well as with the news media.
- ABC's mission is the advancement of the merit shop construction philosophy, which encourages open competition and a free-enterprise approach that awards contracts based solely on merit, regardless of labor affiliation.
- Through its national office and chapters, ABC's objective is to provide its members with an organization to deal with issues on an industry-wide basis.
- ABC's activities include government representation, legal advocacy, education, workforce development, communications, technology, recognition through national and chapter awards programs, employee benefits, information on best practices and business development through an online contractor search directory.
ABC was founded in 1950 when seven contractors gathered in Baltimore, Md. to create an association based on the shared belief that construction projects should be awarded on merit to the most qualified and responsible low bidders. Their courage and dedication to the merit shop philosophy spread rapidly, and within time, ABC became the fastest-growing association in the United States. Today,
ABC is recognized as one of the leading organizations representing America's business community and the U.S. construction industry.
To learn more about ABC and what we stand for, click
here.
Associated Builders & Contractors of Western Washington advances the principles of free enterprise and merit in the construction industry and provides members, their employees and the construction industry with opportunities to succeed by promoting safe, quality, sustainable construction.
Steve Klimek
Chair
Redhawk Group
Erin VerHoeven
Immediate Past Chair
Corstone Contractors, LLC
Amanda Grindle
Chair Elect
Muir Contracting, Inc.
Ryan Haggard
Vice Chair: Government & Labor Affairs
Haggard Electrical Contractors
Larry Newton
Vice-Chair: Membership
Lovsted-Worthington, LLC
Jeff Harding
Vice Chair: ABC's Development & Education
Premier Builders Inc.
Mark VanWell
Secretary/Treasurer
VanWell Masonry
Directors:
Jaimee Creek
Synergy Contruction, Inc.
Jon Havelock
Med-Tox Northwest
Dawn Lanz
McMullen Electric, Inc.
Richard Malowney
HUB International NW, LLC
Greg Nolten
Dochnahl Construction, Inc.
Brian Pahlow
NCM Contracting Group
Ken Snyder
Graham Contracting, Ltd.
Jim Stockburger
Davis Schueller, Inc
Charlie Poggemann
Kirtley-Cole Associates