Montpelier, VT – The Associated General Contractors Of Vermont (AGC/VT) announced it has won its third national award in as many years. Recently, the association won a Power of Associations Gold Award from the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) for its successful “Run to Win” election advocacy initiative.
“Congratulations to AGC/VT for exemplifying the impact associations have on the industries and professions they represent, and on society at large,” said ASAE president and CEO, Michelle Mason, FASAE, CAE. “It’s always so incredibly satisfying to see associations going above and beyond their everyday mission to change the world. We’re very proud to spotlight this award-winning initiative.”
“We are very honored that AGC/VT, a statewide association, is one of the only statewide associations to win,” said Richard Wobby, executive vice president of AGC/VT. “The other winners included national heavyweight organizations including the American Bankers Association, American Pharmacists Association, National Retail Federation, and the Society for Neuroscience, but this brave little state association stands among them.”
Led by its government affairs committee and supported by the board of directors, AGC/VT launched a six month, comprehensive and multi-faceted “Run to Win” election program aimed at educating, building relationships, and helping elect construction champions to the Vermont legislature and statewide offices.
“We realized there was a unique opportunity for us to engage Vermonters running for elected office in a way that we had never done before as an organization,” explained Government Affairs Committee Chair Cheryl Harvey, co-partner of Harvey’s Plumbing and Excavating. “As an association, we have worked hard to build a credible rapport with lawmakers and government officials in Montpelier. The Run to Win program was our chance to introduce ourselves, educate people on the work we do as companies and an industry as a whole, build relationships, and help the new elected officials land on their feet in an environment that can take years to understand.”
The Run to Win campaign was launched in response to the 2022 election cycle, which saw a record number of legislators and statewide officials, almost one-third, announce they were retiring or intended to seek higher office. The Run to Win initiative offered a free candidate training program available to everyone running in the primary. AGC/VT also hosted multiple in-person Burgers and Brews events so members could meet candidates. These events saw record attendance. The association also achieved record-setting fundraising for its Political Action Committee, and launched a “Get Out the Vote” website in conjunction with the Associated General Contractors of America. Almost 80% of the candidates AGC/VT supported won their seats.
“The Run to Win campaign was an extension of our philosophy at AGC/VT that government affairs is about reaching across party lines to work with all elected officials craft meaningful and responsible legislation, rules, and regulations,” said Government Affairs committee member Tom Garrett, vice president of administration for Kubricky Construction Corp and a member of the D.A. Collins Companies. “This award shows us what happens when a group of people come together and work toward a common goal. We can make a real difference in Vermont when we want to, and I hope that more members see this award and feel proud of what they – what we – have accomplished and feel inspired to do even more.”
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“We’re proud to have played a part in helping elect candidates, but more importantly, it was the relationships we started building that matter the most,” said Matt Musgrave, deputy executive vice president. “I hope this initiative has also excited our members to get even more involved in the government affairs process, because their involvement really does make a difference.”
“So much of business is about rules and regulations,” said Harvey, “and where do those come from? The government. Whether it’s the legislature or government agencies like AOT, ANR, or MSHA/OSHA all those rules and regulations affect our businesses. In order for Matt and the lobbying team to be as effective as possible, they need members to get involved. Fortunately, it’s easier than ever for us to play active roles in building relationships with our representatives and senators, and working with Matt the AGC/VT team.”
Harvey also explained that this award is another recognition of the proactive approach to all issues involving the construction industry. “Whether its developing new training programs, launching new safety initiatives, or engaging legislatively, we don’t simply talk about doing things, we do them wholeheartedly in ways that make a difference,” she said. “It’s exciting to be a part of an organization that is truly making a difference in our businesses, the construction industry, and the state of Vermont.”
