co new jersey nstructio fall 2020 - accnj

FALL 2020NEW JERSEYConstructionThe Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey Magazine

Tracking the Pandemic: Safety, Communication, Information

Fall 2020 | New Jersey Construction | 1

In Memoriam

On June 11, 2020, the construction industry lost James R. Prisco, Sr., who founded longtime

Association member J.R. Prisco, Inc.

As a young man, he started his own construction company in Summit, as a masonry and concrete

subcontractor. Initially he built track houses and later expanded to commercial work, employing up

to 200 craftworkers at any given time. In 1949 he formed J.R. Prisco, Inc., which is still a successful

general contractor business today and run by James Prisco Jr. and two of his sons, Philip and Stephen.

Jim Prisco Jr. and Philip Prisco serve on the ACCNJ Board of Trustees.

Jim Prisco, Sr. was born April 28, 1921, in Madison, NJ, and was the youngest of eight children

born to Carmen and Carmella Prisco. In 1941, he married Mary Tyrone and enjoyed 67 years of mar-

riage. He was very active in the Knights of Columbus in Madison and was elected Grand Knight three

times. His many charitable endeavors included support of St. Vincent Martyr Church in Madison and

its mausoleum at St. Vincent Cemetery, as well as St. Elizabeth College in Morristown, the Carmel

Monastery in Morristown, the Dominican Nuns in Summit, and the Hermits of Bethlehem in Chester.

An avid golfer, Jim was a long-time member of Spring Brook Country Club and PGA in West Palm.

Jim was predeceased by his wife Mary, his daughter-in-law Barbara Prisco, his grandson James R.

Prisco III and his seven siblings. In addition to his son Jim Jr., he is survived by his daughter, Donna

Virgilio, three grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

The memory of James Prisco, Sr. lives on today in the construction industry through his family who

continue to exude integrity, quality and superior craftmanship in every project they build.

In Memoriam…James Prisco, Sr.

2 | New Jersey Construction | Fall 2020

ACCNJ Leadership

Highway Representatives

Rolando Acosta Northeast Remsco Construction

Gerard Burdi Union Paving & Construction Co.

Harry Chowansky HC Constructors

Michael Criscola Crisdel Group, Inc.

David Earp Walker Diving Underwater Const. LLC

Nelson Ferreira Ferreira Construction Co.

Paul Koch Skanska USA

Michael Mergentime Merco Inc.

Clif Morris Tilcon

Tom Tuozzolo Keller

Tom Vollers Vollers

Richard Weeks Weeks Marine, Inc.

Andrew Wood J. Fletcher Creamer & Son, Inc.

Building Representatives Michael Aliano Aliano Brothers

John Baumgardner BFC, Ltd.

Clifford Blanchard Wm. Blanchard Co.

Charles DeAngelis Vericon Construction Company LLC

Michael DePalma DePalma Contracting, Inc.

John Devecchio TN Ward Company

Robert Epifano Epic Management Inc.

Michael Fitzpatrick Fitzpatrick & Associates, Inc.

Robert Gamba Prismatic Development Corp.

Glenn Garlatti Albert Garlatti Construction Co.

Richard Nugent Massett Building

Robert Polisano Network Construction Co., Inc.

James Prisco, Jr. J.R. Prisco, Inc.

2020 Advisory Board

Josh Benson Tilcon

Vince Borrelli Borrelli Steel Fabrication, LLC

John Epifano Epic Management Inc.

Robert Gariepy RCC Builders & Developers

Brad Jorrey J. Fletcher Creamer & Son, Inc.

Chris Johnson Tutor Perini

Justin Lijo Trevcon

Steven Maggipinto Schiavone Construction Co. LLC

Jesse Ottesen Weeks Marine, Inc.

Greg Petrongolo JPC Group, Inc.

Anthony Polidoro William Walters Construction Group, LLC

Philip Prisco J.R. Prisco, Inc.

Paul Spatz V.A. Spatz & Sons Construction, Inc.

Gene Sullivan Railroad Construction Company

Brian Torcivia Torcon, Inc.

Chuck Yula Southern Steel Erectors of NJ

Board of Trustees Art Corwin, Chairman Railroad Construction Co., Inc.

Eric Jensen, Vice Chairman Michael Riesz & Co.

Jeff Waters, Treasurer Waters & Bugbee, Inc.

Paul Natoli, Secretary Joseph A. Natoli Construction Corp.

Past Chairmen: Benedict Torcivia, Jr., Torcon, Inc.

Alfonso Daloisio, Jr., Railroad Construction Co., Inc.

Mark Hall, Hall Construction Co., Inc.


Editor’s Note

Nobody could have predicted what 2020 had in store. The COVID-19 pandemic changed the

way people work, shop, dine and interact. It dramatically changed our jobsites. ACCNJ’s

mission is to provide vital information so our members can function on a daily basis. Our

feature article reviews the efforts undertaken by ACCNJ to help members work safely and protect their

businesses on many levels.

Chairman Art Corwin’s message further stresses the efforts made by Association staff. In his CEO col-

umn, Jack Kocsis gives an in-depth look at the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Darlene Regina’s

COO Message focuses on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) – two programs designed

to cushion the pandemic’s impact that required much guidance to understand. New in this issue of New

Jersey Construction, we introduce a feature on legal and insurance matters by Michael Regina, ACCNJ’s

inaugural Director of Legal & Insurance Affairs. We are also pleased to include a guest column from John

Harmon, head of the African American Chamber of NJ, in our new “Partnering in Diversity” feature.

A bittersweet article is included in this publication on the retirement of Fletch Creamer. He has

been a titan in the industry for more than 50 years and now turns the page on the next chapter of his

life. While Fletch will be missed at ACCNJ, we wish him the very best in retirement.

A memorial feature on James Prisco, Sr., who passed away this summer at the age of 99, opens this

issue. Mr. Prisco founded ACCNJ member J.R Prisco, Inc. more than 70 years ago; his legacy continues

in his children and grandchildren.

Two celebratory articles recognize the achievements of a member and a labor partner as they reach

100-year anniversaries – Michael Riesz and Co., our Member Profile, and Operating Engineers Local 825.

This edition of New Jersey Construction features two Associate Member Expertise articles by

Hays and Withum, respectively. Like all our Associate Members, these firms offer valuable insight.

You will find the Award-Winning Projects, Member News and Giving Back features, scholarship

presentations and the annual summer intern program. We welcome 15 new member firms into

ACCNJ and remind them that our staff is ready to serve!

In 2021, New Jersey Construction will be published three times per year. We look forward to the

expanded printing of the magazine to celebrate the construction industry as a whole and ACCNJ

members specifically. Be safe!!

Published by Associated Construction

Contractors of New Jersey Raritan Center Plaza II, Suite A-19 91 Fieldcrest Avenue Edison, NJ 08837-3627 tel: 732-225-2265 • fax: 732-225-3105 www.accnj.org

Publisher Jack Kocsis, Jr.

Editor-in-Chief Darlene Regina

Managing Editor Advertising Director Mike DeVito

Copy Editor Deb Teall

Contributing Editors Abby Adams, Leigh-Ann Brannigan, Jack Kocsis, Darlene Regina, Michael Regina, Jill Schiff, Michael Travostino

Publishing Consultant Richard Ecke

New Jersey Construction Magazine is published by the Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey. Copyright by the Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or reprinted without written permission of the Editor or Publisher. The Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey does not stand sponsorship for the opinions or facts of authors and does not necessarily agree with the opinions stated by its contributing authors.

© 2020 Associated Construction Contractors of New Jersey. All rights reserved.

ACCNJ’s Eyes on You – and Resources to Help By Mike DeVito, Editor


Table of Contents

1 In Memoriam…James Prisco, Sr.

2 ACCNJ Leadership

4 Editor’s Note ACCNJ’s Eyes on You – and Resources to Help

9 Message from the Chairman Construction and ACCNJ: Always Open for Business

11 Message from the CEO PPP Loans for Construction: The Lifeline We Didn’t Get in the Last Recession

13 Message from the COO Interpreting FFCRA in a Pandemic

15 Labor Partners Operating Engineers Local 825 Celebrates 100th Anniversary

18 Feature Article Tracking the Pandemic: Safety, Communication, Information

24 Member Profile Michael Riesz and Co. – 100 Years Strong

30 Safety ACCNJ Safety Day 2020: Spotlight on Safety During the Pandemic

34 Award-Winning Projects Members’ 2020 Award-Winning Projects

42 Partnering for Diversity Prayers – and Action – for a More Equitable Tomorrow

46 Legal & Insurance Affairs Contractual Risk Allocation in a Post-COVID World

48 Fletch Creamer Retires Insightful Leader, Avid Fisherman

52 Education & Workforce Development Students Complete Internships with Pandemic Playing Second Fiddle to Experience

56 Government Affairs Report Legislative Actions in Response to COVID-19

60 Education & Workforce Development Nine ACCNJ Scholarships Presented Virtually

64 Labor Management Cooperative New Moves to Build Market Share and Members

67 Labor Management Cooperative Ironworkers Host Virtual Town Hall on Safety Protocol

69 Labor Management Cooperative Union Carpenters Meet Pandemic Challenges with Online Safety Course

71 Labor Management Cooperative The Pandemic Proved We Have the Tools to Respond

73 Labor Management Cooperative Fighting for Affordable Energy in New Jersey

77 Associate Member Expertise Finding and Retaining Talent During the Pandemic

80 Associate Member Expertise Company Transition and Succession Planning for the Construction Industry

84 Member News Member News: Fall 2020

89 Giving Back Our Members Give Back

90 Welcome New Members

92 Membership Roster

96 Advertisers Index

18 6024 34 48


Message from the Chairman

Routine office operation changed in mid-March for ACCNJ, as for

all ACCNJ members and businesses throughout New Jersey.

But thanks to the tremendous efforts of ACCNJ staff, Governor

Murphy allowed construction projects to continue. Suddenly the

Association staff and all the members were in a strange virtual world,

having to deal with the very real life of the jobsite.

Of course we coped – COVID-19 is, after all, a safety issue, and ACCNJ

members in the union construction industry handle safety matters better

than most. But the immediate, cohesive and comprehensive information

and forward-thinking actions of ACCNJ staff made the task of protecting us

from COVID-19 immeasurably easier.

On March 10, an email went out to members outlining the latest

announcements from the state and the immediate steps the Association

planned – a meeting with labor leaders, communications to Safety

Council members with the most current guidance from OSHA and CDC,

a micropage on the ACCNJ website dedicated to COVID-19 news,

information and resources for more information.

Right away members ran into supply chain issues. Association

staff sourced PPE, thermometers, hand sanitizer and other safety equip-

ment, posting the contact information on the website and emailing it

out to members.

Because of ACCNJ’s instantaneous outreach to our labor partners and

their wholehearted cooperation, members were able to communicate

effectively with craftworkers to ease fears and provide secure working

conditions. Weekly “Safety Shorts” that began in June continue to help

members’ Safety Directors air concerns and find guidance and support.

Association staff jumped on the myriad issues that cropped up seem-

ingly every minute during the first few months of the pandemic – PPP

loans, insurance claims, FFCRA provisions, workers comp questions. Staff

sat in on endless webinars – many presented by our expert Associate

Members – so contractors could stay focused on the projects at hand.

Clear, concise information on these issues and many more streamed all

summer and into the fall from the staff ’s virtual laptops to the members’

remote locations.

The ACCNJ Board of Trustees and Association staff became proficient at

regular virtual meetings with members. We addressed troublesome industry

issues – abrupt project cancellations, difficulties in getting compensation for

coronavirus-related additional costs, workforce shift adjustments and con-

cerns about non-union owners moving in from New York. We didn’t always

solve the issues, but we agreed on the need for continual communication.

The summer and the virus wore on. As New Jersey’s COVID numbers

dropped, ACCNJ distributed a template for a sensible, gradual return-to-

work policy for office staff. Emphasis on safety plus compliance with the

Governor’s orders.

Now, as I write this in late September, New Jersey businesses are open,

with some restrictions. But construction never closed, and thanks to the

ACCNJ staff, who never missed a beat from live to virtual, ACCNJ member

contractors were able to function efficiently, productively and safely. Just as

we always do. Well, except now wearing masks.

Construction and ACCNJ: Always Open for Business By Art Corwin, Chairman

Of course we coped – COVID-19 is, after all, a safety issue, and ACCNJ members in the union construction industry handle

safety matters better than most.


Message from the CEO

N o contractor has to be reminded about what happened in the last

Great Recession. The “peak” year of construction employment

across the country is still 2006, with few states surpassing that

since. In New Jersey, recovery wasn’t seen until 2016 and jobs never came

back to that long-ago peak. An optimistic federal highway funding infusion a

decade ago did little to ease nearly a decade of pain in the industry.

Many of our members would have appreciated a Paycheck Protection

Program (PPP) in 2009, when we began to feel the harshest effects of the

Great Recession. We saw thousands of construction workers leave the

industry in New Jersey, and millions across the US, most never to return.

This time, with the recession caused by COVID-19, a rare bipartisan

Congress recognized the great, urgent need to help businesses avoid laying

off employees. The PPP loan program was enacted – and it worked.

We saw the results nationwide. After losing more than a million

construction jobs in April, the country regained 600,000 in May and June,

despite the thousands of construction projects that were canceled, delayed

or ordered shut down by state and local governments. Even in New Jersey,

where ACCNJ fought (and won) to keep ongoing construction projects

open, many hundreds of projects in the pipeline disappeared.

For New Jersey contractors who lived through the Great Recession, it

was natural to assume the effects of the pandemic’s recession would be

similar, causing a delayed downturn after current projects were completed

and long-term economic uncertainty. Applying for a PPP loan simply made

sense, allowing contractors to hold on to their employees as work slowed.

The financial relief also assisted contractors coping with reduced produc-

tivity and added expenses created by virus-related safety measures such as

staggered shifts, social distancing, cleaning and disinfecting, and the need

for additional PPE supplies.

We hope the jobs remain. We have heard some unexpected optimism

among New Jersey state, county and municipal engineers for funding both

highway and building projects. We hope the wind energy projects bring

work to many different segments of construction. But we know public

funding will continue to take huge hits because of COVID-19 and we

recognize many segments in the private sector are unlikely to rebound in

the near future, if at all.

By the time you read this column in mid-November, the presidential

election will be over. Regardless of the outcome, it is likely COVID-19 will

still be with us. ACCNJ and AGC of America will continue to work hard to

salvage hope for prosperity, preferably with a massive federal commitment

in infrastructure spending. Our members will know what to do with that

kind of commitment. Most important, the pandemic has shown us you can

continue to work under harrowing conditions and keep your workers safe

from a most unusual threat. We are, as always, grateful for your dedication.

PPP Loans for Construction: The Lifeline We Didn’t Get in the Last Recession By Jack Kocsis, Jr., Chief Executive Officer

For New Jersey contractors who lived through the Great Recession, it was natural to assume the effects of the

pandemic’s recession would be similar, causing a delayed downturn after

current projects were completed and long-term economic uncertainty.


Message from the COO

For me, the COVID-19 pandemic will always be associated with the

initialism... FFCRA. On March 18, 2020, Congress passed, and the

President signed into law, the Families First Coronavirus Response

Act (FFCRA). While the FFCRA includes multiple subsections, the

expanded family and medical leave provisions of the FFCRA that went into

effect April 1, 2020, immediately brought forth endless questions on its

application to both office employees and craftworkers covered by collective

bargaining agreements.

No sooner was one question answered when another would be pre-

sented with a slightly different scenario and slightly different circum-

stances. Guidance from the Department of Labor and updated “Frequently

Asked Questions” were received daily and embraced like a daily newspaper.

FFCRA’s expanded family and medical leave provisions were something

new to employers, as the Act did not exempt collectively bargained employ-

ees from coverage. Put simply, the Act, in effect until December 31, 2020,

requires employers to pay employees for up to 80 hours of paid sick leave

and 10 weeks of family medical leave related to reasons associated with

COVID-19. In return, the Act allows employers to take tax credits for the paid

sick or paid family medical leave wages and qualified health plan expenses.

Since tax credits are not available for any other employee fringe benefits

under a collective bargaining agreement, ACCNJ quickly reached out to the

trades whose contracts require benefits on wages paid asking them to waive

the requirement, other than the health fund, for wages paid in connection

with the FFCRA leave provisions. Subsequently, Memorandums of

Agreement were executed accordingly, acknowledging the temporary waiver.

In addition, ACCNJ distributed updates and guidance on a regular basis

to assist members with questions addressing qualifying reasons for paid

sick or family medical leave; duration and pay requirements for the various

types of leave; forms and documentation the employer must have in order

to claim a tax credit; how employers determine if they have more than 500

employees or under 50 employees (thus excluded from the Act); replacing

employees who are eligible and receive paid sick or family medical leave,

and many other questions.

Early on, ACCNJ created a COVID-19 micropage where this information

and much, much more is housed. For more detailed information on the

above reference guidance, you can visit the website at www.accnj.org.

As you read through the various features in this magazine, you will see

ACCNJ staff quickly shifted our focus to provide members with timely

information and services, from FFCRA guidance to PPP loans, from safety

protocols to interpretation of government Executive Orders and much

more. I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge and thank the teams at

Widman, Susanin and Brennan and Peckar & Abramson for their time,

expertise and guidance at the onset of this pandemic.

COVID-19 is still active and ACCNJ is still here to assist you with any

issues or concerns. Thank you for your support and patience during

these past several months. Stay safe and, as always, do not hesitate to

reach out to us.

Interpreting FFCRA in a Pandemic By Darlene Regina, Chief Operating Officer

ACCNJ staff quickly shifted our focus to provide members with timely

information and services, from FFCRA guidance to PPP loans, from safety

protocols to interpretation of government Executive Orders and much more.


Labor Partners

As we examine construction through the years, we marvel at the

structures that were built using just hand tools, counterweights

and fulcrums. During the Industrial Revolution, the develop-

ment of the steam engine facilitated a new advancement in how contractors

build new projects. Steam shovels became more common, which enabled

construction of such landmark projects as the Panama Canal.

By 1896, eight states established the National Union of Steam Engineers

of America with an eye on safety and proper operation of these steam

engines. In 1920 – a century ago – New Jersey formed a Local Union

affiliated with the national group. By 1928, the word steam was removed

from the name and the new organization was called the International

Union of Operating Engineers.

As the 20th Century progressed, the steam engine was supplemented

by the development of electric motors and combustion engines. Through

the years, members of the Operating Engineers Local 825 have worked on

such landmark projects as Newark Airport, the George Washington Bridge,

the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels, the Garden State Parkway and the

New Jersey Turnpike.

Today, Local 825 membership numbers more than 7000 well-trained

men and women, under the steady leadership of Business Manager

Greg Lalevee. The union operates training facilities in Dayton, NJ, and

New Hampton, NY, on nearly 60 acres of property. Union members learn

the proper operation of more than 90 pieces of state-of-the-art equipment.

Full-time instructors provide four-year apprenticeship courses for

operators, mechanics and field engineers. Journeyworkers are encouraged

to upgrade their skills on the newest equipment, simulators and instru-

mentation. With the increased usage of GPS systems, computers and other

digital inventions, the Operating Engineers are well-equipped to educate

their membership on all technological advances.

In commemoration of its 100th anniversary, the union has adopted a

new mission statement which focuses on diversity of membership and

fostering an inclusive atmosphere.

We at ACCNJ congratulate Local 825 and look forward to many more

years of partnership between our organizations to better serve the

construction industry.

Operating Engineers Local 825 Celebrates 100th Anniversary By Mike DeVito, Editor


Even for those of us without a superstitious bone, Friday, March 13,

2020, was a Friday the 13th fraught with omens we could only

vaguely understand at the time. The President of the United States

declared a nationwide state-of-emergency because of the coronavirus. That

declaration had been preceded by New Jersey’s establishment in early

February of a coronavirus task force, and by Governor Murphy’s declara-

tion on March 9 of the state’s state-of-emergency.

By Monday, March 16, schools and daycare centers in New Jersey were

closed or closing. Gatherings of 50 or more were prohibited. And ACCNJ

staff, like the rest of New Jersey business, was working virtually.

Office phones were transferred to staff cell phones. Laptops were distrib-

uted. Remote access to office PCs was enabled. Teleconferences, webinars,

Zoom and Microsoft Teams calls ensued daily. Work continued.

Work continued because the Association had already switched into high

gear, notifying the ACCNJ Board of Trustees on that fateful Friday the 13th

of initiatives already in place – a staff epidemic policy, an email outreach to

members seeking input on their concerns, a call with our labor partners.

Also on Friday the 13th, an email to the ACCNJ Safety Council with

“Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19.”

Most significant, work continued because, after several meetings with

the Murphy administration addressing why it was critical to keep construc-

tion projects open, the Governor allowed ongoing essential construction

projects in the state to proceed, uninterrupted by any local or county

ordinances. ACCNJ assisted in shaping the scope of what defined essential

projects and, as a result, many of our members kept working. Our new task

then turned to providing all the information and support contractors

needed in order to operate their projects safely and efficiently.

Safety First – New Protocols, Old Commitment

Member commitment to safety is not new. It’s the reason ACCNJ gives out

dozens of safety awards every year. Preparing a jobsite to protect against

the spread of a communicable disease required new protocols – and the

same commitment.

Despite a shortage of PPE,

hand sanitizer, soap and

paper towels, despite fluctu-

ating federal guidelines,

ACCNJ members built spe-

cial wash stations, provided

masks and gloves, wrote and

posted endless instructions

and warnings. They sponsored toolbox talks, revised existing protocol,

implemented policy changes on the fly.

“Because of the comprehensive initiatives our members and labor part-

ners put in place immediately,” ACCNJ Executive Director of Operations Jill

Feature Article

Tracking the Pandemic: Safety, Communication, Information By Jack Kocsis, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, ACCNJ


Schiff affirms, “member jobsites maintained ongoing safety and security

for their workers against this virus.”

ACCNJ’s Virtual Safety Outreach Nets Riches

Before businesses in New Jersey went virtual, ACCNJ started the chain of

information designed to help members with immediate, pertinent news.

The email to members’ safety professionals sharing CDC and OSHA guid-

ance to protect jobsites was the first critical communiqué. It set the cohe-

sive, streamlined and focused character of all subsequent communication.

Monday, March 16, ACCNJ sent out further OSHA guidance. Two days

later, March 18 saw the launch of the COVID-19 micropage at

www.accnj.org. Every day during those first two harrowing months and at

least weekly since, the micropage has grown richer with news and informa-

tion, resources and links.

ACCNJ staff initiated Safety Shorts in June, an engaging and much-

sought-after Zoom experience that provides focused information and a

lively, vital platform for members to share experiences, queries and con-

cerns about safety. Safety Shorts, a 30-minute weekly event, has covered

member-suggested topics from masks (over your mouth, not around your

neck) to reopening the office (what’s your plan?) to quarantine rules and

affected states (is quarantine working?) – and many more.

As the magazine goes to print in late September, six months since the

beginning of the pandemic in New Jersey, members have reached out to

ACCNJ with dozens of photographs and success stories demonstrating

their commitment to keeping employees, subs, craftworkers and suppliers

safe on the jobsite. More than 50 Safety Banners at member sites across the

state proclaimed ACCNJ’s 2020 Safety Day on September 16. We have

posted many photos and stories on Facebook and Instagram, humbled by

the dedication of our members.

In the midst of a pandemic, we are proud but not surprised to report

ACCNJ members kept working – and kept their focus where it’s most

important, on safety for all. We are also honored to have been an integral

part of their success.

Expertise to Decipher the Business Essentials

As the pandemic gripped the country, the federal government rolled out

programs to help families and businesses. The Payment Protection Plan –

PPP – offered loans to companies with the hope of protecting jobs. The

Families First Coronavirus Response Act – FFCRA – provided multiple

avenues of assistance to employees, including paid sick leave and paid fam-

ily medical leave.

At the same time, our members struggled to understand contractual,

financial and insurance issues that emerged, some of which could be

opportunities if we could think our way through the web of questions

COVID-19 created.

In the early months of the pandemic, we added to staff Michael Regina,

our Director of Legal & Insurance Affairs. Under his direction, we were able

to borrow more expertise from our Associate Members to present a series

of webinars that explored and explained the complicated legal and insur-

ance matters as they landed on our desktops because of the virus. The

webinar series continues, thanks to the knowledge so generously and com-

petently shared by our Associate Members.


Strengthening Relationships and Advocacy on Virtual Platforms

We have all become very familiar with virtual platforms. Zoom, Teams and

other virtual platforms quickly became part of our vocabulary and daily

schedules. For almost six months, we hadn’t physically shaken hands with

our members or labor partners. It’s only now that we are starting to see

people in person, following strict social distancing guidelines and wearing

masks. The best thing about virtual platforms? We don’t have to wear

masks, so we can see each other smile.

Because of virtual platforms, Association staff never stopped meeting

with members and industry partners. Pop-up meetings have resolved pop-

up issues. Planned meetings have addressed nearly every jobsite and labor

issue imaginable.

In record time, we were able to craft Memorandums of Understanding

with our labor partners to allow craftworkers to take advantage of FFCRA

benefits. We have reviewed safety protocols and initiatives and thrashed

through conflicting government guidance, establishing a firm understand-

ing of priorities to keep us all safe on the jobsite.

We have been able to stay actively engaged in legislative affairs in

Trenton through virtual meetings. Our member advocacy is a top priority

for the Association, and while we don’t win every battle, we haven’t missed

an opportunity to be in each one.

Association staff, our members and labor partners adapted, connected

and continue to succeed regardless of the challenges we face. We’re

stronger than ever, even if we’re better in person.

Because of virtual platforms, Association staff never stopped

meeting with members and industry partners. Pop-up meetings have

resolved pop-up issues.


Member Profile

How does a company thrive for a century? Bookended by two

pandemics, encasing a century of wars, suffering through a

Great Depression and a Great Recession, reckoning with social

change and social strife and more technological change than in any other

century before…

We asked ACCNJ Board of Trustees Vice Chairman Eric Jensen to

describe for us the 100 years of Michael Riesz and Co., and he advised us

the company is “100 years STRONG.”

“The company has evolved,” Eric explains. “And maybe that’s really the

key – we started out focused on the public sector, and soon recognized and

took hold of other opportunities, so today we have a diverse marketplace.

This diversity has made Michael Riesz and Co. resilient and strong enough

to weather the economic cycles.”

A Legacy of (Family-Style) Discipline and Integrity

Eric and his brother Chris are the fourth generation to run the company,

founded in Perth Amboy in 1921 by their great-grandfather, Michael Riesz.

Michael’s daughter, Sophie Riesz Jensen, and her husband Einar Jensen

succeeded to the management of the firm, followed by her sons, Michael

and Richard Jensen. Eric and Chris are Michael’s sons. The consistency in

management by the family helped keep the company stable through the

decades, says Eric.

He also credits the firm’s disciplined approach to managing projects and

the overall business, which focuses first on customer satisfaction. Such a

focus has led to exceptional performance, which in turn has provided

Michael Riesz and Co. with a strong and ongoing base of customer referrals.

“The real foundation of our operation is integrity and honesty,” Eric

muses. “We cultivate a team approach inside the company, which makes

each of us responsible for our work, each other and, ultimately, the

success of the company. We carry over that team approach to the union

craftworkers we employ, our subcontractors and all our other partners in

the industry.”

Evolution and Reward

The company’s original marketplace was the public sector, particularly

schools. Through the decades, Michael Riesz and Co. built a reputation for

excellence and expertise in healthcare and telecommunications. Today, the

firm maintains a large presence in the healthcare sector. But there is still an

emphasis on higher education (both private and public), telecommunica-

tions, public buildings and design-build.

Michael Riesz and Co. – 100 Years Strong By Leigh-Ann Brannigan, Membership Manager

New Brunswick Theological Seminary at College Avenue and Seminary Place in New Brunswick, NJ, built by Michael Riesz and Co. and dedicated in 2014.

Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick is reflective of Michael Riesz and Co.’s presence in the healthcare market in New Jersey.


“We really are fortunate to have found such variety in referrals from our

customers,” says Eric. “Because of them, we have been able to develop a

diverse group of clients. We’re always looking to grow with clients that have

specific requirements and challenges we can help meet.”

Some of the most rewarding work has been for Children’s Specialized

Hospital in New Brunswick (Middlesex County), New Jersey. During

the past 20 years, Michael Riesz and Co. has completed many projects at

the hospital.

“To be a part of building a facility for such an outstanding organization,

one that is dedicated to helping children, is truly the most rewarding,”

he relates.

And some of the most exciting work has been in the works for 75 years,

projects for New Jersey Bell, that became Bell Atlantic, that became Bell

Atlantic Mobile and now Verizon.

“It’s been quite an experience,” Eric says with a smile. “Seeing the

evolution of the telecommunications industry has been remarkable, and

for Michael Riesz and Co. to continue to provide the services these

companies require for such an impressive span of time has been very

rewarding as well.”

The Team: Labor and Management Together

In Michael Riesz and Co.’s contemporary corporate office, now located in

Fords (Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County), eight team members

work together.

Most years, the firm employs 25 craftworkers, including superintend-

ents, foremen, journeyworkers and apprentices. Eric is pleased with the

relationships forged with union labor for many years.

“We have been very happy with the skilled workforce available to us,” he

affirms. “Being able to establish a consistent union workforce that is part of

your team is invaluable. We have employed many apprentices over the

years. The two now working for us are conscientious, hardworking and

want to learn. They are also both veterans. We are proud to have them on

our team.”

With the pride comes tremendous responsibility to keep the workforce

safe, Eric is quick to add.

“The workforce that participates on our projects are “Team Members”

and we all have a moral obligation to make sure all of these workers are

safe and protected by a safe work environment,” he emphasizes.

The workforce that participates on our projects are “Team Members” and we all have a moral obligation to make

sure all of these workers are safe and protected by a safe work environment.

New Brunswick Theological Seminary Chapel, notable from outside with its octagonal tower, features a magnificent vaulted ceiling inside that overlooks a space of worship dedicated to “diverse and anti-racist Christian learning.”

Verizon in Branchburg, NJ, stands at the front of a long history in telecom-munications for Michael Riesz and Co., beginning with New Jersey Bell and marking each phase of the illustrious Bell story in New Jersey.


“This approach is also a requirement for all the clients for whom we work.

It protects the financial interests of all project participants and – it is the

RIGHT THING TO DO!”

Meeting Challenges with Support from ACCNJ

The biggest challenge for Michael Riesz today, says Eric, is obtaining and

maintaining a steady level of work with quality clients at reasonable pric-

ing. To accomplish that in an ever-changing industry requires always look-

ing to improve corporate processes and approaches that allow you to

remain competitive. “It is just as important to look ahead as it is to look at

your history,” he states.

In his view, compounding the company’s challenge is the industry

challenge.

“For our industry today,” he explains, “the most critical issue we see in

New Jersey is the ability of project sponsors to finance the growth we all

need. The State will be limited in its ability to drive growth for our indus-

try. Alternative methods such as PPP, an initiative driven by ACCNJ, are

necessary alternative project delivery methods that need to continue.”

Eric is currently Vice Chair of the ACCNJ and gives generously of his

time to the Association, working on those issues and others. But dedication

and support of the Association didn’t start with Eric. His father, Michael

Jensen, was President of Building Contractors Association of New Jersey, a

management trustee on many of the trades’ fringe benefit funds, and an

avid voice, respected leader and icon in the construction industry.

Eric sees ACCNJ as “an invaluable resource” for members of the con-

struction industry in New Jersey.

“From labor relations to governmental policy to safety to a wide variety

of industry-specific issues, ACCNJ is an advocate for our members,” Eric

elucidates. “The Association has grown in strength and depth with the

merger of the Heavy and Highway Contractors and the Building

Contractors. Our members represent the largest and most highly qualified

contractors in the State and, along with the outstanding staff of ACCNJ, are

contributing to making our industry safer, more productive and a critical

part of our State’s economy.”

Cordish Family Pavilion, completed by Michael Riesz and Co. in 2011, is the centerpiece of Princeton University’s Lenz Tennis Center. The upper of two stories holds a viewing deck and coaches’ offices; the lower level houses locker rooms.

Rutgers, The State University, and Michael Riesz and Co. have partnered in many projects over the years. The Rutgers Lifelong Learning Center in Egg Harbor and the Welcome Visitors Center in Piscataway are two well-known campus buildings.

Eric stresses the ever-increasing pace of technology as a driver for

construc tion…“We continue to embrace the pace and capture the efficiencies.”


Building the Future on the Past

When asked his projections for the future of the construction industry, Eric

stresses the ever-increasing pace of technology as a driver for construction.

“As Michael Riesz moves forward,” he says, “we continue to embrace the

pace and capture the efficiencies.”

And for his family-owned company? A recognition of the past…pride in

the history of employing skilled craftworkers, working with conscientious

subcontractors, collaborating with talented architects and partnering with

strong project owners that have played a vital role in New Jersey’s economy

for the last 100 years.

“The future for Michael Riesz and Co. is all about building on the first

100 years,” declares Eric. “We have created a solid foundation and we will

leverage this history of integrity, innovation and excellence to build our

team and serve our clients…for the next hundred years to come.”

1927

Keyport High School

1950

Cook School

Plainfield

1963

Tamaques School

Westfield

Circa 1930

Westfield School

Circa 1958

Aerial shot of Iselin

Middle School

1964

Mother Seton High School

Clark

Four Decades of School Construction

Ukrainian Catholic Church, Perth Amboy

Builder: Michael Riesz and Co.

The majestic edifice that is the Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Assumption in Perth Amboy, built by Michael Riesz and Co. in the late 1940s and completed in 1952, reflected the strength of the church community during the 1950s and 1960s. Economic prosperity, the baby boom of post-WWII, a new wave of Ukrainian immigrants and a group of progressive pastors all led the parish to “its peak of progress, influence and membership,” reads the church website. Today, the church is just as gracious and welcoming as when it first opened its doors nearly 70 years ago.

The company’s original marketplace was the public sector, particularly schools…

There is still an emphasis on higher education (both

private and public)…


Safety

Because of the pandemic, ACCNJ rescheduled Safety Day 2020

from its usual mid-April date to September 16, coinciding with

National Safety Week and OSHA’s Stand Down to Prevent Falls

in Construction. We distributed more than 50 Safety First banners to mem-

ber jobsites around the state. Vericon, Torcon, Union Paving and Vollers

shared the experiences of the day in words and photos.

Vericon Construction Company’s Virtual Safety Training

In recognition of OSHA National Stand Down Week and ACCNJ Safety Day,

on September 16th, 2020, Vericon Construction Company hosted a com-

pany-wide virtual safety training focused on fall protection led by Safety

Officer, Brian Besser, and Director of Field Operations, David Mellett.

In addition to Thursday’s company-wide event, Vericon’s safety team

also sent out daily emails reiterating key fall protection points throughout

the week, hosted a company-wide Fall Protection Toolbox Talk with

approximately 400 participants, and proudly hung ACCNJ safety banners

at active projects, including the site for a ground up Bank of America

branch in Wayne, NJ, and the new training facility being constructed for

New Jersey Natural Gas in Freehold, NJ.

Vollers Brings Craftworkers and Employees Together in Training

On September 16, 2020, Vollers participated in ACCNJ’s Safety Day 2020

by featuring a comprehensive training demonstration involving 30 union

construction craftworkers and employees, designed to refocus the attention

of those workers on the key elements of staying safe while on the job as

they continue to follow all safety policies and protocols put in place to

combat COVID-19. Special attention was given to the four leading causes

of injury and fatality on construction jobsites, as determined by OSHA:

falls, struck-bys, electrocutions and caught-in/betweens.

“We start with safety, work with safety and finish our days with safety

always at the top of our minds,” stated Tom Vollers, CEO. “There is no such

thing as too much attention on safety awareness and training, because

there is no greater priority than ensuring all our workers return home

safely to their families at the end of the day.”

ACCNJ Safety Day 2020: Spotlight on Safety During the Pandemic

Fall 2020 | New Jersey Construction | 31Fall 2020 | New Jersey Construction | 31

Torcon Engages Subcontractors on the Importance of Safety

Kathleen Myska, Torcon’s Site Safety Manager at the New Valley Hospital

in Paramus, works closely with everyone on site. Bringing subcontractor

representatives together weekly to discuss safety keeps the project running

smoothly. For Safety Day, ACCNJ staff was invited to participate in the dis-

cussion. While COVID-19 was incorporated into the weekly talk, a special

emphasis was placed on fall protection as well as keeping the flow of traffic

and delivery of materials organized, which will result in a more productive,

efficient and safer work environment.

Union Paving Takes the Road Less Traveled Addressing Mental Health

Banners were displayed at the entrances to Union Paving’s yard in

Mountainside, not only for their field personnel, but to get office staff

involved as well. Around the state, signs were placed on their Pulaski

Skyway, New Road, Greenville, and Route 3 & 46 projects, making sure

banners were visible to craftworkers and the public. For Robert Jennings,

Union Paving’s Safety Support Manager, this was a first for him: sending

out a company-wide toolbox talk on mental health. Robert is aware this is a

very delicate subject. But with opioid addiction and the pandemic plaguing

our country, he knew it was the right topic to address. “People are con-

fused, scared and hurting,” stated Robert. “So as a safety professional, I am

saddened we must address mental health, but know it must be done. Safety

is about watching out for one another and there’s no better way then by

asking, ‘how are you doing?’”

Thanks to Our Members and Labor Partners

We would like to thank and recognize those members and our labor partners that participated in this year’s Safety Day:

Beach Electric Company • Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Locals 4 & 5 • J. Fletcher Creamer & Son • Eii Inc. • Epic Management Inc. • Laborers Local 172 SET • Laborers Local 472 SET • Macedos Construction Co. NJ • Joseph A. Natoli Construction Corp. • Northeast Remsco • Railroad Construction Co. • RCC Builders & Developers • Schiavone Construction Co. • Torcon Inc. • Traffic Safety Services • Union Paving • Vericon Construction Co. • Vollers • West Bay Construction Inc.


Awarding-Winning Projects

Members’ 2020 Award-Winning Projects

ACCNJ is proud to be associated with our members, the best-of-

the-best in the construction industry. As we have for many

decades, we are pleased to showcase in the Fall issue of New

Jersey Construction the member projects that won awards in the last year.

From healthcare complexes to bridges and airport runways, our members

produce the highest-quality work in the industry.

Holt Construction Recreates Rehab for Atlantic Health System Contractor: Holt Construction, Newark

Project: Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute, Madison

Award: NJBIA 2020 New Good Neighbor Award

The technology for life-changing physical therapy got a new home in 2019,

Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute in Madison (Morris County), a $24 mil-

lion, two-story, state-of-the-art complex on an acre of land in Giralda Farms

office park just off Route 124.

The facility has 38 beds in all-private rooms and a special gym with some

of that advanced tech – ceiling lifts and bionic assisted-movement systems

to help patients recover better motion and mobility. A main gym features

simulated home spaces, a dedicated Activities of Daily Living suite and a

brain injury unit. A therapeutic courtyard offers “real-world” surfaces –

gravel, ramps and stairs, and curbs with wheelchair cutouts – plus a

putting green.

Access to the building was made easier with 90 ground-level parking

spaces. In the future, the rest of the 40 acres surrounding the new

Rehabilitation Institute, all owned by Atlantic Health System, will be trans-

formed into a health services campus.

Torcon Builds First Private Medical School in NJ in Half-a-Century Contractor: Torcon Inc.

Project: Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at

Seton Hall University, Nutley & Clifton


The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall straddles two

towns, an innovative, adaptive reuse of a multi-story research lab that was

part of the huge Roche Pharmaceutical campus – and is now the first

private medical school to rise in the state in 50 years. The partnership

between Hackensack Meridian and Seton Hall and the superlative work of

Torcon has created a medical school that promotes cooperative team learn-

ing among doctors and nurses.

Spanning 500,000 square feet, the $50 million project is highlighted by a

multi-modal virtual healthcare training center surrounded by offices, tradi-

tional classrooms, a library and an auditorium. The virtual training center

offers spaces to teach clinical and nursing skills as well as providing physi-

ology, occupational therapy, Activities of Daily Living, and a health assess-

ment laboratory with patient beds.

The project employed more than 600 craftworkers during construction.

(Photo by Brian Lauer, 2018)


Epic Constructs World-Class Center for Student Health and Athletics Contractor: Epic Management Inc.

Project: RWJBarnabas Health Athletic

Performance Center, Piscataway


On 6.2 acres on the Rutgers University campus in Piscataway, the

RWJBarnabas Health Athletic Performance Center is home to a compre-

hensive sports medicine program that provides health, wellness and per-

formance areas in a four-story complex comprising 295,000 square feet.

The result of a partnership with Rutgers and RWJBarnabas Health, the

Performance Center offers four practice venues: 12,000 square feet for

gymnastics training, a 9,000-square-foot wrestling room, two large practice

courts for men’s and women’s basketball, and film study rooms. The men’s

& women’s basketball courts both have audience seating from the floor

above as an additional feature.

The center also contains an onsite medical suite with clinic and exam

rooms available to all student athletes, with amenities designed to touch

every aspect of an athlete’s well-being: hydrotherapy that includes two

plunge pools, saunas, strength and conditioning areas with state-of-the-art

workout equipment, a “high-performance” nutrition café, a merchandise

store and a student-athlete lounge, while custom locker rooms, offices,

conference rooms and adjacent parking complement the facilities. The

RWJBarnabas Health Athletic Performance Center has a patio area on the

4th floor where student athletes can enjoy a view of the whole campus.

More than 850 craftworkers helped build this $86.7 million project,

which represents another in a long series of successful collaborations

between Epic and Rutgers University. In 2021, Epic will celebrate a 50-year

relationship with the University dating to the Company’s first-ever project.

Epic thanks all the subcontractors that partnered on the project, including

these ACCNJ members: Force Concrete & Masonry, Fromkin Brothers, Layout

Inc. and Wetlands Incorporated.

Lane Construction Wins Silver at Naval Air Station Contractor: The Lane Construction Corporation

Project: Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia Beach, VA

Award: Silver Award, American Concrete Paving Association’s

30th Annual Excellence in Concrete Pavements Awards

This $67.3 million project comprised the repair of Runway 14L-32R at

Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, as well as deploying new elec-

trical airfield lighting and constructing new taxiway shoulders where the

edge lighting systems were modified.

Lane demolished the existing Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement

and repaired with new PCC on Runway 14L-32R. The new taxiways were

constructed in PCC between the runway and the hold-short line, with the

remainder of the widening being asphalt concrete (AC). Lane then replaced

a portion of the Hold Apron pavement at Runway 14L and the Hold Apron

at Runway 32R end to meet revised Runway 32R grading. Lane also

replaced the arresting gear (A/G) pavement protection system and rehabil-

itated and widened the asphalt concrete pavement around the A/G equip-

ment, tape wedges and access roads.

The finished elevation of the runway centerline profile was raised 3 to 6

inches throughout the length of the runway.

The electrical airfield lighting for Runway 14L-32R – edge lights, thresh-

old lights, distance-remaining markers and A/G markers – were demol-

ished and replaced with LED-based light fixtures. The lighting upgrades

included new concrete foundations, light base cans, conduit and wire.


JP Hogan Expands Capabilities, Wins Award

Subcontractor: JP Hogan Coring & Sawing Corp.

Project: JFK-164 Reconstruction of Runway 13L-31R

and Associated Taxiways

Award: PANYNJ Employer of Choice

New Specialty Scope: Diamond Grooving Grinding

With more than a quarter-century in the concrete business, JP Hogan

Coring & Sawing, Corp., a qualified WBE/DBE vendor for the Port

Authority of New York and New Jersey, expanded its capabilities in the

grinding and grooving services. In 2018, the company purchased a PC4504

Diamond Products Groover & Grinder, a high-production machine that is

environmentally safe. This Tier 4 piece of equipment allowed JP Hogan to

successfully complete a crucial job for the Port Authority.

The PANYNJ recognized and applauded JP Hogan for achieving the run-

way grooving scope of work for the Reconstruction of Runway 13L-31R at

JFK International Airport. This type of high-quality grooving is needed on

runways for airplanes to land safely. Working with the skilled team at the

airport, the JP Hogan crew spent many hours and put in extensive work.

This, and JP Hogan’s commitment to growth, has enabled the company to

be continually accredited by the Port Authority to perform projects of this

size and magnitude.

Railroad Construction Company Wins Track and Bridge Awards

Contractor: Railroad Construction Company

Project: MTA Construction & Development

Harold Trackwork Part 3

Award: 2020 Railway Track & Structures Top Project

The jobsite in Long Island City, NY, is the busiest rail junction in the

nation, serving Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit

trains as well as freight traffic. This project provided infrastructure

improvements to alleviate congestion, improve safety and provide new

routes toward the LIRR Grand Central Terminal tunnels.

Contractor: Railroad Construction Company

Project: Linden Logistics Center Grasselli Access Road

Award: 57th Annual New Jersey Concrete Award –

Short Span Bridge

Numerous concrete techniques were used in the construction for F Greek

Development. The bridge has a concrete structural deck, approaches and

appurtenances plus sidewalks, parapets and barriers. It is supported on

three concrete hammerhead piers and concrete gravity abutments.


Vericon Builds Fresh Take on Parkway Service Area

Contractor: Vericon Construction Company

Project: Monmouth Service Station, NJ GSP Mile Post 100

Award: 57th Annual NJ Concrete Award – Transportation

The new Monmouth Service Area is a fresh take on a traditional 15,800-

square-foot travel plaza situated between the North- and Southbound high-

ways at Mile Marker 100 on the Garden State Parkway. Artwork that

captures the Jersey Shore, such as sails hung across the ceiling, and modern

concepts, including Starbucks, Auntie Anne’s, Z Market, Shake Shack and

food trucks, a new 3,800-square-foot fueling station and revamped com-

muter lot, have transformed this facility into a destination.

To minimize disruption to travelers, the rest stop was shut down after

Labor Day in 2018 and had a strict opening deadline prior to the 2019

Memorial Day Weekend.

The most significant challenges were placing concrete during severe

winter conditions, cold temperatures that made it hard to achieve consis-

tent surface finishes and colors, traffic control, coordination with NJTA

to maintain the very busy commuter lot and bus service access, and

major underground utility upgrades. While efforts were made to source

local materials to reduce carbon footprint, Vericon had to plan for long

haul distances.

All concrete placed was successfully executed with some slight variations

in color and general appearance. Most of the concrete was covered by other

finishes and site improvements. All slabs were poured level or sloped to

drains as needed for a successful tile installation.

While traditional concrete placement methods were used, our concrete

subcontractor employed the use of a line dragon to place large-area slabs in

an efficient manner.

Total project cost was approximately $19 million. More than 1,000 cubic

yards of concrete were used for all footings, piers, foundation walls, slabs,

housekeeping pads, exterior concrete paving, aprons, sidewalks, curbs,

duct banks and light pole bases.

Vericon thanks these ACCNJ members who worked as subs on the

Monmouth project: AbateTech Inc., DePalma Contracting Inc., Fromkin

Brothers Inc. and Pravco.

Northeast Remsco Brings Resiliency to Sayreville Pump Station

Contractor: Northeast Remsco Construction

Project: Flood Mitigation and Permanent Restoration of

Sayreville (NJ) Pump Station

Award: 57th Annual NJ Concrete Award – Pump Station

Sayreville (Middlesex County) was devastated by the Raritan River surge

during Superstorm Sandy – and the Middlesex County Utility Authority’s

Pump Station was nearly destroyed. Through the expert work of Northeast

Remsco, the Sayreville Pump Station is now fortified against such horrific

storm damage.

Concrete was used for the new Floodwall around the Perimeter of the

Pump Station, the four new influent valve chambers, foundations for the

new Generator Building, Incoming Service Station, and Stormwater Pump

Station. Now 90% complete, the project will use approximately 8,000 cubic

yards of concrete. Total project cost is $67,398,000.


Turner Captures Top Award with Corporate Headquarters Contractor: Turner Construction Company

Project: LG North American Headquarters,

Englewood Cliffs, NJ

Award: 57th Annual NJ Concrete Award –

GREEN APPLE AWARD

Turner Construction provided preconstruction and construction manage-

ment services for the new 352,000-square-foot LG North American

Headquarters. Located on a scenic 27-acre campus, the project features a

South Wing (three stories of office space and a lower level with parking and

loading dock), North Wing (three stories of office space, a cafeteria on the

ground floor, a fitness center, mechanical space, loading dock and parking

on the lower level), a “Cube” connector with multi-purpose space, science

center, showroom and office space, and a three-story parking structure.

Designed to be a flagship of green design, sustainable features include

rooftop solar panels that will generate approximately 1,500 megawatt

hours of electrical power annually, restoration and mitigation of five wet-

lands and the creation of a retention pond to reduce site runoff, indirect

site lighting and automatic shades to mitigate light pollution. The project is

awaiting LEED Platinum Certification.

The LG project included 32,450 cubic yards of concrete, with 6,400 lin-

ear feet of wall footings and 3,500 cubic yards of Lean concrete to level the

bottom of the footing for formwork. Structural concrete slabs were

installed in 52 separate concrete placements averaging 275 yards per place-

ment. Concrete topping slabs were installed in 36 separate placements

averaging 110 cubic yards per placement. All concrete work was completed

by ACCNJ member Stateline Construction.

Walsh Strengthens and Protects Edison Pump Station

Contractor: Walsh Construction Company II LLC

Project: MCUA Edison Pump Station, Woodbridge Twp.

Award: 57th Annual NJ Concrete Award – Shotcrete

The Middlesex County Utilities Authority Edison Pump Station was

severely damaged during Superstorm Sandy. Walsh Construction

Company began construction in 2016 to upgrade and protect the facility

from future flooding. The contract included installation of approximately

750 linear feet of floodwall around the existing Edison Pump Station.

The floodwall, designed for a 500-year storm event, extended to a height

of 16 feet, constructed of sheet piling covered with reinforced concrete and

sealed with two 16-foot-high floodgates. A new cast-in-place concrete

bypass pumping station, capable of providing a 62-MGD pumping system,

was constructed and included a new section of force main piping tied into

the existing piping, a new Main Distribution switchgear, mechanical

screening and automated sluice gate.

The existing pump station was upgraded with three mechanical screens,

replacement of piping, installation of two new pumps, replacement of 14

actuators, replacement of the existing five 500 HP pump motors, and HVAC

and electrical/SCADA upgrades. It also received repairs to doors, roof, win-

dows and other fit-out elements.

A new subsurface metering station chamber and associated gravity storm

pipe and manholes were installed; site piping, site utility realignment, new

Landfill Gas Booster Station platform and piping were constructed. The

existing Northwest Access shaft was raised above the flood elevation.

Shotcrete was used, as it provided a safer, more efficient solution for

the variety of challenges posed, including construction of a water-tight,

concrete-encased steel sheet pile floodwall. Shotcrete also provided

pleasing aesthetics.


Skanska Constructs First Gloucester Co. Hospital in Nearly Half-Century Contractor: Skanska USA

Project: Inspira Medical Center and Medical Office Building,

Mullica Hill, NJ

Award: 57th Annual NJ Concrete Award – Healthcare

Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill is Gloucester County’s first hospital to

open in 45 years and will help meet growing demand in the region. The

new five-story, 465,000 square-foot, 210-room inpatient hospital includes

state-of-the-art surgical suites, a modern emergency department with dedi-

cated pediatric and senior ERs, and a maternity center.

The project also includes a new central utility plant inclusive of cogener-

ation plant (combined heat and power) and solar field, which provides

electrical power, heating/hot water and chilled water to the facility.

Skanska used the Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) approach, working col-

laboratively with Array Architects and Leach Wallace Associates to achieve

an exceptional health facility.

Other ACCNJ Concrete Award Winners Two other members also won 57th Annual New Jersey Concrete Awards,

and a third ACCNJ member, Eastern Concrete Materials, served as a sup-

plier for many of the projects that won NJ Concrete Awards.

Contractor: Nordic Contracting Co., Inc

Project: JPMC Data Center, Totowa, NJ

Award: 57th Annual NJ Concrete Award – Technology

Contractor: Arthur J. Ogren, Inc.

Project: Ocean County Transportation Center at Manchester

Award: 57th Annual NJ Concrete Award – Public

Members Receive Awards from New Jersey Asphalt Paving Association Two ACCNJ contractor members received awards from the New Jersey

Asphalt Paving Association.

Contractor: Crisdel Group, Inc.

Project: New Jersey Turnpike Authority Garden State Parkway

P200.478 Roadway Resurfacing

Award: NJAPA Resurfacing of a State Highway or Toll Road

With a Minimum of 10,000 Tons of Asphalt Pavement

Contractor: Tilcon New York, Inc.

Project: Port Authority of NY & NJ TEB-144.055

Rehabilitation of Taxiways G, L and P

Award: NJAPA New Construction, Rehabilitation or

Resurfacing of an Airport Project With a

Minimum of 1,000 Tons of Asphalt Pavement


Partnering for Diversity

As I reflect on the current COVID-19 pandemic and the social

unrest that is occurring across America and globally, I pray for a

more equitable tomorrow. The year 2019 was a banner year for

the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey. We experi-

enced increased revenue in every area of activity. In addition, our atten-

dance at events was up and inquiries from those seeking information about

our mission and ways to be in alignment were a daily occurrence for myself

and the staff.

During the month of March 2020, the world appeared to come to a full

stop with the recognition of the COVID-19 pandemic, its devastating

impact on daily life from health and economic perspectives and, most sig-

nificant, with the loss of life and the inability to even bury loved ones.

However, within my spirit I still felt a sense of optimism and focus because

this is innate in what I do daily: provide a sense of hope and direction to

those pursuing their dreams.

Prior to the pandemic, the 1.1 million Blacks in New Jersey recorded the

following statistics: the highest poverty and unemployment levels, low

median and household incomes, 30% Black home ownership, a net worth

of $5,900 vs $275,000 for whites in New Jersey and 93% sole proprietorship

among Black business owners, which underscores the lack of an equitable

share of contracts and business opportunities within the public and private

sectors of our state. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the economic

standing of Black business owners, their families and communities by epic

proportions. This disaster has cast an unprecedented burden on Black

Americans who have disproportionately died from COVID-19 due to mor-

bidities and greater exposure because so many are part of the essential

workforce. For Black business owners, the forced closures due to state man-

dates restricted their sources of income and revenue.

At the height of the pandemic, we witnessed the murder of George Floyd

at the hands of law enforcement. The aftermath of the George Floyd mur-

der led to global news coverage of the policing of Blacks by law enforce-

ment. This storm of adverse circumstances – health threats from

COVID-19 and intentional violence against Blacks – led to a massive level

of media coverage and sustained protest I and others had never witnessed

in our lives. This portrayal of the United States in homes, offices and show-

rooms as a complicit arbitrator of unfairness to Black people in several

measurable categories was a stain such that many citizens of the United

States and abroad could no longer remain silent.

As the president of the African American Chamber of Commerce, I seized

the moment to double down on all we were already doing. The staff imme-

diately refocused our engagement with members, partners and the public

on an interactive virtual platform. My level of advocacy for more favorable

policies for Black businesses and people was elevated in New Jersey and

nationally. Initially, we called upon the leadership of the National Black

Chamber to host a national call with Black business owners and demand

from the federal government a more equitable share of federal contracts and

accountability to policies that have been codified in law for decades.

Subsequently, we requested the US Chamber of Commerce to partner

with the AACCNJ and others within its federation to bring government,

corporate leadership, foundations and other organizations to the table to

garner their commitment to diversity and inclusion. The goal of this reset-

ting is to increase contracts for Black businesses and acquire board seats

for Blacks desiring to work with corporations to improve their objectives.

In addition, we seek to connect more Black men and women to employ-

ment opportunities and training resources that will position them for equi-

table participation in the economy.

Prayers – and Action – for a More Equitable Tomorrow By John E. Harmon, Sr., IOM, Founder, President and CEO

African American Chamber of Commerce of NJ


The resulting effect from the initiative I sparked at the US Chamber of

Commerce, combined with my advocacy in New Jersey, captured the inter-

est of the New Jersey State Chamber of Commerce and the New Jersey

Business and Industry Association, and both have committed to a similar

strategy on a state level with the AACCNJ.

These unprecedented times are providing unprecedented opportunities.

My daily calendar is filled with quality engagements with CEOs and senior-

level representatives of corporations from all sectors. My discussions with

legislators, state and federal, have been focused and encouraging.

Conversations with Governor Murphy’s office and the Commissioners of

various state agencies have led to the deployment of more resources and

opportunities for Black business owners, individuals and communities

where Blacks have predominant representation. The AACCNJ has used our

webinars to provide a platform for our partners to speak about the

inequities of Blacks in New Jersey and have a frank discussion on courses of

action that would lead to real change.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of George Floyd and other

Blacks in the United States placed the mission of the AACCNJ on center

stage and my staff, board of directors and I are well-equipped to meet the

demands of this current environment and its resulting implications. The

transformational impact is reflected in our prominent standing statewide

and nationally.

To contact John Harmon and the African American Chamber:

[email protected]

379 West State Street, Trenton NJ 08608

609.571.1620

www.aaccnj.com


Legal & Insurance Affairs

The pandemic’s effects have been far-reaching – impacting contrac-

tors financially and disrupting project schedules. Contractors

have felt the effects of the pandemic in the form of site cleaning

and PPE expenses, as well as reduced productivity resulting from social dis-

tancing requirements, staggered shifts, reduced workforces, travel restric-

tions and supply chain disruptions. At the onset of the pandemic, much of

the industry focused on force majeure clauses to deal with these impacts.

Never before had this seemingly “boilerplate” provision received so much

attention. Foreseeability is often at the forefront of any force majeure analy-

sis,1 and the prevailing view in the legal community was that the pandemic,

in many ways, qualified as a force majeure event due to its unforeseeable

nature. But “foreseeability” is not stagnant. It’s an objective standard that

evolves with societal norms and expectations. What was unforeseeable in

February 2020 may be foreseeable this Fall. Accordingly, the way a con-

struction contract handles the impacts of a pandemic must also change as

COVID becomes the new norm for businesses.

In a post-COVID era, construction contracts are likely to address pan-

demic considerations in a standalone provision. This practice should assist

contractual parties in identifying potential impacts and developing reme-

dies and risk allocation strategies that apply exclusively to pandemic-

related effects. If done well, this strategy will prevent parties from relying

on other contractual remedies found elsewhere in the contract and can pro-

vide certainty in designated circumstances.

The effectiveness of a “COVID-clause” will depend largely on the level of

specificity and contemplation demonstrated by the parties. The first step is

to identify known risks. This is harder to do in the context of COVID, as

there are both known and unknown impacts. Local laws, executive orders

and safety guidelines change weekly, thus complicating a firm’s ability to

predict the legal framework under which it will have to operate. Worse yet,

the possibility of another shelter-in-place order looms large, as medical

professionals continue to predict a possible “second wave” this Fall and

Winter.2 Contractual parties need to account for the range of possibilities,

which is easier said than done.

Despite the difficult task, specificity will be key. Relying on common law

or vaguely drafted relief clauses is risky given the lack of case law on pan-

demics. In addition, risk profiles vary by project and company. Rarely is a

“one size fits all” approach effective. For these reasons, parties need to be

diligent in how they document their relief clauses. For example, contractors

seeking coverage for increased costs associated with safety and compliance

requirements should be wary of relying on standard force majeure clauses.

Such clauses typically permit extensions, but don’t necessarily entitle con-

tractors to increased costs unless expressly stated. There are other contrac-

tual concepts better suited for recovering increased costs such as change in

law provisions, emergency provisions, change orders, escalation/unit pric-

ing, and contingency allowances.

Contractual Risk Allocation in a Post-COVID World By Michael Regina, Director of Legal & Insurance Affairs

Relying on common law or vaguely drafted relief clauses is risky given the lack of case law on pandemics. In addition, risk profiles vary by project and company. Rarely is a

“one size fits all” approach effective.


Parties should also contemplate addressing the issue of foreseeability.

Not doing so could result in a court applying common law standards,

which typically only grant relief if an event is “unforeseeable.” This can be

problematic for contactors because COVID and its related effects are no

longer unforeseeable. Owners might require contractors to bear the risks of

governmental orders currently in place (including any extensions), safety

guidelines already issued, and any known supply chain issues. When it

comes to contractual risk allocation, negotiations that foster an open dia-

logue on pandemic-related risks will produce the best results.

COVID has changed the way our industry will do business moving for-

ward. Construction professionals need to be ready to adapt their practices

to meet contemporary standards. We encourage members to review their

standard contracts and consult with legal counsel regarding appropriate

updates for the current construction environment. Members should also

review existing insurance policies, bonds and guarantees, as each of these

documents may allocate certain risks to third-party sureties or insurers.

For each challenge created by COVID, the industry will respond with an

answer as it always has. ACCNJ is here to help members discover and facili-

tate these responses.

1 Including under existing New Jersey case law: see Facto v. Pantagis,

390 N.J. Super. 227, 232 (App. Div. 2007)(holding a valid force majeure

defense exists where an unforeseen event affects the performance of the contract)

2 “Experts project autumn surge in coronavirus cases, with a peak after

Election Day,” by Joel Achenback and Rachel Weiner, Washington

Post, September 5, 2020.


Fletch Creamer Retires

Insightful Leader, Avid Fisherman: Fletch Creamer Retires

J. Fletcher Creamer, Jr., known to us all in the industry as Fletch,

CEO of J. Fletcher Creamer & Son, Inc. since 2006, and grandson

of the company’s founder, has retired. It’s a little hard to believe he

retired after a mere 55 years in the firm. But 2020 has been full of hard-to-

believe events. And Fletch has already begun spending more time with his

eight grandchildren and proving to his brothers he’s the best fisherman

among them.

With his strong commitment to giving back, he remains involved in the

community, serving on the boards of Felician University and Hackensack

Meridian Health and participating in other professional and civic organiza-

tions. When the pandemic subsides, he plans to travel.

Named President at 32, Fletch led the firm into tremendous growth,

moving it from $30 million in annual revenue with 60 employees to

approximately $500 million including Joint Venture revenues and 1,200

employees. J. Fletcher Creamer & Son was recently recognized by ENR as a

Top 400 Contractor for the 33rd consecutive year. Perhaps most important

to Fletch, many of the employees and clients have been with the company

for a very long time.

We know Fletch as an extraordinarily insightful leader in the industry.

He was active in AGC of New Jersey before the merger with BCANJ that

created ACCNJ in 2013 and continued to work tirelessly for all of us in the

Association and the industry. Fletch joined ACCNJ’s founding Board of

Trustees as Secretary in Fall 2013, moving to Treasurer in Spring 2016 and

serving as Vice Chair in 2018 and 2019.

“ACCNJ staff has particularly valued Fletch’s guidance and direction

during the past seven years as we redefined the Association,” said Jack

Kocsis, ACCNJ CEO. “We wish him a very happy retirement, but we want

him to know he will be very much missed by his friends and colleagues.”


Al Daloisio, CEO of Railroad Construction Company:

“Fletch has had a huge influence on the industry throughout the

entire state of New Jersey and beyond. He has served as a Joint

Venture partner with many companies over the years, building

hallmark projects for the state, such as the Route 4 and 17 inter-

change, the rail access into the Meadowlands including the

Meadowlands Station at MetLife Stadium, countless projects for

NJ DOT, the state’s electric and water companies...

Fletch took the reins from his dad and, working along with his

brothers, grew the organization to one of the most respected

companies in the industry. The Creamer family put together a

team that could literally run hundreds of multidiscipline projects

during the course of a year. Their dedicated workforce and their

brown-and-cream company-owned trucks and equipment have

dotted the landscape in every county in New Jersey.”

Tony Oliviera, Laborers Local 472:

“J. Fletcher Creamer, Jr. (Fletch), his family, and the whole J.

Fletcher Creamer & Son organization for over 75 years have had

a close working relationship and partnership with Laborers

Local 472. Myself, and the Business Managers before me, could

tell you how vital his role in the heavy construction industry is.

Fletch is an industry leader and has been Co-Chairman to our

Benefit Funds, part of the contract negotiation team on the

contractors’ side, and the largest contributing company and

employer to our Local for many years. The success of his

organization has brought tremendous work hours for our

Funds and steady good jobs for our membership. Many of our

successes today can be tied to the advancements of Fletch and

his organization. On top of that, he is a good friend and ally to

whom I have been able to reach out for help and advice in any

situation. Fletch has been a true partner for organized labor!

On behalf of all of Local 472, we wish Fletch the best in his retire-

ment, and we will keep the decades-long family relationship

together with the Creamers.

Raymond M. Pocino, Vice President, Laborers’ International

Union of North America, Eastern Regional Manager:

“I first met Fletch when his dad was running the business.

It was on a jobsite in Vineland, New Jersey, and he was a recent

college graduate. From those beginnings, we traveled down so

many roads together (and paved quite a few along the way!).

There have been the calls and the meetings, the consultations

and informal conversations. We have faced economic recessions

and government shutdowns and stood face-to-face and gone

toe-to-toe with public officials and leaders of private industry

to advocate for investment or to promote the value of the

union industry.

For many years, Fletch was the co-chair of our NJ LECET and

Health and Safety Funds, and I couldn’t be more thankful for

that. Quite simply, LIUNA has never had a better friend, a more

committed partner, or a stronger leader than J. Fletcher Creamer,

Jr. Both Fletch and J. Fletcher Creamer & Son, Inc. have always

been a strong ally of the Laborers. Over these many years, they

have partnered with us on every aspect of the business. As one

would expect, we didn’t always agree, but I knew I could always

trust Fletch. He has always been a man of his word and his char-

acter is as respected and revered as his business acumen – which

says a lot!

What Fletch has done for his business – as well as the entire

industry including the hard-working Laborers I represent – is

nothing short of amazing. They are truly among the elite in the

industry and the Laborers International Union of North America

will truly miss the relationships developed with Fletch and the

entire Creamer family!

J. Fletcher Creamer and Son, Inc. is a subsidiary of APi Group – a market-leading business services provider of safety, specialty, and industrial services in over 200 locations worldwide.

Words from Friends and Colleagues of Fletch Creamer on His Retirement


Education & Workforce Development

As the year started off like any other, CIAP hosted its annual

Career Fair in early January, welcoming 40 potential employers

representing various aspects of the construction industry. More

than 80 eager college students made the rounds: shaking hands, introduc-

ing themselves and learning about where this summer might take them.

As the next few months unfolded, 58 students received offers of summer

internships, along with news from the government we needed to shut

down to stop the spread of COVID-19. The resiliency of the construction

industry was never more evident during those months. Work continued on

essential projects, with the highest level of safety protocols and policies put

in place. With internships hanging in the balance, students anxiously

awaited word if they too would be permitted to go to work during the sum-

mer. For 55 of those 58 students, it happened. Albeit slightly modified for

some, most gained the full 12-week experience on jobsites and in offices

throughout the state and metro areas.

The three students with internships rescinded were afforded an opportu-

nity to earn the scholarship portion of the program by the CIAP Trustees

through a research project. Hailing from different universities, they worked

diligently as a team to produce a paper, presentation and social media cam-

paign addressing New Jersey’s failing infrastructure from their perspective.

They delivered and should be commended for rolling with the punches.

We thank everyone for rising to the occasion. This year’s internship pro-

gram was just as impactful as years past. Because of you, students will

remember their construction-related experience despite the pandemic, as

exampled here…

Geraldo Batista, Fairleigh Dickinson University J. Fletcher Creamer & Son

Having the pleasure of working for the water division with Project Manager

John Dugan and his team, Geraldo was more than satisfied with his experi-

ence. He was assigned to a water main replacement project in Linden, NJ.

Although assigned to the project in the final stages, he was still able to wit-

ness enough of the scope of work being done. His responsibilities enhanced

his Bluebeam skills and ability to effectively communicate. Geraldo was

also tasked with restoration needs, including landscape, concrete and

asphalt work. Ultimately, in his time with Creamer, he was exposed to as-

builts, quantity breakdown, billing and subcontractor management.

Amanda Leber, Rowan University Epic Management Inc.

This summer led Amanda to three different projects, at varying phases and

types of construction, including a precast parking garage well underway,

prefabricated metal build-

ing still in the infancy

stages and a newly con-

structed public safety

building focused on finish-

ing work. Amanda

expressed she had a great

experience learning more

about the role of the gen-

eral contractor and how

everything works on site,

while seeing the importance of great communication skills. Her supervisor,

Project Engineer Jim O’Donnell, said “Amanda is a very detail-oriented,

well-spoken, organized, intelligent individual. She will surely have a suc-

cessful career and I would be happy to work alongside her anytime.”

Bryce Totten, The College of New Jersey Ferreira Construction Company Inc.

At the Career Fair, Bryce had an opportunity to meet with Kevin Sullivan

and Pedro Da Silva, who

promised he would have an

opportunity to see a little

bit of everything. Promise

kept. After experiencing

more than he could have

hoped for from a summer

internship, Bryce found he

liked being able to work

with multiple parts of a

project in different types of

construction. He looks forward to working with Ferreira again as they

showed him so much in a small amount of time, though he can’t imagine

how much more he could learn from them. According to Assistant

Superintendent Kevin Sullivan, “Bryce is going to go far in this industry.”

Students Complete Internships with Pandemic Playing Second Fiddle to Experience By Jill Schiff, ACCNJ Executive Director, Operations


Grant Fowler, Stevens Institute of Technology Skanska Koch

Considering himself fortunate to land an internship with Skanska, Grant

was assigned to the Manhattan Bridge project as a steel/bridge intern.

Documentation, confirmation, collection, coordination, assisting, prepar-

ing and of course, communication, are a few of the words he used to

describe his exceptional experience. Because of the dynamic relationship

between the project team and crew, Grant was able to see how differently

daily tasks, administrative documentation and budgeting worked as com-

pared to his previous cooperative education and internship experience. He

is incredibly grateful for this unique opportunity – after all, how many stu-

dent interns can say they stood atop the Manhattan Bridge?

Edward Williams, Rowan University South State Inc.

As a rising Junior, this was Eddie’s first experience in the construction

industry. Choosing to work with South State was a great decision.

He worked closely with

Jeff String, Project

Manager, at the Packer

Avenue Marine Terminal

in Philadelphia. Working

on submittals, RFIs, change

orders, quote acquisitions

and purchase orders were

just a few of the tasks in

the trailer office. Outside,

Eddie was able to see

bridge deck pours, wharf

demolition, and the largest

hydraulic crane available on the market, all of which he will remember

when looking back as the most amazing experience to start his construc-

tion industry career.

Joshua Kunzelman, Rutgers – The State University Keller

Working for Keller under Scott Jacobs, Josh assisted and learned about the

engineering role for a geotechnical contractor, while also gaining some

experience in the estimator’s role. Josh also learned communication

between the engineers, estimators and

project managers is crucial for estab-

lishing redesigns of plans, scope of

work and time management. Josh was

tasked with creating a 3D profile for an

SOE project in New York City, in which

the secant wall had to be embedded

into rock. He had an opportunity to

visit the site for a week to observe the

construction and assist the field engi-

neers. The site visit allowed him to get a thorough understanding of the

construction and design side, which he found to be a privilege.

Juan Vera Bedolla, Rowan University Hall Construction Company, Inc.

Working onsite every day was a great experience for Juan. There was always

something new to learn as there were different tasks to complete and dead-

lines to accomplish. Part of his role as quality assurance/quality control

intern was to ensure all work was completed on time and to the designated

standards. From running a snow load test to overseeing an elevator under

construction, Juan’s responsibilities on the school construction project

were varied. Also, during his internship, he gained experience in interpret-

ing site plans, which is something he believes will be a lifelong benefit.

Being part of the program allowed Juan to forge great connections, benefit-

ting him in the future. He firmly states the program helps students like him

get a head start on finding their passion.

Michael Fernandes, Roger Williams University Union Paving & Construction

During his 12-weeks as an intern, Michael learned a lot about not only

about the industry, but himself. The team at UPC consistently exceeded his

expectations by finding better solutions and demonstrating their excep-

tional employer-to-employee relationship. He felt welcomed and impor-

tant. His experience was primarily in the office estimating. This exposed

him to a variety of software platforms, which he found to be helpful and a

great part of his learning. Michael was also able to go on field visits and

attend pre-bid site meetings. He believes these two activities made him a

better estimator because he was able to visualize the site. Although he had

a wonderful time this summer, the internship also enlightened Michael to

where he sees himself in the future, not in an office, but out in the field,

simply based on personal preference.


Woody Crosby-Piszczek, Rowan University HC Constructors Inc.

Based on his previous work experience with a construction management

firm, Woody chose to work for HC Constructors because he wanted to

experience what it was like to work construction jobs from the perspective

of a contractor. Working directly under

two senior project managers, Shanna

Pfau and Scott Handel, Woody’s role

was to aid them in the planning, coordi-

nation and execution of their respective

projects, which involved a wide range of

tasks, including takeoffs, calling vendors

and ordering materials. His greatest

takeaway from his time at HC was that it

takes a lot of communication, multitask-

ing and problem-solving to get projects

done correctly and on time. Being able to adapt to difficult circumstances

and work through setbacks is essential with this type of work. And, Woody

learned an industry “life lesson” – your reputation carries you a long way

and a high level of professionalism is paramount, as demonstrated by the

entire team. Liza Pope, Vice President of Estimating, found Woody to be

“diligent in his work and a pleasure to work with.” Liza is hopeful to have

him continue with the company.

Maksymilian Gruszecki, Rutgers – The State University Northeast Remsco

Memorable and Gratitude. Those are the words Maks chose as he began

his writeup about his experience. Able to complete 12 weeks this summer

allowed him to see how complex a quick-turning transition can be when

projects come to a halt. The internship

enabled him to develop new skills that

will help him both in and out of the

workforce; most important, communi-

cation. Working in the estimating

department was an eye-opener for

Maks, showing him how crucial this

position is to a company. Quantity take-

offs, working with manufacturers and

vendors and visiting projects the com-

pany was bidding on were truly exciting

for him. Maks notes one of the most important skills he improved was

learning how to fluently read plans and specifications of a project. No mat-

ter what path he takes in the industry, he found this skill to be extremely

valuable, as it will make his transition to any position much smoother.


Government Affairs Report

Trenton lawmakers have responded to the active COVID-19 health

emergency in myriad ways. From the onset of the pandemic,

ACCNJ has been engaged on several legislative fronts both

defensively and offensively. Let’s take a look at some of the issues…

State Borrowing Plan Remains a Concern

The State of New Jersey now has the authority to borrow up to $9.9 billion

to bolster state budgets and make up for losses in state revenues caused by

COVID-19, after Gov. Phil Murphy approved a plan this past summer that

passed along partisan lines in the Legislature. The law permits the state to

borrow without first going to voters for approval as is typically required.

Legislative Leadership negotiated sweeping changes to Murphy’s initial

borrowing plan, adding a requirement that all borrowing goes through a

special legislative committee created specifically for the oversight of State

spending and any State Department operating expenditures. The final

legislation, then signed by Murphy, was litigated within the State’s

Supreme Court, whereby the high court found it was constitutional due to

the emergent nature of the pandemic. ACCNJ remains concerned about the

unspecified use of the borrowed funds and the detrimental impact on the

State’s overall credit rating.

Workers’ Compensation Law is Problematic

As reported in ACCNJ Bulletins, Legal Webinars and Safety Shorts’ virtual

meetings, the new law will create a presumption that COVID-19 infections

contracted by essential employees are work-related, thus allowing employ-

ment benefits provided for work-related injuries and illnesses including

workers’ compensation benefits. ACCNJ strongly opposed this legislation,

as it may increase the costs associated with erroneous claims and unduly

harm the overall State’s workers’ compensation system.

For decades, workers’ compensation benefits have been an exclusive

remedy for workplace injuries. The current time-tested system has afforded

many injured workers direct benefits, while employer costs continue to

rise. ACCNJ is concerned the undifferentiating application of a workers’

compensation presumption to a broad scope of workers could burden the

workers’ compensation system with costs it is not designed to bear. This

could further threaten the viability of the system itself.

Despite our opposition to S-2380, there are aspects of the legislation that

should help alleviate some concerns. For example, it is important to

remember the presumption is rebuttable. Well-executed safety plans might

allow a company to meet evidentiary burdens and reverse a presumption.

Contractors must be ready to demonstrate compliance. We recommend

thorough documentation of mitigation efforts.

In addition, we were successful in explicitly barring from the legislation

any future COVID-19 workers’ compensation claims from an employer’s

Experience Modification Rating (EMR) calculation. However, securing the

Legislative Actions in Response to COVID-19 By Michael A. Travostino, Government Affairs Director

ACCNJ is concerned the undifferentiating application of a workers’ compensation

presumption to a broad scope of workers could burden the workers’ compensation system with costs

it is not designed to bear.

amendment did not remove our opposition, as any increased costs will ulti-

mately be absorbed by the business community by way of higher insurance

premiums. ACCNJ remains engaged in policy discussions with the Murphy

Administration and Legislative Leadership on ways to make this issue more

palatable for the union construction contracting community. We will

update members on our continued advocacy efforts.

ACCNJ Input in Economic Recovery Committees

ACCNJ CEO Jack Kocsis was appointed to Governor Murphy’s “Economic

Restart Committee” and General Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin’s

“Economic Recovery Committee” to provide input and ideas on how to

move forward on recovery from the economic devastation of COVID-19.

ACCNJ was successful in incorporating many forward-thinking concepts

into the Speaker’s final report.

Specifically, “To best ensure the State’s economic growth, current laws

governing these construction projects must be reviewed and revised to

address any regulations and/or requirements that slow or limit develop-

ment opportunities in New Jersey.

“In addition, enacting a legislative remedy to direct local enforcing

agencies to allow utilization of qualified third-party professionals and

inspectors, licensed by various state agencies, will assist in reducing back-

log and expediting development. The Site Remediation Reform Act that

created the licensing program for Site Remediation Professionals at the

New Jersey DEP could be used as a guide.

“Finally, it is imperative that projects currently waiting to start, be

allowed to proceed as soon as possible by centralizing and prioritizing

inventory of all ‘shovel ready’ projects for Fall 2020, streamlining

permitting requirements, and identifying other needs – such as financial

gaps – to ensure that these projects can begin promptly.”

ACCNJ was pleased to participate in the group’s formation and corre-

sponding recommendations. We look forward to working with the

Governor and Legislative Leaders to advance these initiatives.



Education & Workforce Development

Like most events in this year of COVID-19, ACCNJ’s scholarships

were presented virtually in June, with no dinner to celebrate

the scholarships, no group pictures in the garden at Mayfair Farms

in West Orange, New Jersey. But, of course, the Association and the

recipients were pleased and proud – nine students received a total of

$102,500 and they were on the Zoom platform with their families to

share smiles and waves.

Since 2013, ACCNJ has awarded nearly $500,000 in scholarships to the

children and grandchildren of ACCNJ members. This year, three of the

ACCNJ Scholarship Foundation awards were named in honor and in mem-

ory of respected industry leaders who volunteered countless hours to the

Association and the construction industry: Michael M. McHugh, James F.

Parry and Donald R. Waters Sr.

The John F. Donohoe Scholarship, also named in honor and in memory

of a renowned industry leader, was established to encourage students cur-

rently enrolled in a civil engineering program who seek careers in heavy

construction contracting.

Morteza Mesgari Hagh John Donohoe Scholarship

Morteza has already begun to make his mark on the globe. He carries a 4.0

GPA and ranks first in his class at Rutgers Engineering Honors Academy,

where he majors in Civil Engineering. He is well-known at the Universities

of Sydney and New South Wales in

Australia, where his contributions

as an intern developing a risk

assessment and decision-making

methodology tool were so valuable

he was asked to remain on the

team after he returned to the US.

He was selected as a 2020

ENGAGE Scholar by Columbia

University, received the 2019 Jaslin Singh Award in recognition of his pro-

posal for SHM systems for the George Washington Bridge, and was chosen

as a Forbes Under 30 Scholar in 2019. Fluent in four languages, Morteza

also contributes greatly to his various communities, volunteering for

Engineers in Action, UNICEF and Elijah’s Promise Soup Kitchen in New

Brunswick, New Jersey. He keeps energized playing squash, ranking second

in local and regional squash tournaments. Morteza will graduate from

Rutgers in May 2021.

Will Higgins Donald R. Waters Scholarship

Even as a child, Will threw himself wholeheartedly into academics and ath-

letics. When he graduated from Council Rock North High School in

Newtown, Pennsylvania, he had

accumulated an impressive GPA

and SAT scores. He was a particu-

larly notable student of Latin, par-

ticipated in the Latin Club and

served on the Latin National

Honor Society. A superb athlete,

Will golfs, swims and plays

lacrosse, winning countless awards

and recognition. When he began teaching swimming to special needs kids,

Will found a calling. He started his own business, teaching infants to swim,

and expects to continue helping children to swim throughout his life. Will

is attending Villanova, starting his studies in engineering.

Isabelle Larche Michael M. McHugh Memorial Scholarship

From kindergarten on, Isabelle was immersed in French, enrolled in a pro-

gram in which every class was taught in French and all the students had to

respond in French. She found it

bewildering at first, but now, as

she graduates from Holliston High

School in Holliston,

Massachusetts, Isabelle recognizes

and appreciates the exercise

demanded of her mind. While jug-

gling Honors and Advanced

Placement courses and maintain-

ing a solid GPA, Isabelle excelled in Field Hockey and Ice Hockey, and

served on the National Honor Society and Student Council. She also partic-

ipated in multiple mission trips to parts of the South devastated by hurri-

canes. Isabelle is now studying engineering at the University of Delaware.

Nine ACCNJ Scholarships Presented Virtually


Alexis Pope James F. Parry Memorial Scholarship

Born in Hawaii, Alexis personifies the aloha (emoting good feelings toward

others) and ohana (family) spirit. She devoted much of her time to school

and community service activities.

At Delaware Valley Regional High

School in Frenchtown, New Jersey,

Alexis was Founder and President

of Students Helping Students,

inspired by a mission trip with her

father to Puerto Rico following

Hurricane Maria. She carried a

challenging academic load to close

out her senior year, with five Advanced Placement classes. Her hard work

paid off – her phenomenal GPA helped take her to Stevens Institute of

Technology, where she is engaged in a biology/pre-med program.

Mallory McGowan ACCNJ Foundation Scholarship

Throughout her four years at John F. Kennedy Memorial High School in

Iselin, New Jersey, Mallory could be heard in Concert Choir, General

Chorus, Women’s Choir and Show Choir. Her voice continued in school

musicals and Varsity Cheerleading. But on her mind was the human brain.

Her childhood was marked by bizarre, evocative dreams, and struggling to

understand them led her to studying how the human brain functions.

When she was 15, she was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder.

As she listened to and learned from the neurologist who treated her, she

knew she had found her life’s work. Mallory graduated with a strong GPA

and outstanding SAT scores. She is now pursuing her very real dream of

becoming a neurologist at The College of New Jersey.

Riley McKeon ACCNJ Foundation Scholarship

Riley got excited about combining AP Chemistry, Honors Physics and

Calculus in her senior year at Toms River High School North in Toms River,

New Jersey, because the STEM

courses flowed around and within

each other, deepening her under-

standing of all three. Being an

enthusiastic student, Riley also

carried three other classes, served

on the National Honor Society,

played Varsity Softball, captained

the Varsity Volleyball team and

volunteered with A Need We Feed, helping veterans and their families.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further strengthened her drive to become a

doctor, ready to help people under the worst of stress and need. Backing

up her desire are impressive grades, which put her in the top 20 of her 520-

student high school class. Riley entered the University of Delaware this fall.

BCA of South Jersey Legacy Scholarships ACCNJ merged with the Building Contractors Association of South Jersey

(BCASJ) in early 2020. Three BCASJ Legacy Scholarships were awarded:

Gianna Borelli

After spending the summer of 2019 working for Borrelli Steel Fabricators

in Vineland, Gianna was determined to attend Marywood University in

Scranton, Pennsylvania, majoring in Business Management, minoring in

Business Marketing and

learning all she could about the

steel and construction industries.

Her GPA at St. Joseph High School

in Hammonton provided strong

support for her college plans; her

athletic ability led her to Varsity

Track, Varsity Basketball and

Varsity Soccer. Gianna also gave

back to school and community with enthusiasm, serving as secretary of the

National Honor Society and participating in Girl Scouts, the local Food

Bank, Lions Club, Veterans Haven and more.

Kimberly Shaw

Kimberly began immersing herself in science when she entered the magnet

program in biomedical science at Oakcrest High School in Mays Landing.

Four years later, having graduated magna cum laude following a heavy

course-load of Honors and AP

classes that saw her inducted into

the National Honor Society,

Kimberly is ready to move into a

science career, beginning at

Atlantic Cape Community

College’s Radiologic Technology

program and followed by Shore

Medical Center School of

Radiologic Technology. In addition to more than a dozen other volunteer

activities, Kimberly volunteers regularly at an AtlantiCare Health Systems

hospital, assisting nurses and patients. She also works as a gymnastics

coach for children age 2 to 12, and lifeguards at the local pool.


Alaina Yula

Alaina was a strong student at Paul VI High School in Haddonfield, New

Jersey. But she is particularly remembered by school staff for her maturity,

kindness to others and strength of

character. To her high school

English teacher, Alaina “stays true

to herself, never compromising on

her values.” Alaina kept her focus

on her academics and school-

related activities, serving in the

National Honor Society, Educators

Rising, the American Sign

Language and Cultural Diversity clubs and Stage Crew. Outside of school,

she taught CCD classes, worked as a lifeguard and swam on the team at the

local swim club. As she pursues her intended career in Elementary Special

Education and continues her studies in Spanish, Alaina attends The

College of New Jersey.

Three FCINJ Scholarships Also Awarded

ACCNJ also administers scholarships for the Floor Covering

Institute of New Jersey (FCINJ), separate from the ACCNJ scholar-

ships. Three FCINJ Scholarships were awarded:

Hailey Cassidy

Singing and performing go hand-in-hand for Hailey Cassidy.

Before graduating from Donovan Catholic High School in Toms

River, New Jersey, Hailey’s choral career spanned more than a

decade of dedication, including after-school choir, high school

show, jazz and concert choirs, as well as numerous solos within all

three. Hailey served as student director of the show choir and was

awarded the honor of outstanding vocalist in her school. While

balancing school, maintaining a stellar GPA, embodying song and

theater, Hailey also found time to serve as a mentor/ambassador

for Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Hailey is sharing her talents at Loyola

University Maryland.

Grace Denton

With a diverse course load at West Morris Central High School

in Long Valley, New Jersey, ranging from Robotics to Holocaust

and Genocide Studies with a dose of advanced language courses,

Grace finds herself at Syracuse University this fall pursuing a degree

in Media & Communications. Grace’s IB Spanish 5 teacher referred

to her as a teacher’s dream! She participated with enthusiasm and

as Grace would say “Yo tengo una manera con palabras” (“I have

a way with words.”) She hopes to use her talents to create a more

balanced media, one that reflects our common concerns, not

forms them.

Paige Donovan

Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut, is where you will

find Paige pursuing a career in education. Having spent her high

school career at Seaford High School in Seaford, New York, on the

bowling, softball and volleyball teams, serving as captain for several

years, she also looks forward to making coaching part of her path.

Her rigorous course load of AP classes pushed Paige, while instilling

in her a deeper appreciation for her teachers. A mature student,

wise beyond her years with a huge heart, Paige is recognized as a

hard worker possessing the necessary leadership skills and compas-

sion needed to succeed as an educator and coach.


Labor Management Cooperative

New Moves to Build Market Share and Members By John F. Capo, Director

Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers District Council of New Jersey

After 14 years as Director of the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers

Administrative District Council of New Jersey and 33 years of BAC

membership, Richard E. Tolson retired on June 1, 2020.

In June of 2006, after a two-plus year receivership, the International

Union formed the ADC of NJ, appointing Rich as Director. It’s not breaking

news to anyone in the unionized construction industry that Locals 4, 5 & 2

did not always have the best relationship. Rich was tasked with bringing

three locals together under one umbrella and dealing with multiple

personalities and issues. After some time, he resolved the personalities and

issues and the BAC in NJ was on its way operating as one organization.

Then came the economic downturn of 2008. The worst since the Great

Depression. Rich again was faced with an unenviable task, leading the

Union through 50-60% unemployment, work hours reduced by half and a

bleak economic and construction outlook. Again, the BAC in NJ crawled

our way through this difficult time. Not to go out quietly, months before

his retirement, the nation was hit with the COVID-19 virus. A pandemic

not seen since the 1918 flu pandemic. Rich, along with other Building

Trades leaders, worked with ACCNJ early to address the virus’ impact on

the construction industry. Crucial steps were initiated to combat the virus

spread on jobsites, both to ensure worker safety and not have projects

shut down like in neighboring states. Through all these challenges, Rich’s

leadership has positioned the BAC in NJ to continue the 155-year history of

representing craftworkers across New Jersey.

On June 1, 2020, after running unopposed, I was sworn in as Director of

the District Council and Kevin Duncan was sworn in as Secretary

Treasurer, replacing me. The following were appointed to Officer positions

in Local 5: Leon Jones, President; Lynn Canfield, Recording Secretary;

Mario Cerrito, First Vice President; and Nick D’Orazio, Second Vice

President. Local 4 Officers remained the same.

Over the past 14 years I worked closely with Rich in all efforts to increase

craftworker hours for our members, market share for our employers and

the wellbeing of our Trust Funds. I, along with Secretary Treasurer Duncan,

the ADC Executive Committee and staffs of both Locals are looking

forward to building on those efforts. Our top priority will be increasing

market share for our signatory employers, which in turn will increase work

opportunities for our members. In accomplishing this goal, we will be tak-

ing a bit of a different approach, learning from past failures and building

on our successes.

One main difference will be refocusing on our Apprentices and their

training to increase our membership and the quality of future craftworkers.

Traditional organizing of nonunion contractors and workers to increase

membership and market share is exceedingly difficult. Trying to level the

playing field through organizing the all-too-familiar “Underground

Economy,” with unscrupulous contractors violating labor, tax and workers

comp laws while employing undocumented workers, has proven ineffec-

tive. Very few if any of these “Underground Economy” contractors have the

desire to operate legitimately.


Although efforts will still be made through traditional organizing, the

ADC is dedicated to using our apprentice program as an organizing “tool.”

With understanding and cooperation from our employers, we think this

can be the best way to increase membership and help continue to provide

you with quality union craftworkers. Remember, most of your current craft-

workers, whether they be Supers, Foremen or Journeyworkers, started as

apprentices. They all had to learn.

As part of refocusing on the apprentice program, the ADC identified a

current Field Rep in each local who will be responsible for monitoring our

apprentices on all projects. They will in some respects become a “mentor”

to these young men and women. This new approach will give the appren-

tice someone specific to encourage growth, address issues and “show them

the ropes.”

As mentioned, our approach moving forward will be to learn from our

mistakes, build on our successes and reexamine how better to improve the

unionized masonry industry in the state of New Jersey. This will not only

apply to the Union and apprenticeship training but the management of our

trust funds as well. A financially solid health fund that provides good, qual-

ity benefits and stable pension funds so members can retire in dignity is

just as important as work opportunities for both members and employers.

After all, a good rate of pay, solid benefits and the best training in the

industry are what separate us from our nonunion competition. Working

along with our Employer Trustees, we will continue to monitor these funds,

making improvements when we can but always being mindful of their

financial stability.

I look forward to meeting those of you I do not know and continuing the

relationships with those I do know.

In closing, I want to emphasize that I, along with all the officers and field

staff of the BACADC of NJ understand, appreciate and value the relation-

ship with you, ACCNJ. We realize how fortunate we are to have you, along

with the Masonry Contractors of New Jersey, as our bargaining partners in

negotiating CBAs. It is certainly unique to have a general contractor associ-

ation play this role. I also want to reinforce that Kevin and I, the officers

and staff of Locals 4 & 5, are committed 100% to cooperating with our bar-

gaining partners and employers to keep you successful and profitable and

position the unionized masonry industry in the state of NJ to be around

another 155 years.



In many states across the country (not New Jersey!), construction

projects abruptly shut as the COVID-19 pandemic swept our world.

However, by July, most states were allowing construction to resume

and The Iron Workers and IMPACT wanted to make sure the ironworkers

and their contractors had enough information and resources to ensure

their safety on the jobsite.

IMPACT hosted a virtual town hall forum titled, “Returning to Work:

COVID-19 Issues and Answers” on July 8 to review safety protocols and

provide information on the resources being made available to all. The

Ironworkers General President Eric Dean, Iron Workers Executive Director

of Safety and Health Steve Rank, Ironworkers Canadian Safety Director Jeff

Norris and Ironworkers District Representative for Safety & Health Wayne

Creasap joined the host Pete Hayes to share valuable information about

returning to work safely. Guest speaker John Johnson, vice president and

director, ESH&S, at Black & Veatch shared information about the ANSI

pandemic and communicable disease standard being developed to provide

guidance to employers.

Start with the Right Mask

Working at distances closer than six feet? The panel recommends the

N95 FFR mask, aka the healthcare worker-preferred mask, if it’s available.

Another safe choice is a face shield, which can be as effective as a respirator.

We encourage face masks or shields over respirators, especially over respi-

rators with exhalation valves.

Don’t use surgical masks, which are not approved by NIOSH for

distances closer than six feet. Cloth face coverings are not approved PPE.

Personal Responsibility, Support, Common Sense

We ask our partner contractors to stress personal responsibility among

craftworkers, but also ask they provide empathetic support free of fear for

reporting of symptoms or exposure. We expect everyone to pay attention,

exercise situational awareness and, in short, be vigilant about what’s going

on at the jobsite.

The hierarchy of controls is based on common sense – screening work-

ers, changing how people work through distancing, wash stations and PPE,

modified work schedules and behaviors, segregating crews at breaks or

when performing tasks. As we head into November, still fighting the pan-

demic, our ironworkers and partner contractors know not to be compla-

cent. We know they are familiar with the safety measures.

Developing the ANSI Standard A-10

Guest speaker John Johnson of Black & Veatch is on the ANSI panel

developing the pandemic and communicable disease standard that would

provide guidance to employers. He wants it fast-tracked.

“The construction industry has done a phenomenal job of keeping work-

ers safe through the pandemic,” he told the Town Hall participants, “which

I attribute to an existing mindset of construction companies – they are

used to jumping on safety issues and getting ahead of those issues quickly.”

Posting guidance issued by the CDC and OSHA, we built a COVID-19 Update

microsite at https://www.ironworkers.org/ to house an array of information and

resources. We have a toll-free number, 833.355.SAFE, that takes callers to the

Ironworkers International Safety & Health Department. Emails may be sent to

[email protected]. And the COVID-19 Safety & Health link on the microsite

gives visitors multiple resources to help workers stay safe.

Ironworkers Host Virtual Town Hall on Safety Protocol From IMPACT, Ironworker Management

Progressive Action Cooperative Trust



The rapid and devastating impact of the coronavirus left many

businesses and organizations scrambling to meet demands never

confronted before. Not only was continued productivity in ques-

tion, but the health of construction workers also zoomed to the surface on

every project.

However, Union Carpenters didn’t remain on the sidelines about what to

do next. They took the initiative that not only helped to keep Carpenters

working but directly addressed the safety issue.

The Carpenters International Training Fund (CITF) and Robert Smith,

Supervisor of Instruction for the Northeast Carpenters Apprentice

Training Fund, which is responsible for the Edison and Hammonton, NJ,

training centers, launched an online training course in April to meet the

additional safety demands created by the coronavirus pandemic. The new

course, COVID-19 Preparedness Qualifications, provides guidance and safety

practices to Union Carpenters.

“Our goal was to protect our workers with the latest safety protocols as

they continue to work on projects deemed essential by their respective gov-

erning bodies,” said Smith. “Our dedicated men and women have

responded with courage to help maintain projects that are important to the

community, and we want to ensure they fulfill their mission under the

safest possible conditions.”

The CITF online course is free to all Union Carpenters throughout the

United States and Canada. The course is self-paced. Completion times can

vary, but it takes about two hours to finish the course, according to Smith.

Since the course’s release, 4,266 members from the Eastern Atlantic States

Regional Council enrolled as did more than 40,000 throughout the United

Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC).

The Northeast Carpenters Apprentice Training Fund designed the

course with input from various contractors and then partnered with the

CITF to create the platform to connect all members of the UBC to the train-

ing opportunity.

“It is easy to forget that when we launched this online safety training

course, confusion reigned everywhere,” Smith said. “We fixated on our

Carpenters getting the safety protocols in front of them on a digital plat-

form everyone could access.”

Smith notes stringent safety rules have always been a part of the Union

Carpenters’ training curriculum. The online course is an added layer of pro-

tection, given the unique circumstances posed by the pandemic.

“Our brother and sister Carpenters are on the front lines,” he empha-

sized. “They go out every day, working to maintain the highest skill sets, a

high standard Carpenters have brought to local construction projects for

more than 100 years. This additional training ensures they will return

home safely with the best information to protect themselves and their fam-

ilies, while hopefully easing the strain they face every day when they report

to work.”

For more information about the Northeast Carpenters Apprentice Training

Fund, visit https://www.ncatf.org. To enroll in the program, visit

https://eascarpenters.org/covid-19-online-courses/.

Union Carpenters Meet Pandemic Challenges with Online Safety Course By Odie Parkins, Interim Executive Director, Carpenter Contractor Trust



“Work quickly but work cautiously.” That was the

directive LIUNA International Vice President and

Eastern Regional Manager Raymond M. Pocino

gave local unions and labor-management funds after Governor Murphy

ordered businesses to close and residents to shelter in place. It was March

21st, but it might as well have been March 1921; a pre-COVID world now

seems just as distant.

With so much happening so quickly, LIUNA worked to collect and inter-

pret rapidly changing information, design new policies and procedures,

communicate to its members and partners, and then change and adapt

with new circumstances, new executive orders, and new understanding of

the coronavirus.

“Everyone in our industry understood the grave circumstances we were

(and are) working under,” said Pocino. “There are issues of life and death,

solvency and insolvency, and working for a paycheck or wondering if you’ll

ever work again. It is a testament to the relationship we already have with

our ACCNJ contractors that we were able to adapt as well as we did.”

Working with industry and public health professionals, the NJ Laborers’

Health and Safety Fund developed advisories and best practice information

for members and contractors. Assistant Director Mike Caterina also criss-

crossed the state working with contractors to implement their own work-

site safety protocols. Onsite consultation led to more effective engineering

and administrative controls, especially at a time when access to PPE was

difficult to obtain.

With training centers closed, LIUNA’s training funds shifted instruction

online. Members could download the union’s Infectious Disease App and

enroll in the fund’s Online Infectious Disease Awareness Course. Through

the free app, members also received COVID-19 news from the CDC, NIH

and the Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund. In addition, the app provided

access to information on PPE, standard and advanced precautions, training

videos and more.

More generalized and trade-specific safety and skills training was also

shifted to online instruction through platforms such as Zoom. LIUNA

training instructors rewrote curriculum, and any hands-on instruction was

staggered to allow proper social distancing. “The industry needs didn’t

stop with the pandemic,” said Pocino, “but how we addressed these needs

certainly changed.”

Of course, the global pandemic hasn’t gone away, and LIUNA local

union representatives and fund staff continue to adapt operations to meet

new and emerging needs. It is a challenge the union construction industry

is well-equipped to meet, explained NJ LECET Director Steve Gardner.

“We work in one of the most competitive and challenging industries, so

we already understand the need to evolve and adapt to new technologies,

new market demands, new regulations and new competition,” said

Gardner. “Because of this, we had the right infrastructure, personnel and

systems in place to respond when the pandemic hit. 2020 wasn’t what we

expected, but we were ready for it anyhow, and that is very reassuring for

our future.”

The Pandemic Proved We Have the Tools to Respond By Robert Lewandowski, Communications Director, NJ LECET



As the COVID-19 pandemic forces governments at all levels to

contend with revenue shortfalls, it is more important than ever

to invest in a diverse, balanced and affordable energy portfolio

that will keep costs low for those who live and work in New Jersey.

ELEC825 is proud to join a new coalition that is focused on addressing our

affordable energy issues.

This coalition, Affordable Energy for New Jersey, recently released a white

paper addressing the “cost chasm” in the energy sector – one that threatens

to increase costs for businesses and residents and could leave us with a

fragile, less reliable grid. Fortunately, there is a path to affordable, clean and

stable energy systems in our state, and we have the tools to get there.

Since March, the COVID-19 pandemic has

touched every New Jersey resident and forced the

state to reckon with significant economic impacts,

including a potential budget shortfall of nearly

$5 billion this fiscal year alone. Yet the vast majority

of state energy policy, including the draft Energy Master Plan, fails to

account for this new reality. The Murphy administration must take concrete

steps to improve energy security in New Jersey, including:

• Pursue a Total-Cost Approach: Too often, back-of-the-envelope math

overstates the viability of new technologies like wind, solar and battery

storage, and neglects the cost advantages of clean natural gas. New

Jersey must assess total costs – including transmission infrastructure,

retrofitting and other necessary grid improvements – when evaluating

our energy sources.

• Invest in Natural Gas Supply Lines: For too long, the state has

curtailed the development of sensible pipeline projects to fix our

supply crisis – like the PennEast Pipeline – despite many passing strict

environmental review. The state must recognize these projects have

numerous benefits and improve reliability while creating jobs.

• Re-evaluate Policy in Light of COVID-19: Several major policy initia-

tives, including the Energy Master Plan, have not been re-evaluated in

light of the COVID-19 pandemic. We must take a close look at the costs

and funding sources for key energy policies, and ensure we pursue only

those that will not saddle taxpayers or businesses with higher prices.

As businesses remain shuttered and residents grapple with having less

money in their pockets, the Murphy administration has not changed its

energy strategy at all to account for these changes or the full costs of

converting to electric heating.

Supply constraints for existing natural gas infra-

structure continue to threaten the long-term viabil-

ity of our energy grid. Based on supply forecasts,

by 2021 New Jersey Natural Gas may not have

access to a sufficient supply of natural gas to serve its customers. These

kinds of disruptions significantly raise costs for all. Yet the administration

continues to delay or reject pipeline projects that would ensure a steady

supply of gas while creating thousands of jobs – and has not reconsidered

this strategy.

There is a solution at hand that would help keep costs low, preserve reli-

ability and ensure our residents and businesses can afford heat and energy

even during these trying times. New Jersey needs to incorporate clean natu-

ral gas into its energy mix and maintain a diversified energy portfolio to

reduce costs for all.

ELEC825 encourages all ACCNJ members to get educated and participate.

Fighting for Affordable Energy in New Jersey By Mark Longo, Director, ELEC


Associate Member Expertise

It’s no secret the world of work has drastically changed since the pan-

demic hit us. The level of uncertainty the virus has placed upon busi-

nesses has been a huge challenge and a strong learning curve for us all.

One thing that hasn’t changed in today’s world is the fact that heavy civil

construction is a necessity. The projects built by the experts in New Jersey

service the general public 365 days a year. However, as with most busi-

nesses, the outbreak has left construction companies wondering how to

either find talent or retain their existing staff. Hays Recruitment recently

published its 2021 US salary guide – an annual report featuring salaries for

more than 200 positions, hot jobs and compensation insights from hun-

dreds of hiring managers across the nation.

This year’s guide found 35% of employers are expecting to increase head-

count in the next 12 months, and 74% of employers suffer from a shortage

of skills in their industry. This leads many employers to ask where and how

can they not only attract top talent, but ensure they retain their highly

skilled workers. Linked with the recent findings, 51% of employees cited

they are seriously considering leaving their current employers. These num-

bers show a strategic hiring plan is needed now more than ever to secure

top talent.

A key finding from the survey highlights implementation of an

“upskilling and reskilling” strategy is crucial for retention, along with reval-

uating and improving a strong employee-focused benefits plan. This can

mean either hiring candidates at a less-experienced level and allowing them

to undergo company training/mentoring or offering continued learning

and development to those already established within the business.

This year’s findings also show benefits are a huge consideration for new

employees when deciding whether or not to accept a new role. These bene-

fit offerings can range from increased vacation, a greater company contri-

bution on health coverage to offering “flexible” working hours, e.g., a day

or two working from home (for roles in which that is feasible).

With 38% of employers reporting they have experienced an increase in

stress and pressure within their teams as a direct impact of not having

enough of the right people, it is essential they put a strong hiring plan in

place. Working with a specialist heavy civil staffing partner will allow com-

panies to hire top talent specific to their business needs in their local area.

To request a free copy of this year’s Hays Salary Guide, please contact Greg

Belpomme at 347.352.1692 or [email protected]. Greg Belpomme is

based out of Hay’s New York office in Midtown Manhattan, serving New Jersey,

New York and Pennsylvania.

Finding and Retaining Talent During the Pandemic By Greg Belpomme, Business Manager at Hays Recruitment, Civil Construction


Associate Member Expertise

Company Transition and Succession Planning for the Construction Industry By Lou Sandor III, CPA, CCIFP, Partner, Withum

Every business reaches a point where an owner, or owners, look

around and ask: How do I transition this company? Who is the

next me, and how to I monetize and diversify the value of my

largest investment, my company, that I have built up over years through

hard work and sacrifice?

All business owners struggle with these questions, and the construction

industry is no exception. Most businesses do not have a succession plan

and for a contractor the impact can be worse. Often the owners operate as

charismatic entrepreneurs who drive the company, both in revenue and

through contacts in the industry.

Succession Planning Mitigates Risk

The term succession planning leads many business owners to believe the

process can be daunting, confusing, frustrating and time-consuming.

However, having a clear vision of what succession planning encompasses

will allow owners to take a step-by-step approach and reach their personal,

company and the current management team goals effectively.

The key components of succession planning are:

• Determining how the company will continue to operate when the cur-

rent owners or leaders exit and relinquish control of the business.

• This is accomplished by creating a plan that:

° Provides an exit strategy for the owners that includes adequate

financial resources for their retirement. This plan will consider the

tax implications for the transition and the business challenges the

company may face as the transition occurs.

° Allows owners to leave a legacy where they still have input into the

future direction of the company, e.g., a new leadership structure.

Options in Transition Plan

A company can choose among various paths in transitioning the business.

Each path has its own set of challenges, both financial and logistical, and

each needs to be tailored to the needs of the owners, business and family

members for a closely held business.

• Family Transition – Family dynamics play a key role in this path. Do all

family members participate in the business, and if not, how will the

active member be compensated versus non-active members? In simple

terms, what will be fair and equitable for all involved? Owners will need

to evaluate the need for continued cash flow versus the ability to gift

company ownership to family members who will continue managing

the business, unless there is a decision to sell ownership to the family.

• Management Buy-out – As with any transition plan, financial consid-

erations weigh heavily on this decision. Even if the financial and cash

flow situation is favorable, having the right management team to con-

tinue the growth and success of the company will be more valuable.

• Company Sale – For owners who would like to leave a legacy in place,

this may not be an option, but often the lack of succession planning

will leave the owners no other option to monetize their investment.

Questions often arise related to the sale. Should the stock of the com-

pany be sold, or the assets? What are the tax implications if the selling

entity is an S Corporation, C Corporation or partnership? How should

earn-outs be calculated and taxed? How are contracts in process trans-

ferred, valued and taxed?


• ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Program) – Using an ESOP can

provide substantial tax savings that will allow the company to fund the

owner notes and buy-out. Depending on whether the company is an

S Corporation or a C Corporation, tax benefits can be obtained as the

ESOP and related note obligations are funded (company benefit) to a

deferral of the gain from the sale (owner benefits) if the selling entity is

a C Corp and the sale is structured properly. At the same time, not only

are tax considerations key, but the culture of the company will play a

pivotal role in making the ESOP a viable alternative. Human capital

considerations will be just as important. A final item to consider are

bonding considerations for contractors, given that company value and

equity will be affected due to the debt, or cash flow drain, the company

will experience in the ownership buy out.

• Management of Company by Third Party/Absentee Owner – This

option solves the current problem of allowing the owners to take a step

back from day-to-day operations, but it may not address the succession

dilemma or allow the current owners to divest their largest investment

(company ownership) to other assets. If the correct management team

is not hired to manage the company, the owners may be forced to be

engaged again in the business to keep the concern afloat.

• Private Equity – As a final option, owners may sell a portion of their

business to a Private Equity Group (PEG). This generally allows the

owners to diversify their holdings and often provides them “another

bite at the apple” by having them retain a remaining equity interest in

the business and participate in the growth of the company as the PEG

has an exit down the road. The owners will be able to participate in this

second transition. It is common for owners to retain from 5% to 25% of

their current ownership depending on the agreement between the own-

ers and the PEG.

With each option above there are human capital considerations, tax

issues and family/partner dynamics to balance. No option is better than

another and the ultimate solution will depend on the facts and circum-

stances of each situation.

Contact Lou Sandor at Withum, [email protected], with your questions.


Member News

Member News: Fall 2020 JR Cruz Wins a Top AGC Safety Award

JR Cruz is excited to announce it received the 2020 AGC of America

Construction Safety Excellence Award (CSEA) in the Utility Infrastructure

Division. The company was honored at AGC’s national conference in

March, and Derek Smith, JR Cruz Corporate Safety Director, reports receiv-

ing great praise from the judges. The CSEA recognizes those construction

companies that excel at safety

performance, examining each

firm’s commitment to safety,

occupational health manage-

ment and risk control, strin-

gently seeking evidence of these

factors: management commit-

ment, active employee participation, safety training, jobsite hazard identifi-

cation and control, and safety program innovation.

Vericon Marks 15 Years with Notable Achievements

Vericon Construction Company celebrates 15 years in construction in

2020, and Vericon thanks its employees and partners for their support in

the first 15 years. Vericon’s President Stephen Mellett remarks, “It’s hard to

believe that 15 years have already gone by, but our early principles still

remain true – provide topnotch customer service, tell the truth, demand

the best quality and continue meeting our schedules – that’s what makes us

great today!”

Founded in 2005 with one office, 15 employees and $4.7 million in

revenue that first year, Vericon has grown to six offices up and down the

East Coast and in 2020 was honored and excited to be the recipient of

prestigious recognition:

• ENR New York named Vericon its Contractor of the Year for 2020

and featured Vericon in an article in the July 2020 issue.

• ENR New York ranked Vericon #36 on its Top Contractors 2020 list,

the publication’s annual ranking of publicly and privately held general

contractors based on construction contracting-specific revenue.

ENR Southeast ranked Vericon #112 on its Top Contractor List.

• Vericon was ranked #3349 on Inc 5000’s Fastest-Growing Private

Companies 2020 List, an annual ranking of fastest-growing privately

held companies in the US based on the percentage growth of annual

revenue over a three-year period. This is the third year Vericon made the

Inc 5000 list.

Beach Electric Company Has A New Home

Beach Electric relocated in July to new office space in Sayreville, NJ

(Middlesex County). The new Beach HQ is home to a full complement of

office personnel, including senior management, project management,

estimating, administrative and warehouse staff. Centrally located in New

Jersey and providing easy access to major highways, the new office allows

Beach to respond more quickly and efficiently to emergency and non-emer-

gency projects and clients around the state. The geographical change rein-

forces BEC’s position in the industry as a full-service electrical contractor,

providing a wide range of services to both public and private sectors in NJ.

Recognizing Many Years of Service…

Larry Drill of Drill Construction retired in February after many

years serving and leading this venerable family-owned business.

Brad Jorrey of J. Fletcher Creamer & Son retired at the end of May

after many years of dedicated service and active participation in

ACCNJ and AGC of New Jersey.


Railroad Construction Company Now Employee-Owned

After 94 years operating as a family owned business, Railroad Construction

Company, Inc. (RCC) has recently converted to an employee-owned com-

pany or ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan). The company reports,

“Establishing RCC as an ESOP will provide unparalleled benefits to our co-

workers and effectively make our co-workers stakeholders in the company.

This allows RCC to enhance its strong culture, continue to grow and

improve operations, and ultimately provide job security and keep the busi-

ness in the community.”

RCC is also pleased to announce much more news:

• TWO New RCC Office Locations in New Castle, DE, and Manasquan,

NJ: RCC has expanded its geographical footprint and launched a new

satellite location in Manasquan (Monmouth County). The new office

space was acquired on April 9 and underwent a complete renovation

prior to move-in. With six engineers and estimators currently onsite,

the company expects occupancy to grow. Originally, the vision was to

use this location to easily conduct remote meetings and conferences.

Then the pandemic struck and the vision became increasingly more

important. The conference room contains two large flat-screen

monitors for reviewing bids while working with remote teams. An

oversized conference table makes this space ideal for collaborating

while social distancing.

• Brian Lane on NRC Safety Committee: RCC Safety Director Brian

Lane was selected to serve on the prestigious National Railroad

Construction & Maintenance

Association Safety Committee,

which promotes and communi-

cates a positive safety culture

and industry best practices

through group collaboration,

safety material production and educational recommendations.

Joe Daloisio, RCC Track Division Manager and Secretary/Treasurer

of the NRC Board of Directors, who submitted Brian’s name for

consideration, stated, “Your diligence, dedication, knowledge,

experience and work ethic will be a great addition to the committee

and the rail industry as a whole.”

• A Very Special Project: St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church New Daily

Mass Chapel addition broke ground a year ago this September and is

nearing completion. The addition replicates the architecture of the

current church, blending seamlessly with the existing structure.

Elements and artifacts from the church’s past have been incorporated

into the expansion, including a stained-glass window from 1902 and

an altar from 1954. A bell from the 1950s has been included in the new

bell tower.

St. Elizabeth of Hungary Parish has been part of the Daloisio family

for many years, sharing in the celebration of baptism and marriage.

Al Daloisio and his wife Joanne are both active parishioners. Al has

been President of the Parish Council and Chair of the Finance

Committee. He is presently one of two current Parish Trustees. For the

last 20 years, Joanne has run the Seniors program, bringing seniors

together to socialize with each other while enjoying lunch. The church

is dedicated to being supportive, helpful and caring of all people, con-

tributing to many local charities including Oasis A Haven for Women

and Children and Eva’s Village, two organizations RCC co-workers vol-

unteer with and give back to regularly (see Giving Back in this issue).

• RCC Fabricators, Inc. is proud to announce the signature, custom and

American-made Tie-Master XL has been selected as a Progressive

Railroading Readers’ Choice award winner in the maintenance-of-way

(MOW) category.

Peckar & Abramson Recognized in Industry Lists

#1 in Construction Executive – Again

In its inaugural ranking of construction law firms in 2019, Construction

Executive ranked Peckar & Abramson #1 in its list of Top 50 Construction

Law Firms – and repeated the recognition this year in its June 2020 issue.

Specifically, the law firm was described as “the largest and most active con-


struction law practice in the nation.” The publication also noted Peckar &

Abramson’s wide range of practice areas in construction law.

51 Attorneys in Best Lawyers in America

Peckar & Abramson’s national recognition continued with the selection of

51 attorneys for inclusion in Best Lawyers: 41 named to the 2021 The Best

Lawyers in America list and 10 to the 2021 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. In

addition, four were named Lawyer of the Year, three of whom were from

the New Jersey and New York offices: Patrick J. Greene, Jr., Bruce D. Meller

and Robert S. Peckar.

The attorneys from New Jersey on the lists also include Robert A.

Drucker, Stephen P. Katz, Charles F. Kenny, Roger S. Markowitz, Jenifer B.

Minsky, Kevin J. O’Connor, Gerard J. Onorata, Craig D. Spector, Michael S.

Zicherman and Nicholas B. De Sena.

Attorneys from New York on the lists also include Richard L. Abramson,

Steven M. Charney, Gregory H. Chertoff, Thomas J. Curran, Craig A.

Landy, Paul G. Monte, Richard R. Volack, Howard M. Rosen, Doris D.

Short, Christopher Bletsch and Puja Sharma.

Three Associate Members Make National Construction Accounting List

Three ACCNJ member accounting firms were ranked in Construction

Executive’s Top 50 Construction Accounting Firms: Grassi (New York) cap-

tured the #11 spot, Withum (Princeton) the #14 spot and Sax LLP (Clifton)

the #23 spot nationwide. We extend our congratulations to all!

More News from Withum – Additions and Promotions

Withum is proud to announce it has joined forces with KSJG, a public

accounting firm based in Irvine, CA. Eight part-

ners and 55 other team members joined

Withum’s roster in January 2020, five of whom

are now on the Construction Services Team.

Don Foster, CPA, CCIFP, and Andrew

Shoenemann, CPA, were each promoted to

Senior Manager in June 2020. Don and Andrew

are key members of Withum’s Construction

Services Team.

Withum is excited to announce the promotion

of six new partners to the firm’s leadership team,

effective July 1, 2020. Congratulations to Scott

Bartolf, James Berg, Scott Reddersen, Joseph Ro,

Jennifer Safeer and Michael Tenny.

Genova Burns Named General Counsel to NJ Energy Coalition

In March, Genova Burns LLC was named General

Counsel to the New Jersey Energy Coalition.

Co-Founder and Managing Partner Angelo J.

Genova and Partner Rebecca Moll Freed now

serve as General Counsel on policy and legal

issues facing the energy industry, including New

Jersey’s Energy Master Plan. The Coalition is

made up of state and local leaders and organiza-

tions representing many sectors of New Jersey

communities, including the environment,

business, healthcare, labor, trade, consumers,

academia and civic interests.

ZenTek Consultants Launches Online Civil Engineering Hub

Technical experts ZenTek Consultants are pleased to announce the firm

has launched an online training and networking site, The ZenTek Civil

Engineering Hub, a new professional tool for the Civil Engineering &

Survey industries.

The hub is full of education and support resources, giving subscribers

access to hundreds of hours of training through videos, career development

guidance, networking opportunities, a Civil & Survey Blog with the latest

news and analysis and more, all constantly updated. ZenTek Consultants

invites members to a free trial by visiting the ZenTek Consultants site at

www.zentekconsultants.net. Click on Training and then ZenTek Civil

Engineering Hub in the drop-down menu.

Madison Concrete Celebrates Half-a-Century

In December 2019, Madison Concrete celebrated its 50th anniversary at

Lincoln Financial Field, one of the firm’s most recognizable projects and

the home of the Philadelphia Eagles. The evening was lit with views of the

Philadelphia skyline, the frozen gridiron, tours of the stadium, photo opps

with the Lombardi Trophy and a simulation of the players’ game-day

entrance onto the field. Madison employees also got to watch the stadium

crews prepare for the next-day game against the Dallas Cowboys, which the

Eagles won 17-9!

Founded in 1969, Madison Concrete looks forward to the next 50 years,

continuing to provide quality construction services to its clients.

Andrew Shoenemann

Don Foster

Rebecca Moll Freed

Angelo J. Genova


Giving Back

Feeding the Hungry: Oasis a Haven for Women and Children offers a

lunch program that typically serves 120 meals a day to local residents.

When the pandemic hit, demand skyrocketed to an average of 1,200 meals

a day through April

and May, topping out

at almost 2,000 meals,

and the grocery assis-

tance program rose

from 120 requests per

day to 150. Oasis was

desperate for volun-

teers and RCC co-work-

ers were eager to help. Each week several co-workers travel to the Oasis

facility to help package bags of groceries to give to those in need – a gener-

ous donation of time that continues as we weather the pandemic.

Helping refuge animals: For the Valentine’s Day “Pet Photo” Fundraiser, all

RCC co-workers were invited to add a picture of their beloved pet to display

on the company televisions throughout the office during the week of

February 10 through Valentine’s Day. For the nominal fee of $10 per pet, a

photo plus name was included in the slide show. Anyone who was not the

proud parent of a pet was still invited to participate and donate to the

cause. Co-workers raised $420, matched by a special sponsor, making a

total contribution of $840 to the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge, Inc.

Protecting the community: RCC held a creative face mask contest, offering

another opportunity for co-workers to help. The top three voted most

creative won a donation to a charity of their choice. Wearing a mask pro-

tects the wearers and those around them; creating mask designs has also

helped some non-profits who were really feeling the squeeze of lost dona-

tions and cancelled fundraisers.

Our Members Give Back During the pandemic, our members found more ways than ever to help those in need. We admire and applaud their efforts and are pleased to include some of the creative and generous activities that truly are “giving back” to our communities.

Construction Risk Partners – in Charity! Seeking to donate COVID-related relief, teams from Construction Risk Partners

selected one national charity plus six local charities in the communities of each

branch office. The teams report “outstanding participation,” matched by the

company, raising nearly $25,000. The donations were evenly split among

No Kid Hungry, the national charity; Oasis, A Haven for Women and Children

(Branchburg, NJ); City Harvest (NYC); Daily Bread Community Food Pantry

(King of Prussia, PA); Long Island Cares (Long Island); Boston Resiliency Fund

(Boston); and Denver Rescue Mission (Denver).

Railroad Construction Company Bags Groceries, Supports Animal Refuge and Creates Face Masks


Welcome New Members

Cornerstone Contracting, Inc.

Cornerstone Contracting specializes in concrete and masonry for commer-

cial and residential structures. Founded in 1996, the company is located

at 224 East Highland Parkway, Roselle NJ 07203. John Venezia, Vice

President, represents the firm and can be reached by email at

[email protected] and by phone at 908.298.1165.

Eastern Landscape Contractors, Inc.

A WBE/SBE-certified firm, Eastern Landscape is a full-solution public

landscape construction company offering every aspect of landscaping ser-

vice. Owners Jennifer Feldman and Donald Fuentes can be reached by email,

[email protected] and [email protected],

and by phone at 908.502.5858. The office is located at 788 Shrewsbury Ave.,

Tinton Falls NJ 07712. Visit on the web at www.easternlandscape.com.

HBK CPAs & Consultants

Welcome former BCA of South Jersey member Peter Cordua, Senior

Director of HBK CPAs. Peter represents the firm of certified accountants,

offering an array of financial professional services from the office in

Southern Jersey, 220 Lake Drive East, Suite 205, Cherry Hill NJ 08002.

He can be reached by email at [email protected] and phone,

856.486.2299. Visit on the web at www.hbkcpa.com.

Albert M. Higley Co.

In business for 95 years, Albert M. Higley performs quality work in

construction management, general contracting and design-build for the

commercial and industrial building sectors. Senior Vice President Kurt

Heinicke and Vice President Thomas Lippert represent the firm from

their headquarters in Ohio, 3636 Euclid Ave., Cleveland OH 44115.

They can be reached by email, [email protected] and

[email protected], and by phone at 216.861.2050. Visit online

at www.AMHigley.com.

Hilti, Inc.

Welcome former BCA of South Jersey member Matthew Krier, Account

Manager at Hilti, Inc., manufacturer of high-quality tools for construction

and provider of contractor services. Contact Matt in his office, 39 North

Syracuse Drive, Cherry Hill NJ 08034, by email, [email protected], and

phone, 800.879.8000. Visit the firm on the web at www.hilti.com.

Hoffman Equipment

Hoffman Equipment is a full-line heavy equipment dealership offering

sales, rentals and product support to domestic and international markets.

Eric Seikel, Director of Sales & Marketing for New Jersey and Pennsylvania,

can be reached in the Central New Jersey office, 300 S. Randolphville Rd.,

Piscataway NJ 08854, by email at [email protected] and

phone at 732.752.3600. Visit on the web at www.hoffmanequip.com.

Holt Construction

Founded in 1919, Holt Construction celebrates 100 years, providing con-

struction management, general contracting and preconstruction services in

healthcare, aviation, corporate interiors, higher education, life sciences,

retail, civil and mission-critical data centers. Wayne Lawrence, Project

Executive, can be reached in the office, 50 E. Washington Ave., Pearl River

NY 10965, by email, [email protected] and by phone, 845.735.4054.

Visit on the web at www.holtcc.com.

Marino/Ware

Welcome former BCA of South Jersey member Marino/Ware. Specializing

in metal framing – studs, trusses and floor joists – Marino/Ware has manu-

facturing facilities in New Jersey, Georgia and Indiana. Ken Yakopcic, Sales

Representative, represents the company in the Middlesex County location

at 400 Metuchen Road, South Plainfield NJ 07080. He can be reached by

email, [email protected] and phone, 908.757.9000. Visit the

company on the web at www.marinoware.com.

We are pleased to introduce you to our new and returning members who joined the Association from March through September. Although we don’t have

any in-person events scheduled yet, we look forward to seeing all our members on the virtual platform.


Mountain Hill Investment Partners

Mountain Hill Investment Partners offers a range of fiduciary services

and unbiased, fee-based advice for the construction industry, including

corporate 401k investment advice. Michael H. Meyers and Lauren Siewert

represent the firm, with an office located at 726 Kings Highway East,

Atlantic Highlands NJ 07716. They can be reached by email,

[email protected] and [email protected],

and phone, 732.291.3338. Visit online at www.mhipartners.com.

Orion Interiors, Inc.

Orion Interiors is a full-service union carpentry contractor specializing in

fast-track carpentry, drywall and framing for retail establishments,

restaurants, banks, offices and healthcare facilities, with more than

100 clients on the Fortune 500. Ryan Murray, President, operates from

the firm’s office at 600 US Highway 206, Raritan NJ 08869. He can be

reached by phone at 732.616.6743 and email, [email protected]. Visit

the company on the web at www.buildorion.com.

PAA Drafting & Takeoff Services LLC

With a master’s in civil engineering from NJIT, a concentration in

construction management and more than 15 years in the construction

industry, PAA Owner Alain Pierre-Antoine provides drafting, takeoff,

estimating and consulting services. He can be reached at his office at

52 Llewellyn Ave., West Orange NJ 07052, by email at

[email protected] and by phone at 973.518.0004.

Visit online at www.paadraftingandtakeoffservices.com.

Sevenson Environmental Services, Inc.

Sevenson, one of the nation’s most respected environmental cleanup con-

tractors, performs remedial construction and environmental dredging and

has worked on many projects in New Jersey. Headquartered at 2749

Lockport Road, Niagara Falls NY 14305, Sevenson is represented by Frank

A. Fracassi, Vice President and General Superintendent. He can be reached

by email, [email protected], and phone, 716.284.0431. Visit online

at www.sevenson.com.

Showcase Marble & Tile LLC

Showcase Marble & Tile brings expertise to every tile and floorcovering

project. Owner Jeffry Phillips represents the firm from the office at

312 Bergen Ave., Bellmawr NJ 08031. He can be reached by email,

[email protected], and phone, 856.931.8453. Visit the company on

the web at www.showcasemarbleandtile.com.

SkillSignal

SkillSignal provides workforce management and safety software solutions

for high-risk jobsites, including 100% mobile apps that offer improved

efficiency, simpler compliance and safety management, even for

COVID-19. Based at 1 Kittansett Court, Skillman NJ 08558, the firm is

led by Sebastien de Ghellinck, CEO. He can be reached by email,

[email protected], and phone, 513.602.3895. Visit the company

on the web at www.skillsignal.com.

Versico Roofing Systems

With more than a quarter-century behind it, Versico Roofing Systems has

positioned itself as one of the top single-ply roofing system manufacturers

in the US. Technical Sales Representative Nick Myers represents the firm

with an office at 1285 Ritner Highway, Carlisle PA 17013. He can be

reached by email at [email protected] and by phone at

800.992.7663. Visit the company online at www.versico.com.


Membership Roster

ACTIVE MEMBERS A.P. Construction, Inc.

AbateTech Inc.

Acoustical Services, Inc.

Advanced Scaffold Services LLC

Aliano Brothers General Contractors, Inc.

American Pile and Foundation LLC

J. Anthony Equipment Co.

Archer Steel Construction Inc.

ARI Products, Inc.

Aspen Landscaping Contracting, Inc.

A-Tech Concrete Co., Inc.

ATG Trading LLC

Atlantic Concrete Cutting, Inc.

Atlas Concrete

B & G Restoration, Inc.

Barr & Barr, Inc.

H. Barron Iron Works LLC

Bayshore Rebar Inc.

Beach Electric Company Inc.

Bel-Con Construction Services Inc.

Bergen Engineering Co.

Berkowsky & Associates, Inc.

Bf Italia, Inc.

BFC Ltd.

Wm. Blanchard Co.

Borrelli Steel Fabricators, LLC

Brandenburg Industrial Service Co.

Brennan Industrial Contractors

Bristol Environmental Inc.

Brockwell & Carrington Contractors Inc.

Buck Construction

Cashman Dredging & Marine

Contracting Co. LLC

CCA Civil, Inc.

Ceco Concrete Construction LLC

Central Jersey Wrecking & Recycling Inc.

Central Salvage Co., Inc.

Century 21 Construction Corp.

Certified Installation Services Inc.

CJ Drilling Inc.

Coastal Steel Construction of NJ, LLC

Complete Installation Inc.

Conti Enterprises, Inc.

Kyle Conti Construction

Cornell & Company, Inc.

Cornerstone Contractors, Inc.

J. Fletcher Creamer & Son, Inc.

Crisdel Group, Inc.

E.E. Cruz & Company, Inc.

CS Energy LLC

Dale Construction Company Inc.

Dell Pumping Company

DePalma Contracting Inc.

Donaldson Interiors Inc.

Drill Construction Co., Inc.

Dryden Diving Company Inc.

Willard Dunham Construction Co.

Eastern Landscape Contractors, Inc.

EDA Contractors, Inc.

Empire Office

Epic Management, Inc.

Everlasting Contracting

Fabi Construction, Inc.

L. Feriozzi Concrete Company

Ferreira Construction Co., Inc.

Filling Marble & Tile, Inc.

Fioresi Tile LLC

Fitzpatrick & Associates, Inc.

Five Star Installations

Force Concrete & Masonry Corp.

Forsa Construction LLC

Foster Contracting, Inc.

Fromkin Brothers, Inc.

Louis Gargiulo Co., Inc.

Albert Garlatti Const. Co.

Global Installation Resources

Golden Crown Contractors, Inc.

Grace Industries LLC

Gramercy Group Inc.

Grove Construction LLC

H.C. Constructors Inc.

Hall Construction Co., Inc.

Helitech

Henegan Construction Co., Inc.

Arthur R. Henry, Inc.

Heritage Flooring, LLC

Charles J. Hesse, Inc.

The Albert M. Higley Co.

Hi Tech Data Floors, Inc.

HK Panel Systems

JP Hogan Coring & Sawing Corp.

Holt Construction

Hunt Construction Group

Hutton Construction, LLC

IEW Construction Group

InstaSpace LLC

Joseph Jingoli and Son, Inc.

JK Crane

JPC Group, Inc.

JR Cruz Corp.

JVN Restoration Inc.

Kane Communications LLC

Keller

KHS&S Contractors of NJ

Kiewit Infrastructure Co.

Kiska Construction Inc.

The Lane Construction Corp.

Lanyi & Tevald Inc.

C. LaTorre Construction LLC

John D. Lawrence, Inc.


Layout Inc.

Lend Lease, Inc.

Edward Leske Co.

Linde-Griffith Construction Co.

LRC Development Corp.

LVC Window Blinds Inc.

Macedos Construction Co., Inc. of NJ

Madison Concrete Co.

Marbro Inc.

M.B. Markland Contracting Co.

Massett Building Co.

McCloskey Mechanical Contractors Inc.

McCrossin Foundations LLC

McPhee Electric

Merco, Inc.

Merritt Construction Services, Inc.

Metal Structures, Inc.

Michels Corporation

MJJ Construction

Molba Construction, Inc.

T. Moriarty & Son, Inc.

Joseph A. Natoli Construction Corp.

Network Construction Co., Inc.

Newport Construction Management Corp.

Nordic Contracting Co., Inc.

Northeast Remsco Construction, Inc.

Northfield Construction Corp.

Nurminen Construction Corp.

Arthur J. Ogren, Inc.

O’Kane Enterprises Ltd.

Oradell Construction Co., Inc.

Orion Interiors, Inc.

Our Rental Pumps LLC

Pala Construction Corp.

Philadelphia D&M

B. Pietrini & Sons

Pinnacle Environmental Corp.

Joseph Porretta Builders, Inc.

Pow-R-Save Inc.

Pravco Inc.

Prestige Millwork LLC

J.R. Prisco, Inc.

Prismatic Development Corporation

Pristine Services Inc.

ProContractor Inc.

Pullman Services

Railroad Construction Company, Inc.

RCC Builders & Developers

Reicon Group, LLC

Michael Riesz & Co.

Rocket Construction Co., Inc.

M.E. Sabosik Associates

J.A. Salerno Sr. & Sons Inc.

Schiavone Construction Co., LLC

Fred M. Schiavone Construction, Inc.

Schifano Construction Corp.

Schleifer Associates, Inc.

Schnell Contracting Services LLC

Sevenson Environmental Services, Inc.

J.F. Shea Construction, Inc.

Showcase Marble & Tile

Simpson & Brown

Skanska USA

South State, Inc.

Southern Steel Erectors of NJ

Sparwick Contracting, Inc.

V.A. Spatz & Sons Construction, Inc.

State Line Construction Co., Inc.

Suburban Enterprises Terrazzo & Tile Co., Inc.

Taas Contracting LLC

Techno Acoustics Holdings, LLC

Tilcon New York, Inc.

Tishman Construction Corporation of NJ

Torcon, Inc.

Trevcon Construction Co., Inc.

TriState Construction Inc.

Tuckahoe Tile, Inc.

Turner Construction Co.

Tutor Perini

Twenty-Four 7 Contracting

Union County Construction Group, Inc.

Union Paving & Construction Co. Inc.

Upright Installations

USA Environmental Management, Inc.

US Tank Painting

Vericon Construction Company LLC

Vineland Tile Company

Vollers

W.E.S. Works LLC

Wade Ray & Associates Construction

Walker Diving Underwater Construction LLC

Walsh Construction Company

William Walter Construction Group, LLC

Walters Marine Construction Inc.

TN Ward

Waters & Bugbee, Inc.

Weatherby Construction & Renovation Co.

Weeks Marine, Inc.

West Bay Construction Inc.

Wetlands, Inc.

Yonkers Contracting

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS J.M. Ahle Co., Inc.

Alliant Insurance Services

Aluma Systems

Ambassador Medical Services, Inc.

American Global LLC

The Barclay Group

Bayshore Recycling Corp.

BCA Insurance Group


HeadingMembership Roster

Steven A. Berkowitz & Associates, PC

Boswell Engineering

Brent Material Company

C & H Agency

Capital Steel Service, LLC

Chubb Surety

Clarity Testing Services Inc.

Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman, PC

CohnReznick LLP

Connell Foley LLP

Conner Strong & Buckelew

Construction Information Systems

Construction Risk Partners, LLC

Fred A. Cook Jr., Inc.

County Concrete Corp.

DGI-Menard

Eastern Concrete Materials, Inc.

Eii, Inc.

Floor Covering Institute of New Jersey

Florio Perrucci Steinhardt & Capelli, LLC

Foley, Inc.

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.

Garden State Precast

General Contractors Association of NY

Genova Burns LLC

Glenn Insurance Inc.

Golden, Rothschild, Spagnola, Lundell,

Boylan & Garubo PC

Gordian Group

Graham Company

Grassi & Co.

Haftek Concrete Washout Systems

Hankin Sandman Palladino Weintrob & Bell

Haydon Bolts, Inc.

Hays

HazTek Safety Management

HBK CPAs

HD Supply White Cap

Hedinger & Lawless LLC

Hilti, Inc.

Hoffman Equipment

Jesco, Inc.

Jovin Demo, Inc.

Kelken Construction Systems

R.S. Knapp Co.

Komatsu Northeast

LDA Compliance Consulting, Inc.

Let It Grow, Inc.

Liberty Mutual Surety

Lockton Companies

Lubowicki Insurance Agency

Lum, Drasco & Positan

M&T Insurance Agency

Marino/Ware

Mountain Hill Investment Partners

Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers

New Jersey Alliance for Action

NFP

Northwestern Mutual

PAA Drafting & Takeoff Services, LLC

Peckar & Abramson, PC

People’s United Equipment Finance Corp.

Perimeter Protection Products LLC

Pro Safety Services LLC

RCC Fabricators Inc.

Resolution Management Consultants, Inc.

Re-Steel Supply Co., Inc.

Rosenberg & Parker

Sax LLP

Schultheis & Panettieri LLP

Shore Supply

Shorelands Construction, Inc.

Signature Safety, LLC

SkillSignal

Stark & Stark

Steel Mountain Fabricators LLC

Super Stud Building Products, Inc.

Susanin, Widman & Brennan, PC

Syrstone, Inc.

Taylor Oil Company

Tenna LLC

T.E.S., Inc.

Traffic Safety Service LLC

Travelers

Unique Scaffolding Systems

USG Corp.

USI Insurance Services

Versico Roofing Systems

Weldon Materials Inc.

Wiss & Co.

Withum

ZenTek LLC

Membership as of September 17, 2020


Advertisers Index

American Global LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33

Atlantic Concrete Cutting, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40

Bayshore Family of Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55

Berkowitz & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Wm. Blanchard Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers . . . . . . . . .63

Building and General Construction Laborers Local Union No. 77 . . . .50

C & H Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Carpenter Contractor Trust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68

Central Salvage Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Clarity Testing Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

CohnReznick LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

Connell Foley LLP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

Construction and General Laborers Union Local No. 172 . . . . . . . . . . .44

Construction Risk Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51

County Concrete Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

J. Fletcher Creamer and Son, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Engineers Labor-Employer Cooperative (ELEC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72

Epic Management Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87

Fitzpatrick & Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

Foley, Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Hall Construction Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Back Cover

Hankin Sandman Palladino Weintrob & Bell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

HazTek Safety Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

Heavy and General Construction Laborers Local Union No. 472 . . . . .32

Ironworkers Local Union No. 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66

Kane Communications LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) . . . . . . . . . . .70

Masonry Contractors of NJ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

NFP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Joseph A. Natoli Construction Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

New Jersey State Building & Construction Trades Council . . . . . . . . . . .87

Nordic Contracting Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Northeast Carpenters Apprentice Training and Educational Fund . . . .76

Northeast Remsco Construction, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Operating Engineers Local Union No. 825 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Peckar & Abramson, PC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58

Perimeter Protection Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

J.R. Prisco, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65

Prismatic Development Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

Pro Tapping Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Railroad Construction Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

RCC Fabricators, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Schiavone Construction Co. LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Front Cover

Tilcon New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74

Torcon, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Traffic Safety Service LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Back Cover

Unique Scaffolding Systems, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Vericon Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88

Vollers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Withum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Associated Construction

Contractors of New Jersey Raritan Center Plaza II, Suite A-19 91 Fieldcrest Avenue, Edison, NJ 08837-3627

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ PERMIT #667

co new jersey nstructio fall 2020 - accnj

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