DCA 2022 Mid Year Meeting Wrap-Up

While much of the country baked in record-breaking heat this summer, DCA members took a much-needed respite in the relative cool of the Pacific Northwest at one of the most beautiful meeting locations in recent years, the Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort in northern Idaho.  Located near the town of Coeur d’Alene on the shores of a clear glacial lake surrounded by fir tree-lined mountains, the resort offers a wide range of fun and relaxation both on and off the water amid spectacular scenery that attendees won’t soon forget.

Things got off to a slightly rough start on Monday, July 18, as rain and wind early in the day forced the registration party indoors.  Nonetheless, many members dropped by for a fun variety of popcorn and refreshments with spouses and children in tow, and tables full of free swag from the DCA closet were quickly stripped bare.  By evening the weather had improved enough for the Street Fair Welcome Reception and Dinner to take place on the resort’s front lawn.  A patriotic lake breeze kept the American flag flying overhead as an acoustic band sang classics while members dined in the cool evening air.  Vendor tables on the lawn sold jewelry, gelato, crafts, cotton candy, makeup, and more while children played in a bouncy castle and a magician went around the tables doing card tricks for the guests.

Tuesday, July 19
At the group breakfast on Tuesday morning, DCA President Kevin Parker touted the record 265 registrants for this year’s meeting, including 56 children.  He then introduced keynote speaker Dave Davlin, known for his world record of spinning 12 basketballs on his body simultaneously and years of performing basketball tricks during NBA halftimes.  Now a public speaker and author of The Game-Winning 3, Davlin talked about lessons he learned from his upbringing in San Marcos, Texas, in between bringing up members of the audience to take part in his basketball antics.  We still don’t know how he got Kevin Parker’s bra off.  He identified the three winning elements of life from his book as the person you become, the memories you make, and the difference you make, noting that the “rocking chair” and “eulogy” tests will tell how you did in the end.

Next, business commenced with the Trenchless Committee meeting.  Dave Wisniewski started off with a segment about the Power & Communication Contractors Association’s (PCCA) efforts to form a coalition to broadly improve safety across the industry and develop new tools, inspired by a Common Ground Alliance (CGA) presentation on “Why is Air Travel So Safe?”  The audience offered vigorous feedback on what problems the proposed coalition should address if the DCA were to get involved.  The committee also announced that DCA member Dr. Sam Ariaratnam of Arizona State University had been appointed by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC), marking the first time that contractors have been represented on the committee and giving DCA an important voice in future rulemaking.  The meeting concluded with a review of the continuing evolution of the DCA Trenchless website as new content accumulates, encouraging members to help drive traffic to the site to improve search engine rankings.

Up next, the Safety/Risk Management Committee offered a presentation on contractor Pipeline Safety Management Systems (PSMS) from Ashley Donnini, CEO of Lola Link Consulting LLC, and David Toth from the American Petroleum Institute (API).  They focused on the goals, vision, and mission of the PSMS program, describing its current state of development and future steps to take.  The primary focus is on developing a clear, scalable, and flexible framework and increasing industry participation and support.  With safety more top of mind than at any other time in the history of the construction industry and support is there to elevate industry standards, the speakers believe that now is the time to act before the government finds reason to intervene.  When the floor opened for feedback, Kevin Miller of Miller Pipeline offered his experience with his company’s adoption of its own SMS and some useful suggestions for the larger effort, such as third-party assessments for contractors and organized tracking of safety information.

At the end of an afternoon filled with fishing, golfing, hiking, zip-lining, local tours, and other fun activities, the members boarded a pair of double decker cruise boats for the ride across the lake to the Hagadone Event Center.  Lawn games including cornhole, Jenga, Connect 4, Spikeball, and a foosball table were set up just outside the covered pavilion where dinner was served.  The expansive view of the lake at sunset accompanied by a singer on acoustic guitar made for the kind of evening to help you forget your cares in life.

Wednesday, July 20
After breakfast the next morning, the Membership Committee kicked off a discussion of the mentor program for first time attendees.  Vince King announced that he was working on material and tools for mentors to use.  Another member whose first DCA event was the online “Covid Convention” chimed in that he had trouble integrating at first, but that the mentor program had really helped him feel comfortable once in-person meetings started up again.  The committee also asked attendees to reach out to members who had dropped out during the pandemic and encourage them to rejoin.

At the Town Hall, DCA Executive Vice President Rob Darden gave the treasurer’s report, noting the effects of the stock market on this year’s budget deficit.  The Strategic Vision Committee is focusing heavily on member retention and re-signing, as well as converting “checkbook members” to attending members.  Darden also gave a rundown on the DCA’s recent appearances at the SkillsUSA TECHSPO and the American School Counselors Association (ASCA), proudly noting the success of new display materials and strong interest from the counselors with promise to open new doors.

The Government Relations Committee opened with a review of the current status of “fuel choice” laws and damage prevention performance across the states.  Highlighted among their 13 recommendations for states was the need for a central repository for GIS mapping — preferably the CGA.  Brad Heck of Miller Pipeline updated members on the Operator Qualification Integrity Process (OQIP) pilot programs and different concepts being tested at each location.  The legislative update covered the growing push for carbon capture and hydrogen fuel, and the committee advocated for DCA to join the Carbon Capture Coalition.  Additional discussion on supply chain issues, SMS, and a successful “Demo Day” for 40 OSHA representatives rounded out the meeting.  The committee also advised that the best time for a D.C. fly-in would be next spring, since nothing is likely to happen until after the midterm elections and access remains restricted on Capitol Hill due to COVID-19.

Next, the Workforce Development Committee went into more detail about the recent SkillsUSA conference in Atlanta that   numerous DCA member companies attended. Dave Wisniewski then led a discussion on developing future DCA leaders, focusing on how to impart professional development and soft skills to busy middle managers and superintendents.  In BuildWitt news, DCA expects more videos to be released by Thanksgiving, with still more opportunities to take part in the future.  Referring back to the ASCA conference, the committee announced new print literature available for counselors to use and noted some feedback from them that the trades have a bad habit of not getting back to counselors after the conventions — an opportunity for DCA to stand out from the crowd.

After another afternoon of activities in flawless mountain weather, members gathered on the cruise boats one more time to enjoy dinner and drinks on the lake with the two boats hitched side by side.  While Canada geese and ospreys floated by, parasailers took to the sky, and pleasure boats sailed on, the sun slowly set on the glittering lake to wrap up a truly memorable summer event.

DCA will convene next at the Fall Meeting at the Amway Grand Plaza hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan, October 24-26. Register Now!