Associated Builders and Contractors

This past week, I had the opportunity to travel with the Michigan State Construction Management Competition Team to Salt Lake City for the 2026 Associated Builders and Contractors Annual Convention. As a volunteer design student, I contributed to our Hyatt Regency Hotel (The host of the convention!) Request for Proposal submission. It was a great experience being one of the four students selected to be a part of the live 5-hour competition. Responding to incoming addendums and adjusting our proposal to meet changing client needs tested our ability to collaborate under pressure strengthening our skills for real world application. I am so grateful to be a part of a team that advanced to the top 10 out of 30 competitors. Thank you ABC Greater Michigan Chapter, Angela Madarang, Sean Huberty, Bob Aydukovic along with the MSU Construction Management Program for this opportunity to learn more about the construction industry and the built environment as a whole.

Her name will not be forgotten. As I sit on the plane 40,000 feet in the air, I find myself quietly reflecting on how much this past week has changed me. 1,700 people - many of whom never met Amber Czech - will leave Salt Lake City today changed because her story was shared last night. That’s what real change looks like. Amber’s life was lost to a preventable workplace tragedy. Lives are forever changed and the grief will never go away. Cecily Villani, QAS and NARI Milwaukee, Inc., thank you for making the introductions that put in motion the events that happened this week. And thank you to Milwaukee Tool and Associated Builders and Contractors for your incredible leadership and unwavering commitment to ensuring Amber’s legacy lives on beyond the grief. Ronald Shanaver, Michael Bellaman, and the entire ABC National team - thank you for sharing her story in a way that will continue to reach and influence lives far beyond that tragic moment. And this is not the end… it’s only the beginning. Amber’s story will spark conversations. Those conversations will drive action. And that action will create real, lasting change in our industry. Watching chapter leaders approach Pete and Angie last night - offering condolences, support, and a commitment to carry her story forward - was incredibly moving. It showed what’s possible when people come together with purpose. But there is still so much more work to be done. Amber was more than a welder. She was a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a coworker - someone who deserved to feel safe at work. Her story is a painful reminder: Safety is not just hard hats and policies. It’s people. It’s communication. It’s mental health. It’s looking out for one another - before something goes wrong. Associated Builders and Contractors continues to champion Total Human Health - because protecting lives goes beyond preventing physical injuries. It means recognizing warning signs, supporting mental and emotional wellbeing, and creating environments where people feel seen, heard, and safe. Amber’s story should move all of us to: • Speak up when something feels off • Take mental health seriously • Build cultures where people matter more than productivity Safety isn’t just a priority - it’s a responsibility we owe to each other. We honor Amber’s legacy by doing better. Pete and Angie - thank you for your courage, your trust, and for traveling over 1,200 miles in less than 48 hours to share your beautiful daughter’s story. We cannot change what happened. But we can help prevent it from happening again. Each of us has the ability to leave things better than we found them. And we will. By making sure Amber’s story is never forgotten. Ronald Shanaver Michael Bellaman Stephanie Schmidt-Lehmann Francis Lowe Cecily Villani, QAS Maggie Murphy Joseph Xavier Michele Daugherty George Nash @gregorysizemore @robgriffith Thomas Murphy Kayleen McCabe Adam Hanson Michelle Brown, QAS, DES

We want to give a special shoutout to Craig Madsen with J&M Steel Solutions Inc. We just want to take a moment to recognize our Chairman, because he truly deserves it. Craig doesn’t just hold the title; he shows up. Every time. Whether it’s the big moments like Convention or everything happening behind the scenes, he’s there supporting, encouraging, and making sure our chapter is taken care of. But more than that, Craig is just a genuinely good human. He leads with kindness, treats people the right way, and quietly makes a huge impact without ever asking for recognition. It doesn’t go unnoticed by us here at the ABC Utah Chapter. Craig, we appreciate you more than you know. Thank you for your leadership, your support, and for simply being who you are. It truly makes a difference.