AGC of America 2025 Convention Wrap-Up 

CAGC Leaders, ECU Student Honored at AGCA Convention

Convention Highlights

More than 2,200 participants, including about 30 Carolinas AGC representatives, attended the recent AGC of America Annual Convention that featured safety awards going to numerous CAGC members (see related story), as well as CAGC leaders being named to key posts. Additionally, one of CAGC’s student chapters, East Carolina University, earned top student/instructor awards.   

The convention – held April 6-10 in Columbus, Ohio – included these highlights:

• Ty Edmondson, Chair of CAGC’s Board of Directors, was elected as Chair of the Consulting Constructors’ Council of America. The prestigious council, which operates in conjunction with AGCA’s Education and Research Foundation, consists of members “who have attained and maintain an excellent reputation as construction experts” with broad experience in construction management and finance as general contractors. Ty will also serve on the Board of the AGCA Education and Research Foundation. Edmondson, CEO of T.A. Loving Co., was elected to the post during the Convention after serving two previous years on the AGC BOD as Chair of the Utility Infrastructure Division.

• Dave Simpson, CAGC President & CEO, was elected as 2025-26 Chair of AGCA’s Executive Leadership Council, which oversees the 88 AGC chapters across the nation, and to a second one-year-term on the AGC BOD. Simpson, who has served CAGC since April 1989, also was named to the Constructors’ Council of America.

East Carolina University Student Wins Top AGCA Award

• Ronald Chance, ECU Teaching Instructor, Department of Construction Management, College of Engineering & Technology, and Chloe’s faculty sponsor, was awarded $500.
  
  
• Chloe Lois Kildea, a senior at East Carolina University majoring in Construction Management, who is from King, NC, and was the first-place winner of the 2025 James L. Allhands Essay Contest. The award recognizes a student essay on a specific topic that is deemed to be beneficial to the advancement of technological, educational or vocational expertise in the construction industry. Chloe was awarded $1,000.

Both Chloe and Ronald attended the 2025 AGC Convention as guests of the Education Foundation. 

AGC, in a news release, said: “Chloe’s essay was both original and thoroughly researched—a fine example of insightful writing about the construction industry that reflects the legacy of Mr. Allhands. The essays were rigorously evaluated by our committee, comprised of some of the most esteemed leaders in the construction industry. Despite the exceptional quality of this year’s submissions, Chloe’s essay stood out as truly exemplary.”

AGC Economic/Construction Outlook Presented for 2025

During a panel discussion of top CAGC staff, the main points included:

• Economic growth will continue along with increasing risks of inflation and recession.
• Highway Reauthorization: AGC is asking Congress to increase funding with Electric Vehicle Fee, prioritize work zone safety through more funding and education, emphasize formula funding to states – not discretionary grants, and expedite project delivery.
• Single-family: expect a gradual pickup if mortgage rates don’t spike.
• Multifamily, warehouse, office declines through 2025.
• Data center, power, infrastructure: best growth bets.
• Material costs up 1-3%, much more if tariffs continue.
• Lead times: few problems except electrical gear.
• Labor costs: up 4-5%; available challenges will continue unless layoffs become widespread.

CAGC/ConstructConnect Team Up for AGC Education Foundation Gala

Another highlight of the Convention involved an Education Foundation Gala that raised more than $200,000 for its training and education efforts. Joining in a team table that night were, from left to right: CAGC’s Dave and Denise Simpson, Ty and Kimberly Edmondson; ConstructConnect’s Brittani Phillips, Senior Integrated Marketing Manager, and Jennifer Johnson, Chief Product Officer; and Pete Malmberg of C &C Drywall, an early participant of ConstructConnect’s Artificial-Intelligence-Assisted estimating program.