Speaker Biographies

Keynote Address: Chad Hymas

"Leaving a Legacy"

Award Winning Leadership & Safety Speaker

Chad inspires, motivates, and moves audiences, creating an experience that touches hearts for a lifetime. He is one of the youngest ever to receive the Council of Peers Award for Excellence (CPAE) and to be inducted into the prestigious National Speaker Hall of Fame.

In 2001, at the age of 27, Chad’s life changed in an instant when a 2,000-pound bale of hay shattered his neck, leaving him a quadriplegic. But Chad’s dreams were not paralyzed that day—he became an example of what is possible.

Chad is a best-selling author, president of his own communications company, and recognized world-class wheelchair athlete. In 2003, Chad set a world record by wheeling his chair from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas (513 miles).

Chad’s speaking career in the areas of leadership, team building, customer service, and mastering change has brought him multiple honors. He served as president of the National Speakers Association Utah chapter and is a member of the elite Speakers Roundtable (one of twenty of the world’s top speakers). As a member of the National Speakers Association, Chad travels as many as 300,000 miles a year, captivating and entertaining audiences around the world. He has graced the stage of hundreds of professional and civic organizations, including Wells Fargo, Blue Cross Blue Shield, AT&T, Rainbird, IHC, American Express, Prudential Life, Vast FX, and Merrill Lynch.

All Member Session: Vince Hafeli

"Mental Health Awareness in Construction"

Ajax Paving: North Venice, Florida

Vince Hafeli is President of Ajax Paving Industries of Florida, LLC (ajaxpaving.com) in North Venice, Floprida, where he currently leads a team of 500 employees. He has spent 38 years in the construction industry in many different positions. Vince is currently completing his Doctorate of Business Administration with his dissertation on suicide in the construction industry. He is a frequent speaker for events including TEDx talks in Aberystwyth Wales, the University of Mississippi, and South Howard Tampa as well as many other webinars, podcasts, and industry trade association conventions.

Speakers

Christi Beatty
Vice President of Chapter Services & Member Engagement, Associated General Contractors of America

Stephen Sandherr,
President, Associated General Contractors of America

Stephen Sandherr joined the AGC of America staff in 1984 as Assistant Director of Collective Bargaining Services. From 1986 to 1989 he served as AGC’s Director of Congressional Relations. He practiced law with the firm of Thompson, Mann and Hutson in Washington, D.C., from 1989 to 1990, and served as Labor and Small Business Counsel for the National Association of Home Builders from 1990 to 1991. He rejoined AGC as Executive Director of Congressional Relations in 1991 and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in 1997. 
 
Currently, as Chief Executive Officer, his role is to maintain relations with AGC’s 89 chapters nationwide, coordinate government relations activities and enhance AGC’s involvement with business coalitions. A Capitol Hill newspaper, The Hill, listed Steve as a top lobbyist for the last twelve years, representing the only commercial construction industry association on the Top Lobbyists of 2009 – 2021 lists. 
 
Steve has a B.S. in Political Science from the University of Scranton, where he serves on the Board of Trustees. He earned his law degree from the Catholic University of America and is a member of the Bar of the District of Columbia. He is an honorary trustee of the National Building Museum in Washington and has been inducted into the National Academy of Construction.  

Lester C. (Les) Snyder, III
AGC Board President
Executive Vice President, Infrastructure Construction
Brightline West, Las Vegas, Nevada

Les Snyder is the Executive Vice President of Infrastructure Construction for Brightline West. In this new role, Les will be leading the team that will design and build Brightline West – the U.S.’s first true high speed passenger rail between Las Vegas and Los Angeles with a total program valued at $8 billion. Through over 40 years of experience, Les has held various executive positions championing successful growth and expansion for other leading construction firms. His career experience includes all facets of the construction business throughout the U.S., the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada. 

Les’ activities with the Associated General Contractors of America (AGCA) include the status of Life Director, Director on the Education and Research Foundation, past Chair of the Building Division, past Chair of the joint AIA-AGC Committee, past Chair of the Public/Private Industry Advisory Council and Committee Chair of the Year in 2006 for leading the C3T Task Force which published “The Contractor’s Guide to BIM” and in 2021 for leading the Climate Change Task Force.

His community affairs efforts include a passion for improving education serving on the Swanson School of Engineering Board of Visitors at his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh. Les has also participated in civic organizations such as former Governor Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education, Frontline Outreach and Give Kids the World.

Les and Denise, his wife of 37 years, have two daughters: Sara (32) and Jenna (30).