All ABC Convention events will take place at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center.
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. National Committee Meetings
9 a.m.-5 p.m. Registration Open
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
7:30 a.m.-3 p.m. National Board of Directors Registration
7 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Registration Open*
*Registration will close from 5:30-6:45 pm.
8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Construction Management Competition

CMC Banner The Construction Management Competition provides competing university and college teams an opportunity to experience a real-world construction project with unique characteristics and issues. Participating teams assemble a general contracting firm that represents their school and ABC student chapter in the competition.

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8:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m. National Board of Directors Meeting
Meeting includes industry and regional breakouts, member-to-member sessions and chapter presidents business meeting.
12:15-1:45 p.m. Association Excellence Awards
*Separate ticketed event.
**Complimentary for board members, proxies and chapter presidents. Other attendees must register and purchase a ticket.
Banner AEA

Banner AEA The Association Excellence Awards luncheon recognizes and celebrates chapter achievement in membership growth and retention, STEP participation and other major accomplishments for 2023.

*National board members, proxies and chapter presidents receive a complimentary ticket to this event, which is the official lunch for the national board meeting. Other convention attendees interested in attending this pre-convention event must purchase a ticket during the registration process.

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3:30-5 p.m. Exhibit Hall Grand Opening and Reception
Full convention, social and opening night celebration ticket holders only.

Join us for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony and 90 minutes of food, fun and networking with more than 75 exhibitors. Visit with the exhibitors and register for multiple giveaways throughout the hall. Returning this year—the puppy playpen! Stop by Wednesday and Thursday during Exhibit Hall hours and play with local shelter dogs, all available for adoption.

5:30-7 p.m. Opening General Session With Ryan Leak

What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Leadership expert Ryan Leak, CEO of the Ryan Leak Group, will show you how chasing failure is all about having a vision for a dream, a goal, a mission and knowing that the road will be paved with failure, but still proceeding with conviction and passion. His deep domain expertise in empowering leaders to reclaim a new self-awareness will ensure you come away with a blueprint for success!

Also happening during this session, celebrate the Construction Workforce Awards winners—the Craft Instructor, Craft Professional and Young Professional of the Year—and meet the 2024 Chair of the ABC National Board of Directors.

Headshot of Ryan Leak

Headshot of Ryan Leak What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Leadership expert Ryan Leak, CEO of the Ryan Leak Group, will show you how chasing failure is all about having a vision for a dream, a goal, a mission and knowing that the road will be paved with failure, but still proceeding with conviction and passion. His deep domain expertise in empowering leaders to reclaim a new self-awareness will ensure you come away with a blueprint for success!

Also happening during this session, celebrate the Construction Workforce Awards winners—the Craft Instructor, Craft Professional and Young Professional of the Year—and meet the 2024 Chair of the ABC National Board of Directors.

7:15-9:30 p.m. Opening Night Celebration
Full convention, social and opening night celebration ticket holders only.

Slip on your flip-flops, grab a margarita and join us for a laid-back opening night celebration on the Coquina Lawn! Party the night away under the stars listening to your favorite beach tunes and mix with attendees while enjoying coastal cuisine and more. See you in the ’ville—it’s five o’clock somewhere!

Thursday, March 14, 2024
6 a.m.-4 p.m. Registration Open
7:30-10 a.m. National Board of Directors Registration
8-10 a.m. National Board of Directors Meeting
8 a.m.-3 p.m. National Craft Championships

ABC presents the National Craft Championships annually to highlight the achievements of the people who represent the future of the construction industry. Craft trainees and apprentices travel from across the country to demonstrate their superior skills, training and safe work practices and compete for top honors in their chosen craft. For training sponsors, employers and ABC chapters, the NCC demonstrates a staunch commitment to the career paths the construction industry offers.

9:15–10 a.m. Industry Insight Sessions
Open to full convention attendees only

9:15–10 a.m.
Leading Operational Excellence—Examining the Drivers of Successful Project Leadership


Speaker: Gregg Schoppman, Principal and Florida Consulting Manager, FMI

Discover tips to develop sound lean, efficient processes and to raise your competitiveness and maintain a sustainable advantage tomorrow, regardless of uncertainty. Project leadership is essential to set the right direction, align resources and ultimately motivate teams of talented people to be successful. Enhance your operations by creating an integrated approach that is consistent, sustainable and replicable long term.

10:15–11 a.m. Industry Insight Sessions
Open to full convention attendees only

10:15–11 a.m.
Casinos and Car Dealers-Leveraging Data to Provide the Correct KPI’s for Strategic Leadership


Speaker: Gregg Schoppman, Principal and Florida Consulting Manager, FMI

Construction organizations must transform themselves to think strategically and incorporate such elements as seasonality, customer proclivities, environmental factors, supply chain variability and even crew productivity in how they price work and position themselves in the market. Examine the role of data-driven strategy and best-of-class firms through practical construction examples and case studies. Understand the types of KPIs that firms could utilize and how this could influence short- and long-term decision-making and overall strategic success.

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Viewing of the Construction Management Competition Presentations
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CMC Banner Cheer on the teams! At the end of the day’s competition, a short list of teams will be selected to move on to the next round. All convention attendees are invited and encouraged to stop by to see the teams at work during competition day. You also won't want to miss the final presentations showcasing the top teams!

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11:15 a.m.–12 p.m. Industry Insight Sessions
Open to full convention attendees only

11:15 a.m.–12 p.m.
Building Tomorrow: What Matters to the Client?


Moderator: Kevin Sell, CVO, United Group Services

Panelists: Bryan Emde, Executive Director, AdventHealth’s Office of Design and Construction;Rory Salimbene, Chief Facilities Officer, Orange County Public Schools; Chad Tinetti, Vice President Construction Operating Assets, Tavistock Development Co.

Gain unique insights into upcoming project trends and developments over the next decade as seasoned owner representatives come together for an engaging panel discussion. Explore firsthand experiences and perspectives on contractor selection strategies, best practices for win-win relationships, project execution strategies and innovations and anticipated challenges, and an outlook on the industry's future landscape. In this session you will glean invaluable foresight and strategies directly from the clients steering the projects.

12-3 p.m. Viewing of the National Craft Championships and Lunch
Catch all the action happening at the ABC National Craft Championships! These competitors exemplify the best of the best from across the nation. Plus, exhibitors will be on hand to connect and share the latest industry technology, products and services. Don't miss the ever-popular puppy pen and spend some time with our most adorable canine convention attendees.
5:30-10 p.m. Excellence in Construction® Awards Gala*
*Separate ticketed event.

The 34th Annual National Excellence in Construction Awards Gala celebrates the best in merit shop construction, honoring the most outstanding construction projects and contractors of the year for their remarkable achievements in leadership, safety, innovation and inclusion, diversity and merit.

Friday, March 15, 2024
7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Registration Open
8:30-9:45 a.m. Morning Keynote Breakfast With Kevin Brown
Open to full convention and social ticket holders only.

Kevin Brown will entertain and inspire you to reach beyond the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary. Today Is Your Legacy picks up where The Hero Effect leaves off and teaches how heroes lead, live and influence the world around them in powerful ways. In this fast-paced session, Brown shares all-new stories infused with humor, inspiration and self-reflection that elevate performance and results. Dive into how great leaders create a legacy by design and not by default and learn the six legacy questions that define the ultimate influence of high-performance leaders. Discover how to create a legacy of building people and a culture that stands the test of time.

Headshot of Kevin Brown

Headshot of Kevin Brown Kevin Brown will entertain and inspire you to reach beyond the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary. Today Is Your Legacy picks up where The Hero Effect leaves off and teaches how heroes lead, live and influence the world around them in powerful ways. In this fast-paced session, Brown shares all-new stories infused with humor, inspiration and self-reflection that elevate performance and results. Dive into how great leaders create a legacy by design and not by default and learn the six legacy questions that define the ultimate influence of high-performance leaders. Discover how to create a legacy of building people and a culture that stands the test of time.

10-10:45 a.m. Industry Insight Sessions
Open to full convention attendees only

10-10:45 a.m.
Taking a SWOT at AI


Moderator: Patrick Scarpati, Director Construction Technology and Innovation, Associated Builders and Contractors

Panelists: Bradford Kelley, Labor and Employment Attorney and AI Practice Lead, Littler; Josh Kanner, Senior Director Product Strategy and Construction Cloud Leader, Oracle; Manu Venugopal, Senior Manager Product Management and AI/ML, Autodesk

To implement artificial intelligence successfully, you need to be aware of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats these tools pose to firms. Learn from industry leaders in AI, construction and the legal arena about the future of AI and the endless opportunities it is bringing to the world, and how those opportunities translate to contractors of all sizes. Then, enhance your understanding of the legal cautions you should take when implementing this technology.

11 a.m.-12 p.m. Closing Industry Insight Session with Anirban Basu
Open to full convention attendees only.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Has the Federal Reserve achieved a successful soft landing? Alternatively, could a combination of geopolitical conflict, a presidential election, increasing consumer debt levels and persistently high interest rates be setting the stage for an economic downturn in 2024? Determining whether 2024 will be a positive year remains challenging, but one certainty is that it will be an interesting one. Dr. Anirban Basu, chief economist for Associated Builders and Contractors, will provide a comprehensive analysis of key factors influencing economic outcomes encompassing interest rates, global conflict, wage dynamics, business confidence and demographics. It will then turn toward a forecast for the coming year, highlighting the major risks that economic stakeholders will likely encounter.

Headshot of Basu Anirban

Headshot of Basu AnirbanThe Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Has the Federal Reserve achieved a successful soft landing? Alternatively, could a combination of geopolitical conflict, a presidential election, increasing consumer debt levels and persistently high interest rates be setting the stage for an economic downturn in 2024? Determining whether 2024 will be a positive year remains challenging, but one certainty is that it will be an interesting one. Dr. Anirban Basu, chief economist for Associated Builders and Contractors, will provide a comprehensive analysis of key factors influencing economic outcomes encompassing interest rates, global conflict, wage dynamics, business confidence and demographics. It will then turn toward a forecast for the coming year, highlighting the major risks that economic stakeholders will likely encounter.

5-7 p.m. Careers in Construction Awards

Watch dreams come true at the Careers in Construction Awards, where the winners of the Construction Management Competition and National Craft Championships take center stage for a celebration you won’t soon forget. Honor the best in merit shop construction during this high-energy event.

7:15-10 p.m. Closing Night Celebration
Full convention, social and closing night celebration ticket holders only.

Get ready for ABC to turn 75 in 2025! It’s a sure bet it will be a full house as ABC welcomes back the electric Milwaukee Tool Shed Band! Get a sneak peek at ABC Convention 2025 and live it up under the neon lights—Viva Las Convention!

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