Welcome to the New Year!

First off, I’d like to thank every one of you for putting your trust in me, and a special thanks to our Past President, Lyle Schellenberg, for his outstanding leadership last year; we all look forward to his continued involvement.

That said, I’m excited to kick off my term as the 2010-2011 NUCA Chairman of the Board (but more on that in a minute). If you were unable to attend the Utility Construction EXPO in Orlando last month, you missed a great conference. We had four impressive business speakers who all talked about CHANGE! It’s sure to be a theme that continues throughout the year. What didn’t change at EXPO were the great educational sessions, the excellent equipment show and the outstanding contractor socializing events put on by the NUCA Staff. A big thanks to all the vendors who participated this year. And that goes double for our sponsors. Without those two ingredients, we couldn’t have made a great show.

With support from NUCA members, we have the strength and ability to change the way NUCA operates this year and beyond. But never fear — these changes are positive and will better serve our membership. The most immediate changes you’re likely to notice are:

NUCA passed by-law changes that streamline how we’ll govern. The association has reduced the size of the Board of Directors from 183 individuals to 27. The Executive Committee will now operate as the Board of Directors. The Administrative Committee will operate as the Executive Committee has in the past. The general membership will continue to vote on the truly significant matters. These changes will make for a more efficient group and one that will have the ear of membership throughout.

We’re restructuring how our committees meet and operate. Committees will now meet no less than once a year face-to-face, when they aren’t holding regular meetings via teleconference or Web conference. This restructuring will help these committees be efficient and productive. It will also increase membership involvement and generate valuable input.

We are splitting up the travel so that every chapter will have at least one visit from a Board of Directors member this year. We feel that it is vitally important that this Board is here to support our membership and to be involved at the local level.

Whether we’re in the office or out and about, the Board of Directors is going to focus on building our membership base, enhancing member participation and sticking together to get realistic things done. NUCA is only as strong as its collective commitment as leaders, especially this year when it comes to NUCA’s vital advocacy campaigns at all levels of government, especially the federal level. Yes, the industry received increased funding and fought off some bad legislation and regulations in 2009; however, the NUCA team can do even more to get our industry back up on its feet again. I’d like to issue a personal challenge to every reader to find a way to help the collective cause in 2010.

Specifically, our industry needs your voice this year at the Washington Summit, May 17-19. My first challenge to you is to take the necessary time to travel to Capitol Hill and speak you mind to our lawmakers! I also challenge you to bring at least two other colleagues. Our legislative leaders will listen when we show up in force. You’ll have plenty of talking points and facts that will hit home for every congressional district in the United States. But they won’t listen if we’re not there talking and explaining the importance of our infrastructure to economic growth and private sector job creation. Those of you who have shown up in the past know that when you’re in the congressional office with 15 or 20 people, your congressional office sits up and listens!

I know our economy is down, but now is the time to be involved. NUCA has so much to offer this industry at an exceptional value. It’s up to us to pass this information on to our colleagues and impress upon them the importance of their being a member of NUCA, and what they’ll receive in return.

If that weren’t enough change, we’re also on track to strengthen NUCA’s brand identity this year. So stay tuned, positive change is afoot. I’m looking forward to working with you and the entire NUCA team. Let’s have a quality year.

See you soon,

     Dan East
     NUCA Chairman of the Board