ABCRMC and HCC Form New Alliance/ACEC-CO Leader Steps Down After 25 Years/Greenbuild Going to L.A.

The Rocky Mountain Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors and the Hispanic Contractors of Colorado hope to strengthen their relationship through a newly formed alliance designed to promote free enterprise, open competition and opportunity.

ABCRMC and HCC Form New Alliance

The Rocky Mountain Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors and Hispanic Contractors of Colorado have entered into a strategic alliance designed to promote free enterprise, open competition and opportunities for all construction firms.

The associations' leaders said they hope the agreement will continue to strengthen their relationship and encourage continued partnering and development of joint programs.

With HCC's help, ABC Rocky Mountain will develop and distribute cultural and ethnic diversity training materials to its other 80 chapters. By doing so, both associations will work together to assist nonminority-owned construction firms to collaborate with historically underutilized businesses and their work forces.

ACEC/CO Executive Director Steps Down After 25 Years

After 25 years of service, Sondra Donnel, executive director of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado, retired on Dec. 31.

Under her leadership, ACEC/CO aligned its programs and activities to address a number of industry issues. The council advanced communication on legislative issues, infrastructure funding, procurement of professional services and developed guidelines for executing successful contracts and relationships.

Programs were also created for schools to bolster student interest in engineering, and the council contributed to a preservation effort by raising nearly $40,000 at its 50th anniversary gala last June. The money supports restoration of the Boettcher Tropical Conservatory at Denver Botanic Gardens.

Throughout her tenure at ACEC/CO, Donnel witnessed many changes, including the advent of qualifications-based selection, a major increase in the number of women entering engineering, outsourcing, off-shoring, the rise of sustainable design and building information modeling.

USGBC Selects L.A. for Greenbuild 2007

The U.S. Green Building Council has announced that Greenbuild 2007 will be held Oct. 17-19 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Greenbuild 2006, held in Denver last November, drew a record-breaking 13,500 attendees and more than 700 exhibitors.

"We're expecting next year to be the Greenbuild conference's biggest year yet, and L.A. is the perfect place for it," said USGBC's Peter Templeton, vice president of education and research. "Not only is L.A. renowned for its culture and entertainment, but it's also gaining significant recognition for its leadership in green building in their community."

The theme of this fall's conference will center on accelerating green communities, which also coincides with USGBC's 2007 educational agenda, Templeton said.

Gold Nugget Awards Announces 2007 Competition

Entry applications are now being accepted for the 44th annual Gold Nugget Awards, which honor design and planning excellence from 14 western states and all countries.

Categories include custom homes, detached and attached homes, apartment projects, seniors housing, commercial, retail, mixed-use and specialty designs and site and land planning.

Fees and applications are due by March 16. Complete entry and eligibility information is available at www.goldnuggetawards.com.

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