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WCR&HCA Board listens, learns for 2025

2023 conference “it’s a wrap!” recap
     – WCRHCA Stronger Together

Lindsey Hoemsen photo

The WCR&HCA Board of Directors held a series of meetings Friday, Feb. 10, to review the conference and take care of important Board business.

First up – congrats and welcome to the new Board members

  • Joe Kabarchuk, ARHCA
  • Jonathan Hamilton, ARHCA
  • Nicole Chabot, MHCA
  • Dennis Cruise, MHCA

And our new officers for 2023-2025 are

  • Chair, Carmen Duncan, Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association
  • Vice-Chair, Joe Kabarchuk, Alberta Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association
  • Sec-Treasurer, Dennis Cruise, Manitoba Heavy Construction Association

To see your full WCR&HCA Board click here.

And a huge thank you to retiring board members

  • Greg Orbanski, now immediate Past Chair of WCR&HCA, (MHCA)
  • Jack Meseyton, now past Sec-Treasurer of WCR&HCA, (MHCA)
  • Gary Zeitner, now former Board member of WCR&HCA, (ARHCA)
  • Andrew Arnill, now former Board member of the WCR&HCA (ARHCA)

The advocacy priorities – pressing for a National Plan for Trade Corridor Infrastructure; engaging at the federal level; and, to learn from the WCR&HCA Stronger Together Conference 2023 – were all discussed and approved, for the ‘way forward’ in 2023.

On that note, CCA representatives – Chair Brendan Nobes, President & CEO Mary Van Buren and VP Procurement Rod Gilbert – told the Board at the meeting the national association was very much behind the need for Canada to adopt a sustained, long-term trade infrastructure investment strategy.

Van Buren and Nobes noted that the priorities of the federal government focus on the green and social programs, but the message has to be delivered that it is trade, and investment in trade transportation infrastructure, that fuels Canada’s economy and therefore, generates the revenues to governments that pay for those social and green programs.

Review of WCR&HCA Stronger Together Conference

The Board heard from event organizer eVoque about “what worked, what needs work” and noted

  • While the venue – the Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort’s size presented challenges for casual ‘get-togethers’, smaller, more compact venues also present challenges.
  • Other locations are attractive; however, prices across the board for resorts or hotels are rising and steep increases in costs for rooms, for example, can be expected in coming years.
    • Mexico is a potential option, but a travel advisory out of the US government gives pause to that consideration at the moment
  • More sponsorship opportunities at the middle-range of costs should be considered – the children’s programming, for example
  • Communication with delegates and sponsors on site could move to an app format, rather than email

The Board welcomed the 2023 conference sponsors to a short meeting and heard

  • The conference was generally very well-organized; awesome to be back person-to-person again
  • Advocacy and business sessions were very good
    • Innovation Alley was a highlight, with its short presentations from suppliers; this should be a standard feature of future conferences
      • Should focus on value to clients re cost-saving
      • Publish the order in which presenters appear; allows delegates to ensure they catch those of interest
    • Advocacy engagement underscores the value of the WCR&HCA to all connected to the industry
  • The Hilton Hawaiian Village was large; posed challenges for people to get together casually, for vendors to make contact with contractors
  • Evening events drew large turnouts, but the opening reception could have been longer
  • Sponsors of large events appreciated the verbal recognition; need to remember to get the names of all sponsors recognized as these events as well
  • Format of conference every second year is a good idea
  • Strike a better balance of supplier/contractor registrants
    • Attract more contractors with lower registration fees possibly?
    • Consider higher fees for suppliers who don’t sponsor; or perhaps make sponsorship mandatory?
  • Good support from sponsors to commit to a letter of agreement for sponsorship for the 2025 conference, leaving open final negotiation of sponsorship level
    • Allows programming to be firmed up earlier
    • Allows delegate list to be supplied to sponsors earlier
  • Sponsors need about 9 months’ notice of conference details, to fit into annual budget for commitment
  • Suppliers pulling back from very high-level sponsorship dollars
    • Opportunity/demand in mid-range is growing
  • Having a ‘free night’ for delegates in the middle of a shorter conference made it feel like start-stop for suppliers to meet clients, especially since there was no central gathering place where casual meet-ups

The WCR&HCA Stronger Together Conference Committee is beginning its considerations for the 2025 conference now. It will take back all suggestions and discuss to ensure the 2025 conference program and venue hit the ‘sweet spot’ for all.

The WCR&HCA Board of Directors wishes once again to thank all our 2023 sponsors. Without you, this conference would not have been possible.

A short survey will be emailed soon to all delegates and to all sponsors. Please take the 10 minutes to fill it out and return your thoughts.

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