About ECA

A Look at the Challenges Ahead

Contractors are no strangers to difficult challenges and hard work. What makes us unique,
however, is our measured sense of optimism - taking on jobs that come with many risks and
the opportunity to safely complete the work hopefully at a profit. It is this sense of dedication
and commitment that makes us what we are.

In the coming year we, as an association, will take on the challenges and opportunities of a
changing industry that will require that same sense of dedication in the face of adversity. It is for
these reasons, your association membership has become an even more valuable and
indispensable asset to your business future.

Air quality regulations certainly sit at the forefront of our agenda with severe restrictions on
equipment and usage constantly becoming more and more a reality for contractors in California
and especially here in our region. ECA has maintained active involvement on this issue voicing
contractor concerns and providing input and guidance in the frustrating regulatory process.

We have just celebrated ECA's 34th Annual Installation of Officers and I again thank my fellow
board members for their confidence and support electing me to the office of ECA President.

I look forward to embarking on this journey and plan on working diligently to meet the
expectations of this office, advancing the interests of our members and fostering a better
business environment for our industry.

I want also to thank my immediate predecessor, Justin Malloy, for his exemplary service to
ECA during the past two years. He helped forge many advances for this organization and our
industry that will have positive, lasting effects.

I am encouraged and look forward to the exciting membership events we have on our schedule
for the year and look forward to your participation.

Remember to support your fellow ECA members and advertisers when ever the opportunity
arises.

The Engineering Contractors' Association, ECA, since 1976 has served
underground and heavy construction professionals in Southern California providing
leadership and education on issues important to our members' success. Working to
enhance continued development, ECA promotes a healthy construction environment
through effective education of regulatory bodies from the contractor's perspective and,
informing the industry about ongoing regulatory and economic developments.

ECA's mission is to champion the interests of its members acting as a collective
influence in the construction industry in such matters as labor relations, government
relations, legislative interests and public relations. Membership in the ECA is drawn
from 11 Southern California counties and is made up of contractors and affiliates with
interests in sewer and water line, stormdrain, pipeline, underground utilities, trenching,
excavating and grading, tunnels, street and highway construction and related
engineering construction.

Under the guidance of the association's board of directors, ECA Executive Director is
Jim Burton, Cindy Wyhowanec is Operations Manager, Isabel Garcia is Secretary and
John Simpson is ECA Magazine Editor.

Membership Classifications

Membership in the ECA is comprised of three categories:

1. The Union Contractor is signatory to one or more of the five basic crafts:

Carpenters, Cement Masons, Construction Laborers, Operating Engineers and
Construction Teamsters.

2. The Associate Contractor is not signatory to any craft or is non-union.

3. The Affiliate Member manufactures, supplies, services, and/or distributes materials
or services used by contractors involved in the general and underground construction
industries. ECA is also a Southern California chapter of the National Utility Contractors
Association, NUCA, the national counterpart of the ECA. NUCA works at the federal level
while the ECA's work is concentrated at the state and local levels.

Legislation

As a basic element of its long-range planning efforts, ECA retains a full-time legislative
representative in Sacramento, Phil Vermeulen. Mr. Vermeulen and the ECA Legislative
Committee are constantly working to ensure that legislation which could adversely affect
construction is either blocked or modified. All work to implement the favorable so that
contractors may enjoy a more successful and profitable business climate.

Labor

Additionally, ECA works in conjunction with labor unions to provide the most direct
individual representation of union contractors' labor problems available. The ECA Labor
Committee's responsibility is to gather, evaluate, and disseminate labor information
affecting contractor operations. The committee also negotiates Master Labor Agreements
with the five basic crafts: Carpenters, Cement Masons, Construction Laborers, Operating
Engineers, and Construction Teamsters.

Membership Meetings & DIG Award

Monthly membership events, where industry speakers are featured, are the basic meeting
grounds for members. The association also holds its annual convention in spring and golf
tournaments for the benefit and enjoyment of its members. The DIG Award, ECA's most
prestigious event, is presented annually to individuals who have led careers of Dignity,
Integrity & Generosity - DIG - in underground construction. This black tie affair represents
a gathering of some of the greatest people in the industry and recognizes recipients, one
posthumously, for their achievements.

ECA Magazine

To keep its membership informed about what's going on both within the association and
the underground and general construction fields the ECA publishes its monthly magazine
distributed industry-wide to construction professionals.

Safety & Risk Management

An always important issue ECA addresses is promoting job safety through a
comprehensive risk management program. ECA's Risk Management Committee serves
as liaison with the various occupational safety agencies such as OSHA and Cal/OSHA.

APWA & Public Agencies

ECA's APWA (American Public Works Association) committee works for the
membership in improving and streamlining the Standard Specifications for Public Works
Construction (known as the Green Book), plus all new specifications, materials, sewer
and drain design, compaction requirements, and related regulations. It is the
Association's intention that once a contractor receives a contract, he will be able to work
efficiently and, most important, cost-effectively within the specifications required.

The strong voice ECA has earned within the construction industry has placed the
association in a respected position in matters concerning public agencies. ECA provides
constant input and represents its members' most important interests before agencies
such as public works, legislative bodies and regulatory entities.

Dedication and Commitment

Dedication and commitment to individual needs of members through a coordinated effort
have been key to ECA's and its members' success.

ECA DIG Award Recipients

1988

Charles Burch

Gary Bronneck

1989

Donald Colich

Robert Wilkins

1990

Martin Kordick

Larry Henson

1991

Gordon Ludwig

Pete Wucetich

1992

Matt Zaich

Barney Laulhere

1993

Bob Longway

Mickey Antonovich

1994

Joe Valverde

Bill Grubacich

Luka Pecel

1995

John Bebek, Sr.

Thomas Malloy

Les Weed

1996

Armand DeWeese

Bernard Kamine

David Phillips

1997

Greg Antonovich

Ron Kaelin

Charles Dorfman

1998

Charles W. Poss

Emmett J. Malloy

1999

Alex Rados

Leon Turner