LA GRANGE, Ill. — More than 50 members of The Unified Group came together at the Hilton Portland Downtown, in Portland, Oregon, earlier this month for the 2024 Construction Forum. The conference offered Unified Group members an opportunity to share best practices on topics ranging from managing project expectations, to prefab strategies, to the use of artificial intelligence (AI), and more.
“I had great discussions with my team. We wound up having a ton of things in common to brainstorm about, and it was nice hearing perspectives from people in multiple roles/companies,” said Jen Clark of General Sheet Metal in Clackamas, Oregon.
Jon Castro of B&I Contractors in Fort Myers, Florida, kicked off the forum with a panel that discussed estimating and assembling bids. General Sheet Metal team members then gave an overview of their operation, then attendees boarded a bus for a tour of the Clackamas facility.
Chris Cullum of Cullum Mechanical Construction in North Charleston, South Carolina, called General Sheet Metal a “very well-managed company that has invested well in equipment, technology, and people development — a first-class operation!”
The second day of the forum featured panels on the use of AI, processes for managing project expectations, and change order best practices. The final day’s meetings wrapped up with a panel on culture and team-building. Members took part in a discussion on merging the gap from field to office, and on implementing culture changes. Several show-and-shares on prefab strategies were the highlights of the last day.
“It was great to have a show-and-tell and be able to see things put into action. Visualization was key,” said Ashley Duncan of General Sheet Metal.
The forum concluded with a breakout session, during which members discussed estimating, project management, and inventory management.
“I learned how much we all face similar issues but overcome them in different ways,” said Mike Keenan of VHV Co., an HVAC contractor in Winooski, Vermont. “It seems that over the few years I’ve been attending, the group is collectively leaning into each other very well. It’s always great to see the progress from year to year.”