On January 1, 2021, GBCA put our members front and center for the new year with a paid wrap around ad on the print edition of the Philadelphia Business Journal. The ad included the exterior and interior of the front and back pages of the issue.
On the inside of the front cover, GBCA Chairman of the Board, Joseph P. Clearkin, reflected on 2020, a year that was remarkable, though perhaps not in the way that we had expected.
2020 is a year we will never forget. The pandemic turned our world upside down almost overnight, bringing all of us face to face with unprecedented challenges and complexities that threatened to bring virtually every corner of our industry to a screeching halt. However, I’m extremely proud to say that what stands out above all is our industry’s unprecedented collaboration – led in large part by GBCA – which has allowed us to successfully navigate these uncharted waters together.
Building on the association’s long history of providing best-of-breed safety, education and training programs, GBCA’s response to COVID-19 has been equally swift and thorough. First and foremost, we served as a linchpin in bringing together the GBCA Safety Committee, the Building Trades Safety Committee, Philadelphia Area Labor-Management Committee (PALM) Built-Rite, the Eastern Atlantic States (EAS) Regional Council of Carpenters and Med-Tex Services to spearhead the development of industry-wide COVID-19 safety protocols.
In true GBCA fashion, these centralized job site protocols – and the complementary COVID-19 Awareness Training & Certification – set the industry standard. They have been critical in enabling tens of thousands of contractors and tradespeople in our region to be trained to the same high bar, which has provided a significant advantage in keeping ourselves and one another safe as construction continues buzzing in Philadelphia, the suburbs and beyond. These protocols were also listed as a COVID-19 resource in OSHA’s weekly email sent to assist employers nationally.
This is just one example of how GBCA mobilized in the face of adversity. We also launched Toolbox Talk Toolkits online and via QR code, ensuring safety resources are available any time, any place, and built a dedicated COVID-19 corner on GBCA.com where members can find up-to-date tools and information related to safety, legislation, labor, economic recovery and more. We remain committed to serving as a hub of trusted information as the pandemic and CDC/health department guidance evolve.
As this year draws to a close, so ends my term as Chairman of your GBCA Board. It has been a privilege to lead you and this remarkable organization during such a pivotal time in our history. In spite of the pandemic, we have made great strides on many fronts thanks to everyone’s involvement in our innovative and active association. When we work together, the sky’s the limit.
Joseph P. Clearkin
Chairman of the Board, GBCA
