WASHINGTON, D.C. — Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) announced that Milton Graugnard, executive vice president, Cajun Industries LLC, Baton Rouge, La., was elected the 2023 ABC national chair at a board of directors meeting held in conjunction with the association’s annual Leadership Institute in Coronado, Calif. 

“Leading ABC in its 73rd year of serving this vibrant industry and defending free markets and open competition values is the honor of a lifetime,” said Graugnard. “This opportunity allows me to give back to construction, the industry that has given my company and me so much, and to ABC, which has meant the world to my personal growth as well as my company’s."

Graugnard said in 2023, ABC will focus on increasing member participation in its STEP Safety Management System — a crucial "step" any company should take to be safer — growing the workforce talent pipeline and promoting the merit shop philosophy in the political arena.

“The 2023 ABC Executive Committee will deliver exceptional value to our more than 22,000 members and their more than 1 million employees by advancing an industry that builds the places where we work, play, worship, learn and heal,” said Michael Bellaman, ABC president and CEO. “It is humbling to work alongside industry and community leaders like Milton, Chair-Elect Buddy Henley and Secretary David Pugh and all our 2023 elected leaders. Together we will continue to deliver on ABC’s strategic goals of establishing ABC members as the world-class standard for total human health, safety and environment; increasing the political influence of ABC; leading the industry in workforce development and education; and growing and delivering value to a diverse and committed membership.”

The members of ABC’s 2023 Executive Committee, who will take office on Jan. 1, 2023, are:

• Chair of the ABC board of directors: Milton Graugnard, executive vice president, Cajun Industries LLC, Baton Rouge, La.
• Chair-elect: Buddy Henley, president, Henley Construction Co. Inc., Gaithersburg,Md.
• Secretary and Southeast region vice chair: J. David Pugh, partner, Bradley, Birmingham, Ala.
• Treasurer: Larry May, CPA, CVA, partner, Carr, Riggs & Ingram, Jackson, Miss.
• Immediate past chair: Stephanie Schmidt, president, Poole Anderson Construction, State College, Pa.
• Mid-Atlantic region vice chair: Lorri Grayson, partner and founder, GGA Construction, Middletown, Delaware
• Mid-America region vice chair: Brendan McAndrews, chief operations officer and co-owner, Rivercity Glass dba McAndrews Glass, Cincinnati
• Northeast region vice chair: Thomas “Murph” Murphy, vice president of Aggregates Division, Power & Construction Group, Scottsville, N.Y.
• South Central region vice chair: Brandon Mabile, strategic development manager, Performance Contractors Inc., Baton Rouge, La.
• Mountain West region vice chair: Sandra Roche, vice president and general counsel, Roche Constructors Inc., Las Vegas
• Pacific region vice chair: Greg Schniegenberg, chief operations officer of construction operations, Royal Electric Co., Sacramento, Calif.
• Midwest region vice chair: Calvin Williams, president and chief executive officer, Construction Contracting Services Inc., Lansing, Ill.
• Chapter presidents’ liaison: John Mielke, ABC of Wisconsin president and CEO
• ABC national president and CEO: Michael Bellaman