In this episode of Blueprints & Banter podcast, Steve Cona welcomes Laura Gross, Vice President of ABC Florida Gulf Coast, to dive deeply into how ABC’s latest workforce strategies are directly benefiting apprentices, emerging leaders, and your entire team.

Specifically, you’ll hear about:

The Redesigned Apprenticeship Model: ABC’s apprenticeship program has been revamped with fewer nights in the classroom, expanded online learning options, and customized in-house training opportunities. Laura explains how these changes directly support contractors by delivering more efficient, site-specific skills training to their workforce.

Next Gen Leadership Development: Now entering its 13th year, ABC’s selective NEXGEN Leadership Program accepts only 30 carefully chosen participants annually, fostering deep industry connections, preparing future chapter leaders, and strengthening the leadership capacity within member companies.

Mental Health and Total Human Wellness Initiatives: With a significant shift toward total human health in the construction industry, ABC has introduced critical mental health and suicide prevention training. Laura shares how these initiatives are helping member companies prioritize employee well-being, enhancing both retention and productivity.

Young Professionals Group (YPG): ABC’s YPG provides essential networking and professional growth opportunities for young industry professionals. Discover how participation in YPG accelerates career growth, builds confidence, and connects emerging professionals to industry veterans.

Plus, get an exclusive preview of ABC’s upcoming Tech & Safety Conference, showcasing innovative solutions to create safer, more efficient job sites. Tune in to understand exactly how these strategic workforce changes at ABC are designed to deliver real value to your business and your teams.

#ABCMeritShopProud #ABCFLGulf #WorkforceDevelopment

What if your entire career started with one high school program—and led you to manage multimillion-dollar jobs by your mid-20s?

In this episode of Blueprints & Banter, Steve Cona sits down with Alex Myers, former ABC apprentice and now Assistant Project Manager at Tri-City Electrical Contractors. Alex shares how his journey started at Pasco High School, where a strong electrical program and ABC’s Build Tampa Bay event helped him skip the traditional college path and go straight into the trades.

Alex was “recruited” before he even graduated, started his apprenticeship in 2018, and fast-tracked through the ABC program thanks to his high school experience. In just a few years, he climbed from apprentice to journeyman, to lead man, to foreman, and now to the project management team—running work on high-profile jobs like the new Mote Aquarium in Sarasota.

This episode is packed with real-world insight on:

- How high school trades programs can change lives

- What it’s actually like to start on the jobsite on day one

- The path from tools to the office in under seven years

- How skilled trades careers lead to real financial independence

- The role of parental support in making alternative career paths possible

- And why more young people—and their parents—need to hear stories like this one

If you’re a contractor looking to hire the next generation, a student unsure about college, or a parent who wants your child to thrive, this episode is for you.

🎧 Watch now and hear how ABC’s workforce pipeline is transforming real lives.

#ABCMeritShopProud #ABCFLGulf #ConstructionCareers

Does social media really work in commercial construction?

Many construction companies still believe marketing is only about getting new projects—but the reality is, digital strategy plays a much bigger role. From attracting skilled workers to strengthening industry influence, construction companies that ignore social media risk falling behind.

In this episode of Blueprints & Banter, Steve Cona (President & CEO, ABC Florida Gulf Coast) sits down with Oliver Corizzi (Principal, Avenue Media) to break down the real impact of marketing in construction. They tackle one of the biggest misconceptions: Why digital presence isn’t just about lead generation—but about positioning, credibility, and workforce development.

Key episode takeaways:

- Recruitment is marketing. The companies that showcase their projects and culture attract the best talent.
- Networking extends beyond events. A strong digital presence increases visibility and industry credibility.
- Strategy beats volume. Posting without a plan doesn’t work—structured storytelling does.
- ABC Florida Gulf Coast is evolving. 2025 will highlight advocacy wins, workforce training, and member success stories in a way that drives real impact.

Looking ahead, the upcoming Excellence in Construction Awards will offer a prime opportunity to showcase top-tier projects and member achievements! Learn how digital storytelling can turn award-winning work into a powerful marketing asset.

📍 Learn more about ABC Florida Gulf Coast: www.abcflgulf.org

🎧 If you’re in construction and still think social media is just an afterthought—this episode will change your mind. Tune in now!

Welcome to the first 2025 edition of Blueprints & Banter podcast! In this episode, Steve Cona (President & CEO) and David Tercios (Immediate Past Chair) reflect on a record-breaking year for ABC Florida Gulf Coast and look ahead to what’s in store for the construction industry in 2025.

With the chapter reaching its highest-ever membership, 2024 was a year of growth, networking, and advocacy. From major legislative victories and legal wins to key workforce initiatives and contractor training programs, ABC continued to shape the future of construction in Florida.

The conversation covers the impact of ABC’s advocacy at the state and national levels, including its role in policy changes that directly affect contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. Steve and David also discuss how ABC’s engagement in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. will play a crucial role in ensuring a strong business environment for the industry.

With a full calendar of events ahead—including the Excellence in Construction Awards and the 75th anniversary of ABC National—this year promises even more opportunities for members to connect, grow, and influence the future of the industry.

Tune in to hear how ABC is making a difference, what’s changing in 2025, and how members can take full advantage of everything the chapter has to offer.

📍 Website: www.abcflgulf.org

🎧 Listen now to get the inside scoop on the wins, the challenges, and what’s ahead for Florida’s construction industry in 2025.

JUSTIN R. ZINZOW

Admitted to Practice Florida & Texas

AV Preeminent® Rated Attorney

Fla. Board Certified in Construction Law

Justin R. Zinzow is a cowboy at heart, a businessman by passion, and a lawyer by profession. Hailing from a small cattle and horse farm in Upstate New York, Justin’s journey has been defined by hard work, entrepreneurship, and a deep love for American values. From his teens, he immersed himself in farming and livestock while nurturing his entrepreneurial spirit, founding his first business at 16. His unwavering patriotism led him into civic and political engagement, eventually culminating in a career as a lawyer specializing as a Board-Certified Construction Expert.

Today, as the CEO of Zinzow Law, Justin leads a team dedicated to serving those who build America. With a focus on the construction and development industry, Justin and his team provide comprehensive legal and business solutions, leveraging over 115 years of combined experience. Justin’s real-world background in construction and business enables him to serve as a trusted counselor, often operating as a General Counsel for his clients.

Outside the courtroom, Justin is an avid explorer, finding solace in the wilderness and embracing the thrill of horsepower and gunpowder. His commitment to community service is evident through his involvement with the Shriner organization, where he upholds the values of charity, morality, and brotherly love.

Justin’s dedication to his values is not just reflected in his professional endeavors, but also in his personal style, often seen donning jeans, boots, and a cowboy hat – a true embodiment of the Code of the West that guides his life and businesses.

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Website: ABCFLGulf.org

https://www.facebook.com/abcflgulf/

https://twitter.com/abcflgulf

https://www.linkedin.com/company/associated-builders-&-contractors-florida-gulf-coast-chapter/

Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national association with 68 chapters representing more than 23,000 merit shop construction and construction-related firms.

ABC's membership represents all specialties within the U.S. construction industry and is comprised primarily of firms that perform work in the industrial and commercial sectors of the industry.

* ABC is the merit shop construction industry's voice with the legislative, executive and judicial branches of the federal government and with state and local governments, as well as with the news media.

* ABC's mission is the advancement of the merit shop construction philosophy, which encourages open competition and a free-enterprise approach that awards contracts based solely on merit, regardless of labor affiliation.

* ABC's activities include government representation, legal advocacy, education, workforce development, communications, technology, recognition through national and chapter awards programs, employee benefits, information on best practices and business development through an online contractor search directory.

ABC was founded in 1950 when seven contractors gathered in Baltimore, Md. to create an association based on the shared belief that construction projects should be awarded on merit to the most qualified and responsible low bidders. The courage and dedication of those seven contractors - Charles Mullan, C.K. Wells, Jr., Philip Cloves, Ernest Shultz, Edward Colwill, Charles Knott and Edward Dickinson - helped to quickly spread the merit shop philosophy, within time making ABC the fastest growing association in the United States. Today, ABC is recognized as one of the leading organizations representing America's business community and the merit shop construction industry.