CCCIA fetes the finest at ACE Awards
At the end of every year, the Cape Coral Construction Industry Association (CCCIA) celebrates the best of the past year while looking ahead to the next.
The CCCIA held its annual ACE Awards to recognize the best affiliate, subcontractor, contractor and volunteer, while swearing in the new board for the upcoming year.
People got decked out in their evening best for the masquerade ball-themed dinner and dancing event at the Westin Hotel Ballroom.
And the new boss will be the same as the old boss. For just the second time, the president will serve a second term, after the vice president, who would normally become president, had to resign after taking a job with a company not affiliated with the CCCIA. Ed Ramos will continue as immediate past president.
Marty McClain will join Anthony Grieco (2012-13) as a two-term president following one of the best (as well as difficult) years the industry has had.
“This is a big organization working with the city and lots has changed this year with the land development codes and we’re working through that,” McClain said. “This year we will have a chance to work with city staff to finish what we started.”
There have also been issues regarding the use of impervious materials, the UEP in the North, water quality and other conservation topics that must be married to development, McClain said, adding city staff has been great dealing with CCCIA concerns.
Bill Johnson Jr., executive director of the CCCIA, said construction is on the rise with many things going on.
Johnson said the lack of skilled labor has been one of the issues the CCCIA has been working on.
“We are trying to work with the local schools and tech colleges with that. The demand is there, so there are jobs to be had,” Johnson said. “We hope for another busy year for our membership.”
The ACE Awards celebrated the Constantino, Nelson & Werline Accounting Firm as the Affiliate of the Year, a special award since these companies are not obligated to help the CCCIA, but do anyway.
The firm won out over Brand 1 Ink and Iberia Bank.
The Sub-Contractor of the Year was SWFL Water Testing, which beat out Coastal Building Materials and Preferred Materials.
“We’ve been a part of this organization for 20-plus years and to be honored this way is so humbling and so exciting,” said Joseph Franconi of SWFL Water Testing. “We work with great contractors and to be a part of some of the best projects. It’s exciting to drive around and be able to say we worked on that.”
Ramos Builders was named Contractor of the Year for the second time (winning in 2015), beating Chris-Tel Construction and Premier Cape Construction.
“We’ve always been involved and there are so many deserving people. I’m honored to win because there are so many other builders who contribute,” said Ed Ramos. “The CCCIA is specific to our industry. It’s very competitive but we’re also friends.”
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno had the honor of swearing in the new board and McClain for his second term, followed by a champagne toast to a job well done in 2019 and hopes for the same in 2020.
“I look for the same or better. It’s exciting. This is the 50th year for the city of Cape Coral coming up and the organization will be 50 the following year,” McClain said.