January 31, 2022

Members win kudos from AGC of Washington

The Associated General Contractors of Washington on Friday virtually presented its annual membership awards. The AGC recognized three members — Doug Orth, Arti O'Brien and Vicky Schiantarelli — for their commitment and dedication to the industry and community. It also presented Leader of the PAC awards to two companies for their industry involvement.

Birch Equipment Rental & Sales won the 2021 Leader of the PAC award, and Korsmo Construction won the 2020 Leader of the PAC award (which was delayed by the pandemic). AGC's Build PAC supports candidates who support the construction industry.

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

Doug Orth

Orth

Orth is operations director for Absher Construction. He was honored for his 45-plus years of service to the industry. In 2021, he completed six years of service (two three-year terms) on the Washington State Building Code Council. He fought for reasonable and achievable building codes on behalf of the commercial construction industry while fending off code changes that would have had a negative effect on the industry. During his tenure, Orth was chair of the council, and was a member of its legislative committee, helping to shepherd vital council reforms through the Legislature, including creating a secure source and higher level of funding. He also was on the building, plumbing and fire committee, as well as the mechanical and energy committee.

Orth has also served on the Carpenters Training Trust, now called the Northwest Carpenters Institute, for over 20 years and has been the management chair for the last 15 years. During his tenure, the organization has vastly increased its financial stability. Under his leadership, it has built state-of-the-art facilities and expanded its footprint with a businesslike approach. The new facilities ensure top-notch training for the over 2,000 carpenter apprentices it serves. Orth also was a management representative on the AGC carpenters negotiating committee for three years.

SPECIALTY CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR

Arti O'Brien

O'Brien

O'Brien is owner and president of Advanced Government Services, a traffic-control company that she bought and grew after several years as a successful marketing executive in high tech. In 2021, O'Brien brought her knowledge and leadership to AGC's work with WSDOT and the DBE community to improve opportunities for WMBE firms. She is co-chair of the prompt pay and dispute resolution subcommittee, which is developing improvements to the cash-flow and viability of small subcontractors.

O'Brien and her company also backed the AGC Southern District golf tournament and went all out, sponsoring a putting contest where participants used a hockey stick to make putts for prizes. The $951 in proceeds were donated to the food bank that the Southern District partners with.

ASSOCIATE MEMBER OF THE YEAR

Vicky Schiantarelli

Schiantarelli

Schiantarelli is principal at Schiantarelli & Associates, specializing in government relations, procurement and supply-chain management, equity and inclusion. In 2021, Schiantarelli provided vital counsel to an AGC task force working with WSDOT on strategies to improve WMBE utilization rates. The outcome was a slate of subcommittees with AGC, WSDOT and DBE members doing heavy lifting on multiple topics. She is co-chair of the prequalification, nondiscrimination plans and inclusion committee — an effort of AGC, WSDOT and the DBE community to increase WMBE utilization on WSDOT projects.

Schiantarelli represented AGC and gave key testimony to hold off project labor agreements to the Federal Way City Council, and presented about the adverse effects of PLAs on WMBE firms to a group at the University of Washington. Schiantarelli also participates on the AGC diversity and inclusion committee.