Mountain States On the Scene for February 2018

Colorado State University Pueblo (CSUP) recently rededicated a renovation of and addition to the university’s Occhiato Student Center.

*PHOTO COURTESY OF HORD COPLAN MACHT*

Marking the leadership transition at AGC of Utah’s January convention in Salt Lake City are (from left) Doug Welling, the association’s incoming chairman and the president and CEO of Jacobsen Construction; Michael Kurz, 2017 chairman, with Staker Parson Cos.; and Rich Thorn, chapter president.

“It has been a very humbling experience for me the past year, and I’ve learned a lot visiting members around the state and seen what a truly world-class association we have here,” Kurz said.

Thorn said that chapter membership is holding steady at 500 to 525 firms. He and Kurz and other chapter leaders accepted the J. Howard Mock award for membership growth and retention last October from national AGC.

“Our members are excited. It’s a good time to be a contractor in Utah. Most of them are coming off record years, and we’re looking forward to a good 2018,” said Thorn.

Local AGC leaders recently met with 1,200 guidance counselors, and member firms are “adopting” a local school to provide a personal connection to the construction industry. — By Brian Fryer

Colorado State University Pueblo (CSUP) recently rededicated a renovation of and addition to the university’s Occhiato Student Center. The $34-million project was completed by the design-build team of Hord Coplan Macht and Nunn Construction.

Holding the ribbon at the grand reopening were (from left): Timothy Mottet, CSUP president; Gwen Gilley, principal, Hord Coplan Macht; Jake Harmon, CSUP Associated Students’ Government president; Lynn Johnson, CSU Systems vice president for university operations and chief financial officer; Vinnie Mattivi, project manager, Nunn Construction; Joyce Occhiato, donor; Mike Occhiato, donor; and Matt Wilhelm, owner’s representative, Wember Inc.

The project updated the original 109,000-sq-ft facility built in 1974 as a student center and dining hall. The 22,900-sq-ft addition also will feature a new ballroom and pre-event gathering space to be unveiled in May. The renovation separates the student-use areas from public areas available for public and private events.