2012 PCCA Convention Preliminary Schedule

Friday, March 9

3 pm Registration Opens

3 pm Steering Committee Meeting

4 pm Board of Directors Meeting

6 pm Board/Past President/Sponsor Reception (by invitation)

Open to the PCCA Board, Past Presidents, 2012 Convention Sponsors, and their spouse/guest.

Saturday, March 10

8 am Young Construction Professionals Education Session

YCP provides younger members as well as those rising in the management ranks broader business/industry exposure, executive/leadership training, and lessons from more experienced association members.

12 pm Past Presidents Lunch

5:30 pm Welcome to San Antonio Reception

Get acquainted with the beautiful Hill Country and legendary Texas hospitality at this relaxed reception on the Hyatt's Courtyard Deck. Lined with magnificent Live Oak trees, this lovely setting combines with authentic Texas cuisine and all the good people at PCCA for a delightful evening under the big Texas sky.

7 pm Opening Session with Chief Richard Picciotto, FDNY

Richard "Pitch" Picciotto, the highest-ranking firefighter to survive the World Trade Center collapse and the last fireman to escape the devastation, is this year's keynote speaker. Picciotto was on a stairwell between the sixth and seventh floors of the North Tower when it collapsed on September 11, 2001. An FDNY battalion commander, his is the harrowing true story of an American hero, a man who thought nothing of himself and gave nearly everything for others during one of our nation's darkest hours. Picciotto's outspoken account of that indelible day shakes and inspires audiences to the core.

On that morning, Picciotto answered the call heard around the world. In minutes he was at Ground Zero, acting boldly to save innocent lives as the towers began to burn--and then to buckle. Picciotto had fought a similar battle after the World Trade Center Bombing by terrorists in 1993. Again inside the North Tower, where he found himself years earlier, burdened by an eerie sense of familiarity, he focused his concentration on the rescue efforts at hand. But it was there in the smoky stairwells that he heard and felt the South Tower collapse. He then made the call for firemen and rescue workers to evacuate, while he stayed behind with a skeleton team of men to assist a group of disabled and infirm civilians in their struggle to evacuate the inferno. And it was there in the rubble of the North Tower that Picciotto found himself buried for more than four hours after the building's collapse.

Picciotto and his men used their radios to send out Mayday calls until they made contact with a firefighter on the ground, and a search party was dispatched. When the light finally appeared about four stories above, he climbed upwards, reached the top, and saw the "unfathomable, mind-boggling destruction." And even then, it was not until after he organized the rescue of the others that he walked across the rubble to safety.

Picciotto's book, Last Man Down, is a tribute to the 343 firefighters and 2,400 civilians who lay dead in the rubble that surrounded him on that day. And moreover, it is a heartfelt remembrance of a day of infamy and profound humanity. The book was an immediate New York Times bestseller upon its release in May 2002. 

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Sunday, March 11

8 am Annual Prayer Breakfast

A longtime PCCA tradition, the Prayer Breakfast unites members and their families in scripture, music, and fellowship. This year we remember our friend, colleague, and PCCA President Larry Libla, who passed away in November.

9:45 am Utility Construction Industry Overview with Chris Daum

Chris Daum, a principal in FMI's investment-banking practice who focuses largely on the utility construction sector, reports on activity in PCCA members' primary markets and discusses what he sees coming down the pipeline.

6 pm Silent Auction and Reception

Not as raucous as the Live Auction to follow, the Silent Auction and Reception are filled with cocktails, hors d'ouevres, good times with friends, and some low-key bidding for about 50 minutes. Then, as the deadline nears, things tend to get a little crazy and it's everyone for themselves!

7 pm Auction & Dinner

Every year, the PCCA Auction is where association members revel like it's New Year's Eve and bid on a variety of fabulous trips, tickets, tools, equipment, jewelry, and much, much more. All proceeds go directly to building programs and services for PCCA members, so everyone is encouraged to bid early and often and to have a great time.

Monday, March 12

7:30 am Annual Associates Exhibit & Breakfast

PCCA's manufacturer and supplier members host the 12th Annual Associates Exhibit & Breakfast. Contractor members have been particularly pleased with our exhibit format, which allows them to peruse the displays, meet with vendors, discuss jobsite issues, and learn about the industry's latest products and services in a very relaxed atmosphere.

11 am Exhibit Wrap-up & Associates Meeting

PCCA's associate members, officers, and staff engage in a roundtable discussion of topics that affect manufacturers and suppliers in our industry. We will also review the just-completed Associates Exhibit and other convention activities and discuss ways they can be improved to further benefit everyone involved.

11 am Exhibit Teardown

12:30 pm Annual PCCA Golf Tournament

Home to this year's tourney, the Hill Country Golf Club meets all the standards of a truly great golf resort. The course is a beautiful, dramatic, and balanced facility designed by the nationally acclaimed golf course architectural firm, Arthur Hills and Associates. Set on 200 acres, the golf resort has a wide-ranging terrain with rolling meadows, steep hillsides, wooded ravines, and tree-shaded plateaus, as well as the tranquil threat of lakes and ponds. The club is ranked the #1 Texas golf destination and #17 worldwide by Condé Nast Traveler.

1 pm By Land, Sea, and Foot Tour

First stop, off to the sea! In downtown San Antonio, we will board river barges for a 45-minute tour along the beautiful San Antonio River. The certified tour guide will enlighten the group on the many wonderful stories that make up the river itself.

Following the river cruise, we will then walk one short block to Alamo Plaza. The Alamo is the most famous spot in Texas, where 189 defenders fell on March 6, 1836. You can tour this sacred monument at your leisure, and our personal tour guide will answer any questions you may have.

Next, the group boards a motor coach for a guided driving tour of San Antonio. Our first place of interest is one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in all of Texas, the King William Historic District, with its tree-lined avenues that recall a more gracious era. Prosperous German merchants built the grand homes of this area in the late 1800s. A visit to this district would not be complete without a tour of the Guenther House, which was built in 1876 and has been carefully restored and turned into a museum and tea room.

The last stop is the "Queen of the Missions," Mission San Jose. This site was established in 1720 and is the largest and best restored of all the San Antonio's five missions. We will tour the Indians' quarters that were located within the walls as well as the Spanish soldiers' quarters. San Jose's church is one of the most beautiful in the country with its elaborate carvings and the famous Rose Window.

$75 per person, includes transportation, tour guide, and all admission fees, service charges, and gratuities.

7 pm River Walk Dine Around

Dine like royalty, and explore one of the world's most distinctive meeting places along the famous San Antonio River Walk. Millions of people visit the River Walk each year to enjoy this unusual urban sanctuary that winds along the San Antonio River in the heart of downtown, one story below the bustling street level. The lush landscapes, quaint pathways, tinkling waterfalls, quiet pools, outdoor art, and relaxing outdoor patios evoke the renowned public spaces of Europe. 

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Tuesday, March 13

7:30 am Continental Breakfast

Start your day off with a healthy breakfast (or grab some pastries!) and a cup of coffee before a full morning of business.

7:30 am General Education Session

9:15 am Construction Industry Roundtable

Many PCCA members make their decision to attend the PCCA Convention each year based primarily on the valuable information gleaned from the Construction Industry Roundtable. This fast-paced and frank discussion moves through the various sectors of power and communications construction and elicits thoughtful insights and candid opinions from contractors and suppliers working throughout North America as well as from experts representing the government, engineering, insurance, and legal sectors.

10 am Spouse Brunch at the Sunday House

In the 1800s, Hill Country farmers stayed at the Sunday House when they made the long journey into town for church services. Similarly in 2012, we convene from all around the country at this enchanting two-story guesthouse to catch up with old friends, meet new folks, and enjoy the wisdom, warmth, and humor of Texas rancher Mary Sue Koontz.

Koontz has lived most of her life on the HK Ranch, 28 miles from San Antonio. Educated at the Hockaday School, Mary Baldwin College, and the University of Texas, she has traveled the world and brought the world to the HK. International buyers flock to the ranch, drawn by grand champion American Red Brahman cattle and dinners with Mary Sue. Her social circle includes European royalty and working cowboys. She has acted in dinner theatre and driven to board meetings with veterinarian-bound calves lying in the trunk of her car. She has opened her arms and embraced life through triumph and tragedy. Every day is an adventure for Mary Sue, and she lights the way with colorful stories you gladly take home.

1 pm Hill Country Horseback Ride

Leave the hustle and bustle of the city for the rolling hills north of town--the picturesque Texas Hill Country. Riding the winding banks and bluffs under huge, majestic oaks and through the tranquil fields of the natural Texas countryside is truly breathtaking. As we wind our way through these hills to one of several ranches in the area, you will likely see all types of wildlife, including several different species of deer.

Saddle up for a great ride, meet an authentic cowboy or cowgirl, and make a new friend for life--your horse!

225-pound weight limit. No riders under age 6.

$155 per person, includes transportation, guide, and gratuities.

1 pm Get Around Town Segway Tour

Got a bum knee, a code-red hangover, or just an aversion to shleppin' around like every other tourist in town? Then you gotta take a Segway because it's the best way to go and we know that you were born to be wild! No kidding, the Segway San Antonio Discovery tour lets you explore all the sensational sights of San Antonio, covering 6.9 miles in just three hours.

After brief, professional instruction, you'll have your "seg-legs" and cruise downtown visiting the Majestic Theater, Buckhorn Museum, and Gunter Hotel. Next are the San Fernando Cathedral, La Villita (San Antonio's original little village), King William historic district, and the Tower of the Americas. And then you'll wheel over to the Shrine of Texas liberty--the Alamo.

$105 per person, includes transportation, tour guide, and all admission fees, service charges, and gratuities.

5 pm Board of Directors Wrap-up Meeting

7 pm Country Western Party

There's no better way to say "Adios!" to Texas and the 2012 PCCA Convention than by kicking up our heels to some real country music and piling our plates high with some authentic Texas barbecue at the closing night Country Western Party. We encourage everyone to dress the part, so break out those ten-gallon hats, stuff-kickin' boots, and bigger-than-a-hubcap belt buckles and head on down to the Fredericksburg Ballroom for great chow, lots of beverages, line dancing to a rocking live band, and armadillo racing....that's right, LIVE armadillo racing! 

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Wednesday, March 14

Departures