What a whirlwind 2013 has been so far. In January, I was invited to a Pre-Bauma Media Dialog in Munich, where I got an international perspective on the equipment and technology coming down the pipe (see Sneak Peek on pg. 18). In February I caught up with many of our equipment partners at World of Concrete (see pg. 44). And, just last week I spent five days in La Malbaie, Que. at the 2013 Canadian Construction Association Conference (see CCA Award Winners, pg. 10), chatting with what I can only describe as the most inspiring minds in the construction industry.
I am positively brimming with story ideas for the year ahead. Now, I just need to find a
little time to do some writing!
Like so many of you, I spend much of my time, head down, focused on the job at hand. While you are preparing a site or digging a foundation, I am tracking down news stories and editing features to construct this magazine. It’s very easy to get too busy to attend conferences and trade shows. That said, as an industry we are reliant on one another to be at our best.
A good example of this came over dinner conversations in Quebec. I was fortunate enough to be taken in by a group of roadbuilders from Nova Scotia at the CCA conference. Competitors and partners alike, these guys took every opportunity to rib each other, while standing united as ambassadors to their great province. Icons in the Atlantic roadbuilding industry, they were quick to explain that there are often jobs where they need to work together.
Whether it’s a company, a city, a province, or even a country, the construction industry is made up of tight-knit families that work together, play together, and sometimes mourn together.
We here at On-Site can appreciate that last sentiment all too well. In February, we lost a member of our team when account manager John Chiasson passed away suddenly. Attending John’s memorial, I was struck by how many friends and family he left behind, how full his life was, and how I wished I had spent more time getting to know him outside of the office.
Our businesses are defined by the people we work with everyday. We often spend more waking hours with them, than we do with our own families. With that in mind, loyalty, compassion and the ability to have fun at work, have never been
more important.
Our deepest condolences go out to John’s family. He will be deeply missed.
Corinne Lynds / Editor
CLynds@on-sitemag.com
