San Diego, Calif. – “Get into politics, or get out of business!” That was the message delivered today by 2010 ABC National Chairman James (Jim) W. Elmer, founder and president of James W. Elmer Construction Co., Spokane, Wash., during his address at ABC’s National Convention and 60th Anniversary Celebration in San Diego.
“We have watched as the automobile industry and banking industry have been taken over by the federal government,” said Elmer. “We have watched as our health care system is attacked, dismantled and restructured into a system marked by increased government involvement, including employer and employee mandates.
“Our biggest challenge as an association in 2010 will be dealing with the current ‘anti’ free enterprise administration and Congress, which as we all know, owe their allegiance to organized labor,” said Elmer. “At a time when our industry is facing the worst construction economy in decades, the last thing contractors need are vast new mandates from the federal government dictating to them how they will run their businesses.”
Elmer was sworn in Feb. 3 as ABC 2010 national chairman. Elmer’s 38 years of construction experience includes working on several heavy industrial construction projects involving fossil fuel and nuclear power plants. He worked on the third power house expansion at Grand Coulee Dam and the Alaska pipeline project in Prudhoe Bay.
In 1990, Elmer incorporated James W. Elmer Construction Co., which specializes in design-build commercial, light industrial, multifamily and tenant improvement projects.
Elmer has been involved with ABC since 1986, and has served as chairman of several committees, including the Government Affairs Coordinating Committee.
About Associated Builders and Contractors
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national association with 77 chapters representing 25,000 merit shop construction and construction-related firms with two million employees. To find out more about ABC, visit www.abc.org.
