Brian Burleigh (GUCA photo)
The Georgia Utility Contractors Association Inc. (GUCA) recently elected Brian Burleigh, Dennis Taylor & Company Inc., Lawrenceville, Ga., as the 2022-2023 GUCA president at the 2022 GUCA Annual Conference in Panama City Beach, Fla.
Burleigh has served on the GUCA board of directors as 1st vice president 2021-2022; 2nd vice president 2020-2021; secretary/treasurer 2019-2020; and board of directors 2017-2019. He also has served on the GUCA finance, legislative, membership and PAC committees.
Dennis Taylor & Company Inc. specializes in grading and underground utility construction in Georgia. The company was founded in 1974 with one backhoe and a lot of ambition. During the 1970s and 1980s, the company grew to become one of Georgia's largest equipment rental and grading companies. Through hard work and discipline, the company was able to expand into site work contracting in the 1990s.
In April 2016, Burleigh joined Dennis Taylor and Company Inc. as the general manager. With more than 27 years of experience in the construction industry, he has been involved with projects all over the United States, the majority in Georgia. He started as a field engineer during the pre-Olympics in 1995 and has moved his way through different positions and opportunities, always taking on new challenges and never saying no.
Burleigh's responsibilities include overall management of the company, sales and client relations, operational excellence and strategic planning.
Burleigh will serve with newly elected GUCA officers and directors: 1st Vice President Bobby Touhy, Ruby-Collins Inc.; 2nd Vice President Jason Lee, Integral Municipal Services Corporation; Secretary Charity Rutledge, JDS Inc.; Treasurer Kenya Simmons, T&J Industries Development & Contracting Inc.; Directors Trey Bradbury, Strack Inc., Scott Burton, Legacy Water Group LLC, Matt Crawford, Crawford Grading & Pipeline Inc., Pamela Davis, Davis Underground Solutions LLC, James Farnsworth, Dirt Work Grading & Construction Inc., David Gilleland, Clyde Gilleland Contractor Inc., Danny McElwaney, Helix Group Inc., Russell Swafford, Vertical Earth Inc. and Justin Thompson, RDJE Inc.; and Associate Directors: Jeff Duncan, Tractor & Equipment Company, Kevin Reinecke, Ferguson Waterworks and Ex-Officio David Westrick, Ruby-Collins Inc.
Golden Shovel Legislative Service Award
Senator Lindsey Tippins (GUCA photo)
GUCA has awarded the 2022 Golden Shovel Legislative Service Award once again to Senator Lindsey Tippins.
This is Tippins' sixth time to receive this award and it is in recognition of his service to the utility construction industry. While others help GUCA members, it is Tippins who sticks his neck out for the utility contractors, according to the association.
Tippins backed House Bill 1372 (Changes to GUFPA) in the Senate Regulated Industries Subcommittee, and it passed in Committee and passed in the full Senate unanimously. He worked on passing House Bill 1372 with Representative Vance Smith's special committee appointed by the House Energy, Utilities, & Telecommunications Committee, and it passed the full House unanimously. The governor signed House Bill 1372 May 3, 2022.
Tippins was first elected to the Senate in 2010. He represents northwest Cobb County. Tippins, a Republican, serves as the chairman of the Education and Youth Committee. In addition, he serves as a member of the Administrative Affairs; Appropriations; Natural Resources and the Environment; and Transportation committees.
Lifetime Industry Achievement Awards
Morgan County resident Mark Accetturo, Legacy Water Group LLC, and Henry County resident Vikki Consigliowere were each presented with a GUCA Lifetime Industry Achievement Award of the Year for 2021-2022 at the conference. Gov. Brian Kemp also gave Accetturo a commendation for his work and this award.
The GUCA Lifetime Achievement Award honors members who have served the utility construction industry and GUCA.
Mark Accetturo (GUCA photo)
After 43 years of working in the industry, Accetturo, a "founding father" of Georgia Utility Contactors Association Inc. as it is known today, decided to form Legacy Water Group in 2014 with co-founders Gary Harber, Scott Hibbard, Jeff Kleblowski and Gregg Hibbard. This is a partnership created by longtime co-workers and friends. Legacy's work focus is building municipal projects for cities and counties.
Over the past five decades, Accetturo has served in the following company leadership positions: general manager Olin/GA Corp (1977-1982); vice president/Trescon Corp (1982-1989); executive vice president/Reynolds Inc. (1989-2010); president/Layne Heavy Civil (2010-2014); and president/Legacy Water Group (2014-present).
Accetturo has remained active on the state and the national level representing the utility construction industry. His objective has always been for the betterment and advancement of all utility contractors. He has been an active member of GUCA since 1977. His service with GUCA includes membership committee, community service committee, board of directors, 1997 GUCA president, and 1998-1999 GUCA Contractor of the Year. He also has helped GUCA win numerous national awards.
Accetturo served as 2004 NUCA president and awarded NUCA Ditchdigger of the Year in 1998.
Vikki Consiglio (GUCA photo)
During her career, Consiglio has worked for the Associated General Contractors of Georgia (AGC) and been a member the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) – Atlanta Chapter, serving on its committees, the board, and later becoming the president of the NAWIC. She also became a certified OSHA 10–30-hour instructor and taught Sexual Harassment Awareness Seminars around the state.
Consiglio became GUCA executive director in 1995. She worked diligently to take GUCA events to the next level with the GUCA Annual Conference, quarterly meetings and tradeshows, golf tournament, sporting clay tournament, Legislative Awareness Day, Winter Management Conference and industry meetings.
The GUCA Safety & Educational Program became an immediate priority for Consiglio. Over the years, this program has achieved excellence and recognition with national awards. The GUCA Safety Department has become an industry leader in providing safety and education training for the utility construction industry. This is a department she envisioned with no limitations and now it exists with a new training facility and mobile training units. Under her leadership, GUCA safety serves the entire state of Georgia.
After 39 years in the non-profit construction trade association arena, Consiglio continues to be a leader. She serves on many industry boards and committees and is a recognized advocate and voice for the utility construction industry in Georgia. She has served as board member of the Henry County Zoning Board; member of and chaired the Ocmulgee Basin Advisory Council of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water District; member of and chaired the Henry County Soil and Water Conservation Commission; current vice-chairman of the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission; and serves on the board of two scholarship foundations.
She currently is the assistant treasurer of the Georgia GOP and has served as secretary and 3rd vice-chair of the Henry County Republican Party and finance chair for the 3rd District GOP. A few of her awards and recognitions include NAWIC's Crystal Vision Award, NUCA Chapter Executive Director of the Year and Southeast Association Executive of the Year.
Contractor Member of the Year
Bobby Touhy (GUCA photo)
Cherokee County resident Bobby Touhy, Ruby-Collins Inc., was presented with the GUCA Contractor Member of the Year for 2021-2022 at the conference. Gov. Kemp also gave Touhy a commendation for his work and this award.
Touhy feels the utility construction industry is strong, but supply chain issues and lack of workforce are challenges for everyone in the industry.
"The outlook for the industry in general looks very strong in Georgia in part due to strong leadership at the state and local levels. Companies are coming to Georgia for business opportunities that can only be found here. We believe Ruby-Collins is well diversified and has the resources available in our management and employees to grow the company."
As an active GUCA member, Touhy has served as 2018-2019 membership committee chairman; 2019-2020 PAC committee chairman; 2020-2021 finance committee chairman; 2020-2021 community service committee chairman; 2021-2022 building committee chairman; and 2021-2022 policy and planning committee chairman. He has served on the GUCA board of directors since 2018, including 2020-2021 treasurer, and 2021-2022 secretary.
For more information, visit www.guca.com.
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