Celebrating a Decade of Industry Leadership
Ten Years of Impact
Over the last ten years, SWACCA has grown from a brand-new nonprofit into a recognized national voice for union-signatory wall and ceiling contractors. Along the way, we built a real presence in Washington, helped deliver meaningful wins on issues like misclassification, prevailing wage, PLAs, and apprenticeship, and created member-focused programs, from collective bargaining education to technology and BIM events. Scroll through the timeline to revisit the moments that shaped the first decade (and helped set up what comes next).
This timeline features many of the key events, highlights, and successes from SWACCA’s first 10 years. A more detailed timeline is available here.
A Decade of SWACCA Milestones
NOVEMBER 2015
SWACCA is Incorporated
SWACCA is incorporated as a nonprofit corporation.
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Joining as Regional Affiliates are the Associated General Contractors of Northwest Ohio (AGCNWO); the Associated Wall & Ceiling Contractors of Oregon and SW Washington (AWCCO); the Construction Advancement Program, part of Allied Construction Industries in Cincinnati, OH (CAP/ACI); the Construction Employers Association (CEA) in Cleveland, OH; the Drywall & Interior Systems Contractors Association (DISCA) in New Jersey; the Interior Finish Contractors Association (IFCA) in Philadelphia; the Wall and Ceiling Alliance (WACA) in Northern California; the Wall and Ceiling Contractors Association of Metro St. Louis (WCCA-St. Louis); and the Western Wall & Ceiling Contractors Association (WWCCA) in Southern California and the Southwest U.S.
DECEMBER 2015
First Board of Directors Meeting
The SWACCA Board of Directors meets for the first time. SWACCA’s founding Board of Directors:
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Gregg Brady (Brady West - Castroville, CA), Tom Clerkin, Sr. (Ceilings, Inc. – Norristown, PA), Doug Dahmer (Performance Contracting, Inc. – Lenexa, KS), Robert Klugh (Martin Bros. – Gardena, CA), Neil O’Connor (Western Partitions - Tigard, OR), Matt Townsend (OCP Contractors – Holland, OH), Mike Weber (Island Acoustics – Bohemia, NY), Tim Wies (T.J. Wies Contracting – St. Louis, MO), and alternate directors Nancy Brinkerhoff (Ironwood Commercial Builders – Concord, CA) and Travis Winsor (The Raymond Group – Orange, CA).
JANUARY 2016
Tim Wies Elected
Tim Wies (TJ Wies Contracting - St. Louis, MO) is elected its first President.
SEPTEMBER 2017
SWACCA Establishes a Federal Advocacy Presence
SWACCA begins its Government Relations program, retaining Longbow Public Policy Group (formerly Siff & Associates) to advocate for SWACCA’s legislative and regulatory interests.
NOVEMBER 2017
SWACCA Joins Twitter (Now X)
SWACCA joins Twitter (now X), allowing its staff and public policy team to provide relevant, real-time updates on important developments in the wall and ceiling industry.
NOVEMBER 2017
IRAP “Carve-Out” Advocacy Begins
SWACCA’s public policy team begins lobbying for an industry “carve out” from the Trump Administration’s IRAP proposal for registered apprenticeship programs.
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This multiyear campaign culminates (in 2019) in a carve out for the construction industry
JANUARY 2018
Matt Townsend Elected
Matt Townsend (OCP Contractors, Toledo, OH) is elected SWACCA President.
MARCH 2018
SWACCA Kansas City (SWACCA KC) Joins
SWACCA Kansas City (SWACCA KC) joins SWACCA as a new Regional Affiliate.
APRIL 2018
Employee Misclassification Amicus Brief
SWACCA files an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief with the National Labor Relations Board in Velox Express, Inc. (Case 15-CA-184006) on the issue of employee misclassification.
JULY 2018
SWACCA at White House Workforce Event
SWACCA Director Tom Clerkin (Ceilings Inc., Norristown, PA) and a carpenter apprentice from SWACCA member OCP Contractors (Toledo, OH) participate in a workforce training event at the White House with the President and Secretary of Labor.
SEPTEMBER 2018
First Formal Meeting of SWACCA Regional Affiliate and Contractor Members
SWACCA hosts its first ever meeting of Regional Affiliate and Contractor Members at the AWCI Industry Executives Conference in San Antonio, TX.
NOVEMBER 2018
SWACCA Partners with U.S. Department of Labor
SWACCA partners with the U.S. Department of Labor to highlight registered apprenticeship programs during National Apprenticeship Week.
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The DOL video features SWACCA member Sloan & Company (Mountain Lakes, NJ) and SWACCA Director Scott Casabona.
APRIL 2019
Collective Bargaining Guidebook Released
SWACCA issues its Collective Bargaining Guidebook for members. The Guidebook becomes the basis for SWACCA’s future collective bargaining workshops.
MAY 2019
Minnesota Drywall & Plaster Association (MDPA) Joins
The Minnesota Drywall & Plaster Association (MDPA) joins SWACCA as a new Regional Affiliate.
SEPTEMBER 2019
The NW Wall & Ceiling Contractors Association (NWCCA) Joins
The NW Wall & Ceiling Contractors Association (NWCCA) joins SWACCA as a new Regional Affiliate.
SEPTEMBER 2019
Congressional Testimony on Misclassification
SWACCA President Matt Townsend (OCP Contractors, Toledo, OH) testifies before Congress on the misclassification of construction workers at a hearing of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Education and Workforce entitled “Misclassification of Employees: Examining the Costs to Workers, Businesses, and the Economy.”
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Testifying before Congress was a great privilege. I firmly believe that SWACCA and my testimony before Congress on misclassification has played a role in the increased investigations into employee misclassification, the general awareness of it in our industry and beyond. Hopefully, the recent “Labor Broker Investigations Drive IRS-CI’s Spike in Tax Fraud Cases” cited in a recent SWACCA newsletter speaks to our advocacy.
— Matt Townsend on his testimony before Congress
DECEMBER 2019
SWACCA Advocacy Helps Secure Cadillac Tax Repeal
The efforts of SWACCA’s public policy team to permanently repeal the Cadillac Tax come to fruition when Congress repeals this tax as part of its year-end spending package.
JANUARY 2020
Scott Casabona Elected; Innovation Committee Launched
Scott Casabona (Sloan & Company, Inc., Mountain Lakes, NJ) is elected SWACCA President. SWACCA also creates the Innovation and Technology Committee, chaired by Robert Klugh (Martin Bros., Inc., Gardena, CA).
MARCH 2020
SWACCA Calls for "Retail Glitch" Fix
SWACCA’s public policy team is successful in calling for a fix of the “Retail Glitch” in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Congress corrects this glitch (which called for a longer depreciation period than intended for “qualified improvement property”) in the CARES Act.
MARCH-JUNE 2020
COVID-19 Advocacy and Guidance
SWACCA’s efforts during COVID:
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- SWACCA’s public policy team ensures that construction workers are deemed “essential workers” in COVID-19 guidance from the federal government.
- SWACCA’s public policy team helps to enact the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) in the CARES Act.
- SWACCA distributes comprehensive guidance regarding the Families First Coronavirus Recovery Act (FFCRA) for union construction employers, including information regarding paid leave.
- SWACCA hosts an online webinar on COVID-19 legislation, including paid leave provisions under the FFCRA.
- SWACCA’s public policy team successfully lobbies for legislation allowing greater flexibility for PPP participants.
JUNE 2020
First Collective Bargaining Workshop Delivered
SWACCA General Counsel John Nesse delivers the first Collective Bargaining Workshop to SWACCA members in St. Louis. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the workshop is adapted for and presented via Zoom.
SEPTEMBER 2020
SWACCA Becomes Voting Member of Construction Labor Research Council (CLRC)
SWACCA becomes a full voting member of the Construction Labor Research Council (CLRC). SWACCA General Counsel John Nesse is appointed to sit on the CLRC Board of Directors.
NOVEMBER 2020
SWACCA President Publishes Op-Ed in Fortune
SWACCA’s public policy team places an op-ed from President Scott Casabona (Sloan & Company, Mountain Lakes, NJ) in Fortune. The op-ed, titled “How a new regulation would let businesses abuse independent contractors,” discusses a proposed DOL regulation that would alter the definition of an independent contractor under the FLSA.
MARCH 2021
SWACCA Secures Key Provisions in the American Rescue Plan
SWACCA’s public policy team successfully advocates for the inclusion of several key provisions in the American Rescue Plan Act, including full federal subsidies for COBRA continuation health coverage, additional funding for the PPP, and an extension of tax credits for employer-paid sick, family and medical leave under the FFCRA.
MAY 2021
Collective Bargaining Workshop Series Announced
SWACCA announces its Collective Bargaining Workshop series (Workshops 1, 2, and 3) at its Spring Membership Meeting.
NOVEMBER 2021
SWACCA Forms Coalition to Challenge COVID-19 “Shot or Test” Rule
SWACCA public policy team forms a coalition with Associated General Contractors of America and the American Road and Transportation Builders Association to fight OSHA’s “shot or test” rule via lobbying and in court. SWACCA and the coalition argued that exempting smaller employers from the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) would harm larger employers subject to the ETS.
JANUARY 2022
Robert Klugh Elected
Robert Klugh (Martin Bros., Inc., Gardena, CA) is elected SWACCA President.
FEBRUARY 2022
Joint Amicus Brief Filed on Employee Status
SWACCA collaborates with the Construction Employers of America (CEA) to file an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief with the National Labor Relations Board in The Atlanta Opera, Inc. (Case No. 10-RC-276292). In the brief, CEA and SWACCA argue for a broader standard of who qualifies as an employee for purposes of the NLRA (which gives employees the right to participate in a union).
MAY 2022
First SWACCA Technology Summit Held
The SWACCA Innovation and Technology Committee hosts its first ever technology summit in Scottsdale, AZ. The Summit will become an annual event for SWACCA, held in conjunction with the NWCB’s Wall and Ceiling Conference.
AUGUST 2022
Davis-Bacon Coverage Secured for CHIPS Act
SWACCA’s public policy team ensures that semiconductor chip manufacturing projects under the CHIPS and Science Act are covered by Davis-Bacon federal prevailing wage rates.
APRIL 2023
SWACCA Publishes National Labor Productivity Study
In conjunction with the NWCB, SWACCA publishes a national labor productivity study: “Impacts to Labor Productivity in Steel Framing and the Installation and Finishing of Gypsum Wallboard.” The study is available in the members-only section of SWACCA’s website.
MAY 2023
SWACCA Sponsors Wall and Ceiling Conference
SWACCA becomes an event sponsor for the NWCB’s Wall and Ceiling Conference, held every year in the spring. In 2024, SWACCA becomes an event partner of this event.
AUGUST 2023
SWACCA Delivers Key Wins in Davis-Bacon Regulations
SWACCA’s public policy team achieves a regulatory victory with the publication of final regulations modernizing Davis-Bacon prevailing wage. The regulations include wins on key issues for SWACCA contractors, including a revised definition of “prevailing rate” making it easier for union rates to prevail and language preserving collective bargaining agreements at offsite panel plants.
DECEMBER 2023
Base Access Privileges Improvement Act Passed
SWACCA’s public policy team secures passage of the “Base Access Privileges Improvement Act” in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act compelling the Defense Department to initiate a process to address burdensome and inconsistent credentialing requirements SWACCA contractors encounter when working at Department of Defense bases and facilities.
JANUARY 2024
Gregg Brady Elected
Gregg Brady (Brady West Inc., Castroville, CA) is elected SWACCA President.
JANUARY 2024
Independent Contractor Rule Rescinded
SWACCA’s public policy team’s three-year lobbying campaign culminates in rescission of a 2021 regulation that made it easier to classify construction workers as independent contractors.
FEBRUARY 2024
SWACCA Testimony Cited by Federal Trade Commissioner
Federal Trade Commissioner (FTC) Alvaro Bedoya cites SWACCA’s 2019 congressional testimony about misclassification in a speech entitled “Overawed: Worker Misclassification as a Potential Unfair Method of Competition.”
JUNE 2024
FTC Petition Filed on Worker Misclassification
SWACCA files a petition asking the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to study the anticompetitive effects of misclassification and other payroll practices in the construction industry that allow some employers to evade the costs associated with being an employer to undercut law-abiding competitors.
JULY 2024
SWACCA Director Testifies on Employee Misclassification
SWACCA Director Geoff Furtaw (Ceilings, Inc., Norristown, PA) testifies regarding employee misclassification before FTC Commissioner Alfred Bedoya at a forum organized by the Eastern States Regional Council of Carpenters.
SEPTEMBER 2024
SWACCA Joins Construction Industry Safety Coalition
In recognition of its advocacy on industry health and safety issues, SWACCA is admitted to membership in the Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC).
OCTOBER 2024
First BIM Summit Held
The SWACCA Innovation Committee hosts its first ever BIM/VDC summit in Pleasanton, CA. The BIM summit will become an annual event for SWACCA.
OCTOBER 2024
Collective Bargaining Simulation Workshop Launched
SWACCA introduces a new collective bargaining workshop: a Collective Bargaining Simulation Workshop. One attendee praised the experience as “EXCELLENT training. Honestly one of the better trainings! Can take this back and utilize in the next round of negotiations. Job well done!”
DECEMBER 2024
SWACCA Secures Rescission of Proposed Apprenticeship Regulations
SWACCA’s public policy team succeeds in securing rescission of proposed regulations to create Career Technical Apprenticeship Programs for multi-craft construction apprentices and allowing the Labor Department to issue exemptions from minimum program requirements for registered apprenticeship programs.
MARCH 2025
SWACCA Secures Reversal of VA PLA Restriction
SWACCA’s public policy team secures reversal of Veterans’ Administration (VA) class deviation that precluded Project Labor Agreements on VA projects.
MARCH 2025
SWACCA Ohio is Formed
SWACCA Ohio is formed as a new Regional Affiliate member of SWACCA.
JUNE 2025
SWACCA Secures Administration Commitment Supporting PLAs
SWACCA successfully lobbies to secure a public, written commitment that the “Trump Administration supports the use of PLAs” and that it is Administration policy that “blanket deviations prohibiting the use of PLAs are precluded.”
OCTOBER 2025
SWACCA Labor Relations Summit Announced
SWACCA launches its plan for the inaugural Labor Relations Summit.
DECEMBER 2025
The Architectural Contractors Trade Association (ACT) in Michigan Joins
The Architectural Contractors Trade Association (ACT) in Michigan joins SWACCA as a new Regional Affiliate.
January 2026
Looking Forward; Shawn Burnum is elected
Shawn Burnum (Performance Contracting Inc., Lenexa, Kansas) is elected SWACCA President.