ORBITAL ENGINEERING, INC. DEC 2025 VOL 12 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE ALSO IN THIS ISSUE CENTRAL NATIONAL BANK • DMC GROUP • THUNDER BAY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT A STRATEGIC RESPONSE TO AMERICA’S UTILITY WORKFORCE GAP ROBBY FRANTZ SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
WWW.BUSINESSVIEWMAGAZINE.COM Email for all inquiries: info@businessviewmagazine.com 2422 Palm Ridge Road, Suite 820 Sanibel FL, 33957 239.220.5554 CONTACT US TITLE SPONSORS GREAT NEWS! Business View Publishing was named to the 2020 Inc. 5000 list of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies! Read the press release Editor in Chief Karen Surca Research Directors Paul Payne Brendan McElroy Thomas Hiley Chad Loveless Jessica Zaneis Dylan Tenbrink Clementine Walton Caroline Verner Javier Robles Contributing Writers Andrew Macfarlane Michelle Mahoney Brett Anningson Caroline Verner-Hiley Al Krulick Ian Gyan Dan Marcharia Veronica Enair Vice President of Production Jared Ali Director of Administration Michelle Siewah Director of Marketing Nora Saliken Digital Strategist Jon Bartlow Art Director Renée Yearwood Managing Director Alexander Wynne-Jones COO Matthew Mitchell Executive Publisher / CEO Marcus VandenBrink 1 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
EDITOR’S NOTES Candy Canes, holiday lights and warm cups of coco are swirling around in the heads of children across North America as school lets out and the holidays officially begin. Families are busy preparing for the holiday season and decorations line the stores and offices from coast to coast. We are also just a breath away from a new year. Many companies and organizations, numerous municipalities, and the airports serving communities across the continent, are wrapping up the 2025 calendar year, taking stock while firmly looking ahead to what the next fiscal year will bring. Just as jolly old St Nick will be filling countless stockings, the new year calendar will also be filled with new projects, innovation and initiatives that will ensure success well into 2026 and beyond. December’s issue landed at Thunderbay International Airport for an in depth view of this dynamic aviation hub. We had the opportunity to speak at length with the Airport Director regarding the role it plays as gateway to the north and the pride it takes in serving the region both on the commercial and general aviation side. Airports are not the only ones taking flight, municipalities throughout North America are also flying at impressive altitudes. Each municipality is putting its residents first and are busy implementing master plans that range from downtown street scapes to offering a choice of amenities and new business options as we gear up to 2026. This issue brings you profile features of Balch Springs, Texas, Bernardsville, New Jersey, Bristol, Virginia, Covington, Louisiana, Gulfport, Mississippi, London, Ohio, Taylor, Texas, Sturbridge, Massachusetts, Fairview, Tennessee and Erie County, Ohio. We discovered that from coast to coast, and everywhere in between, city officials are doing what is needed to ensure top housing, business and infrastructure projects reflect a progressive path ahead. Turning to business growth, we also covered impressive and fast-growing companies and organizations,including Detroit Athletic Club, DMC Group, Central National Bank, G70 International, High Tech Pools, Mountain Cabin & Home Builders, Orbital Engineering, Union County Transportation and Vintage Bank. These companies continue to demonstrate leadership, innovation and produce noteworthy projects to expand their business foothold . Our December issue also continues to bring you our popular school district series. We had the opportunity to sit down with school officials from several leading school districts to discuss the pivot to the changing demands of the economy and their innovative approaches to ensure students are college and career-ready while always being put first. We spoke with Alexandria Community School Corporation, Bellville Independent School District, Berrien Springs Public Schools, Brevard County Public Schools, Chester County School District, Cranbury School District, Dickinson Independent School District, Fort McMurrey Public School Division, Haverhill School District, Ingleside Independent School District, Mount Sinai School District, Roselle Public Schools, Southern Wells Community Schools, Vance County Schools and Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District among other top school districts. All of these educational powerhouse are providing students with hands-on educational opportunities and real-world experiences as they proudly serve their communities. As we continue to bring you leading sector and industryfocused features, we will keep a keen eye on current economic developments and business readiness to provide the best business view. Happy Holidays from Business View Publishing! We hope you are fortunate to be able to spend time with family and friends and soak up every moment of this very special time of year. Karen Surca Editor in Chief Dear Readers, 2 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
CONSTRUCTION 19 PHILADELPHIA BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION Laying the Groundwork for its Members 29 DMC GROUP From Demolition to Development 39 GROUP 70 INTERNATIONAL (G70) Transformation Through Conservation 49 HIGH-TECH POOLS Six Decades of Expertise 59 LUNG ROSE, VOSS & WAGNILD Hawaii’s Trusted Legal Partner 69 MOUNTAIN CABIN & HOME BUILDERS (MCHB) Building Growth Through Family Trust and Fixed-Cost Innovation FACILITIES MANAGEMENT 81 COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION CENTER A Hub Bringing People – and Prosperity – to the Capital City 91 IAVM The Power of Place 59 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12 COVER ORBITAL ENGINEERING, INC. 2 EDITOR’S NOTES 7 OPENING LINES LUNG ROSE, VOSS & WAGNILD COLUMBIA METROPOLITAN CONVENTION CENTER 81 3 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
GO-TO COLLECTION WHEREVER YOU PLAY
TECHNOLOGY 137 ORBITAL ENGINEERING, INC. A Strategic Response to America’s Utility Workforce Gap 147 BUILDING INDUSTRY CONSULTING SERVICE INTERNATIONAL (BICSI) Building the Intelligent Infrastructure for a Connected Future TRANSPORTATION 159 UNION COUNTY TRANSPORTATION Moving People and Connecting Community FINANCE 103 CENTRAL NATIONAL BANK Four Generations of Banking 113 VINTAGE BANK KANSAS Building Lasting Success on Small-Town Values and Strategic Vision FITNESS 125 DETROIT ATHLETIC CLUB Matching Health Span to Life Span VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12 UNION COUNTY TRANSPORTATION DETROIT ATHLETIC CLUB 149 125 5 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
171 THUNDER BAY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Northern Ontario’s Gateway to Growth BUSINESS VIEW CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL View these features in our newest magazine The articles in this publication are for information purposes only. Business View Publishing assumes no liability or responsibility for any inaccurate, delayed, or incomplete information, nor for any actions taken in reliance thereon. The information contained about each individual or organization has been provided by such individual or organization without verification by us. The opinion expressed in each article is that of its author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Business View Publishing. AVIATION VIEW View these features in our newest magazine CITY VIEW BALCH SPRINGS, TX TAYLOR, TX BERNARDSVILLE, NJ BRISTOL, VA COVINGTON, LA ERIE COUNTY, OH LONDON, OH FAIRVIEW, TN GULFPORT, MS OAK FOREST, IL PEA RIDGE, AR SCUGOG, ON STURBRIDGE, MA EDUCATION ALEXANDRIA COMMUNITY SCHOOL CORPORATION BELLVILLE ISD BERRIEN SPRINGS PUBLIC SCHOOLS BREVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS CHESTER COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT CRANBURY SCHOOL DISTRICT DICKINSON ISD FORT MCMURRAY PUBLIC SCHOOL DIVISION GOOSE CREEK CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT HAVERHILL PUBLIC SCHOOLS INGLESIDE ISD MOUNT SINAI UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT NORTHBROOK SCHOOL DISTRICT 27 ROSELLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS SOUTHERN WELLS COMMUNITY SCHOOLS SPARTANBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT THREE STOUGHTON AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT TENAFLY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TOMS RIVER REGIONAL SCHOOLS TULOSO-MIDWAY ISD UVALDE CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT VANCE COUNTY SCHOOLS WOODVILLE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT YALE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THUNDER BAY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 171 6 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
HOW DO CITIES ACCELERATE HOUSING? PARTNERSHIPS, LAND BUYING AND ZONING, EXPERTS SAY Source: www.smartcitiesdive.com, Ryan Kushner, Editor, First Published Dec 18th, 2025 Cities must be intentional about housing, a National League of Cities panel said. When Northrop Grumman announced it would expand operations in Utah and bring thousands of new jobs, many considered it a boon for the state. But when the company hired workers from outside the area, it soon became apparent that “we don’t have anywhere to put” them, Clearfield City, Utah, Mayor Mark Shepherd said during a housing accelerator panel at the National League of Cities City Summit 2025, held in Salt Lake City in November. Now the company’s employees are competing with Clearfield City residents for housing, Shepherd said. Housing is as important a part of community infrastructure “as high speed internet, as water, as sewer,” Shepherd said. “If we don’t have it and we don’t build it, we cannot attract jobs. We won’t be able to build that economic base.” How can communities balance the housing needs of both new and longtime residents? It’s all about intentionality, the panelists said. They described approaches including the following. Buy land. For Shepherd, purchasing land is a key piece of the housing puzzle.“If you can own the land, you have a huge stake in the game,” he said. Clearfield City began purchasing land to build smaller multifamily developments, such as townhomes, while leaders promised concerned residents that even greater density would not come to their neighborhoods.“We would be very structured about where we put it,” Shepherd said. Opening Lines 7 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
enough to afford the market-rate housing,” Harris said. In Montgomery County, Maryland, new developments of 20 units or more must have 12.5% of their units reserved for low-income households.“So you create that income diversity and inclusivity,” Harris said. Avoid concentrating poverty. With funding from the state, Bridgeport, Connecticut, is in the process of rebuilding public housing that was demolished in the 1990s and early 2000s, according to Deputy Chief of Staff Constance Vickers. Instead of concentrating the housing in one place, the city is building it into mixed-income communities to promote greater economic diversity and all of the additional public infrastructure amenities that come with it. Use zoning. While the housing crisis seems to be spinning out of control,zoning is a mechanism cities can flex to stabilize it, the panelists said. Bridgeport, a city of only 16 square miles, has limited space. Changing its zoning to allow for school and office conversions into housing has helped move it toward its goal of adding 6,000 housing units by 2030, Vickers said. “We are a densely populated city, but we’re really tiny, so we have to make use of all our land,”Vickers said. Find partners. “Often [housing] developers have to be incentivized” to construct affordable or low-income housing, Harris said. “Most market-rate developers don’t know anything about affordable housing and vice versa.” Only a handful of companies do both, she noted. “Partnerships are crucial. You can’t do this on your own,” said Shepherd.“That developer has to be your partner.” Bridgeport is coordinating with several developers that are flipping properties. It also purchased a dilapidated mobile home park and found a development partner that would construct low-income housing there, Shepherd said.The result was a development with 50% low-income housing and 50% market-rate housing. All the housing is identical, according to Shepherd. “You would never know the difference driving down the street,” he said. “My residents look at it and go,‘Wow, this can change the city, and it’s great.’” Safeguard affordability. Vonnette Harris, a Marylandbased housing development coordinator, agreed that proactively buying land can be an effective strategy. Another is to create or expand incentives and tax credits. While affordable housing tax credits traditionally go to people who make 60% of the area median income, Maryland sets them aside for households with up to 80% AMI.“That touch … those young professionals that technically make too much to qualify for low-income housing but don’t make 8 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
OPENING LINES AS EPA MOVES TO FAST-TRACK DATA CENTERS, SOME CITIES ARE MOVING TO SLOW THEM DOWN Source: www.smartcitiesdive.com, Robyn Griggs Lawrence, Editor, First Published Dec 17th, 2025 The EPA is streamlining the Clean Air Act permitting to accelerate development. Will local communities pay the price? Tech companies are investing billions of dollars to build data centers to train and run AI platforms. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order forbidding state AI laws that conflict with his administration’s AI-forward policies and threatening to restrict federal funding if their laws are found to be burdensome.That order follows one Trump signed in January calling for a national AI action plan “to sustain and enhance America’s global AI dominance.” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced in July that the EPA was “committed to increasing certainty in the permitting process that is crucial to securing power demand for data centers” and partnering with state, local, and tribal air-quality agencies to promote “ways for Americans to invest and develop AI domestically.” EPA is updating Clean Air Act rules requiring companies to “maintain proper pollution control” that it says “have not been updated to reflect technological advancements of the 21st century,” according to last week’s press release. “EPA is diligently working to eliminate burdensome regulations and ensure data centers and related facilities can be built in the U.S. as we Power the Great American Comeback,”Zeldin said in a statement 9 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
announced Thursday that they are opening an investigation into “alarming reports that tech companies are passing on the costs of building and operating their data centers to ordinary Americans as AI data centers’ energy usage has caused residential electricity bills to skyrocket in nearby communities.” “City leaders are faced with significant challenges when data centers decide to locate in their communities, because the data centers themselves are so resource-intensive, both in terms of energy and water usage, it can be challenging for a municipality to actually evaluate and understand the full impacts of what permitting that data center in their community might be,” Walsh said. Walsh said Trump’s executive order “doesn’t do anything to prevent local communities from exercising their existing powers” to enact moratoriums on building new data centers in their jurisdictions. Local governments are beginning to push back. In November, the Board of Supervisors in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, unanimously rejected a land application that would have enabled a data center campus. Phoenix and Portland, Oregon, have signed a global initiative to address the environmental and community impact of data centers in their communities. “AI and advanced computation have transformational potential, but communities need basic standards and transparency to ensure the infrastructure that supports them is developed in a way that benefits local residents,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said in a statement. announcing the new website. The website furthers two core pillars of that initiative: making the U.S. the AI capital of the world and “advancing cooperative federalism,” according to the press release. In their letter to Congress, the environmental organizations stated that tripling the number of data centers in the next five years would require as much electricity as about 30 million households, as much water as about 18.5 million households and contribute to escalating electricity costs. Bloomberg reported in September that wholesale power costs as much as 267% more than it did five years ago in areas near data centers. U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., 10 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
OPENING LINES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS NEED TO STEP UP AS FEMA’S FUTURE REMAINS UNCERTAIN, EXPERTS SAY Source: www.smartcitiesdive.com, Robyn Griggs Lawrence, Editor, First Published Dec 16th, 2025 The upheaval in emergency management could ultimately strengthen a long-overlooked profession, former FEMA leaders said Monday during a Carnegie Institute panel. On Monday, the Carnegie Institute convened a panel of Federal Emergency Management Agency experts to talk about the agency’s future based on a highly anticipated FEMA Review Council report that was to be released last week. But after the abrupt cancellation of the meeting where that report was to be discussed Thursday, “we’re really left without a vision and without leadership about the way forward,” said Sarah Labowitz, the panel’s moderator. “There was this feeling last week that the bottom had just kind of dropped out,” Labowitz, a senior fellow in Carnegie’s Sustainability, Climate and Geopolitics Program, said.“People are hungry for clarity and for leadership.” Without the report, which former FEMA administrator Pete Gaynor described as a“North Star,”the emergency management community remains in limbo. Will staff continue to be cut? Will responsibility for disaster preparation and response shift to cities and states? Could the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives provide the reform and direction the community seeks? “Where it leaves us now, at the end of the year, is still just wondering what is going to be next, what is going to be the future of FEMA as we go forward,” said former FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell.“It just leaves so much uncertainty as states and locals are trying to plan for their next year, as well as the federal government trying to plan for their budget.” At the state and local level, Gaynor said, “everyone is just kind of holding their breath about making major investments.” “It stifles innovation,” he said. “It stifles hiring.” “A BRIGHT LIGHT” Meanwhile, disasters continue to happen. “There’s never a dull day at FEMA,” Gaynor said. “There’s always something going on.” So, in the midst of all the disarray at the federal level, local governments need to pick up the slack, the panelists said. “We have not yet seen enough conversation about 11 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
we’re trying to achieve, and that’s to help the people that have been impacted by disasters,”Aymond said. State and city officials were rightfully nervous about making waves as it became clear that the Trump administration was determined to radically change FEMA, said Criswell.“Policy actually started changing rapidly. Then we moved into the next phase, which was staff turnover that started happening in the spring. And then by summertime, we saw regional administrators changing positions that had been in those positions for over 10 years and more.” The bright spot in all that turmoil, Criswell said, is that emergency management, which has “been kind of an unsung profession,” is taking the spotlight.“I’m personally thrilled to see emergency management get this much attention and have so much analysis on it. It brings a bright light to the future.” “EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WILL BE STRONGER” “Over the last year, we’ve seen a lot of unnecessary anxiety and a level of uncertainty, especially among FEMA employees and emergency managers across the country,” said former FEMA Chief of Staff Michael Coen. “FEMA is at a crossroads, but everybody in emergency management — these are the times we train for,” Coen said.“So, I do think that, in the end, emergency management will be stronger.” Emergency managers’ work “matters more profoundly now than ever,” Gaynor said. He urged them to set aside headlines and politics so they can focus on delivering help to disaster survivors, “the ultimate measuring stick.” “Stay steady, stay compassionate and stay missionfocused,” he said. “And really, thank you for serving, especially in these really, really hard days.” the budgetary and legislative capacities that states are going to need to develop to fill the gap,” Labowitz said. “There’s been a lot of conversation over this last year about pushing more responsibility down to the state and the local level,” said Danielle Aymond, disaster recovery and FEMA funding specialist at law firm Baker Donelson. “But let’s be clear, the states and the locals have always had the responsibility. That has not changed, and whatever happens here, that will not change.” Local governments should focus on partnerships — between local agencies, the private sector and the federal government — “to accomplish the goal that 12 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, WANTS FASTER PERMITTING. CAN AI HELP? OPENING LINES Source: www.smartcitiesdive.com, Ryan Kushner, Editor, First Published Dec 16th, 2025 As the housing crisis rages on, cities are testing artificial intelligence to improve permitting processes. Earlier this year, the city of Bellevue, Washington, turned to artificial intelligence to help monitor pedestrian safety in an effort to cut down on traffic accidents.The tech hub is also employing AI to meet another goal: speeding up permitting. In partnership with Govstream.ai, Bellevue is aiming to reduce its pre-application inquiries by 30% and cut application resubmissions in half using the Seattle-based company’s AI tools. “This partnership reflects our vision as a city where people want to be,” City Manager Diane Carlson said in an August announcement of the pilot program. “The initiative will help reduce the turnaround time and complexity of permit applications — an objective Bellevue has prioritized for several years. We think it will reduce headaches for residents and staff alike.” The three-phase pilot program includes 24/7 chatbots that can answer questions for city staff and provide real-time application guidance and reviews for applications. The parties believe the AI aid will free up city workers to focus on more complex issues. Govstream.ai’s PermitGuide tool provides parcelspecific guidance and can draft responses for city staff via email, web and voice based on the city’s codes and policies, according to the company, which called permitting “one of the first, most fixable levers in the housing crisis.” “Our goal is to give permit techs, planners, and reviewers an intelligent layer on top of the systems they already use, one that can reason over hundreds of pages of plans and regulations and surface the few things that really matter,” Govstream.ai founder and CEO Saf Rabah said in a recent press release. “That’s how cities move more homes and critical infrastructure from ‘submitted’ to ‘approved’ without burning people out on either side of the counter.” An update on the pilot program for the Bellevue Development Committee is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2026. Recent years have seen a wave of housing-starved local governments rushing to AI permitting tools that promise more efficiencies, including Los Angeles, Honolulu and Austin, Texas. Hernando County, Florida, this year incorporated AI into its zoning 13 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
The effort is catching the eyes of investors, with Govstream.ai recently securing $3.6 million to grow its engineering team.The company said it is planning deployment into additional cities. review process, enabling it to trim the process from 30 days to two. “Cities are under intense pressure to add housing, support small businesses, and keep development sustainable, all while working inside permitting systems that were never really rethought for this moment,” Rabah said. 14 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
OPENING LINES CONSIDER THESE TOOL CONTROL TIPS FOR SAFER AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE Source: www.nbaa.org, Editor, First Published Nov/Dec 2025 Issue In the aircraft maintenance world, inadequate tool control procedures can potentially contribute to catastrophic consequences. The countless possibilities of worst-case scenarios that begin with misplaced tools or foreign object damage are why business aircraft maintenance technicians put a priority on ensuring their tool control procedures are top notch.That means carefully managing every tool in a flight operation. Traditionally, many aircraft maintenance operations have typically “shadowed” their technicians’ toolboxes at the company’s expense – in other words create custom foam inserts with precise cutouts (aka shadows) for each tool. These tools would be managed and tracked through periodic inventory actions. “Three years ago, we graduated to the Snap-on tool reclamation boxes which utilize a camera system in each drawer and inventory management software,” said Lee Bradshaw, director of technical operations for NBAA member Cox Enterprises. Currently, the Cox maintenance team deploys three Snap-on boxes, supplemented by several personal boxes. Sonic USA also has a version of built-in visual tool control with labels that identify two-color foam inlays that are cut with machines driven by precise computer software with one-to-one cavities, “so a missing tool is obvious at-a-glance,” said National Sales Manager Blake Burkett. This system is Ideal for pre- or post-job audits and for preventing foreign object damage (FOD), he said. Another control tactic is serialized, laser-etched tools and drawer maps. Every tool in a toolset has a unique laser-etched ID that is linked to a specific toolbox and technician.“This not only eliminates cross contamination of boxes and toolsets but also reduces FOD,” said Burkett. SPREADSHEETS AND SOFTWARE Not every system has to be sophisticated. NBAA member Joe Peebles, owner of Georgia-based JP Aerotechnics LLC, utilizes a simple spreadsheet system in conjunction with a maintenance software called Quantum. Notifications come out a month before the items are due to ensure tools do not run out of date. Additionally, the company also uses a floating set of tools that are calibrated and can drop into place when tools are pulled for calibration. ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES AND SMART DRAWERS Other tool control systems involve specifically designed ecosystems.“At the core of Snap-on’s approach is its Level 5 Automated Tool Control ecosystem — an integrated family of hardware and software solutions that identify, track and secure every tool in real time,” said Joe Chwan, director, worldwide aerospace for NBAA member Snapon Industrial. Each Snap-on system uses advanced technologies, smart drawers and serialized inventory management to ensure every tool is accounted for before, during and after each task, Chwan said. The L5 Connect platform is designed to tie together all tool control data across facilities and geographies, enabling instant visibility, alerts and reporting on tool usage, calibration and FOD compliance. TOOL CALIBRATION AND AUDITING Not all tools are created equal.A maintainer must have the ability to audit and track the calibration of specific tools such as torque wrenches, micrometers and multimeters. 15 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
3 KPIS TO REINFORCE ACCOUNTABILITY Sonic advises quarterly FOD/tool-control drills with timed “missing tool” scenarios and so-called “5S audits,” a systematic review methodology that focuses on five criteria: sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain. It’s also important to reinforce tool-control accountability by using key performance indicators, such as: • Measure lost-tool rate per 1,000 labor hours • Track audit pass percentage and average time-tolocate • Capture monthly tools in-calibration exception count ALIGN THESE 3 PILLARS OF TOOL CONTROL Continuous improvement is the baseline of aircraft maintenance, and tool control is no different. According to Chwan, the most successful flight operations start by aligning three pillars: 1. Culture: Define and reinforce a “no-exceptions” mindset around tool accountability. 2. Process: Standardize tool issue, return, calibration and inspection steps. 3. Technology: Deploy right-sized control systems, from the basic custom foam inserts and shadow boards to fully automated aircraft tool control systems with enterprise data integration. Drawer shadowing, inventory spreadsheets, camera systems and tracking software are all hugely beneficial. However, at the end of the day, “each individual is responsible for managing their own tools,” said Bradshaw. It is imperative that every technician and quality control inspector remains vigilant when it comes to tool reclamation “so much so that it eventually becomes ingrained in the aircraft return-to-service process.” ‘ABSOLUTE BEST’ TOOL INVENTORY METHOD “The shadowed toolbox is probably the absolute best way to do a personal tool inventory,” said Peebles, a 2022 NBAA Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 Award recipient. When fatigue sets in, the ability to glance at the shadowed toolbox is easy. But if a tool is not present in its shadowed spot, it is easily recognized as missing, he said. The bottom line is, whether you’re using a complex system or a simple method, a safe and effective aircraft maintenance tool program boils down to diligence, vigilance and personal accountability. At Cox, each technician has a periphery duty, including tool calibration. The individual assigned to tool calibration uses the same maintenance control software program that is deployed for the aircraft (Computerized Aircraft Maintenance Program, aka CAMP). Along with managing calibration with exceptional accuracy, it is front and center every time there is a status check on the aircraft. TRACKING TOOLS WITH RFID TECHNOLOGY Radio-frequency identification (RFID) “is one of many enabling technologies – but only when integrated thoughtfully into a complete system,” said Chwan. Snapon has developed hybrid approaches that combine RFID, machine vision, digital imaging, electronic locks and database traceability to suit different environments and tool types. The key is not simply tracking tools but connecting that data into workflow systems that improve decision-making, reduce downtime and strengthen compliance. 16 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
construction 17 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
PHILADELPHIA BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LAYING THE GROUNDWORK FOR ITS MEMBERS GROUP 70 INTERNATIONAL (G70) TRANSFORMATION THROUGH CONSERVATION LUNG ROSE, VOSS & WAGNILD HAWAII’S TRUSTED LEGAL PARTNER DMC GROUP FROM DEMOLITION TO DEVELOPMENT HIGH-TECH POOLS SIX DECADES OF EXPERTISE MOUNTAIN CABIN & HOME BUILDERS (MCHB) BUILDING GROWTH THROUGH FAMILY TRUST AND FIXED-COST INNOVATION 18 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
PHILADELPHIA BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCI LAYING THE GRO FOR ITS MEMBER AT A GLANCE PHILADELPHIA BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION WHAT: T he leading advocacy and educational association representing Philadelphia based builders and associated construction professionals WHERE: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania PRAGMATIC SOLUTIONS FOR EQUITABLE GROWTH IN THE CITY OF NEIGHB 19 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
IATION OUNDWORK RS BORHOODS Philadelphia is often described as a “city of neighborhoods” – a patchwork of longestablished communities, working families, commercial corridors, and, increasingly, new infill housing that is reshaping formerly overlooked areas. Sitting at the intersection of this transformation is the Philadelphia Building Industry Association (BIA), an organization that has evolved far beyond a traditional builders’ lobby to become a policy partner, community voice, and catalyst for economic mobility. Photo Credit: Albert Yee 20 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
The Philadelphia Building Industry Association is the largest building industry association in the state of Pennsylvania,” says Mo Rushdi, Managing Partner of River Ward Group and President of the BIA.“We have over 400 real estate development and contractor members.” The association has been in existence for decades, but its footprint and influence have expanded significantly in the last 15 to 20 years as the city’s housing market has changed. Rushdi himself wears multiple hats in the housing ecosystem. In addition to leading the BIA, he chairs the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC), a quasi-governmental nonprofit that serves as a clearinghouse for subsidies and housing programs across the city. Rushdi co-chairs the mayor’s business roundtable for construction and development, and chairs the Philadelphia Accelerator Fund, a $20 million fund now scaling toward $100 million that is designed to provide flexible capital to small and disadvantaged developers. That combination of on-the-ground development experience and policy-level influence gives Rushdi a rare, holistic view of how projects move from idea to reality in Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. A STABLE MARKET UNDER PRESSURE On a macro level, the story of housing and construction over the past decade is familiar: a long recovery from the 2008 financial crisis, followed by a surge in demand and rising prices leading into and through the pandemic era. For Philadelphia, the forces are the same, but the dynamics are different. “Philadelphia is, in general, a stable market,” Rushdi notes. “You don’t typically see sharp increases or sharp decreases, even in recessions, when it comes to pricing.” That stability, however, comes with a trade-off: development margins are tight. When construction lending is in the four-and-a-half to five percent range, projects can just barely “pencil out.” When interest rates climb to eight percent, entire deal stacks fall apart. He traces the turning point back to COVID.“From 2019 through 2022, we saw a big jump in construction costs, driven largely by supply chain issues. With those increased costs came higher prices on both the rental and for-sale side.” At the same time, the Federal Reserve reacted to inflation with the fastest interest rate increases in decades. That one-two punch hit developers particularly hard. “A project that might have required 25 to 30 percent equity now needed 50 percent or more, simply because the amount of debt that could be serviced at 8 percent was much lower than at 4.5 or 5 percent,” Rushdi explains. “So a lot of projects that were penciled out and were ready to go were just put on hold. That’s not a Philadelphia issue, that’s national, but the severity depends on your submarket.” 21 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12 PHILADELPHIA BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
years, the full abatement helped make development viable in neighborhoods far beyond Center City and the most affluent districts, offsetting lower revenues in “up and coming” areas with reduced operating expenses. Under public pressure, however, the program was restructured into a sliding scale abatement that averages out to roughly half of its earlier value. “Between cheap capital and the full tax abatement, it became possible to do projects in neighborhoods that had never seen development before,” Rushdi says. “With rates more than doubling and the abatement reduced, those two critical pillars In Philadelphia, the combination of high construction costs and slim margins led to what Rushdi calls a “supply hit.” Between 2022 and 2024, he estimates that building permits in the city dropped by more than 75 percent. Material costs, meanwhile, jumped more than 20 percent from 2020 through 2024 and never really retreated once supply chain issues eased. “It created a new baseline for costs,” he says. “Jobs became very tough to pencil out.” Another major factor was the change to Philadelphia’s famed ten-year tax abatement program, a longstanding incentive considered one of the most powerful drivers of housing production in the city. For Photo Credit: Albert Yee 22 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
changed. That’s reshaped the feasibility of building in many communities.” FROM INDUSTRY LOBBY TO CIVIC PROBLEMSOLVER Historically, the BIA, like many industry associations, focused primarily on its members’ immediate interests: more development, fewer regulatory hurdles. But as housing production accelerated and neighborhood concerns became louder around gentrification, affordability, and equity, the association made a conscious pivot. “Today, the BIA is not just representing the interests of developers,” Rushdi emphasizes. “We have a seat at the table with the city government, developing policies that promote diversity within the industry and policies that promote affordable housing. We can’t develop in a vacuum.” Central to that shift is a more nuanced understanding of gentrification. Rushdi acknowledges that it is often treated as a “dirty word,” especially in politically progressive cities, but argues that gentrification itself is not inherently negative. The real issue, he says, is displacement. “If you have safeguards in place and can handle displacement, development that raises property values can create enormous generational wealth,” he explains. He cites Brewerytown as a case study, where homes that once sold for $10,000 to $15,000 are now valued in the $150,000 to $200,000 range.“If you have a thousand homes in a small area and each one gains $50,000 to $100,000 in value, that’s $100 million of wealth created for existing residents. We need to talk about that upside, not just fear change.” The key, in his view, is ensuring that long-time homeowners are not forced out by rising property taxes or predatory sales. That means better use of homestead exemptions and other tax relief programs, and a stronger emphasis on education and outreach. “It’s the job of local elected officials to go out and say,‘Your home value is going to go up. Don’t rush to sell. Take advantage of these protections,’” he says. “If your income is under a certain threshold, your taxes can be frozen. Your expenses stay the same, but your net worth goes up. That’s the conversation we push for.” AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT ACTUALLY PENCILS OUT The BIA’s evolving role is especially visible in the way it approaches affordable housing. Rather than relying on slogans or mandates that can inadvertently stifle production, the association has 23 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12 PHILADELPHIA BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
worked alongside city government to craft programs that “organically” increase affordable supply while remaining financially viable for builders. One flagship initiative is the Turn the Key program, which Rushdi describes as “the best program in the nation.” On publicly owned vacant land, developers build two-story single-family homes priced around $280,000. For qualified buyers, the city provides a $75,000 non-payable second mortgage – effectively more than 25 percent down – that sits behind the primary mortgage and is forgiven over time. “You can buy a three-bedroom, two-bath singlefamily home with a yard in a neighborhood where other houses might be selling for five to six hundred thousand dollars,” he says.“You come in with almost no money down and end up with a monthly payment 24 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
of around $1,100 to $1,200. It’s less than what people are paying to rent studios in the same area, where they still need to come up with thousands of dollars upfront for deposits.” The implications for working families are profound. Typical buyers earn between $23 and $25 per hour. For households at that income level, building savings for a traditional down payment is increasingly out of reach in the face of rising everyday costs, from groceries to utilities. Turn the Key not only breaks that barrier, it sets them on a path to long-term wealth. “If you’re making $50,000 a year, you’re barely keeping your head above water,” Rushdi says.“Under this program, within fifteen years you could have between $250,000 and $400,000 in equity. That’s life-changing. It’s a pathway out of poverty and a way to create real economic mobility.” The current plan envisions 1,000 to 2,000 such homes, with potential growth to 5,000 under the city’s broader $800 million housing bond program, which the BIA strongly supported. All told, those homes could impact upwards of 20,000 residents, giving them a way to benefit from the very development reshaping their neighborhoods. DIVERSITY, CAPITAL ACCESS, AND THE ACCELERATOR FUND Equity and inclusion in the development community itself is another area where the BIA has taken a hands-on, results-driven approach. Rushdi is candid about what he sees as the shortcomings of traditional diversity efforts. “A lot of organizations handle diversity in a very superficial way,” he says.“They count the percentage of minority members, set a goal to increase that number, host a few seminars, and then declare success. As an engineer, I deal in numbers and outcomes. That doesn’t actually improve people’s lives.” Instead, the BIA set out to change the structural barriers that prevent Black and brown developers from scaling. The core problem, Rushdi notes, is access to capital, particularly equity. To do a $2.5 25 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12 PHILADELPHIA BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
million project, a developer typically needs $300,000 to $400,000 in equity. Without that capital – and without strong banking relationships – many wouldbe developers are effectively locked out of larger deals. “That’s where the Philadelphia Accelerator Fund comes in,” he explains. Seeded with $5 million each from Citizens Bank and Univest Bank, along with additional support from the city, the fund has grown to about $20 million and is designed to be leveraged at roughly ten to one. That means enabling around $200 million worth of projects in the city. The fund offers pre-construction loans that function effectively as equity, without putting undue weight on traditional markers like credit scores or past borrowing history. Projects are evaluated on their merits, with two key criteria: the developer is a small or disadvantaged operator looking to grow, and the project delivers at least 51 percent affordability. “Up until three years ago, there wasn’t a single 100 percent Black- or brown-owned development company in Philadelphia doing more than $10 million worth of work,” Rushdi says. “Today we’re at 23.These aren’t joint ventures where someone is just satisfying a minority participation quota. They are the true owners and landlords of these projects.” The financing comes at very favorable rates – often around five to five-and-a-half percent, which is lower than many construction loans and far cheaper than hard money.That differential is often enough to make or break a project’s feasibility and gives emerging developers the ability to step up from $500,000 jobs to $3–4 million projects. A FULL-CIRCLE MODEL: MENTORSHIP, EVENTS, AND POLICY The BIA’s efforts extend beyond finance.Through an affiliated group, the Urban Development Association (UDA), experienced developers volunteer their time to mentor minority and small developers, guiding them through the full project lifecycle – from acquiring public land and assembling a capital stack to building and leasing or selling finished units. Photo Credit: Albert Yee 26 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
27 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12 PHILADELPHIA BUILDING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
“Think of it as a full 360,” Rushdi says.“We’re building depth in the minority development community through mentorship. We’re leveraging our banking relationships to get them construction loans. We’re providing equity through the Accelerator Fund. And we’re encouraging them to build affordable housing. Minority developers building affordable housing with access to capital and the right support – that’s the full circle we’re aiming for.” The association also maintains an active calendar, with 20 to 30 events each year, including an annual – and now semi-annual – builders’ show and connection event where members network, forge partnerships, and discuss the latest trends in housing and construction. An affordable housing committee keeps the focus on policy and program design, working closely with city officials to ensure that new legislation promotes, rather than unintentionally restricts, housing supply. Across the board, the BIA has become known as a pragmatic, middle-of-the-road voice – one that cares about its development partners and the communities in which they build. “We’re like a think tank for the industry,” Rushdi says.“We’re very focused on results, not just process. You can pass any legislation that sounds great on paper, but if the math doesn’t work, nothing gets built. Our job is to bring that technical reality into the conversation and make sure solutions actually pencil out.” Looking ahead over the next two years,the association has set an ambitious target: to grow to 50 fully Black- and brown-owned development companies doing more than $5 million in work each, while continuing to expand affordable housing programs that create genuine wealth-building opportunities for residents. In a city defined by its neighborhoods, that focus on equitable growth – grounded in numbers, community needs, and real-world feasibility – is positioning the Philadelphia Building Industry Association as a crucial connector between policy, development, and long-term prosperity. Photo Credit: Albert Yee 28 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
FROM DEMOLI DEVELOPMEN DMC GROUP AT A GLANCE DMC GROUP WHAT: A professional services firm that provides general construction, consulting, demolition, and environmental remediation services. WHERE: Detroit, Michigan WEBSITE: www.dmcgroupusa.com 29 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
ITION TO NTREBUILDING DETROIT FROM THE GROUND UP Detroit’s renewal over the past two decades has created opportunities for companies that believe in the city’s potential and understand its communities. Among those leading the charge is DMC Group, a construction and development firm that has quietly become a trusted name across metro Detroit. Founded in 2005, DMC Group has grown from a small contracting business into a multidisciplinary organization 30 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
offering general contracting, development, demolition, and excavation services. The company’s steady growth reflects both its adaptability and its commitment to quality. At the helm is Mike Chaudhary, Chief Executive Officer, who established DMC Group with a vision to contribute to Detroit’s rebuilding efforts through reliable, community-focused work. “We started as a general contractor and then diversified as a developer and builder,” says Chaudhary M. “We are also providing demolition and excavation services now.” Working alongside him is his son, Yash Chaudhary, Senior Project Manager, who has helped drive the company’s expansion and modernization. “Demolition is just one of our divisions,” explains Chaudhary Y. “We started as a general contractor and still operate as a construction manager on both commercial and residential projects. Our strength is in how our divisions work together to deliver results.” A MILESTONE WORTH CELEBRATING For Chaudhary M., the company’s 20th anniversary is both a professional and personal achievement.“Our 20th anniversary means a lot to us,” he reflects.“We started as a general contractor and then diversified as a developer and builder. We are also providing demolition and excavation services now.” To mark the milestone, DMC Group is hosting a celebratory event on December 12 to recognize the employees, subcontractors, suppliers, architects, and engineers who have supported the company over the years.“We are honoring all the people who have helped us to be where we are today,” says Chaudhary M. “This anniversary is as much about them as it is about us.” REBUILDING DETROIT Detroit’s revitalization has provided a powerful backdrop for DMC Group’s work. The firm has become deeply involved in the city’s ongoing transformation, particularly through its demolition division, which plays a critical role in preparing land for redevelopment. “Most of our demolition work is focused on residential structures,” explains Chaudhary M. “But we have also done schools and commercial buildings throughout the metro Detroit area. Our focus has been on rebuilding the city from the ground up.” The company handles everything from sewer cutoffs to coordination with utility providers, ensuring projects are completed efficiently and responsibly. This practical expertise forms the foundation for DMC Group’s broader work in site utilities and land balancing, which bridges the gap between demolition and construction. A MULTI-DIVISIONAL POWERHOUSE While many companies specialize in one niche, DMC Group’s versatility sets it apart. “Demolition is just one of our divisions,” clarifies Chaudhary Y. “We started as a general contractor and still operate as 31 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12 DMC GROUP
strategies tailored to the project and the client,” he adds.“That is what allows us to deliver successfully, even under tight timelines.” COLLABORATION AT THE CORE The word “collaboration” is central to the DMC Group story. For Chaudhary M., it is not just a business strategy but a company philosophy. “Some of the partners we work with were once small startups,” he shares. “We supported them financially and guided them on company law, bonding, and insurance. Now they are independent and growing companies.” These partnerships exemplify DMC Group’s community-first mindset. Local firms such as City Abatement Services, Zak Welding, Zervos Group, Guy Hurley Insurance, MANS Lumber, and 4545 Architecture have all played significant roles in the a general contractor and construction manager for both commercial and residential projects.” Within the DMC Group, each division collaborates rather than operates in isolation. “We have crossfunctional teams,” says Chaudhary Y.“Our demolition group also has a foot in the door on site utilities and land balancing. We also have a self-performance group that works on residential rehabs and small commercial projects, and our construction management team acts as a general contractor for government and private contracts.” This integrated model allows the company to maintain agility and quality control, whether executing a large municipal project or restoring a historic property.“We always try to collaborate internally and externally through technology, partnerships, and contracting 32 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 12
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