CORNERSTONE - The Associated General Contractors of New York ...

AGC NYS CORNERSTONE Winter 2011
26
This December,contractors
from
across New York
State will gather to
participate in the 25th annual AGC Construction
Industry Conference. Registration
for this event typically exceeds 900
participants and it is the largest construction
industry conference in New York
State. This year’s conference will be
even more special because the AGC and
the construction industry are presenting a
Career Service Award to a safety icon and
legend, Bill Bord.
When I first arrived in 1995, it did not
take me long to meet my counterpart in
AGC’s sister chapter, Bill Bord. At that
time, Bill was the Safety Director of
AGC Highway. Lucky for me, Bill was
already a seasoned safety professional
who seemed to know everything and everybody.
It did not take long for me to
realize that the highway folks really relied
on Bill when it came to a site safety issue,
training, or when dealing with OSHA.
I would call Bill periodically to seek advice
and to find some answers. The thing
about Bill that struck me the most was
his willingness to provide me with assistance
as I learned the ropes concerning
construction safety. As time has passed, I
have come to recognize that Bill’s advice
was sound and true. Bill always helped
because he wanted to and he knew at the
Recognizing a Career of Service
By Jim Redmond, Director of Safety Services
end of the day it was to help a contractor
that was in need. Bill loves this industry
and especially the people in it, a factor
which surely makes Bill a recognized
authority in the safety arena. I personally
cannot think of anyone that is more deserving
of this Life Time Achievement
Award.
The AGC NYS Construction Industry
Conference event has come a long way
since its inception and the infamous meetings
at the Friar Tuck Club are a thing of
the past. When I think about Bill retiring,
that infamous saying seems to be on target
for me, “they do not make them like
that anymore.”
Emmett McDevitt, a long-time colleague
and friend of Bill, offered the following
comments, “Bill Board started off his
career in industrial safety and hygiene
with several chemical companies around
the country. He even worked for a brief
time with NYSDOT. Bill worked for
many years with the Associated General
Contractors and has worked directly
with large highway and building
contractors. While with AGC,
Bill was responsible for Construction
Safety and provided assistance
through training, outreach and lending
expertise to the industry in making
the workplace safer and assisting
contractors in complying with
safety regulations and industry standards
for health, safety and hygiene.
Bill’s greatest contribution to safety
has come from his years of knowledge
and experience working with
the contracting industry in and around
New York State.
Bill uses his decades of personal experience
to teach others of their personal responsibility
for safety on every project
and program. The cornerstone to Bill’s
success is his passion for, and dedication
to safety throughout the industry. However,
Bill’s most valuable strength comes
from his ability to communicate, primarily
with humor, to the construction industry.
Bill’s personal experience and ardent
support of safety principles commands
the greatest respect from all facets of
the construction industry. Safety’s most
hardened critics become his most loyal
disciples after spending just minutes with
Bill. While his breadth of knowledge is
what makes his word solid and his message
gospel, Bill’s charisma is his most
effective tool. Bill’s use of humor to
communicate on delicate subjects breaks
down institutional barriers that oftentimes
prevent progress. Whether interacting
with Federal, State or local governments
or even with his own peers at construction
safety meetings, his fervor commands attention.
Mr. Bord has mentored dozens of safety
professionals throughout the years and
has become the ‘Godfather’ of safety to
those in the industry; someone everyone
goes to seek advice. His willingness to
help others is exceeded only by his wealth
of industry knowledge. He has been a
member and vital asset on AGC’s Safety
Committee and is the industry’s most persuasive
supporter of safety and personal
responsibility. He has helped countless
contractors in negotiating fair and reasonable
mitigation for safety deficiencies,
while using those opportunities as teachable
moments to learn and improve. He
has been proactive in not only teaching
the laws and regulations related to safety,
but putting a human side on the outcomes
of not being safe. He maintains great respect
and admiration from those regulatory
agencies whose job it is to ensure safety
and compliance with the various laws
and regulations. Bill is also a dedicated
and loyal husband, father and grandfather.
He is a true inspiration.”