Every December, Beacon's team members meet for the company's annual Corporate Meeting and Holiday Dinner. This is a great opportunity for our team members to share lessons learned in the past year, highlights of various completed and ongoing projects, information about new technologies, and tips for dealing with difficult situations and projects. As part of the professional development aspect of the corporate meeting, Beacon invites industry experts to participate in a focused panel discussion. Below are some highlights from this years meeting. Special thanks go to Beacon's Michelle Punch, Executive Assistant to Dennis O'Neill. Michelle did a wonderful job of planning this year's meeting, which was one the best we have ever had. Click below for full article and photos...
Over the years, Beacon has provided construction consulting services related to many Public Housing construction and renovation projects. Recently, the company was retained by a leading Surety company to provide construction consulting services related to a public housing renovation project in New York City. The job relates to a high-profile initiative underway at various public housing buildings owned by "NYCHA" (the New York City Housing Authority). NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in North America and the largest landlord in New York City. Beacon is currently providing construction consulting services to the Surety related to the "excavation and cementing" of dirt floors in the crawlspace areas under very large NYCHA residential apartment buildings...
I hope your fall is going well. October is a great month here in the Boston area. Foliage is at its peak, the weather is crisp and clear, and there are plenty of great outdoor activities going on. On a beautiful Sunday earlier this month, my wife and I went to see the New England Patriots play the Detroit Lions at Gillette Stadium. It was a great all-around game by the Pats, who won 29-0, led by their rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe who did a fantastic job in his first NFL start. To top things off, the Patriots wore their vintage bright red uniforms and throwback helmets for the first time in many years, thanks to an NFL rule change (see photos here). However, what really made the day fun was watching the game with our long-time friends Pat and Marianne Tompkins.
The throwback uniforms and helmets featuring the old team logo ("Pat The Patriot") reminded me just how fast time flies by and how important it is to make the most of every day. The Patriots were wearing those same red uniforms when my friend Pat and I attended high school back in the 1980s. Faster than I would like, 35+ years have flown by, and Pat and I have both been working in the construction industry for 25+ years. Click below for full message and photos...
The Construction Financial Management Association (CMFA) 22nd Annual Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference was held September 24-26, 2022 in Cambridge, MD. This year, Beacon Vice President Kieran O'Connor was a speaker at the event, participating as part of a panel of Surety industry professionals. The panel members focused on all of the following areas: (1) Trends in Surety results Mid-Atlantic & Nationwide; (2) Outlook for Underwriting and performance and losses of Surety and Subcontractor Default Industries; and (3) Legal or claim trends.
Looking at the topic from the Construction Consultant's perspective, Kieran's portion of the presentation covered current trends in the U.S. Construction Industry, Surety Claims trends, and Solutions to current challenges...
Beacon was retained by a leading Surety company to provide construction consulting / surety consulting services related to a school renovation project taking place in Coral Springs, Florida (part of the Broward County School District). Beacon's Florida team is taking the lead role in supporting the Surety by providing the following construction consulting services:
- Cost to Complete Analysis
- Surety Consulting (Project Support & Monitoring)
- Construction Management Services
Click below for full article...
As I write this message, I am taking a week off to visit Ireland. My wife Laura and I are visiting with my extended family here, which is always a pleasure. Ireland is such a unique and fun country. If you have never visited, I highly recommend it. From its beautiful countryside, scenic coastline, quaint historic towns, dynamic cities, music, and culture, Ireland really has something for everyone. Most of all, Ireland's people are warm, friendly, and very funny.
One of the highlights of our trip was getting a tour of the historic Leinster House in Dublin, where the Irish government meets, including their Dáil Éireann (House of Representatives) and Seanad Éireann (Senate). Irish Senator Mark Daly was a fantastic tour guide (see full article for photos). Mark is currently head of Ireland’s Senate (and is a close friend of my cousin Tomas).
Thanks in part to its well-educated, tech-savvy workforce, Ireland has also become one of the leading business capitals of Europe. Major companies such as Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Apple, AirBNB, and PayPal all selected Ireland as the location for their European headquarters. Of course, let's not forget Beacon Consulting Group. We have had a presence here through our strategic partners for more than one year now...
Beacon was retained by a leading surety company to provide construction consulting services related to a high-profile project in New York City. TSX Broadway is a 46-story mixed-use hotel tower being built at 1568 Broadway in Times Square (see rendering). Located in the heart of Times Square, the project included the installation of massive computerized LED Screens / Electronic Billboards which wrap around the lower section of the building, as well as up its side and near the top of the structure. The LED signage system is reportedly the largest and most technologically advanced in all of Times Square, a neighborhood which is world famous for its many gigantic high-tech billboards and signs.
Beacon's staff is always on the go. Whether flying to project sites around the country or traveling to participate in events related to surety claims and construction consulting, you can always find a Beacon staff member getting ready to catch a plane. Below are some photos from recent events and activities around the country, including photos from industry meetings, fundraising events, and other fun get togethers. Click below to learn more and view photos...
Once again, the summer has flown by in the blink of an eye! Last week my wife and I dropped off our 2nd oldest daughter at Syracuse University (SU) for her first year at college. While dropping off a teenager at college can be bittersweet, for me it's always fun and exciting to see the buzz of activity as young people move into their dorms and head into the next phase of their lives. The enthusiasm and excitement of the students stepping out on their own for the first time is energizing. Plus, it's eye-opening to see the incredible, modern facilities that many college campuses have today...
Beacon Consulting Group was retained by a leading surety to provide construction consulting services related to a new, $46-million visitor center being built in Niagara Falls State Park (see photo gallery at bottom of this article). The 28,000 square-foot, multi-floor visitor center is being built directly adjacent to the famously majestic falls, one of the most popular tourist attractions in New York State. Beacon was retained by the surety to monitor progress of the project and assist the general contractor with certain tasks to help expedite the project. More than 9 million people visit Niagara Falls State Park every year. Established in 1885, it is the oldest state park in the U.S. Although Niagara Falls are not the tallest or largest waterfall in the world, they are the most massive set of falls in the U.S. in terms of volume water and overall size...
