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A Few Words with Tudor Van Hampton:
2009 Boger Award Winner

“I like to know how the world around me works,” says Tudor Van Hampton. “I’m a very curious person and feel detached when I don’t understand how things are put together.”

Van Hampton, Midwest bureau chief for Engineering News Record (ENR), is also this year’s Construction Writers Association (CWA) Boger Award winner in the feature article category for “Higher Learning,” a story about crane operation safety. The article followed multiple catastrophic crane accidents in the construction industry, and included Van Hampton enrolling in a weeklong crane certification course.

After three major crane accidents in the first half of 2008, ENR’s editorial staff knew many of their readers were receiving mixed messages, and that the building industry needed clarity on why these accidents were happening. Van Hampton was assigned the job of finding out.

Van Hampton wasn’t always a writer. While a student at the University of Kansas, he worked in building maintenance and commercial painting. Upon graduation, he worked for the subscription department of a newspaper, but quickly decided that, “it was more fun to write the stories than to sell them.”

He then landed a job as an editor of a construction equipment magazine based in Kansas City, Mo. That experience, combined with what Van Hampton describes as “a consistent high level of curiosity,” are the keys to what makes him a successful journalist today. He joined ENR’s editorial staff in 2002, and became a member of CWA the following year.

Van Hampton set out to find out why crane accidents were happening in metropolitan areas like New York City and Miami, and to provide guidance to ENR readers about what was safe and what wasn’t when it came to crane operation and maintenance. While many articles about the crane accidents were being written, he saw the need to probe deeper into how crane how to better determine if a crane operator is qualified or not.

Prior to writing “Higher Learning,” Van Hampton wrote the ENR cover story “Tipping Point” about crane rigging, and how a $50 sling could have saved millions of dollars. This discussion of regulation and maintenance led him to seek a clear answer as to what the industry should consider “safe” when it comes to crane operation.

Van Hampton enrolled in a well-recommended crane operation certification course in Arizona. For six days, he and three other students received 10 hours of training, followed by written, multiple choice and practical exams to test their knowledge and become certified. His conclusion: “nothing takes the place of good solid years of experience,” and is a crucial element to safe crane operation and future regulation.

“My goal was to help our readers any way I could to try and determine why these accidents were happening,” Van Hampton adds. “To be recognized with an award from the CWA for my effort means a lot to me both personally and professionally.”

“Higher Learning” is Van Hampton’s first award from CWA. The judging committee for the Boger Awards praised the article for its “significant premise, unique point of view, excellent story development, and engaging style.”

“The features category was extremely competitive, with many first-rate submittals,” said Janet Cohen, chairman of the awards committee and director of corporate communications for Barton Malow Co. “The winner really had to present something new, noteworthy, and useful. According to the judges, Tudor’s fresh approach and fresh insights on crane safety made the article a particularly strong teaching tool.”

The ENR feature article was also recognized with a Jesse H. Neal Award from American Business Media, and a Silver Award for Best Feature by the American Society of Business Publication Editors.

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Annual Conference Answers the Call for Social Media Expertise

More than 100 journalists, public relations and marketing professionals in the construction industry gathered in Alexandria, VA, in May to connect and learn about the latest in social media, and the hottest topics in design and construction.

Topping the list of speakers was keynoter, Denise Graveline, president of Don’t Get Caught, a Washington-based communications firm. Her practical tips on using social media propelled her to receive the highest possible speaker rating from more than three-quarters of attendees surveyed.

The session prompted Kim Phelan, executive editor of Construction Equipment Distribution, to begin evaluating its use for the publication’s construction equipment dealer readers. “The session prompted me to do an AED member survey on the use of social media and various mobile devices,” said Phelan. “I also started a new AED blog, AEDToday, which is rapidly gaining a strong following.”

Tina Barbaccia, executive editor for Better Roads, had a similar experience.

“At the beginning of the year, I wasn’t sold on using social media for my publication,” she said. “But after experimenting with the different mediums such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, I found it be quite useful for disseminating information and engaging readers. Denise Graveline’s presentation was able to show me additional ways to use social media to help position my publication as an expert source, and the value in Web 2.0.”

Graveline’s Social Media Tips
Graveline advised CWA members to find fans and join them (not vice versa), citing examples from companies such as Coke, FedEx, and NPR host Ira Flatow. She provided insight on how to use historic information as a social media tool, and demonstrated some interesting uses of social media by news organizations and communicators such as crowd-sourcing leads for stories, and Help A Reporter Out.

Check out Graveline’s construction-related Tweeters of note: the Portland Cement Association's Concrete Thinker, and Christopher Hill, a construction lawyer. CWA members looking for social media strategies, policies, and training can contact Graveline at info@dontgetcaught.biz.

Editor’s Roundtables
The editors’ roundtables were so popular at the Annual Conference, you’ll see them again at the CWA Mid-Year meeting, Oct. 5-7, in Chicago. In the session, “Doing More with Less,” participants came away with a dozen or so great ideas on how to trim costs in a tight economy — everything from renegotiating printing rates to employee incentive programs for cost-cutting ideas. Check here for more cost-saving strategies from your CWA peers.

For first-time attendee Shannon Eckhart, public relations manager for Turner Construction Co., the CWA Annual meeting was well worth the investment.

“The shared information and open discussions I had with my peers on topics affecting all of us in the building industry proved invaluable,” said Eckhart. “I look forward to attending future CWA events to further develop these relationships and continue the conversations.”

For long-time CWA member Barbaccia, the meetings continue to provide fresh ideas and information.

“The May conference was an excellent mix of construction industry issues and communication issues that affect industry communicators,” she said. “In an age of digital media and social communities, you can get bogged down with too much information. Attending the CWA conference helped me identify what I really need to learn to continue to do my job well.”

Whether you are new to the industry or a veteran, CWA meetings are truly a unique place for construction communicators to network and learn. And while there are a lot of ways to connect online, there is still no substitute for a live event. See you in Chicago.

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Doing More with Less/Survival of the Thriftiest

Notes from a CWA Roundtable May,2009

• Find free editorial content from contributing experts who want the exposure
• Negotiate w/ photographers – many are unemployed and will do short freelance assignments for less than ever.
• Rebid your magazine/publications printer – Construction Equipment Distribution magazine did and saved $15K for 2009.
• For non-time-sensitive publications, see if printers give better prices during holiday slow periods.
• Look for ways to partner with associations and others on research projects or special sections
• Conduct meetings by phone/webinar to save on travel expenses
• Invest in video conferencing equipment – pays for itself quickly if many execs are traveling to meetings
• When traveling, conserve costs w/ public transportation, shop hotel rates and find bargains – demonstrate to your employer that you are a frugal and trustworthy traveler
• Create different freelance pay rates for different skill and experience levels of writers
• Move some print products to online
• Cut out as much paper and wasteful/disposable products from the office as possible. No bottled water! Reuse folders and other supplies. Extend the life of everything.
• Tighten magazine circulation/make sure all subscriptions are legit. and paying
• On publications your company receives, cut multiple subscriptions and reroute pubs internally
• Solicit employees for cost-saving measures and offer rewards/incentives – for eg., one company gives 10 percent of the money saved on a successfully executed cost-cutting effort to the employee who created it.
• Rethink and revisit all vendor/supplier contracts – nothing should be sacred.
• Use paid interns – it’s work and effort to structure well and maintain, but well worth the effort.

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CWA Member News

Costin Custom Communications and Sheffield Marketing have joined forces to offer clients more of what they need to improve their rankings on search engines. Costin Custom Communications will provide SEO content in the form of Web site copy, whitepapers, and press releases, while Sheffield Marketing will offer search engine optimization, pay per click management services, web analytics and social media consulting. Contact Joanne Costin via email. Send your news to info@constructionwriters.org for publication in the CWA eXchange.

Correction: Matthew Phair, President, Phair Communications - email address is matt@phaircom.com and the website address is www.phaircom.com.

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Welcome New Members

Robert Adeland President Marketing Solutions & Strategies, Inc. London, ON CANADA Matt Bolch President Matt Bolch Ink Atlanta, GA USA Jack Buehrer Editor, New York Construction magazine McGraw-Hill Construction New York, NY USA Christine Chirichella Marketing Manager Society for Marketing Professional Services Alexandria, VA USA Tom Herron Communications & Marketing Manager National Fenestration Rating Council Greenbelt, MD USA Arnesa A. Howell Managing Editor Miller and Long Concrete Construction Bethesda, MA USA Jim Kent Director Marketing & Communications Thorton Tomasetti New York, NY USA Ashley Kizzire Senior Editorial Director Constructive Communication Birmingham, AL USA

Julie McLaughlin Director of Publications/Publisher National Insulation Association Reston, VA USA Meredith Metzler Corporate Communications Coordinator Clark Construction Group LLC Bethesda, MD USA Natalie Pagano Marketing & Communications Director Manhattan Construction Group Tulsa, OK USA Jeff Patterson Senior Vice President/Director of Public Relations Swanson Russell Lincoln, NE USA Amy Schneider Public Relations Performance Marketing West Des Moines, IA USA Jeffrey L. Solsby Director of Public Affairs American Road & Transportation Builders Association Washington, DC USA Russ J. Stacey Copywriter Green Apple Group Winter Park, FL USA

Post a Job

CWA posts job listings for construction writers, journalists, publicists, marketers, and freelancers for now charge. Just send the information to info@constructionwriters.org.

Latest Jobs

Check here to see the latest job postings from CWA.

Events

CWA Fall Conference
October 5-7, 2009
Chicago, Ill.
Hilton Suites Chicago on the Magnificent Mile

Check here for more industry events.

 

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Additional CWA News Items

Awards Update
More than 60 entries were received in the Construction Writers Association Marketing Communications Awards and Website and Electronic Communications Awards. Now it’s up to the judges. The awards will be presented at the CWA Grand Awards dinner on Oct. 6, 2009 in Chicago. Winners will be notified prior to the event.

Interested in getting more involved in CWA?
With more than 19 committees there are many options available. Check out the complete list of committees and download the leadership form online. Want to find out more about what’s involved? Contact Deborah Hodges, executive director, CWA, at 773-687-8726.

New CWA Strategic Plan Unveiled
A new five-year strategic plan was introduced at the Annual meeting. “This plan will serve as in important road map for the association,” said Susan Garritano, president of CWA and national communications manager for McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. To learn more about the CWA mission, vision, goals and strategic initiatives, check here.

The CWA is looking to grow.
Do you know a peer or business associate that would benefit from CWA membership? Helps us spread the word about CWA. Members include construction journalists, PR professionals, marketing communicators, marketers, and freelance journalists. Whether you are employed by a contractor, manufacturer, publication, association, distributors, government agency, architect or engineering firm, you can be a part of CWA. Check here for more information.

Future City is looking for professional engineers and architects.
Future City, a contest for seventh and eighth grade students nationwide, is looking for architects and engineers to serve as mentors. This year’s contest, themed Providing an Affordable Living Space for People Who Have Lost Their Home Due to a Disaster or Financial Emergency, will attract more than 33,000 students from 1,100 middle schools in regions located across the country. Participating students will be asked to design a model of their city using SimCity 4 Deluxe software, provided by Electronic Arts, and then build a physical model of the city using recycled materials. They will also write a research essay describing their design and a second narrative outlining the key features of their city. For information, school registration, or to volunteer in the Future City Competition, visit www.futurecity.org.

Recommended
If you are interested in following social networking trends, check out SmartBrief on Social Media.

Winner: Boger Special Reports Award
“Green Buildings + Climate Change,” Robert Cassidy, editor-in-chief, and staff, Building Design+Construction.

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Address comments to: Construction Writers Association at info@constructionwriters.org

Published and distributed by the Construction Writers Association. Copyright © 2009