AGC of Utah’s 104th Annual Convention: Building What Matters—Together
The Associated General Contractors of Utah gathered January 29–30, 2026, at the Little America Hotel for its 104th Annual Convention, bringing together contractors, partners, and industry leaders from across the state for two days focused on leadership, innovation, service, and connection.
Centered on the theme Build What Matters, this year’s convention emphasized a simple but powerful idea: while construction is defined by projects, our greatest impact is ultimately measured by the people we develop, the teams we strengthen, and the communities we serve.
Awards Breakfast: Honoring Excellence Across the Industry
The convention opened Thursday morning with the AGC of Utah Annual Awards Breakfast, a long-standing tradition recognizing outstanding people, companies, and projects that continue to raise the bar for construction in Utah. With a room full of peers and industry leaders, award recipients were celebrated for the craftsmanship, leadership, and commitment that define excellence in our industry.
View all of 2025's award recipients here.
Kick-Off Breakfast: The Science of Team Excellence
Friday began with the Kick-Off Breakfast, featuring keynote speaker Dr. Britt Andreatta and her presentation on The Science of Team Excellence and Collaboration. Drawing from neuroscience and leadership research, Dr. Andreatta explored how trust, psychological safety, and human biology directly influence team performance—insights that resonated deeply in an industry built on coordination across trades, roles, and cultures.
Watch the full keynote and view Dr. Andreatta’s presentation slides
Video Link
Window of Tolerance
Science of Teams
Team Norms
Breakout Sessions: Practical Tools for Today’s Workforce
Attendees then moved into two rounds of breakout sessions designed to deliver immediately applicable takeaways for jobsite leaders, executives, and emerging professionals alike.
Topics ranged from:
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Recognizing and empowering leaders and high-performing doers on the jobsite
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Developing the next generation of leaders through the Construction Leadership Committee
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Strengthening GC–subcontractor relationships through candid dialogue
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Building confidence in public speaking, navigating change with AI, and mastering mindset through the 10/90 Principle
Each session offered practical strategies participants could take back to their teams, reinforcing the convention’s focus on real-world impact.
Membership Luncheon: Making It Matter
Build What Matters Celebration: Service, Leadership, and Reflection
The Membership Luncheon featured keynote speaker Matthew Emerzian, whose message—Make It Matter—brought the convention’s theme into sharp focus. Through personal storytelling and interactive engagement, Emerzian challenged attendees to rethink purpose, impact, and how they show up as leaders, coworkers, and individuals.
👉 Watch the luncheon keynote
Video Link
The convention concluded with the Build What Matters Dinner Celebration, an evening designed to be more than entertainment. This year, AGC of Utah set out to ensure the celebration truly mattered—not just within the industry, but in the community it serves.
Traditionally, the convention dinner has featured games, shows, or lighthearted competition. This year, the association flipped the script. Instead of typical dinner entertainment, attendees were invited to roll up their sleeves and participate in a service-centered experience, building something tangible for Utahns in need.
The response was overwhelming.
Together, convention attendees:
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Assembled more than 3,000 meal kits for middle and high school students facing food insecurity on weekends when school meals aren’t available
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Turned friendly table-to-table competition into purpose-driven teamwork, packing over 200 meal kits per table
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Donated more than 20 bicycles to support local youth with transportation needs and expanded opportunities
The completed meal kits and bicycles were delivered to the Salt Lake Education Foundation and will be distributed throughout schools in the Salt Lake City School District, supporting families right here in the community.
Food insecurity is often a hidden challenge. Across Utah, approximately **1 in 8 people—including 1 in 6 children—**struggles with consistent access to nutritious meals. In Salt Lake County alone, an estimated 13.6% of residents experience food insecurity. By pivoting the dinner toward service, the convention transformed awareness into action.
There was still music. There were smiles. And yes, some friendly competition. But most importantly, there was impact—measurable, meaningful, and immediate.
Leadership Transition and Industry Recognition
The evening also marked an important leadership transition for the association, welcoming Gary Ellis of Jacobsen Construction as the incoming Chairman while honoring outgoing board members for their service and dedication.
A defining moment of the celebration was the presentation of the Eric W. Ryberg Award, one of AGC of Utah’s highest honors. The 2026 award was presented to Doug Watts of Watts Construction, recognizing a career defined by integrity, leadership, and lasting contributions to Utah’s construction industry. The award celebrates individuals whose character and service exemplify the values that continue to shape AGC of Utah and the industry as a whole.
Looking Ahead
As AGC of Utah celebrates more than a century of leadership, the 104th Annual Convention served as both a milestone and a reminder: the future of construction is built not only through infrastructure, but through people, purpose, and shared responsibility.
From education and leadership development to hands-on service and meaningful recognition, the 2026 convention was a powerful demonstration of what happens when an industry comes together to build what matters—together.