John Madole, the longest-tenured executive director of any chapter of the Associated General Contractors in the nation, takes quiet pride in an initiative that kept many construction workers employed during the worst downturn in decades.
And Madole, honored last week with the SIR Award from the AGC's Nevada Chapter, takes quiet pride as well in the creation of a school that helps to ensure that the industry has a steady supply of skilled workers to meet future needs.
The 66-year-old Madole was nominated by his peers for the AGC's annual SIR Award, which stands for "Skill, Integrity, Responsibility." Past winners of the SIR award, which originated with the Northern Nevada Chapter AGC in 1967, read like a who's who list of notable northern Nevadans with names such as Lane and Laxalt, Dermody and Dianda, Reed and Raggio, and Pezonella, Reviglio, Helms, Ascuaga, Vucanovich and Tholl.
"It is a real honor in this industry that somebody would think that I made a significant contribution," Madole says. "Most of the accomplishments have been a joint effort."
Though Madole downplays his role, certain achievements stand out, such as the passage of RTC-5 in 2008. The gas tax bonded $250 million worth of work over three years that put several thousand people to work, Madole says.
"That was particularly satisfying, because business was on its way down the same time that passed, and $250 million put a lot of people to work that might not have been working without it."
Another significant accomplishment was the creation of ACE Charter High School, which provides students with a general education as well as education in the construction trades. The school has several hundred students each year.
Madole has seen a lot of changes both in the industry and in the organization he leads during his 40 years of with AGC.
He started with the contractor's group in 1972 when he answered an ad for an assistant manager. In 1989 moved into his current role of executive director.
In those early days, his work ranged from routine office jobs to note-taking during labor negotiations and legislative sessions.
"That was one of the things that was interesting. We were not doing the same thing all the time," Madole says.
Madole doesn't directly lobby as much as he used to, and his role is to process information gleaned from legislative sessions to share with the AGC's 300-plus local members.
The construction business has changed as well no more so than the past four years, which have taken a big bite out of many longtime northern Nevada companies.
"We have seen companies shrink their businesses by 70 percent or more in the matter of six months or a year," Madole says. "A lot of people that used to be predominately northern Nevada now are bidding work in Colorado, Utah, Idaho wherever they can. Very few people are working, and things are tough right now."
Madole says he isn't contemplating retirement, but he knows that day is on the horizon. Looking back, he says that he wouldn't have chosen a different career. And though he's traveled to many parts of the country during his long career, Reno's always been the favorite place to hang his hat.
"I can't think of anything I would have rather done," he says. "You just don't know what you might have found interesting. I was fortunate; I had a good group of people to work for and interesting work."
SIDEBAR
Gerhardt honored
The late Chris Gerhardt, president and co-founder of Gerhardt & Berry Construction was recognized by the Nevada Chapter of Associated General Contractors with its SIR Award last week.
Gerhardt's underground company, established with Ken Berry in 1966, handled many of the difficult sewer and water main construction projects throughout the Truckee Meadows and Northern Nevada.
He quietly contributed to the Boys and Girls Club of the Truckee Meadows and Yerington, as well as the athletic and academic programs at Bishop Manogue High School.
