Mark Buckshon
President, Construction News and Report Group of Companies
I love the summer. While there’s much work to do (especially in construction), there’s also time to kick back, rest, and slow the pace. Certainly, association related voluntary activity eases up, with the exception of the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) convention, which happens in July or August in a different U.S. city, and gives our family a chance to see some American communities close-up. (This year the SMPS conference in August happens in Philadelphia.)
The more restful pace also provides an opportunity to think about the future and the bigger picture. Life moves in cycles, and I’m nearing “retirement age,” though I don’t plan to retire in the sense of stopping work and becoming a couch potato – that can be anything but good for the health. However, my wife and I are planning some extended international vacations in times that would normally be associated with heavy duty work; which means we must move forward with our business transition and succession processes.
I’ll also enjoy a brief visit in September to technology’s mother ship, Google, in Mountain View, CA.
Undoubtedly, the media business has been rocked by technological and market changes greater than the construction industry. These changes, where artificial intelligence, Building Information Modeling (BIM) augmented reality, and even “printing buildings” with concrete or plastic, are certainly influencing business practices and processes. I think if you haven’t given priority to understanding these issues, you will experience serious challenges in the next few years.
Finally, because of the influence of one of our company’s oldest clients, Robert Merkley of Merkley Supply Ltd., I’m preparing for the annual 100K plus The Ride cycling event to fund cancer research at The Ottawa Hospital in early September. I now commute by bicycle most summer days the 15 plus km. each way to my office. It’s generally a healthy experience, though as I gain experience – and speed – I’m hitting a few bumps and have some scrapes to heal.
If you’d like to support the cause (and of course receive a tax receipt) you can make your contribution through the Ottawa Hospital portal here: https://goo.gl/Gzoxby.
