2025 gave the construction industry much food for thought.
The end of each year gives me an opportunity to reflect on the current year’s performance and look ahead to next year’s opportunities. Construction in 2025 has been a mixed bag—some things have gone just as expected, yet others have left us asking, ‘Can you believe it?’
As I reflect, many events come to mind—but the one I choose to share is the passing of Tim Keating, 2020 national chair of ABC and a dear friend.
Tim’s tenure as the leader of ABC began in 2019 with a well-authored strategic plan intended to take us into the future. A year prior, I was visiting Tim at the R.C. Stevens office in central Florida. On the wall behind his desk, I noticed a beautifully framed white canvas. Naturally, I had to ask: “What is that all about?”
He replied: “This ‘painting’ reminds me that every day is a new day, a blank canvas—and it’s up to me to decide how to paint it.”
I was sold. Tim and I agreed that every day we would work together to make wise choices that painted a beautiful picture for the future of ABC.
As Tim stepped into the chair role in 2020, that blank white canvas idea was foundational. 2020 presented challenges that were completely unique, historically unprecedented and downright scary. Tim was the right man for the job.
We spoke nearly every day, many days multiple times—and I thank God we had Tim’s foundational “blank canvas” framework to guide us.
We lost a great leader when Tim passed earlier this year, but we thank him for the great wisdom he shared for moving forward (excerpted from his national chair acceptance speech): “We have been given this gift, this opportunity, this obligation to live life and do what’s best for our lives. That includes our contributions to an industry we all love, and to do it with enthusiasm—to paint our canvas with the talents God has given us! It is up to each and every one of us to do that same thing each and every day. Every day is a blank canvas, and it’s up to us to paint our own picture of a beautiful life.”
SEE ALSO: PAINT YOUR CANVAS: SUMMARIZING THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND COMMITMENTS OF TIM KEATING
