Safety Luncheon & STEP Awards: Beyond the Hard Hat — Exploring the Connection Between Safety, Well-being and Workforce Success 11/10 HR
SAFETY LUNCH & STEP AWARDS: BEYOND THE HARD HAT — EXPLORING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAFETY, WELL-BEING AND WORKFORCE SUCCESS
Tuesday, November 10, 2026 | 11:00AM – 2:00PM
Safety is more than what happens on the jobsite.
A strong safety culture goes beyond PPE, training, and compliance. It also means understanding the people behind the hard hats—and recognizing the personal, mental, and emotional challenges that can affect their well-being, engagement, and ability to stay safe.
Join ABC Virginia for the 2026 Safety Luncheon & STEP Awards: Beyond the Hard Hat for an engaging conversation about how supporting the whole person can strengthen your safety culture, your workforce, and your organization.
Featured Speaker
Jared Elmquist, Vice President of Field Development, Corporate Chaplains of America
Jared Elmquist works with business leaders across the country to help organizations support their people and strengthen workplace culture. He began his career in construction and residential HVAC, working his way through college before spending a decade working alongside farmers and ranchers. These experiences gave him a firsthand appreciation for the people who perform demanding work every day and the challenges they face both on and off the job.
Today, Jared draws on that experience to help leaders address employee well-being, mental health, workforce engagement, and organizational success. He brings a practical, people-centered perspective to conversations about creating workplaces where employees feel supported and have trusted resources when life gets difficult.
What you’ll take away:
Gain a new perspective on workplace safety.
Explore the connection between employee well-being, mental health, workforce engagement, and safety—and why what happens off the job can have a real impact on the jobsite.
Walk away with practical insights.
Hear real-world stories and strategies for recognizing challenges employees may be facing and creating a workplace where people feel supported and connected.
Strengthen your safety culture.
Consider how your organization can move beyond compliance toward a culture where safety means genuinely caring for the people who make your work possible.
Connect with construction leaders and safety professionals.
Share ideas, experiences, and best practices with peers who are working toward safer jobsites and stronger teams.
STEP Awards: Celebrating Members Who Put Safety First
The luncheon will culminate in the presentation of the 2026 STEP Awards, honoring companies that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to safety through ABC’s STEP Safety Management System. The STEP Awards recognize contractors who go above and beyond to build strong, proactive safety cultures—setting a higher standard for safety performance across Virginia’s construction industry.
Learn More About STEP
Interested in strengthening your company’s safety program or pursuing STEP recognition? Learn more about ABC’s STEP Safety Management System or email Rob Camlin.
SPECIAL NOTE: only ABC-VA members from the Hampton Roads region will be recognized during the STEP awards. Northern VA and Central VA STEP recipients are recognized at their respective ceremonies.
Agenda
11:00 AM — Check-in & Networking
11:30 AM — Lunch
12:00–1:30 PM — Presentation & STEP Awards
1:30 PM — Networking/Departure
Showcase YOUR Safety
Safety Showcase Sponsor $500 — includes vendor display table, two (2) registrations, opportunity to distribute promotional materials, logo/name on marketing materials
Select during online registration or email Meredith Strahan to sponsor!
Sponsors
Additional Details
LOCATION
Chesapeake Conference Center
700 Conference Center Drive, Chesapeake, VA 23320
COST
Members Early Bird – $60
Members (starting 10/19) – $80
Non-Members Early Bird – $100
Non-Members (starting 10/19) – $125
SUBSTITUTION/CANCELLATION POLICY
Substitutions are welcome at any time if the originally registered individual(s) can no longer attend. Please note: a reservation constitutes a financial commitment unless cancellations are made 48 hours in advance.
Questions?
Contact Meredith Strahan