Members: Get to Know Your Industry

See the Duluth-Superior Harbor, Lift Bridge, Canal, and the City as you may not have before – from the deck of the retired Coast Guard Cutter, Sundew.
 

DATE:  Wednesday, July 17th
TIME: Boarding begins at 5:15pm  |  Sundew departs promptly at 5:45pm  |  Return to port at no later than 9:00pm
LOCATION: Pier B Resort on Railroad Street - Duluth, Minn.
TICKET PRICE: $40 per person - Includes dinner, beverages, and cruise
 

Come join MBEX for an evening of fun and comradery aboard the Sundew, a retired Coast Guard Cutter. Space will be limited to the first 150 people who register. No flip flops or heels! Bring a bag chair and polar fleece jacket as it can get chilly on deck while out on the water.

Members, spouses, co-workers, and families are all welcome to attend. However, as much as we love our families, this is not a suitable event for children under 12.
 

Thank you The Builders Group (TBG), Workers' Compensation, for supporting this event.

Join us for a free live online walk-through of our digital platform to learn the basics, refresh yourself on its offered tools, or to explore if our plan room would benefit your business.
 

DATES:
• Thursday, July 18 - Now Open for Registration!
• Thursday, August 15
• Thursday, September 19
• Thursday, October 17

TIME: 9:00am - 10:00am
COST: Free
LOCATION: Online via Zoom
 

From the Deskpad to setting up filters, to project information to bidders lists, this is a one-hour session is a great introduction to our Online Plan Room. There will be time at the end of the presentation for question and answer. Registrants must be signed up by 12:30pm the day before (Wednesday, July 17) to receive Zoom link and other information.

ABOUT THE MBEX ONLINE PLAN ROOM
MBEX's modern and innovative online plan room is designed to bring its members the latest in Minnesota's commercial construction project news and bidding opportunities as well as projects from Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota and South Dakota. MBEX's team of reporters work hard behind-the-scenes to post complete project details along with viewable files (dependent on a members' level of access). They coordinate project details with the architects, engineers, project owners, and construction managers to create a smooth viewing process for members. Once posted, bidders can easily access the project scope, view plans, specs and addenda, download files, order prints and download needed documents. Bidders can also manage email notifications for timely notices of newly posted projects, new filter results, and addenda notifications on tracked projects.

From the simplest of PDF markups to the most complex plan comparisons, Bluebeam Revu can help you finish the job faster. And setting yourself up for success is easier than you think.

DATE:
• Thursday, July 25

TIME: 10:00AM-11:00AM
COST: Free
LOCATION: Online

Curious what it takes to go from a beginner to expert in Revu? Join us on July 25 to learn new tools and tips to simplify your workflows, boost collaboration, and improve overall efficiency. We’ll also reveal some lesser-known timesaving capabilities along the way!

You’ll learn how to: Improve your setup processes to make working and collaborating on documents more seamless, use under-utilized features to simplify marking up a page or even multiple pages at the same time, view, search, and share project markup data quickly and easily, tackle revisions with confidence using a variety of easy-to-use tools.

Join the Minnesota Builders Exchange (MBEX) and the Association of General Contractors (AGC) AGC Leadership Blueprint Alumni for an afternoon of Minnesota Twins AAA baseball when the St. Paul Saints take on the Columbus Clippers (AAA team for Cleveland Guardians). 

DATE: Wednesday, August 7
LOCATION: CHS Field (360 N Broadway St., St. Paul, Minnesota 55101)
TIME: 1:07pm - 4:00pm
COST: $70 per person. Includes game ticket and food. All are welcome!
 

All attendees will be entered in a drawing for one of two Saints jerseys!  Must be present to win.

Aim, pull, and shoot to raise funds for the MBEX Scholarship Fund at this great annual MBEX outdoor event.

DATE: Thursday, August 8, 2024
LOCATION: Game Unlimited Hunting Club (871 County Road E, Hudson, WI 54016)
SCHEDULE:
   •  11:00am - Lunch + Registration
   •  12:15pm - Safety Talk
   •  12:30pm - Shooting Begins
   •   4:00pm - Social + Dinner
   •   6:00pm - Program, Awards + Prizes

COST: $150 per shooter (max. of 6 players per team, min. 4 players) | $170 per shooter after early bird special 
 

Come join MBEX as we aim high and take a shot at an epic day filled with clay-breaking excitement. Whether you're an ace shooter or just looking for a fun afternoon with colleagues and fellow industry professionals, this event is tailor-made for you. Bring your enthusiasm and your team spirit – we'll take care of the rest.

Shooter packages include the clay shoot, a post-shoot social, dinner, awards, and door prizes. Teams may have a maximum of six shooters.

SPONSORSHIPS: A variety of sponsorships are available. Sign up for the sponsorship of your choice using the 'Register Here' button above:

• Station Sponsor:  $150
• Lunch Sponsor:  $250
• Beverage Sponsor:  $250
• Dinner Sponsor:  $300
• Beer Sponsor:  $300
 

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ABOUT THE MBEX SCHOLARSHIP
The Minnesota Builders Exchange Scholarship is a special fund set up by the Exchange, in partnership with The Builders Group (TBG) Education Foundation, to award scholarships to students pursuing a degree in a field directly-related to the construction industry. We thank them for their generosity and support. To date we have given out nearly $300,000 to almost 150 students. 

Tee up to support student scholarships!

DATE: Monday, August 12, 2024
LOCATION: Edinburgh Golf Course (8700 Edinbrook Crossing, Brooklyn Park, MN 55443)
SCHEDULE:  
   •  11:00am - 12:15pm:  Registration + Lunch
   •  12:30pm:  Shotgun Start
   •   6:00pm:  Awards + Dinner

PRICING: $200/golfer ($50 is tax-deductible) Includes: Box lunch, dinner, cart and greens fees.
 

The Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament helps pave the way to a brighter future for students at Dunwoody College of Technology. Your participation and support directly benefits students who might not otherwise be able to attend Dunwoody.

2024 Sponsorship Opportunities: 
   •  Tournament sponsor: $5,000
   •  Eagle sponsor: $2,500
   •  Birdie sponsor: $1,000
   • “19th hole” sponsor: $750
   •  Par sponsor: $500
   •  Door prizes

Check out sponsorship opportunities, and get more information here! 

Say goodbye to the concept of balance and embrace the idea of a fulfilling blend.

DATE: Monday, August 19
TIME: 2:00pm - Workshop | 3:15pm - Happy Hour
LOCATION: Prosperwell Financial (Minnetonka)
COST: Free!
 

Nicole has been a single mother since her daughter was six months old, and her son was two. She learned the art of juggling motherhood and running a business, and she firmly believes that every woman can have it all.

Join us for this POWER workshop where attendees will leave with practical ideas to find that perfect blend of professional and personal that they’re dreaming of. 

What is the MBEX Women's POWER series?
POWER, or Professionals Offering Women Engaging Resources, aims to empower women through educational events tackling the unique challenges they encounter on the job, by fostering connections, and elevating professional and personal journeys. From working on the jobsite, to in-office positions, and everything in-between, each workshop is open for ALL women working in construction to attend. Friends and allies of women in construction are also welcome to join in.

In 2024, the upcoming POWER workshops are revisiting familiar topics from our inaugural line-up, but this time around, each workshop will be guided by the incredible Nicole Middendorf, CEO of Prosperwell Financial and the visionary behind the Live It List.

Who is Nicole Middendorf?
Nicole is a financial expert, a knowledge junkie, a survivor, a single mom, and a born coach. In 2003, she boldly ventured out from Morgan Stanley to establish her own wealth management firm, Propserwell Financial. She’s also the author of five books, as well as a world traveler, a philanthropist, and a pro when it comes to public speaking. She is also the visionary behind the Live It List, a different take on one Bucket List.

Nicole believes the world needs more people—especially women—to be financially savvy, wholly independent, happy and living a life of balance. Through her writing, public speaking, coaching program and work, Nicole wants to be the one who supports them on all levels. Learn more about Nicole Middendorf

Come socialize and network out on the greens in Duluth for what we FORE-see as a great event!

DATE: Wednesday, August 21, 2024
LOCATION: Ridgeview Country Club (700 Redwing Street, Duluth, Minn., 55803)
SCHEDULE:
   •  11:00am - 12:15pm:  Registration + Lunch
   •  12:30pm:  Shotgun Start
   •   5:30pm:  Dinner
   •   6:30pm:  Awards + Prizes

PRICING: Ridgeview Country Club Members - $100/golfer  |  Non-Ridgeview Country Club Members - $175/each
 

Full golf packages include lunch, 18-holes of golf, golf carts, post-golfing social, dinner and a short award program.

Four golfers maximum can be registered for each team. Solo and paired golfers are also welcome to attend (MBEX will handle assigning teams).

SPONSORSHIPS: A variety of sponsorships are available (view them within the registration form).

If you do not see a sponsorship that works for you, please contact Don O' Connor at don@mbex.org or (218) 428-2486. He will work with you to tailor a sponsorship specific to your company's budget and the level of exposure you'd like to achieve at the event.

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This event is co-sponsed by The Builders Group (TBG), Worker's Compensation. We thank them for their support of our programming!

We are excited to announce we have partnered with Troy DeGroot with UChpater2.com to provide the best quality Bluebeam training in the industry.

Don't miss this opportunity to see an introduction to each upcoming course and learning objectives.

DATE: Tuesday, August 27
TIME:  10:30AM-11:30AM CST
LOCATION:  Online
INSTRUCTOR:  Troy DeGroot, UChapter2.com
PRICE:  Free!
 

When it comes to AEC industry software, Bluebeam Revu is one of the most popular quickly growing to over 3 million users worldwide. With functionality for Design Review, Estimating, Collecting Field Data, and others, Bluebeam is not your average PDF software.

Get your questions answered to assure you're in the appropriate courses for your skillset and workflows.

CONSTRUCTION SUICIDE PREVENTION WEEK - ANNUAL EVENT

SAVE THE DATE: SEPT. 9-13, 2024

Every year, during September — National Suicide Prevention Month — the construction industry will dedicate a week to raising awareness about the unique challenges workers face in construction that lead to suicide and what we can do to prevent it. Together, we can save lives.

REGISTER YOUR COMPANY’S PARTICIPATION

Use the resources provided to plan activities with your workers during Suicide Prevention Week, and let them know how you participated. Participating companies will receive an OSHA-recognized, industry-endorsed certificate of participation and badge you can display on your website and social media.

Whether you're opening Bluebeam Revu for the first time, or you've used it for years, this class will ensure a higher baseline knowledge.
 

DATE: Tuesday, September 10
TIME:  10:30am - 12:30pm CST
LOCATION: Online
PRICE: MBEX Member - $110 | Non-MBEX Member - $165
INSTRUCTOR: Troy DeGroot, UChapter2
 

Attendees will learn interface navigation including menu dropdowns, toolbars, various tool panels, keyboard shortcuts and a few recommended settings. While learning various markup and measurement tools, several tips & tricks will be shared to increase speed and accuracy. 

Learning Objectives:
• Interface Navigation
• Calibration & Measurements
• Introduction to the Markups List

About Bluebeam Revu
When it comes to AEC industry software, Bluebeam Revu is one of the most popular, quickly growing to over 2 million users worldwide. With functionality for Design Review, Estimating, Collecting Field Data, and others, Bluebeam is not your average PDF software.

With Revu’s intuitive measurement tools and customizable interface, we can turn your highlighters into a data rich takeoff tools.*
 

DATE: Wednesday, September 11
TIME:  10:30am - 12:30pm CST
LOCATION: Online
PRICE: MBEX Member - $110 | Non-MBEX Member - $165
INSTRUCTOR: Troy DeGroot, UChapter2
 

We’ll start out going through the standard measurement tools and settings, then move into various customization options and discuss the results in the Markups List.

*MANDATORY PRE-REQUIITE: Student(s) must have taken Baseline Basics to enroll in this course.
 

Learning Objectives:
• Introduction to Viewports
• Measurement Tips & Tricks
• Custom Estimating Tools

About Bluebeam Revu
When it comes to AEC industry software, Bluebeam Revu is one of the most popular, quickly growing to over 2 million users worldwide. With functionality for Design Review, Estimating, Collecting Field Data, and others, Bluebeam is not your average PDF software.

Attention Sharpshooters & Clay-Crushers of MBEX!

Get your shotguns locked and loaded. The Minnesota Builders Exchange is proud to present its annual Sporting Clays North, and we can't wait to see you all in action.

DATE: Wednesday, September 11, 2024
TIME: Starts at 3:00pm
WHERE: Old Vermillion Trail (3960 Old Vermillion Trail, Duluth, Minn., 55803)
PRICE: $100 per shooter

Come join MBEX as we aim high and take a shot at an epic day filled with clay-breaking excitement. Whether you're an ace shooter or just looking for a fun afternoon with colleagues and fellow industry professionals, this event is tailor-made for you. Bring your enthusiasm and your team spirit – we'll take care of the rest.

Shooter packages include the clay shoot, a post-shoot social, dinner, awards, and door prizes. Teams may have a maximum of five shooters.

SPONSRSHIPS
Numerous sponsorship opportunities also provide attendees/businesses with yet another exclusive member benefit:

• Dinner Sponsorship - $500 - 3 available
• Beverage Sponsorship - $250 - 5 available
• Station Sponsorship - $100 - 20 available
• Door Prize Donations - increments of $50 - unlimited!

View full sponsorship details within the registration form, and opt-in to the sponsorship of choice along with your team's registration.

Did you know you can export to an Excel spreadsheet, or even link directly to that Excel template file full of formulas you’ve been using for years?*
 

DATE: Thursday, September 12
TIME: 10:30am-12:30pm
LOCATION: Online
PRICE: MBEX Member - $110 | Non-MBEX Member - $165
INSTRUCTOR: Troy DeGroot, UChatper2
 

After finishing the Bluebeam Takeoffs & Estimates (Basics) course, we’ll move into creating custom columns, embedding formulas, and information organization.

*MANDATORY PRE-REQUISITES: Bluebeam 1: Baseline Basics & Bluebean 2: Material Takeoffs & Estimates (Basics)

Learning Objectives:
• Custom Estimating Tools - continued from Material Takeoffs & Estimates (Basics)
• Collecting Rich Data with Custom Columns
• Reports and Exporting Data

About Bluebeam Revu
When it comes to AEC industry software, Bluebeam Revu is one of the most popular, quickly growing to over 2 million users worldwide. With functionality for Design Review, Estimating, Collecting Field Data, and others, Bluebeam is not your average PDF software.

Are your drawings or those from your customers a mess? Gibberish in the Page Labels, no hyperlinks, sheets out of order all combined into one bloated document? In this class you’ll learn a quick workflow to fixing all those pain points and more.*
 

DATE: Friday, September 13
TIME: 10:30am-12:30pm
LOCATION: Online
PRICE: MBEX Member - $110 | Non-MBEX Member - $165
INSTRUCTOR: Troy DeGroot, UChatper2
 

Things like automatically finding and clouding changes on revised sheets and tracking the most current version of each sheet.  This class will not only improve consistency and accuracy in document management, but it will eliminate all the time wasted navigating through drawing sets and wondering who has the latest drawings.

*MANDATORY PRE-REQUISITE: Bluebeam 1: Baseline Basics 

Learning Objectives:
• Creating Hyperlinks to Quickly Navigate Drawings
• Manage Revisions with Batch Slip Sheet
• Find Drawing Changes Automatically

About Bluebeam Revu
When it comes to AEC industry software, Bluebeam Revu is one of the most popular, quickly growing to over 2 million users worldwide. With functionality for Design Review, Estimating, Collecting Field Data, and others, Bluebeam is not your average PDF software.

Learn to create and place custom punch symbols, quickly embed images or videos, and create summary reports.*
 

DATE: Tuesday, September 17
TIME: 10:30am-12:30pm
LOCATION: Online
PRICE: MBEX Member - $110 | Non-MBEX Member - $165
INSTRUCTOR: Troy DeGroot, UChatper2
 

Whether your tracking install progress or running a QA/QC final walk, this class was developed for design and construction professionals in both the office and jobsite looking for ways to build consistency, speed and accuracy of data collection.

*MANDATORY PRE-REQUISITE: Bluebeam 1: Baseline Basics 

Learning Objectives:
• Create and place punch symbols to denote status or deficiencies.
• Embed field images or videos to clearly show site conditions.
• Generate reports integrated directly with document markups.
• See industry examples from your competitors.

About Bluebeam Revu
When it comes to AEC industry software, Bluebeam Revu is one of the most popular, quickly growing to over 2 million users worldwide. With functionality for Design Review, Estimating, Collecting Field Data, and others, Bluebeam is not your average PDF software.

To say thank you for the industry’s support of the TBG Education Foundation over the years, The Builders Group (TBG) is hosting their annual clay shoot with dinner and awards to celebrate the work that has been done for the trades.

DATE: Tuesday, September 17, 2024

LOCATION: Game Unlimited (871 County Road E Hudson, WI 54016 United States)

SCHEDULE:  

   •  1:00pm:  Registration
   •  1:30pm:  Annie Oakley Contest
   •  2:00pm:  Clay Shoot
   •  4:00pm-5:30pm  Awards + Dinner + Highlights

PRICING: $110

Please join us for a fun afternoon of shooting, camaraderie and good times with your friends from around the trades as we continue to raise funds to further the work of the Foundation!

Register individually or in groups up to five. We will gladly pair you with other participants to make teams of five. Gun Rental and Ammo are available for an additional fee. Please let Emily know if you will be purchasing ammo and/or renting a gun.

TBG Education Foundation’s mission is to encourage students to pursue a career in Minnesota’s construction industry. 

Administrative teams have unique document workflows that demand a different set of tools compared to design and construction teams.
 

DATE: Wednesday, September 18
TIME: 10:30am - 12:30pm
LOCATION: Online
PRICE: MBEX Member - $110  |  Non-MBEX Member - $165
INSTRUCTOR:  Troy DeGroot, UChapter2
 

A typical Bluebeam class concentrates on design markups, estimating and collecting field data, but this class is very different! In just two hours you’ll be ready to combine documents, mark for redaction, apply digital signatures and several other important administrative tasks.

Learning Objectives:
• Extracting pages from existing documents
• Use Redaction to quickly clean sensitive information from documents
• Creating and applying digital signatures
• Updating Page Labels
• Applying headers and footers
• Search document text and visual symbols
• Apply stamps
• Flag important content in documents

About Bluebeam Revu
When it comes to AEC industry software, Bluebeam Revu is one of the most popular, quickly growing to over 2 million users worldwide. With functionality for Design Review, Estimating, Collecting Field Data, and others, Bluebeam is not your average PDF software.

About the Instructor: Troy DeGroot
With over 20 years in the industry, Troy DeGroot has cultivated a deep understanding of the requirements of customers, the needs of end users, common goals of management, and the capacities of the technology. He had led many companies through successful software implementations and training. Having served as the BIM Manager for a large multi-discipline engineering firm, he provides a broad understanding of the industry and the evolution of technology. Read Troy's full bio

Yes, there are tools in Bluebeam Revu for Civil Designers and Engineers!
 

DATE: Thursday, September 19
TIME: 10:30am-12:30pm
LOCATION: Online
PRICE: MBEX Member - $110 | Non-MBEX Member - $165
INSTRUCTOR: Troy DeGroot, UChatper2
 

In this class we will go through not only navigation and markups but workflows like Calibrating Plan & Profile drawings with different X-Y scales, ideas for Cut & Fill calculations, combining several PDF’s into one large area map, and adding images. We’ll also look at ideas for bidding and tracking field survey projects. 

Learning Objectives:
• Calibrating X,Y Scales
• Adding Images
• Creating large area maps
• Ideas for Cut/Fill Calculations
• Ideas for Bidding & Tracking Survey Projects

About Bluebeam Revu
When it comes to AEC industry software, Bluebeam Revu is one of the most popular, quickly growing to over 2 million users worldwide. With functionality for Design Review, Estimating, Collecting Field Data, and others, Bluebeam is not your average PDF software.

All construction professionals, regardless of working in the field or in the office, must know how to read blueprints, specs, and construction plans.
 

• DATES: Wednesday, October 3 & Thursday, October 4, 2024
• TIME: 10:30am - 1:30pm CST
• LOCATION: Online via Zoom
• INSTRUCTOR: Troy DeGroot with UChapter2
• PRICING: MBEX Members - $329*  |  Non-MBEX Members - $460
 

Designed to quickly familiarize students with the basics of reading and understanding construction documents, this 2-part online program is perfect for: apprentices, entry-level tradespersons, project coordinators, assistant project managers, new project managers, estimators, specialty sales representatives, entry-level architectural or engineering designers, or anyone in career transition looking for a refresher.

From navigating title block information to combing through specification documents, participants will learn how to navigate a project and understand the material and construction requirements. Learning objectives include an introduction to construction documents, understanding industry document standards, drawing navigation, and the importance of specialty plans.

*Work for a Member Company? That makes *you* an MBEX member and qualifies you for the member pricing. Not sure if your company is an MBEX member? Email Ashlee and she can verify your company's status. 

Meet the Instructor
With over 20 years in the industry, Troy DeGroot has cultivated a deep understanding of the requirements of customers, the needs of end users, common goals of management, and the capacities of the technology. He had led many companies through successful software implementations and training. Having served as the BIM Manager for a large multi-discipline engineering firm, he provides a broad understanding of the industry and the evolution of technology. Read Troy's full bio

Save the date for Construction Inclusion Week 2024!

Become involved and participate by planning your company's and firm's own internal activities.
 

Daily themes for 2024 include:
• Monday, October 14: Commitment & Accountability
• Tuesday, October 15: Belonging
• Wednesday, October 16: Supplier Diversity
• Thursday, October 17: Workplace Culture
• Friday, October 18: Community Engagement
 

Construction Inclusion Week amplifies awareness while celebrating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) throughout the industry to spearhead change. The week provides educational and business resources for the construction industry including office teams, craft and jobsite crews, and industry affiliates. Improvements in the curriculum for this year include live-streamed content, facilitator tools, and more robust curriculum resources.

The construction industry should celebrate and embrace diversity, foster inclusion, and ensure that equity is apparent.