Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc., Cumberland Valley Chapter

ABC is the only national association devoted exclusively to the merit shop philosophy, we are a nonprofit organization. As early of 1957, just 7 years after establishment of National ABC, six contractors met in an informal setting at the Tortuga Restaurant in Hagerstown to discuss establishing a Western Md. Chapter. That meeting, attended by Roy Danzer, Bob Lakin, Norman Earley, Garney Gehr, Jack Barr and Jack Lecron resulted in a commitment to move forward. On April 15, 1958 seventy four members and guests of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Maryland met in Hagerstown and decided to form a new chapter for the Frederick and Hagerstown area. The regional meeting of the group was the first combined gathering of the many new members in the Frederick and Hagerstown area. It was addressed by Earle K. Shawe, Labor Relations Counsel for ABC, and Larry Best, President of ABC. The highly successful meeting was arranged by a committee consisting of Mr. Danzer, Albert Cohen of Frederick Construction, Arthur Chambers of Arthur Chambers & Son, Leslie F. Earley of Norman S. Earley & Son, E.D. Plummer of E.D. Plummer & Sons, John E. Lockron of Bonded Applicators of Maryland, Inc. and Robert E. Lakin of J.B. Ferguson & CO., Inc. Formal organization of the Western Maryland Chapter of the Associated Builders & Contractors Inc. was completed at a meeting in Hagerstown on July 11, 1961. The group headed by such Hagerstown enthusiasts, as Jack Barr, John Leckron, Les Earley and Bob Lakin had felt strongly for the need of a formal organization to combat the many problems facing our industry. In 1964 our name was officially renamed to reflect the diverse area the chapter covered in Western Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia and was officially chartered and incorporated.