named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
DEP Working Group
Collaborates with NYC Environmental Protection on water, sewer, and wastewater infrastructure projects, addressing technical and regulatory issues
Labor Relations Committee
Negotiates collective bargaining agreements, co-manages benefit funds, and fosters collaborative relationships between member contractors and signatory unions
Law & Legislation Committee
Advocates for regulatory reform, opposes costly legislation like the Scaffold Law, and promotes policy solutions in Albany, City Hall, and Washington D.C.
NYC DOT Working Group
Addresses urban construction challenges with NYC Department of Transportation, focusing on permitting, traffic control, and project phasing
NYS DOT Working Group
Engages with New York State Department of Transportation on bidding, specifications, and capital programs to improve project delivery
Penn Station Working Advisory Group (SWAG)
Provides construction industry input to Amtrak on the redesign and expansion of Penn Station to improve safety, capacity, and passenger flow
Safety Committee
Leads safety initiatives including Safety Week, Construction Suicide Prevention Month, and OSHA StandDown events to improve worker safety and well-being
activities · 8 groups
What they do
-
Transportation Policy Advocacy & Infrastructure Reform 1 activity
- Advocacy for infrastructure investment and policy reformAdvocates for increased infrastructure funding, regulatory streamlining, and legislative reforms such as modernization of New York’s Scaffold Law and federal investment in water, wastewater, and rail systems. Engages policymakers in City Hall, Albany, and Washington D.C., and participates in coalitions including Build More New York, Clean Water Construction Coalition, and the Coalition for the Northeast Corridor.
-
-
Construction Industry Professional Development & Networking 1 activity
- Member networking and engagement eventsOrganizes networking events, outings, and industry-specific meetings for member firms to foster collaboration and professional connections within the heavy civil construction sector.
-
-
Labor-Management Cooperation Forums 1 activity
- Negotiation and representation in labor relationsRepresents member general contractors in collective bargaining negotiations with partner unions, grievance hearings, and arbitration proceedings. Also serves as trustee on various benefit funds and assists members with industry issues related to union contracts in the New York metropolitan area.
-
-
Member-Exclusive Resource Access 1 activity
- Provision of industry information and operational supportProvides members with timely, industry-specific resources including bidding opportunities, wage rates, union agreements, arbitration decisions, work rules, and holiday schedules to support daily operations and compliance.
-
-
Economic and Financial Research 1 activity
- Research and publication on infrastructure policyConducts and publishes research on critical infrastructure challenges, including the report "The Invisible Tax of Inaction," to inform policy discussions and public understanding.
-
-
Union-Affiliated Trade Apprenticeship & Training 1 activity
- Safety training and promotion programsDelivers hands-on and classroom safety training to member firms and employees, and participates in national and industry-wide safety initiatives such as Safety Week, Construction Suicide Prevention Month, and OSHA's National Safety StandDown to Prevent Falls in Construction.
-
-
Industry-Specific Student Scholarships and Competitions 1 activity
- Workforce development through scholarships and internshipsFunds civil engineering scholarships via the John F. Donohoe Scholarship Fund, awarding over $1 million since 2009, and provides summer internships with member companies to hundreds of students pursuing careers in civil engineering.
-
-
Uncategorized 1 activity
- Promotion of member construction projectsFeatures completed and ongoing construction projects from member firms on its website, highlighting major developments such as One Vanderbilt and LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B transformation.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$4.53M
Contributions & grants$234K5%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$217K5%
Other revenue$4.08M
expenses
Total expenses$4.24M
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$1.86M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$7.50M
Cash$240K
Investments$4.86M
Liabilities$5.76M
Net assets$1.74M
Liquid reserves14.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +10.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 6
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROBERT G WESSELS | SECRETARY/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 39 | $586K |
| WILLIAM TYSON | DIRECTOR, LABOR RELATIONS | 40 | $238K |
| DONALD RANSHTE | DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS | 40 | $230K |
| JOHN MURRAY | DEPUTY DIRECTOR, LABOR RELATIONS | 40 | $193K |
| CHRIS BOYLAN | DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENTAL & STRATEGIC | 40 | $154K |
| JUAN PACHECO | IT MANAGER | 40 | $141K |
board members · 19
- ALFONSO PEREZ — DIRECTOR
- CHRISTOPHER ADAMS — DIRECTOR
- DANIEL PETERSEN — DIRECTOR
- EVARETT CRUZ — DIRECTOR
- HEYMI KURIEL — DIRECTOR
- JACK TOBIN — DIRECTOR
- JAMES MARQUARDT — DIRECTOR
- JAMES MORIARTY JR — DIRECTOR
- JESSE OTTESEN — PRESIDENT
- JOHN CIVETTA — DIRECTOR
- JORGE MONTEIRO — DIRECTOR
- JOSEPH ASCOLESE — DIRECTOR
- JOSEPH SHEEHAN — DIRECTOR
- KENNETH DURKIN — TREASURER
- LEON JACOBS — FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
- MATHER DEGREGORIS — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL A CAPASSO — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL ATTARDO — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL CASELLA — DIRECTOR
relationships · 35
Who they work with
- American Public Transportation Association Partner — Collaborates to influence national transit policy and support MTA advocacy in New York.
- American Road & Transportation Builders Association Partner — Partners to advance federal transportation policy and gain access to research and regulatory engagement.
- Amtrak Partner — Agency the GCA engages with as part of its government relations program.
- Better Way to LGA Coalition Coalition — Participated in coalition advocating for improved transit access to LaGuardia Airport via the AirTrain LGA project.
- Build Gateway NOW Coalition Coalition — Member of coalition advocating for the Gateway Program to modernize critical rail infrastructure between Newark and New York.
- Build More New York Coalition Coalition — Active participant in statewide coalition advocating for reform of New York’s Scaffold Law.
- Capital Reform Task Force Partner — Agency or task force the GCA works with through its government relations and advocacy efforts.
- Clean Water Construction Coalition Network — Member of national alliance advocating for increased federal investment in water and wastewater infrastructure.
- Coalition for the Northeast Corridor Partner — Partners to advocate for sustained federal investment and modernization of the Northeast Corridor rail system.
- Comptroller Prevailing Wage Council Partner — Agency the GCA works with through its government relations and regulatory engagement activities.
- DDC Partner — Agency the GCA works with through its government relations and regulatory engagement activities.
- DEP Partner — Agency the GCA engages with as part of its government relations program.
- Dragados USA Partner — Member firm involved in advancing the AirTrain and related infrastructure at LaGuardia Airport.
- Halmar International Partner — Member firm that supported Skanska USA in the Terminal B redevelopment at LaGuardia Airport.
- John Civetta & Sons Partner — Member contractor that executed the foundation and excavation work for the One Vanderbilt project under the association's framework.
- John F. Donohoe Partner — Former GCA president honored through the establishment of the John F. Donohoe Scholarship Fund.
- John F. Donohoe Partner — Fund named in honor of John F. Donohoe supporting civil engineering students.
- Kiewit Infrastructure Partner — Member firm involved in advancing the AirTrain and related infrastructure at LaGuardia Airport.
- Lane Construction Partner — Member firm involved in advancing the AirTrain and related infrastructure at LaGuardia Airport.
- MTA Partner — Agency the GCA works with through government relations and advocacy efforts, including pushing for full funding of its Capital Program.
- Metropolitan Transportation Authority Partner — Coordinates through the MTA Working Group on complex transit, rail, and bridge projects across the region’s transportation network.
- NYC Parks Partner — Agency the GCA engages with as part of its government relations program.
- NYS/NYC DOT Partner — Agency the GCA works with, including advocacy for increased capital funding in the 2025 budget.
- New York City Department of Design and Construction Partner — Collaborates through the DDC Working Group to improve public project delivery processes, procurement methods, and administrative workflows.
- New York City Department of Transportation Partner — Engages through the NYC DOT Working Group to address operational and logistical challenges in building transportation infrastructure in New York City.
- New York City Environmental Protection Partner — Works through the DEP Working Group to address technical demands of water, sewer, and wastewater treatment construction in New York City.
- New York City Parks Partner — Engages through the NYC Parks Working Group on construction in parks, playgrounds, and public open spaces, addressing design and logistical challenges.
- New York Road & Infrastructure Coalition Coalition — Member of coalition of trade associations and unions advocating for transportation and infrastructure funding in New York State.
- New York State Department of Transportation Partner — Collaborates through the NYS DOT Working Group on statewide transportation policies, construction standards, and capital programs.
- PANYNJ Partner — Agency the GCA engages with as part of its government relations program.
+ 5 more
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Coalition-Based Advocacy to Amplify Influencemethodology: coalition-based_advocacyBy coordinating with trade associations and coalitions, the organization advances infrastructure policy priorities, because collaborative advocacy increases collective influence on public decision-making and regulatory outcomes.
- Collective Bargaining for Labor Stabilitymethodology: collective_bargaining_representationBy negotiating labor agreements on behalf of member firms through unified representation, the organization improves labor relations and contractual stability, because collective action strengthens leverage and alignment between contractors and unions.
- Member-Driven Working Groups for Targeted Engagementmethodology: working-group-engagementBy using small, member-led working groups and subcommittees, the organization facilitates direct engagement with regulators, because structured, expert-driven collaboration produces more effective policy input and regulatory alignment.