The Associated General Contractors‘ Oregon-Columbia chapter has named Josh Tompkins as chief executive officer, the organization announced last week. He will begin work by the end of this month.

Tompkins succeeds Mike Salsgiver, who will work with Tompkins during a transition period through the remainder of the year. Salsgiver will retire in January 2027 after 19 years of leading the chapter.

“Mike’s someone I’ve always viewed as a professional mentor,” Tompkins said, noting that he will take advantage of the overlap period to make sure he has all the tools he needs to be successful.

“Josh brings a strong understanding of the intersection between business and public policy, as well as a demonstrated commitment to our industry,” Brandon Flint, president of the chapter’s board of directors, stated in a press release. “T��� board is confident that he will provide steady leadership and build on the chapter’s long-standing work on behalf of our members.”

Tompkins is well-known within the association and has attended a lot of its events, Flint said.

“One of the key factors (in selecting) him was he understands Oregon landscape and can navigate Oregonians,” he said.

Tompkins has experience in business, public policy and regional economic affairs, along with a long-standing connection to AGC’s Oregon-Columbia chapter. Since December, he has served as president/CEO of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce. Past roles include business and talent development manager at Dick’s Auto Group and president of Associated Builders and Contractors‘ Central Texas chapter.

Dick’s Auto Group has been a member of AGC’s Oregon-Columbia chapter since 2017, Tompkins said. The relationship has involved community outreach and sales of vehicles to contractors.

He was also a board member and chair of the AGC chapter’s Professional and Industry Associates Council and vice chair of its Workforce and Professional Development Committee. Tompkins said he has about eight years of experience working with the organization that has provided him with a lot of insight into the CEO role.

“T��� AGC Oregon-Columbia chapter is a very high-performing organization,” Tompkins said, adding that one of his goals as CEO is to maintain that standing.

Other goals, he said, are to ensure members continue to have great experiences as well as dig into workforce development and apprenticeships.

“This is an opportunity I’ve looked at for years as a big career goal,” he said.

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After serving more than 18 years as the chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors‘ Oregon-Columbia chapter, Mike Salsgiver is preparing to retire next January. But he has already begun taking on a new challenge.

Common Sense Institute (CSI), a nonpartisan research organization, announced last week that Salsgiver will serve as its executive director, bringing more than four decades of leadership experience in public policy, economic development, and government affairs to the organization.

Salsgiver has led AGC’s Oregon-Columbia chapter since 2008. Prior to taking that role, he worked in government affairs, public affairs, and economic development. He served the Oregon Department of Economic and Community Development, Intel in Oregon, and U.S. Senator Mark Hatfield.

Though Salsgiver announced his retirement from AGC in January 2025, he is under contract through January 2027.

On Monday, the AGC chapter announced the selection of Josh Tompkins as its next CEO. Tompkins is expected to join the organization in May and then work with Salsgiver during a structured transition period through the remainder of the year.

“My time at AGC has been very gratifying,” Salsgiver said. “Almost 20 years is a long time in a role like this, and I feel very good about the association handing off to my successor.”

Brandon Flint, president of the Oregon-Columbia chapter’s board of directors, said the group is sad to see Salsgiver go and that he has always been a steadfast leader for the construction industry in Oregon.

“He will be dearly missed,” Flint said. “He is a hard person to replace.”

Flint added that his longtime friend has clearly impacted the construction industry.

“You talk construction in Oregon, Mike’s in there somewhere,” he said.

The AGC chapter’s board believes it has found the right person to fill the executive director role and is looking forward to the next generation of leadership, Flint said.

CSI asked Salsgiver whether he would be interested in doing some work for the organization when he retires from AGC, he said. CSI is dedicated to advancing economic opportunity and prosperity through data-driven analysis. He said that AGC has been supporting CSI for a couple of years.

“We’re trying to grow their footprint and establish them more firmly in the Pacific Northwest,” he said.

In his new role, Salsgiver will lead CSI’s efforts to expand its impact through rigorous, data-driven research and analysis, helping inform policymakers, business leaders, and the public on the economic issues shaping Oregon’s future. His background in economic strategy, regulatory policy, and industry leadership positions him to further advance CSI’s mission of promoting economic vitality and free enterprise statewide, the CSI press release states.

Salsgiver will contract work with CSI under his new consultant company Forward Strategies.

“Mike brings a rare combination of public policy expertise, private sector leadership, and deep knowledge of Oregon’s economic landscape,” Cinamon Watson, CEO of Common Sense Institute, stated in the press release. “His experience working across industries and at every level of government will strengthen CSI’s ability to deliver high-quality research and expand our impact in Oregon. We are very excited to have him on board.”

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The “big bill” signed by President Trump on July 4 made conflicting headlines for its sweeping scope. For those working in the built environment sectors, its impact is less about politics and more about how the bottom line will be affected. Layered on top of this is the shifting landscape of tariffs, which continues to add uncertainty even amid clear signals of rising material costs. As tariffs fluctuate or are newly imposed – particularly on steel, lumber and electrical components – cost projections and contract assumptions can quickly become outdated.

With major shifts on the horizon for infrastructure priorities, federal incentives, permitting processes and materials costs, the initial reaction for those in the built environment sector could very easily be to hunker down and wait out the storm. But business development experts will tell you that waiting for certainty is precisely the wrong approach for those who want to grow and thrive. Indeed, rather than “going dark” in hopes of staving off what may seem an impossible chasm, now is the time for organizations to align on positioning at all levels, from leadership to interns, and proactively communicate this positioning with messaging that is consistent, straightforward and transparent.

It’s about more than just beating the drum. Team members, clients, vendors and community partners need assurances that what’s happening now on the policy front may merely be a bump on the road that will not impact the need or significance of the environment being built. Internal and external operational clarity will make way for understanding opportunities that the new legislation might open (like expedited permitting or public land access). The same clarity will lend understanding to past business models that may need to evolve (such as with the rollback of green building incentives).

But here’s the rub: “strategic communication” is often siloed within organizations, which makes it anything but strategic. In the AEC space, it typically sits within marketing or business development, and sometimes even at the project manager level. Ideally, strategic communication should be embedded across all levels of an organization, especially at the leadership table. When it is, those inevitable business pivots become far more streamlined and effective.

Take, for example, a firm considering a new market entry in response to land access changes under the new law. Communication professionals can play a critical role by interpreting the nuances of federal regulatory language and helping leadership understand what’s being communicated. This ensures the entire organization is speaking the same language from the start. As the shift takes place, messaging that aligns with the firm’s mission and identity can be crafted and consistently delivered across all audiences – team members, partners, legislators and the broader community. Consistency and authenticity in this messaging from day one will help ensure that what’s promised in the boardroom matches what’s delivered in the field.

This is about more than creating the right messaging; it’s about gaining advocates, protecting reputation, building consensus and anticipating resistance. In periods of legislative change, a lack of understanding of an organization’s position on the legislation can create ripple effects. Procurement teams may not be aware of changes to sourcing timelines. Estimators may miss a shift in material cost assumptions based on expired tax credits. Superintendents may make on-site calls without fully understanding new project constraints. This is why communication must be treated as infrastructure; it connects every operational layer.

Too often, communication planning is brought in after a major policy shift hits a project, which results in having to operate in crisis mode. Clear and transparent communication is about much more than damage control; while having a thorough crisis communication plan in place is imperative for when an emergency or unplanned change occurs, it needs to be thought of as more than just a safety net. In this significant moment of disruption, and future disruptions that are sure to follow, organizations that treat communication as a strategic function rather than a fallback or support role will be far better positioned to build trust, lead and prosper.

Another example of how the new law will impact the built environment is the rollback of sustainability incentives; this has put mission-driven firms in a bind. So, how do you talk about your commitment to low-carbon building when clients no longer see cost advantages in doing so? The answer lies in reaffirming values without overpromising outcomes. Rather than sidestepping the conversation, organizations can use this moment to be honest about the new challenges and creative about solutions.

“While federal incentives may have changed, our commitment to sustainable design remains as relevant as ever for future generations” is the kind of message that keeps a brand voice intact, even if the bid strategy must adapt. As sustainability goals collide with policy rollbacks, as federal permitting fast-tracks some projects and delays others, and as public resources are reallocated, what a firm says (and doesn’t say) matters for the long run.

Like it or not, proactive messaging around economic and policy volatility must be part of every firm’s playbook right now. Firms must closely track and communicate changes resulting from the new law clearly and promptly, both internally and externally. The risk of not being proactive is both financial and reputational – when surprises hit, trust suffers.

This is a moment to lead by example. Organizations that treat communication as part of their foundation – not merely a façade – will be the ones still standing strong when the next big shift arrives.

Kelliann Amico is the owner of Amico, a strategic communication and public relations firm based in Portland. Contact her at 503-705-6203 or hello@amicopr.com.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed in the preceding commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Daily Journal of Commerce or its editors. Neither the author nor the 91��Ƶ guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein.

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