Construction Management Association of America

The Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) is a non-profit and non-governmental, professional association serving the construction management industry. The Association was formed in 1982. Current membership is more than 14,000, including individual CM/PM practitioners, corporate members, and construction owners in both public and private sectors, along with academic and associate members. CMAA has 29 regional chapters.^[1]

Certification

According to the Bureau of Labor statistics, there is a growing movement toward certification of construction managers.^[2] CMAA established a voluntary certification program for construction managers, known as the Certified Construction Manager (CCM) program.The Construction Manager Certification Institute (CMCI)was established by CMAA to oversee the organization's certification program. In 2006, the CCM program was accredited by the American National Standards Institute^[3] which recognizes certification programs for conformity assessment or a "demonstration that specified requirements relating to a product, process, system, person or body are fulfilled."^[4]

The CCM certification requires individuals to possess a requisite amount of experience and/or education. The eligibility requirements are:

1. Forty-eight months' experience as a CM in the qualifying areas as defined by the Qualifications Matrix and 2. One of the following:

• An undergraduate (4-year BA/BS level) or graduate degree in construction management, architecture, engineering or construction science.
• A 2-year undergraduate degree (AA/AS level) or certificate in construction management, architecture, engineering or construction science plus 4 years' experience in general design/construction. (This experience is in addition to the 48-month CM requirement.)
• No degree/certificate in construction management, architecture, engineering or construction science plus 8 years' experience in general design/construction. (This experience is in addition to the 48-month CM requirement.)

In addition, two reference letters from a client or owner are required; they can be from any two projects that a candidate is documenting as part of their 48 month requirement. Finally, the candidate must pass the certification exam.

Most applicants are certified within 4 to 7 months of submitting their applications. The length of time it takes to become certified depends upon how quickly a candidate can submit a complete application including project documentation, how quickly the references respond, and how quickly a candidate can take and pass the CCM exam.

Advocacy

CMAA does host an advocacy program to represent the construction management industry before the United States Congress, federal agencies, state and local governments, and industry stakeholders.^[5] CMAA is active in several industry coalitions, including:

Americans for Transportation Mobility

• The Alliance for Energy & Economic Growth

• The Clean Water Council (CWC)

• The Fair Competition Coalition

• The Infrastructure Security Partnership (TISP)

• National Waterways Alliance

• The Water Infrastructure Network (WIN)

• The Coalition Supporting Access and Choice Through Association Health Plans

• The Construction Industry Coalition Council (CICC)

CMAA has focused on several government and industry issues in recent years such as: the movement to create a National Infrastructure Bank,^[6] SAFETEA-LU or the Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009,^[7] and the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES).^[8]

Leadership

Executive Committee

Ron Price, CCM - Chair Parsons Brinckerhoff

David Conover, CCM - Past Chair HDR, Inc.

Michael Potter, PE, CCM - Chair-Elect RK&K

Bruce D'Agostino, CAE, FCMAA - President & CEO CMAA

Judith Kunoff, AIA, CCM - Secretary/Treasurer MTA New York City Transit Authority

Hugh Webster, Esq. - General Counsel Webster, Chamberlain & Bean

College of Fellows

A designation CMAA awards to certain members who have proven to be industry leaders and "who have made significant contributions to their organizations, the industry and their profession," according to CMAA.^[9] The College of Fellows meet consistently to discuss CM standards and issues facing the profession. The College also produces industry topic white papers and all members are particularly active in the association, often having served as past national presidents or in other leadership roles.

Publications

The association produces several publications, including the Construction Management Standards of Practice which attempts to define the standards and practices of the construction management profession. Other CMAA publications include the CM Advisor, a semi-monthly newsletter, and the CM eJournal which produces annual papers on prominent industry topics.

Events

CMAA hosts two industry events every year for the construction management profession.

CMAA's signature event is its National Conference & Trade Show held every fall.The national conference offers multiple seminars which count toward CCM certification or renewal. The conference also includes an awards ceremony known as the Project Achievement Awards. CMAA designates a panel of judges to evaluate and select entries of projects with the most significant contributions to the construction management industry.^[10]

CMAA's Leadership Forum is held every spring. The Leadership Forum is designed for construction owners, both federal owners, such as the General Services Administration or United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and private owners, such as universities or commercial construction owners.

Since 1999, CMAA has also conducted an annual Owner's Survey of owner attitudes, preferences, needs and expectations across the industry.^[11] The CMAA Owner's Forum seminars and speeches typically focus on the results of this survey.

See also

• List of CMAA Regional Chapters and websites
• Members of the CMAA College of Fellows

External links

• Construction Management Association of America Website
• "CM Certification Rocks Competitive Edge" Engineering News-Record
• "CMAA Releases New Standard For Sustainability, Risk Control" Engineering News-Record
• CM Advisor

References