1990s: BSCAI Celebrates 25th Anniversary, Growth

This is the fourth part of a five-part article from Contracting Profits' BSCAI 50th Anniversary Section.

BSCA International kicked off the 1990s with a celebration recognizing its 25th anniversary. The Annual Convention returned to its birthplace in Washington, D.C., and was christened “Celebrating A Silver Moment Entering A Golden Future.” Past presidents representing more than two decades of leadership returned to not only commemorate how far the association had come, but also revel in the excitement of where the organization, which they helped found and lead, was heading. They correctly surmised that the association would continue to reach new heights during its next 25 years.

Participation in the association swelled during this decade. The 1990s saw some of the largest Annual Conventions, with upwards of 200 exhibitors. Membership surged past 3,000 contractors. To acknowledge its vast membership from outside the United States, the association officially added “international” to its name and put an “I” in its logo.

As the association grew, it recognized that English wasn’t always the primary language of its members. Spanish audio was added to the popular videotape training series and by the decade’s end, seminars at the Annual Convention were also offered in Spanish.

As the convention attendance continued to be more diverse, so did BSCAI’s leadership. In 1995, Lillian Lincoln Lambert, of Centennial One, was sworn in as the first female president. Speaking of presidents, it was during this decade that the presidential term switched to a calendar year rather than from convention to convention. As a result, in 1993, Dan McCormick, of National Building Services & Maintenance, had the unique distinction of being the only nine-month president.