On my most recent trip to Houston for the August PVF Roundtable meetings, I spoke with board member Joe Costanzo about the October meeting, and the great work Ferguson is doing in the industry, and its community.

Danielle Galian: The August meeting is going great; what can you tell us about the big October meeting?  

Joe Costanzo: At the October PVF Roundtable meeting, we’ve got special guest speaker Terry Bradshaw — a former hall of fame football player, Fox News TV commentator, movie star, and celebrity. It will be kind of an unusual meeting as he’s the spokesman for Ferguson Enterprises Industrial Group. We’re excited, and think it will be a lot of exposure for the organization. We think everyone will have great a time listening to a lot of stories about his past.

We’re still able to register attendees, but we’re limited to 800 people. I urge everyone — if they’re planning on coming to the Houston meeting in October — to sign up early, because we think it’s going to be a sellout. 

DG: How has the relationship between Terry Bradshaw and Ferguson been in recent years?

JC: He’s been a good spokesman; he’s got widespread appeal in the construction trade, and sports fans in general.

DG: Does Ferguson do a lot of work for the PVF scholarship fund?

JC: This is our second year contributing; we have contributed $25,000 directly to the scholarship fund. We have always been a big supporter of trades in our industry, and in our local communities as well.

DG: What does that form of giving back mean to Ferguson and Ferguson Cares?

JC: The goal of our Ferguson Cares program is to make a positive impact to strengthen the communities where we live and work.

The areas we support include:

• Education
• Workforce development
• Basic needs (housing, hunger, disaster relief through the American Red Cross within our geographic footprint)
• Military and veteran’s affairs

Homes for our Troops

Ferguson proudly serves as a national partner with Homes for Our Troops (HFOT) to help build mortgage-free, specially-adapted homes for post-9/11 Veterans, who were permanently injured in the line of duty. Explore our partnership with HFOT and watch how this organization gives independence back to those who sacrificed for our country’s freedom.

Other programs we’re involved with include: Feed the Need, where our branches collect food for local food banks and SPCAs; and Project Holiday Joy, where branches collect toys for local charities.

It just supports our industry and the industry that’s made us successful. The scholarship goes directly to students, industrial distribution majors, and it also goes to students on the Gulf Coast that are trying to become welders, pipe-fitters, mill-writers, and other trades. Our industry badly needs those skills, and this helps support that. This really is a game changer for a lot of lives.

To register for the October PVF Roundtable meeting, visit pvf.org.