ResourcesAGC Surety Bonding & Construction Risk Management Conference 2026 | Complete Attendee PlaybookAGC Surety Bonding & Construction Risk Management Conference 2026 | Complete Attendee Playbook
Maximize Your AGC Surety Bonding & Construction Risk Management Conference 2026 Experience
From January 26–28, 2026, construction risk, surety, and insurance leaders will meet at Sunseeker Resort on Charlotte Harbor, Florida, for AGC’s Surety Bonding & Construction Risk Management Conference.
If you work in construction risk, surety, legal, or executive leadership, this isn’t a generic industry event.
It’s a working session with people who live the same problems you do: capacity constraints, complex projects, shifting contracts, and a risk landscape that refuses to sit still.
TrustLayer will be on-site, joining receptions and talking with teams about COIs, compliance automation, and the realities of running risk programs.
We’re not here to tell you where to register. We’re here to help you use the conference well.
This guide covers:
- How the conference is structured (and when you should actually arrive).
- What to expect from pre-conference meetings and the golf tournament.
- How to choose where to stay at or near Sunseeker.
- Where to network, unwind, and have honest conversations.
- What to do around Charlotte Harbor and Punta Gorda if you come in early or stay late.
- How to turn three days of content into real, post-event ROI.
Why This Conference Matters
AGC positions this event as “where risk leaders learn, share, and connect.” That isn’t marketing fluff.
The agenda is built around:
- Advanced sessions on surety, insurance, contracts, claims, and compliance
- Live case studies with real projects and actual outcomes.
- Peer-driven solutions and cross-functional perspectives.
- Time deliberately carved out for networking, shared meals, and reception conversation.s
Who you’ll see:
- In-house risk managers and lawyers for national and regional contractors.
- Surety underwriters and brokers.
- Insurance executives and claims leaders.
- Environmental managers and project executives.
- Outside counsel and consultants living in the construction trenches.
If your work touches risk, contracts, or capital, this is where your peers will be in late January.
Step 1: Decide When You Should Actually Arrive
Technically, the main conference runs Monday evening through Wednesday at noon. Practically? The real action starts Sunday.
Sunday: Golf and Early Networking
William H. “Bill” Ratz Memorial Golf Tournament – Aileron Golf Club
- Shotgun start at midday
- Supports the AGC Education & Research Foundation
- Designed as a relaxed setting to meet sponsors, contractors, and risk leaders before the formal content begins
If you like golf—or you just want an early read on who’s in the room—arriving Sunday positions you ahead of the crowd.
Monday Daytime: Contractor-Only Pre-Conference Meetings
Before the 5 p.m. welcome reception, AGC runs three concurrent, contractor-only pre-meetings:
- In-house lawyers.
- In-house risk managers.
- In-house environmental managers (new for 2026).
These sessions:
- Keep attendance capped so conversations can go deep.
- Create a safe space to talk through “here’s what’s really happening on our jobs.”
- Pull all three groups together for shared meals and networking breaks.
If you’re sending a team, the ideal mix is law + risk + environmental so you’re hearing the same conversations from different angles.
Monday Evening: Welcome Reception
At 5:00 p.m. Monday, the formal conference kicks off with a welcome reception open to all attendees. It is:
- Your first chance to see who’s in the room
- A low-pressure space to start conversations before the heavy content begins
- One of the best places to make your first few “anchor” connections
Step 2: Understand How the Content Flows
You do not need to memorize every agenda item, but you should know how each day will go.
Tuesday: Big Picture + Deep Dive Breakouts
Expect:
- An opening general session on economic and market trends in construction, surety, and insurance
- Rotating blocks of breakout sessions where you can choose from multiple tracks at once
- Topics like litigation trends, data centers, PFAS and environmental risk, schedule risk, IDI, SDI, ADR, data quality, and AI/technology decisions
- Built-in networking breaks, breakfast, lunch, and an evening reception
The structure is: big-picture framing, then very specific sessions where you can sit with problems you actually have on your desk.
Wednesday: Legal, Coverage, and Strategy Wrap-Up
Wednesday mornings center on:
- Concurrent general sessions (coverage decisions, ADR trends, etc.)
- Final blocks of breakout sessions (surety maxims, joint ventures, E&S markets, defect damages, SDI claims, and more)
You’ll leave with:
- Clearer understanding of how courts are reading coverage.
- Better language to use in contracts and negotiations.
- New ideas for how to structure programs and partnerships.
Step 3: Where to Stay – Sunseeker and Nearby Options
You do not have to overcomplicate your hotel decision, but it’s worth understanding the tradeoffs.
Sunseeker Resort – Headquarter Hotel
Sunseeker is the center of gravity for the conference:
- All core conference activities are on property.
- Waterfront views on Charlotte Harbor.
- Multiple restaurants, bars, a food hall, pools, and a full spa/fitness setup.
- Easy to move between sessions, side meetings, and receptions without ever leaving the resort.
Sunseeker is where the earliest breakfasts and latest lobby conversations happen.
Alternative Hotels in Punta Gorda
If Sunseeker is full or you prefer a quieter base:
- Four Points by Sheraton Punta Gorda Harborside – walkable to downtown, waterfront views
- SpringHill Suites by Marriott Punta Gorda Harborside – all-suite option, easy access to restaurants
Both are a short drive from Sunseeker and put you closer to Punta Gorda’s local restaurant and bar scene.
Step 4: Make Networking Count
This conference is deliberately built for peer conversations, not just one-way lectures.
High-Value Networking Windows
- Sunday golf reception at Aileron Golf Club.
- Monday pre-meeting meals and breaks (if you’re in the contractor-only groups).
- Monday and Tuesday evening receptions.
- Breakfast and coffee lines each morning.
- Lobby bars and hotel lounges at Sunseeker and the Harborside hotels.
How to Approach It
- Come with one big challenge you’re trying to solve this year—schedule risk, SDI claims, AI investments, you name it.
- Ask other attendees, “What’s actually working for you on this?” instead of “What do you do?”
- Swap LinkedIn info on the spot and jot one sentence about your conversation in your notes.
TrustLayer will be in those same hallways and receptions. If you spot us, ask about:
- How to get clean COI and license data from subs without chasing.
- What “good” compliance visibility looks like across projects.
- How other contractors are moving from spreadsheets to automated workflows.
Step 5: What to Do Around Charlotte Harbor and Punta Gorda
You’re on the Gulf Coast in January. It’s worth building in some time to breathe.
On the Water
- Harbor walks near Sunseeker – grab coffee and walk along the waterfront before sessions
- Boat tours or sunset cruises – many leave from the Punta Gorda area; perfect for small groups or team outings
Think of Charlotte Harbor as your decompression zone—where the conference conversations keep going, but the tone loosens up.
Step 6: Turn Conference Time into Real ROI
Three days at AGC is a significant investment. The return depends on what you do once you leave Sunseeker.
Build a Simple Post-Event Plan
Within 48 hours of getting home:
- Send connection requests to everyone you met, with a short note about your conversation.
- Share 3–5 key insights with your internal team—one slide is enough.
- Identify one contract change, one coverage question, and one operational improvement you want to act on in Q1.
- Schedule follow-up calls with any vendors, brokers, or partners you want to dig in with.
If one of those improvements is getting out of COI spreadsheets, you can also:
- Try TrustLayer Starter (free for small teams).
- Or book a broader TrustLayer demo.
Why TrustLayer Belongs in Your AGC 2026 Conversations
Every session at this conference is a reminder that risk lives in the details—terms, exclusions, endorsements, documentation, and execution.
What often slows teams down isn’t lack of knowledge. It’s manual, scattered processes:
- Chasing subs for certificates and endorsements.
- Tracking expirations in spreadsheets.
- Digging through shared drives during claims or audits.
TrustLayer helps construction teams:
- Automate COI, license, and W-9 collection.
- Keep real-time visibility into vendor compliance.
- Reduce manual follow-up and email chains.
- Stay audit-ready without a scramble.
If you want to talk about what that looks like in your world, you can grab time with us during or after the conference.
Frequently Asked Questions:: AGC 2026
Where is the conference held?
At Sunseeker Resort on Charlotte Harbor in Port Charlotte, Florida.
When are the main conference dates?
The main program runs from Monday evening, January 26, through Wednesday, January 28, 2026, with golf and pre-conference meetings beginning Sunday and Monday daytime.
Who typically attends?
Contractors, in-house risk managers and lawyers, environmental managers, surety professionals, insurers, brokers, outside counsel, and other construction risk leaders.
Are there pre-conference meetings?
Yes. AGC hosts contractor-only meetings for in-house lawyers, risk managers, and environmental managers during the day on Monday, plus an SFAA pre-meeting for surety company members.
Is there a golf outing?
Yes. The William H. “Bill” Ratz Memorial Golf Tournament at Aileron Golf Club runs Sunday afternoon and benefits the AGC Education & Research Foundation.
Will TrustLayer have a booth?
No formal booth this year. Our team will be attending sessions, receptions, and networking events. If you see us on the floor, stop us to talk about COI automation and compliance workflows.
Is there a free way to try TrustLayer?
Yes. TrustLayer Starter is free for small teams that want to automate vendor COI tracking without a heavy implementation:
Make Your AGC 2026 Trip Count
You’re not just going to another conference. You’re stepping into a room full of people wrestling with the same risks, contracts, and decisions you are.
Arrive a little early. Plan your sessions. Use the receptions and hallways. Take a walk on the water. Then go home with ideas—and a plan—to make your projects more predictable.
If you want compliance and COI workflows that match the level of thinking at this conference, schedule time with TrustLayer.
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