September 6, 2019
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A Pile of News September 2019
A briefing on news and information from the pile driving contractors, associated manufacturers and suppliers and affiliated engineers who comprise the PDCA.
by Matt Bisbee, PDCA |
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| Look who we know - Cyber-bullied in Beaumont - True Patriot to deploy - #GruberStrong |
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Heavy hitters meet heavy machinery: Politicians like hitting the hard hat circuit; here's a look at recent VIP visits to PDCA members. Maine Gov. Janet Mills signed three bills at Cianbro's 40,000-panel solar generation project. Nucor's Darlington, SC steel mill marked 50 years of operation with an onsite celebration; Gov. Henry McMaster, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette, Sen. Hugh Leatherman and Reps. Jay Lucas and Robert Williams attended. Hawaii Gov. David Ige was at the groundbreaking for a big development involving the Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company. State Sen. Thomas H. Kean Jr. addressed staff at Hoffman Equipment in Piscataway, NJ. French President Emmanuel Macron greeted the team in the Liebherr booth at a Paris exhibition.
History lesson: The late Missouri Congressman Champ Clark served as U.S. Speaker of the House 100 years ago. This summer, Kansas City's Massman Construction completed the new Champ Clark Bridge (ahead of schedule) connecting Louisiana, MO to Illinois via U.S. 54 over the Mighty Mississippi. Henry Massman spoke at the ceremony where Louisiana Mayor Marvin Brown cut the ribbon.
You lock your front door, right? Protecting your data is just as important as securing your office. Too often, we hear about data breaches at major companies. Cyberattacks can happen to anyone; Mason Construction in Beaumont, TX was a victim over the summer. Scammers posed as Mason employees, then solicited money and offered jobs to their social media users. This created needless headaches for the contractor. Consult an IT professional today to secure your data, a PSA from PDCA.
Not just a name, it's a culture: The entire PDCA community joins Patriot Construction and Industrial in Duson, LA in sending prayers to Civil Estimator Paul Glakler, an Army National Guard helicopter pilot, as he deploys for active duty this month.
To all our friends and colleagues at Goettle, we are thinking of you. #GruberStrong |
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| Events and News from PDCA and the Chapters |
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Welcome CDG, LLC of Alexandria, LA, the first company to join PDCA in the New Member Drive; Sam Gassiot enrolled online within 30 minutes of the campaign launch. Invite your friends to PDCA!
Sept. 6, PDCA of the Northeast Chapter holds its annual Membership Drive.
Sept. 11-13, PDCA hosts Deep Foundation Dynamic Testing and Analysis (DFDTA) in Cleveland.
Nov. 4-6, PDCA offers the 20th Annual Design and Installation of Cost-Efficient Piles (DICEP) Conference, also in Cleveland. Visit us online for further details and registration.
Everyone says it's better to live in the present, but PDCA wants you to think about the future! We have already confirmed dates and locations for the 2020 annual conference and the 2020 DICEP program. With all that preparation, we better see you there!
It's time for weekend tailgates; deer season and cooler weather are close behind. Get your stainless steel cup, camo hat, quarter-zip pullover and more PDCA logo merchandise at The PDCA Store.
The PDCA of South Carolina Chapter held their 3rd Quarter Dinner Meeting on August 6.
The PDCA Gulf Coast Chapter hosted its Quarterly Dinner Meeting on August 22, also, they announced the "PDCA Engineers Conference" coming up October 24.
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| Acquisitions, Transitions, Elevations and Recognitions... |
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An entry-level project engineer in 2000 is the next CEO for McCarthy Holdings, congrats Raymond Sedey on his elevation; other moves at the company, Colleen Martindale named estimating director for the Heavy Civil, Marine and Industrial Business Unit, Corey Lewis rejoins that team and Chris Kelly promoted to project director. McHugh Construction transitions Ryan Keane to VP Nashville. Meredith Keyes is the new CFO at S&ME Inc. Junttan names Demis Petridi Russia sales manager. Ronnie Browning promoted to dir. supply chain management at American Cast Iron Pipe Company in South Carolina. Bruce Riegel, PE named Hardesty & Hanover West Trenton, NJ office manager. GZA Environmental appoints Benjamin Alter co-chair of its Environmental Site Investigation technical practice.
Katie Spear of i+iconUSA receives MCA Internal Communications Merit Award from Pittsburgh SMPS.
Kiewit's female professionals in Kansas City won the Corporate Hero STEMMy Award from Central Exchange in celebration of women in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine.
Manson Construction Co. snags two notable recognitions; winners of the 2018 AEU Safety Award and the ASBPA Award for Nation's Best Restored Beaches.
Tom Abkemeier, VP at Shannon & Wilson, earns induction to Missouri S&T Academy of Civil Engineers.
Myrrh Caplan of Skanska receives Volunteer Leadership Award-Member of the Year from the U.S. Green Business Council Capital Region.
Is there room for cake? Several PDCA members celebrate significant birthdays this year, most notably Blakeslee Arpaia Chapman, Inc. in Branford, CT which marks an unrivaled 175 years in business! Also, Cianbro of Pittsfield, ME reaches 70 years in business; Spark Contractors of Dorothy, NJ celebrates 60 years; the pride of Irondale, AL Morris Shea turns the big 5-0; Sun Pile Foundations, Inc. of Frankford, DE is 45; and PND Engineers in Anchorage, AK celebrates 40 years (commemorative PND birthday art). |
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Aldridge Electric volunteers in Libertyville, IL pack 31,320 meals for Feed My Starving Children.
Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc. breaks an event record by raising more than $115,000 for several Central Pennsylvania non-profit organizations at their 28th Annual Charity Golf Outing.
Geotechnology, Inc. in St. Louis raised $1,500 for the Children's Hospital during KIDstruction Week; their team in Memphis donated supplies to its local STEM partner elementary school.
GZA GeoEnvironmental cyclists raise $33,000 to fight cancer in Pan-Mass Challenge.
Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction hosted the 6th Annual BBQ for the Homeless in Draper, UT. Their Colorado team joined The American Cancer Society to fight pediatric cancer at The Big Dig.
Attention North Dakota artists S&B Drilling, LLC says the deadline is September 10 if you want to submit your work for potential display at the new Williston Basin International Airport.
Simpson & Brown contributed to the transformation of Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, NJ into a 98% solar powered facility, a remarkable renewable energy effort.
Skanska supports STEM; they hosted Girls Inc. of Lynn EUREKA! STEM at a Massachusetts seaside development. Also, they participated in Nashville's Play Like a Girl STEM Field Day.
Veit &Company in Rogers, MN conducted mock interviews for the Minnesota Trades Academy during an event designed to familiarize students with careers in construction trades. |
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Fun Facts from the Field (or are they from the
marketing office?) |
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Because we appreciate creative marketing, we are compelled to pass along some not-ready-for-prime-time nuggets uncovered while compiling this month's A Pile of News. Example: AET Inc. in St. Paul, MN gives AETees at golf outings. Maybe you'll win an obscure trivia contest after reading this final section.
Flexicore of Texas manufactured and delivered the largest prestressed concrete piles in its 66-year history. The 24" x 135' piles were made in Houston and delivered to Galveston. That's a load of pile! (Sorry guys, we used the 'bigger in Texas' cliché for Lodge Lumber last month.)
Marketers are hawkish about branding efforts and "owning" a color is paramount. New Jersey-based RPI Construction Equipment is calling dibs on blue! They've already started painting the equipment; to the other "blue" wannabe's, be advised to find a different color. (Nice photobomb, MKT Manufacturing!).
According to Valard Construction, it is the 5th largest purchaser of Ford trucks in Canada. They paint them blue. (We will monitor relations between RPI and Valard for any branding color struggles.)
Finally, R.L. Wadsworth has paved more than 4,000,000 square yards of concrete in the past five years. They believe this could pave every NFL football field in America 20 times. Let's hope they don't though, football head injuries are a serious concern. With that, hope your team has a great season! |
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| If your company has news to share with the pile driving industry, please email matt@piledrivers.org. We look forward to distributing your unique stories, personnel changes, charitable efforts and recognitions. Remember to include the hashtag #PDCADriven on all of your driven pile-related social media posts se we can follow along and share. |
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Our mailing address is:
33 Knight Boxx Rd., Suite 1
Orange Park, Fla. 32065 |
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Posted in A Pile of News PDCA Monthly e-newsletter.
August 22, 2019
Educational Material, Logo Items Available in New PDCA Store
Jacksonville, FL (August 22, 2019): Offering a diverse mix of proprietary best practices guides and unique logo merchandise, The PDCA Store is now live online with 24-hour availability. The newly-conceived Association retail endeavor supports the 2019 Strategic Plan plank that calls for increased visibilty, it provides the non-profit organization another revenue stream and it makes available an inventory of useful items for businesses involved in deep foundation construction.
Some of the noteworthy items available in The PDCA Store including three proprietary Guides to steel sheet piling (Installation, Corrosion and Retaining Wall Cost Comparison), a Commemorative 2019 Annual Conference stainless steel coaster trimmed in leather, logo shirts and hats, and an Arctic Mug among other things. See the full store with pricing at the following link:
https://secure.piledrivers.org/shop/
The PDCA Store debuted at the 2019 Annual Conference in a physical space (pictured). Since that time, a similar version of the store has travelled to PDCA Chapter events. In August, it became live online offering convenience to shoppers. Watch for announcements from the Association that give you the chance to win PDCA Bucks, redeemable at the online store. And don't forget to include #PDCADriven on your social media posts to be awarded these coupons in random, monthly drawings.
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August 16, 2019
PDCA Launches New Member Campaign
Incentives available for companies that enroll before January
Jacksonville, FL (August 16, 2019): In accordance with the PDCA 2019 Strategic Plan, the 25-year old trade organization is conducting an aggressive New Member Campaign to close out the year. Contracting companies involved in deep foundation construction, associated industry manufacturers and suppliers, and engineers who practice in geotechnical design are encouraged to join PDCA through an online campaign. Those who enroll as dues-paying members for 2020 before December 31st will be afforded incentives such as limited free membership time and additional perks. The PDCA offers it's members numerous professional development opportunties, marketing resources, communications outlets, industry leadership roles, enhanced business development and regional/national networks. There is a special, online enrollment form for entities considering joining PDCA at this time; please visit this link https://secure.piledrivers.org/special-offer-join-pdca/.
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August 15, 2019
The Pile Driving Contractors Association of the Gulf Coast has announced that it will be conducting the "PDCA Engineers Conference" on October 24, 2019 at Parc 73 in Prairieville, LA. The day-long event begins READ MORE
Posted in Chapter News.
August 9, 2019
(Charleston, SC): The nomination process is now open as the PDCA South Carolina Chapter works to fill vacancies on its Board of Directors for the calendar year 2020. Interested parties are encouraged to contact Chapter President John King to learn how to obtain a seat on this voluntary, yet critical leadership position within the local pile driving industry. All 65 attendees at the Chapter's 3rd Quarter Dinner Meeting were made aware of the openings and asked to consider an elevated level of participation.
This was the 64th consecutive quarterly meeting, as noted by [PLEASE VISIT WEBPAGE TO FINISH READING: http://www.piledrivers.org/chapters/south-carolina/south-carolina-chapter-news/ ]
Posted in Chapter News.
August 1, 2019
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A Pile of News August 2019
A briefing on news and information from the pile driving contractors, associated manufacturers and suppliers and affiliated engineers who comprise the PDCA.
by Matt Bisbee, PDCA |
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| Houston, we have a BIG problem Think It, Sink It, Reef It Contractor wins high-stakes game of Jenga |
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Important announcements from PDCA: Congrats to awardees at the 22nd Annual PDCA Conference. Read the News Release that lists Project of the Year and other winners; it also introduces The PDCA Store, now available with branded PDCA merchandise, PDCA-produced educational materials, and other PDCA products. If you are interested in presenting at or attending DICEP 2019, November 56 in Cleveland, click here. PDCA launches a New Member Campaign this month please encourage your non-member colleagues and associates to enroll online. PDCA of South Carolina hosts its quarterly dinner meeting on August 6th, the Gulf Coast Chapter hosts its dinner meeting August 22nd. Full event list here.
Where's the smoky back room? If everything is bigger in Texas, just imagine the size of the potholes on Oates Road, the main route to Lodge Lumber in Houston. Company VP J.W. Lodge is not sitting idly; he testified about the problem before the City Council twice and has now launched a media blitz to expose what many consider municipal ineptitude. Mr. Lodge has appeared on local news and talk shows and was recently featured in a Channel 2 investigation, which concludes that the pothole-riddled road he navigates to work is the most egregious in the city. Let's hope the "squeaky wheel gets the grease"...or at least a little gravel! Watch news segment.
It was a Convoy to the Capital: Not without significant grassroots opposition, the Oregon Legislature has passed a measure aimed at reducing diesel emissions from medium heavy-duty trucks. Although, PDCA does not offer a political position, some of our Oregon members say that the law will negatively impact businesses that rely on equipment powered by diesel engines. Got hammers? See the news story.
All hands on deck: Florida frequently makes headlines for harmful algae and other waterway hazards. Two separate efforts from Florida PDCA members address growing concerns of unhealthy waters around the peninsula. Naples-based Island Piling volunteers in a regional effort to clean coastal waters by installing mini reefs. Owner Kena Yoke said it is "critical that marine contractors give back to the community" in this regard. More from the News-Press. Simultaneously in Northeast Florida, Gate Precast donated significant amounts of precast concrete to Think It, Sink It, Reef It (TISIRI), a non-profit leading an artificial reef installation project in that region. See a video from TISIRI.
Can we parachute in? The Land of Lincoln Honor Flight flies Illinois Veterans of U.S. wars to Washington, D.C., for a day trip to view the national monuments. Participating in the program this year was Darin Werts of MKT Manufacturing who joined his dad, Don, a Vietnam Vet. PDCA salutes you Mr. Werts! Photo. |
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| Acquisitions, Transitions, Elevations and Recognitions... |
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Valard Construction in Calgary, AB, becomes the operating name for sister company Northstar Sharp's.
Aldridge Electric announces new co-CEOs, Steve Aldridge and Alex Aldridge, who take the helm at the family business. Ontario-based Samuel, Son & Co., Limited names Colin Osborne president and CEO. Robert Tabb is the new VP and CFO and Austin Shanfelter is interim COO at Orion Marine Group. Mary Emily Slate becomes executive vice president at Nucor. MotoCut Ltd. names Sami Palo area sales director. Heather Kugler of Mason Construction in Texas graduated Leadership Beaumont. After 40 years with Houston-based Lodge Lumber, Joe B. Housson has retired and Eric Green is the new operations manager; also, Andrew Harris and Cory Hartman have joined the sales team. Congratulations to Sally Soper on retirement after 40 years with Link-Belt Cranes in Kentucky; Carmen Dessenko becomes the service parts supervisor. The U.S. Coast Guard recognized Brian Royak from L.B. Foster as Sailor of the Quarter and presented him a USCG Achievement Medal. Kiewit names Mike Johnson senior VP and adds Army veteran of two deployments Chris Hart to its Offshore Services Unit. Ron Smith retires from Hal Jones Contractor, Herman Edge named new field engineer. ECA promotes five in North America: Gordian Ulrich, Anthony Sciortino, Chris McCune, Peter Kassaris and Trey Carver.
The 2019 S&P Global Platts Metals Awards recognizes Nucor with the Steel Industry Leadership Award and the company's CEO John Ferriola as CEO of the Year. See the full list. Additional note from Nucor Skyline: You are invited to participate in a free webinar examining Steel Solutions for Storm Protection to be held August 8th at 2:00 p.m. EDT.
Geostructures, Inc. of Purcellville, VA, earns the Gold in Construction Trade Contractor award from Virginia's Chesapeake Region Safety Council and recognition from The National Safety Council. The company was also a Project of the Year award winner from PDCA.
C.D. Perry, LLC from Troy, NY, wins a 2019 Project of the Year award from PDCA.
Great Lakes Construction Company in Ohio won Best Overall Safety Program by Business and Legal Resources (BLR) and employee William Hocevar earned the Lifetime Achievement in Safety Award.
The City of Rogers, MN, and the Rogers Lions Club honored Veit & Company, Inc. with the 2019 Rogers Community Spirit Award, recognizing the company as a significant local employer and a generous community partner. Check out the photos here.
Cajun Industries, LLC took a 2019 PDCA Project of the Year award back to Baton Rouge.
Utah's Sunroc Corporation introduced a new logo this summer and was named Business of the Year by Dixie State University in recognition of its consistent financial support, thought leadership and employment opportunities for DSU grads.
Another prestigious award in Utah, Best of State 2019 for Heavy Construction goes to Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction. The company also takes home a PDCA Project of the Year award.
Anchorage-based PND Engineers, Inc. earns a PDCA Project of the Year award for 2019. |
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CZM relocates to Georgia, brings 75 new jobs to Bryan County. More from WTOC-TV Savannah.
The Chicago Tribune features a story on the flourishing "Field of Dreams" on the city's south side, made possible in part through 4,000 hours of donated labor from McHugh Construction.
Ron Zornes of Canal Barge Company discussed with Accuweather how sustained high waters along the Mississippi River are impacting the marine industry and the broader economy.
Coastal Bridge helps clear a stranded barge from a Louisiana backyard. Baton Rouge TV 2 On Your Side reports on the bizarre eyesore that has obstructed one woman's river views since last August.
Dustin Troutman of Pennsylvania-based Creative Pultrusions is featured in Composites Manufacturing Magazine and speaks to pultrusion products specific to the Infrastructure market segment.
The Austin American-Statesman reports on the latest addition to the Texas city's skyline; a Balfour Beatty project team collaborated in the development of the new "Jenga Tower," now the tallest residential building West of Mississippi River.
New Jersey radio staion 102.3 WSUS-FM serving the Lafayette area helped find an adoptive family for a stray kitten that was rescued near Sparwick Contracting, Inc. They even named the spunky kitten Sparwick! |
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LG Barcus and Sons, Inc. sponsored PULL for Young Life Kaw Valley, a sporting clay shooting event that raises money for Christian-based youth programs in the Kansas City area.
In collaboration with Loma Linde University Health in Southern California, McCarthy has helped develop a safe and kid-friendly virtual reality therapy program for the region's only pediatric hospital. More.
Kiewit has donated a learning facility to Huntington Beach, CA. Wetlands Conservancy in conjunction with its work on modernizing the nearby municipal natural gas power plants. Read more.
The Urban Village at 2+U in Seattle, an office development by Skanska, will be home to The Studio, the city's first free public art space, which will offer free arts and cultural programming. Read more.
Samuel, Son & Co. VP and treasurer Rob Stanley raised more than $14K for prostate cancer awareness as he participated in the annual Grand River Ride for Dad motorcycle tour of southern Ontario. Photo.
New Jersey-based Hoffman Equipment donated an excavator to an Eagle Scout who raised money to purchase materials and build a walkway and patio for his parish Our Lady of Consolation. See photo. |
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| Sports Can someone call Kent Tekulve? |
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The PDCA Annual Conference featured a golf tournament. Ten foursomes participated in the "shamble" style competition at the Tranquillo Golf Course on the property of the Orlando Four Seasons Resort at Disney. Tournament and contest winners were: Closest to the Pin: Cary Hazard, Darren Werts; Longest Drive: Hunter Arrighi, Jonathan Carroll; First Place Team: Scott Webster, Hunter Arrighi, Rich Anderson, Mike Elliott; Second Place Team: Brian Land, Brian Rogers, Dennis Gleason, Steven Mathers, Tom Connor; Third Place Team: Scott Callaway, Karl Higgins, Doug Keller, Brian Heck; Women Golf Awards: Inger Darling, Tina Peters. Photo of several winners.
Thanks to Glenn O. Hawbaker, Inc. in State College, PA, a nearby Little League is able to expand its ballpark facilities using donated engineering, design and other site prep. More.
For every strikeout thrown by a Pittsburgh Pirate pitcher this season, Koppers Inc. is donating $100 to a local charity. In July, all donations went to JDRF International.
Edgen Murray apparently employs a versatile array of athletes; the company put forth a rodeo team in the Calgary Stampede and participated in a charitable Dodgeball Tournament in Clarksburg, WV.
The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs gripped Middle America in June as the historic baseball town, St. Louis, traded its Cardinal red for Blues blue. The unlikely 2019 Stanley Cup Champion St. Louis Blues established a ubiquitous presence in the Gateway City; Alpha Pipe Company joined the fun by hosting "Blues Day." |
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| If your company has news to share with the pile driving industry, please email matt@piledrivers.org. We look forward to distributing your unique stories, personnel changes, charitable efforts and recognitions. |
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Our mailing address is:
33 Knight Boxx Rd., Suite 1
Orange Park, Fla. 32065 |
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Posted in A Pile of News PDCA Monthly e-newsletter.
July 30, 2019
2019 Project of the Year Award Winners
The PDCA Project of the Year Awards program is one of PDCA's most prestigious initiatives. Open to any driven pile project completed by a PDCA member, the awards are dedicated to acknowledging the ingenuity, hard work and commitment that goes into each driven pile project, and recognized excellence in construction projects completed by PDCA members. All PDCA members - whether a contractor, associate or engineering affiliate - are eligible to submit their projects for consideration.
Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction wins the 2019 Project of the Year Award in the Contractor (Land, Greater than $5 Million) Category
PND Engineers, Inc. wins the 2019 Project of the Year Award in the Associate/Engineering Category
Cajun Industries, LLC wins the 2019 Project of the Year Award in the Contractor (Land, $2 Million - $5 Million) Category
Geostructures, Inc. wins the 2019 Project of the Year Award in the Contractor (Land, $500,000 - $2 Million) Category
CD Perry, LLC wins the 2019 Project of the Year Award in the Contractor (Land, Less than $500,000) Category
Congratulations to all the nominees and winners in the 2019 PDCA Awards program. You will find additional information, including detailed project articles on all 2019 Project of the Year winners in Edition 4 of PileDriver magazine which becomes available in late August. Don't forget, those projects you are completing now could eventually compete for 2020 Project of the Year Awards; submission details will become available later this year.
Posted in PileDriver Magazine.
July 30, 2019
Orlando, FL (July 11, 2019): The PDCA Annual Conference featured the annual Awards Reception and Dinner as part of a Latin, Carnival-inspired celebration. The following PDCA members were recognized for the significant contributions they have made to the organization over the past year. Congratulations to all the winners!
Committee Chair of the Year
Presented to the PDCA Committee Chair for outstanding dedication and commitment to the PDCA & exemplary leadership.
The 2019 Committee Chair of the Year is Pollyanna Cunningham of International Construction Equipment (ICE).
Associate Member of the Year
Presented to the Associate Member of PDCA who has demonstrated a consistent contribution of time, resource and expertise to a specific and critical function of the organization.
The 2019 Associate Member of the Year is Gerry McShane of Service Steel Warehouse.
John T. Parker, Jr. Industry Ambassador Award
Presented to a PDCA member who shares the late John Parker's passion for pile driving. Recipients are selected by a collaboration of PDCA leadership and a representative from PDCA of South Carolina Chapter.
The 2019 John T. Parker, Jr. Industry Ambassador is John King of Piledrivers, Inc.
Professional Engineers Service Award
Presented an engineer who has made a significant contribution to the PDCA, the driven pile industry and the engineering profession from the Geotechnical, Civil or Structural engineering disciplines.
The 2019 Professional Engineers Service Awardee isScott Webster of GRL Engineers.
Presidential Award for Distinguished Service
Pays tribute to an individual who has made long-term and significant contributions to the PDCA and the pile driving industry through effective leadership, support and participation. The PDCA President selects this honoree who has demonstrated valuable personal and professional service to PDCA.
The 2019 Presidential Award for Distinguished Service was presented to Stevan A. Hall, retired Executive Director, PDCA.
Posted in 2019 PDCA Awards.
July 1, 2019
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| It's not Batman, it's the "BRRT" Now to accessorize those safety vests Were platform shoes acceptable workplace footwear on day one? |
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Welcome to July, it's hot outside and many of you are making your way to Orlando where it's only getting hotter; in fact it will be muy Caliente (that's the band we have secured to entertain us on Thursday night at the conference). Onsite registration for the 22nd Annual PDCA Annual Conference at the Four Seasons Walt Disney World Resort opens Wed., July 10. We hope to see you there.
Looking ahead, two deadlines in July to mention: West Coast students interested in applying for a scholarship from PDCA Pacific Coast Chapter, you have until July 19 to complete and submit this application. If you would like to present at DICEP 2019 (Nov. 46), abstracts are due to PDCA by July 22 submit here.
Congrats to the PDCA Northeast Chapter, which hosted 72 shooters at Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays on June 14 for the 5th Annual Clay Shoot. The event raised money for the Scholarship Fund. See photos.
The glove's gonna fit: What's going on in the deep foundations community, you ask? Lots of headlines to share, so fasten your safety belts. Speaking of safety, SKANSKA USA has changed the game. Inspired by a 17.6% increase of women in construction trades in just a year, the New York City construction giant took the initiative to test market and inspire production of a new line of safety vests and gloves designed exclusively to fit their female employees. An interested PPE leader sees a growing demand in this space and is preparing to make the female workwear lines available across the industry. See story.
Freaky fast: It's unclear if they've issued special new uniforms, but ECS Limited has established a unique new service. Called the Bird Rapid Response Team, the small but highly specialized consulting unit is equipped with the expertise to deliver migratory bird evaluations almost as fast as Jimmy Johns delivers subs. The BRRT, as it has been dubbed, will assist ECS clients on super structure projects, infrastructure developments and utility installations. Imperative in today's professional environment, the BRRT offers transferrable skills; they can apply their evaluations to turtles and marine mammals as well. Read more.
Raise a glass; no, raise a 40: Carter was President, disco was on the radio, the Steelers were a dynasty and the first Millennial wasn't even born. 1979 was the year GEOKON opened its doors and started blazing a revolutionary trail. Happy 40th anniversary to the New Hampshire-based firm that has become a world leader in vibrating wire technology and other instrumentation innovations. See story.
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| Acquisitions, transitions, elevations and recognitions... |
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Infrastructure & Industrial Constructors USA (i+iconUSA) is acquired by Shikim & Binui, read the release.
Midwestern powerhouse geotech firm Terracon grows its presence in the Southeast, read more.
CIANBRO gains 500 employees and expands its East Coast service area with the A/Z acquisition.
Personnel changes: hired at Intertec are John Focht, PE, in Dallas and Sean Kim, PE, in Houston. Dewberry opens a Roanoke, Va. office; hires Bahman Behzadi and Brad Ewing into its Orlando office. New to ECS are Jenna Jordan and Greg Simmons while Brandon Quinn and Brian Wyatt earn promotions. GTA, Inc. promotes Donny Sousa in the NJ office and names Shep Winckler to the Maryland office. The new Tolunay-Wong Engineers Branch Manager in Geismar, La. is Jonathan Honeycutt. Board certified construction attorney and PileDriver magazine legal contributor Ryan Maloney joins Jacksonville, Fla. law firm Jimmerson Birr. Congratulations to Scott Okelberry, recently named president of Sunroc Corp. in Utah.
During a May ceremony in New York, president and CEO Richard S. Weeks of longtime PDCA member-company Weeks Marine was inducted into the International Maritime Hall of Fame. See story.
The Chesapeake Region Safety Council honored Corman Kokosing with the "2019 Award of Excellence."
McCarthy's South Texas office earned distinction from the Houston Business Journal as the 2019 Healthiest Employer for a Large Company. A healthy team is a productive team! |
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While most of us consider it a vacation paradise, the Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company does significant work from its island home. In addition to the many new developments it leads, the contractor was recognized for preserving one of the state's most prized architectural landmarks. Read article.
If summer travel takes you to Utah, visit the Timpanogos Cave, a popular National Monument. Check out the refurbished Visitor's Center, recently completed by Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction. More.
Congratulations to GeoEngineers for collaborating on the design for the Caminada Headlands Beach and Dune Restoration project near Grand Island, La. Their efforts earned a national award. Read more.
Thanks to deep foundations staff time and heavy equipment donated by Cajun Industries, Louisiana's capital city is home to a new monument erected to honor the Louisiana National Guard. Read more.
North Dakota's S&B Drilling also gives back; the company donated materials and labor for the new Freedom Monument in Williston's Riverview Cemetery.
AET, Inc. has honored founder and former CEO Terry Swor by funding an ACEC Minnesota scholarship in his name. The now retired professional geologist was on hand to award its first recipient. See story. |
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Fans attending baseball games at Rogers High School in Minnesota will now follow the action with assistance from a brand-new scoreboard. Veit & Company made the purchase possible with a generous donation to the Dugout Booster Club which supports the hometown Royals. More.
Twenty-nine hours of running!? Cianbro staffers ran in the American Odyssey Race, which treks from Gettysburg, Pa. to Washington, D.C. Their efforts support cancer patients and wounded veterans. Read more. |
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Thanks for joining us for this installment of A Pile of News; until next month, we wish you a safe and happy Canada Day (July 1), Independence Day (July 4) and MLB All Star Game (July 9).
If your company has news to share with the pile driving industry, please email matt@piledrivers.org. We look forward to distributing your unique stories, personnel changes, charitable efforts and recognitions. |
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Posted in A Pile of News PDCA Monthly e-newsletter.
June 24, 2019
At this midway point during my term as PDCA president, it is always good to reflect on the past in preparation for the second half of this adventure. This has been a busy first half of the year both difficult and exciting.
We welcomed Frank Peters into our group of pile driving enthusiasts and said good-bye to our longtime friend, Steve Hall, as he moved into retirement. Our committees and chairs are running double-time to stay on top of everything that PDCA has on the go: conferences, educational programing, new building codes all while getting to know an almost completely new PDCA office team. Our board is committed to fully engaging and taking an active role in the daily actions of PDCA.
For me, personally, I chose to get involved with and learn about the Education Committee as a board liaison. In this transitional year, with many new PDCA team members, there was some concern about the tremendous amount of work placed on the shoulders of the Education Committee to plan and execute a successful annual conference. However, the committee and the PDCA staff washed away that fear within the first couple of meetings. I am very impressed with the Education Committee's dedication to tirelessly prepare for our conference. This team has created outstanding educational programming and speaker schedules for all PDCA members to enjoy at the PDCA 22nd Annual International Conference and Expo this July in Orlando, Fla., at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort.
Other PDCA officers and directors are also actively engaged. For example, Jason Moore, PDCA vice-president, is focusing on PDCA membership. Moore, along with the PDCA secretary on the board, Karl Higgins, and Matt Bisbee, PDCA's director of member services in the national office, are actively promoting PDCA to prospective members while benchmarking our current membership.
As much as I want to make this message about accolades to these committee members, there is something weighing heavily on my mind. I have learned over the past few months that we absolutely need more members to become involved on our committees. I have personally called and spoken to members of the Education Committee, asking them to re-commit and re-engage. If you are a member of a PDCA committee, I ask you to please re-commit to your committee and be an active member. Your committee needs your energy, your suggestions and your ideas to create outstanding programs for today and tomorrow.
Getting involved is your first step to becoming part of the action and ideas. We need members not only paying dues, but also becoming part of the transformation of our deep foundation industry as our committees make it safer and more technologically savvy, in order to surpass other deep foundation methods and trends. However, you have to be involved walk the talk to have a real influence.
Please consider "walking the talk" with me and joining one of our committees or recommitting to the committee you are already a member of. With your engagement, you can positively influence our driven pile industry.
Posted in PileDriver Magazine. Tagged as Edition 3, 2019.
