A Bright Future for the PDCA Texas Chapter


In January, 2022, the PDCA Texas Chapter formally incorporated with a slate of officers and aspirations to affiliate with PDCA. The Board of Directors quickly and enthusiastically voted to bring the regional organization into the international trade association, and the new Chapter has had its figurative foot on the gas ever since. Under the leadership team of President Brandon Bicknell, VP Condon Verble, Treasurer Arjin Dogan, and Secretary Armando Guajardo, the PDCA Texas Chapter hosted two Mixers, a Lunch and Learn and contributed to an industry technical program in Houston. It developed a new logo, launched a quarterly newsletter, established an online form for membership application, and quickly added a membership roster of a Who's Who in the Texas pile driving industry. Ultimately, it has revamped an industry presence in the state which hasn't had an active chapter in several years. 

Building a viable and thriving organization is job for experienced builders, and the leadership team at the Texas Chapter has delivered an important product to the region. But the rapid growth and success did not come without its challenges. Sadly, Treasurer Guajardo (pictured) succumbed to a fatal illness in October, immediately prior to the Chapter's first Lunch and Learn. Recognizing him as a key player in establishing the Chapter, those assembled at the event paused for a moment of silence to honor the significant contributions he made which helped pave the way for the very event they were attending. "Armando was a man of strong character who did not back down to a challenge," said VP Verble. "With these qualities and his good-natured personality, he was highly influential in helping reform the Texas Chapter. We are grateful for his tremendous contributions and will miss his talents moving forward."


 As a new year begins for the PDCA Texas Chapter, members will gather for a January 18th organizational meeting at 6:00 PM CST at the offices of Russell Marine LLC in Channelview. During that gathering, they will vote to elect a new Secretary and Treasurer, as Bicknell and Verble will serve another year at the helm. Members have begun submitting nominations. The January meeting and elections are the start to a new year that will feature a series of activities taking place over the following months. Read the notice to members about the nomination process and 2023 events.

PDCA stands ready to continue providing administrative and other peripheral support to the PDCA Texas Chapter and the other regional Chapters. Thank you for supporting PDCA through membership and participation in these organizations.

 




So, You Completed an Impressive Piling Job in '22; Can It Compete Against Your Peers?


We periodically visit member offices and oftentimes get surprised to see PDCA exhibited in any number of ways. Sometimes, we will notice a wall-mounted article that published in PileDriver magazine, other times we will see a plaque noting participation in any number of PDCA functions. And on a handful of occasions, we will encounter a full trophy case that includes a variety of PDCA hardware; such was the case in October 2022 when we visited the Baltimore offices of Kokosing Industrial, Inc. There, we observed a large collection of trophies earned from winning entries in several years of The PDCA Project of the Year Awards Program.  

The annual, signature competition among members vying for the judge's nod in the Land, Marine, Earth Retention, and Associate/Engineer categories begins with the new year. Watch your inbox on January 3rd for an announcement about the opening of the submission period for the 2023 PDCA Project of the Year Awards Program, an entry form will accompany that communication. Then, the countdown begins. You will have only until May 5th to complete the entry form, draft the publication-ready narrative, compile a minimum of six hi-res job photos and send it all to PDCA using an electronic file link. Yes, you have plenty of time, but why not check this to-do item off the list early in the year?

PDCA has experienced an upward trajectory in entries over the last several years and we hope that trend continues. No, we don't want a mutiny from our volunteer judges, but we do want to encourage a healthy competition among members that will translate to a continued optimization of the pile driving industry. Thank you in advance for participating in the 2023 PDCA Project of the Year Awards Program!

Please be advised, entry in this members-only program is FREE. If you are not a member, but want to participate, simply enroll in PDCA now. You can learn more about PDCA membership when you CLICK HERE.

Boston Charities Benefit from Area Foundation Industry, PDCA Donations


The team from Geosciences Testing and Research, Inc. in North Chelmsford, Massachusetts sent a strong contingent of engineers to the Holiday Social.
 
Brad Roberts (right), a Senior Principal at GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc., joined volunteers at the Holiday Social registration desk to greet attendees and encourage their charitable contributions.
The Foundation & Marine Contractors Association of New England (F&MCA) represents numerous PDCA members on a regional level in the northeastern U.S. The group, nearing 90 years in existence, has an annual tradition of a 'Holiday Social' each December when members and others gather for an evening of networking and dinner with industry colleagues and friends. This year, the geotechnical community got together on Thursday, December 15th at the Revere Hotel - Boston Common

Since F&MCA and PDCA share similar missions in representing pile drivers, the New England-regional organization extended, and PDCA accepted, an invitation to the 2022 Holiday Social. 

New this year, F&MCA President Bob Tonning encouraged attendees to help those in need; "We will extend holiday cheer to those who need it most by collecting donations at the door in support of Boston-are food banks and shelters," wrote Tonning, in a personal appeal to invitees. Without hesitation, the PDCA Board directed a $250 donation to the charitable effort.
 
Several PDCA members who also participate in F&MCA, attended the Holiday Social. See who was SPOTTED:

 
PDCA thanks the F&MCA and its leadership team for the opportunity to participate in the 2022 event. Here are a few more photos of F&MCA members who were in attendance:


F&MCA 2022 Leadership: (L-R) Secretary Justin Zarella, Treasurer Steve Hinterneder, President Bob Tonning, and VP Tom Day

 

SC Chapter, The Citadel Announce 2023 Educational Event


The PDCA South Carolina Chapter encourages interested parties to consider the following invitation from The Citadel Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering for the 2023 ASCE Carolinas Conference, coming to Charleston, SC in April.

Please see the following letter from Dr. Timothy W. Mays, Ph.D., P.E., Professor, and direct any questions to his office:

2023 ASCE Carolinas Conference
 
Our students and faculty have been planning the 2023 ASCE Carolinas Conference since the beginning of 2022. Our website Carolinas Hosted by The Citadel (asce.org) is already up and running, and we are excited about bringing everyone to campus and James Island County Park from April 13-15, 2023.

It may sound like a long way off, but we meet weekly to ensure a well-run event that is remembered by everyone involved. We are reaching out to you now for help and financial support that will allow us to reach our goals!

Linked to this email are two documents. One is a detailed description of the event for those that are not familiar with this annual competition among schools in the Carolinas. The second is a letter from the students requesting your help with a form you can easily fill out and send back to us.

Right now we are looking for the following:
  • Donations - we are excited to offer new levels of donations that are also beneficial to your company. Our highest tiers allow you to "Sponsor" a specific event where only your company will be displayed prominently at the location where the event is being held. We are limited to 10 events so if you want to do this, we have to make it first come first serve. We will recognize ALL DONORS in some fashion as described in the attachment but we will also have booths (for meeting students and other engineers from across the Carolinas) and speaking opportunities for those giving at the higher levels. Please reach out directly to Dr. Mays (timothy.mays@citadel.edu) if you have any questions regarding donations or if you want to reserve an event in your company's name!
  • Judges - Although not binding, volunteering to serve as a judge early will allow us to have adequate plans and redundancy in place for day of event judging. Please have anyone from your company that is willing to serve as a judge email Dr. Mays (timothy.mays@citadel.edu). If a certain day or event is desired, please let us know in the email. The tentative schedule can be found here: Schedule Carolinas (asce.org).

Thanks so much for your help with the 2023 Carolinas Conference! We look forward to hearing from you.
 

Timothy W. Mays, Ph.D., P.E. Professor

timothy.mays@citadel.edu
843-813-6884
 
‌
 

Posted in Chapter News.

New England Member Among 'All the News That's Fit to Print'


Paul Armstrong and his son Nathan own and operate South Shore Pile Driving, LLC based in Marshfield, Massachusetts; the family team has grown the pile installation business in a predominantly coastal, residential and private market in New England. Paul says that ongoing beach erosion from increasing storm and tidal activity in the region has prompted many homeowners to move their homes further inland. And because of new state building codes, those homes are required to stand on pile-based foundations. These developments have helped South Shore become a go-to contractor for this growing number of jobs. 

Beach erosion is not limited to the Northeastern U.S., rather it is a reality for the entire Atlantic Coast and even areas of the Great Lakes. In November, The New York Times published a story by reporter Ellen Rosen entitled For Waterfront Homeowners, Moving Can Have a Different Meaning. The article appeared in the November 5th print edition of the paper and chronicled this growing challenge to owners of coastal structures. The national newspaper interviewed Mr. Armstrong in this story and used several quotes from him based on his expertise in this trend of safeguarding waterfront homes through pile-based foundations. READ THE FULL STORY HERE [Paywall].

An important takeaway from this article is that a driven pile foundation is increasingly regarded as the safest and most reliable method to protect structures from natural elements. All members of PDCA benefit from this widespread endorsement of the practice.

RELATED: PileDriver Magazine Issue #6, 2022 distributed this month and carried numerous stories about pile driving and natural disasters. READ THE LATEST MAGAZINE HERE. In this publication, you will see a coastal home on the Cape Cod National Seashore that stands on piles Paul Armstrong installed in 2015. This home was the lone, surviving structure following a violent North Atlantic storm that battered the region in January 2022. Major media organizations published a photo of the home in the storm's aftermath in their coverage of the weather event earlier this year. The team at South Shore Pile Driving, LLC has since driven a new foundation for that home, further inland, as a safeguard from ongoing beach erosion and other oceanfront challenges.

We caught up with Paul and his crew to congratulate them on the great work they are doing for clients of the company, but also the powerful message he has amplified through media about the value and integrity of driven pile-based foundations. Paul is yet another member who's contracting work shows that A Driven Pile...Is a Tested Pile!

We met Paul and the South Shore team on a chilly December morning at a jobsite in the quaint seaside town, Scituate, MA. They were putting the finishing touches on a pier they replaced for the Scituate Yacht Club. 

The 240' pier features timber pilings from Koppers, installed with a Movax Side-Grip from Hercules Machinery Corporation


PileDriver Magazine - Issue #6, 2022

In Issue 6 2022 of PileDriver, we learn about Shannon & Wilson's Alaskan case study for designing foundations in areas of high seismicity.
 
Don't miss these articles:
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT:
New Orleans to Venice Woodpark Floodwall: Providing critical flood protection in Louisiana

Read more
PDCA ASSOCIATE MEMBER:
JD Fields & Company: A steep growth
trajectory and a diverse strategy

Read more
NATURAL DISASTERS:
Still Standing: If you like your house, put it on driven piles

Read more

Posted in PileDriver Magazine.

2022 Brought Many New, Returning Members to PDCA


Thank you for joining PDCA membership in 2022: (L-R) J. Fletcher Creamer & Son, Inc., Meever USA, BSM Engineering

The PDCA Project of the Year Awards program, the Contractors Foundation Institute: Driven Pile Academy, a new PDCA Texas Chapter, the exclusive PDCA Membership Directory, regional engagement opportunities, the Value Driven Webinar Series, or simply a genuine belief that 'A Driven Pile...Is A Tested Pile' are all among the motivators that brought dozens of new members to PDCA in 2022.  

Thank you to the companies and individuals on the following, unofficial list of new and returning PDCA members in 2022:

Contractors:  Arcola Building Company, Blue Iron Foundation & Shoring, Bowen Engineering Corporation, Coastal Construction & Engineering, Commerce Construction Company, Conti Civil, CS Marine, Cyr's Marine, LLC, J. Fletcher Creamer & Son, Inc., Lynnhaven Marine & Dock, Inc., Mohawk Northeast and RJ Gorman Contracting.

Associates: Apex Steel Pipe & Piling, Bottom Line Equipment, Bull Moose Tube Co., Clydesdale Steel, Contractor's Steel Co., CPS Houston, Inc., Elite Tubular, Hercules Machinery Corporation, Hoffman Equipment, Kahn Steel Co. Inc., Meever USA, OMS Vibro Ozkanlar Grup Makina AS, Scott Equipment Company, THI Pipe & Piling, and Waskey Bridges

Engineering Affiliates: BSM Engineering, Geosyntec Consultants, Inc., Lloyd Engineering, Inc., LMW Engineering Group, LLC, William Kruse PE, Soil and Materials EngineeringTerracon VA and Thomas & Hutton

Other Valued Members: Cohen Seglias Pallas Greenhall & Furman PC, Mystic Safety LLC, and Sergio Alejandro Marin Savatier.


You still have time to join PDCA in 2022; membership is prorated and there are several DAYS left in the year. If you are in the pile driving industry, but not a PDCA member, you should strongly consider supporting driven pile advancement through a new membership starting in January 2023. PDCA is preparing for another highly active year with live engagement opportunities around the U.S., as well as continued virtual engagement on a nearly weekly basis. CLICK HERE to learn about terms and benefits available at PDCA, or please contact us at matt@piledrivers.org to request a Membership Application.



 


looking back at pdca, 2022


Service Steel Warehouse Wins November, #PDCADriven Contest




A Pile of News - December 2022

A Pile of News: December 2022
A briefing on news and information from the pile driving contractors,
associated manufacturers, construction suppliers and affiliated engineers
who comprise PDCA.
By Matt Bisbee, PDCA

Originally sent Dec. 1, 2022
From the Association & Chapters
Was it the power of incumbency? The votes are tallied, and we share with you, the elected industry leaders who will serve as the 2023 PDCA Officers and Board of Directors. You will notice many (if not all) familiar faces from the 2022 slate; that's because none drew an opponent, none has yet met the term limits threshold as outlined in the PDCA by-laws, AND each has chosen to commit to another year of service. Thank you, BOD!

Mark your calendars!
Dec. 8: PDCA Value Driven Webinar Series, 2-3 PM EST. Join this virtual education event for a presentation on Steel Durability in Marine Construction. FREE to members, $50 for non-members.

Jan. 3 - May 5:
The PDCA Project of the Year Awards will be open for entries. Start considering your submissions for completed 2022 jobs; entry link is coming in January.

Jan. 20: South Carolina Chapter Oyster Roast
This can't miss annual event is open to the industry thanks to valued sponsors. Festivities take place at Palmetto Pile Driving in Charleston.

Feb. 7 - 9: PDCA 24th Annual Conference, San Diego Mission Bay Resort
, Golf at Torrey Pines! Early registration, open for attendees until Dec. 16. Exhibitors can secure space now.

News and PHOTOS from the PDCA Blog:
Gulf Coast Chapter elects 2023 officers, with Dylan André at the helm, Tony Sepulvado, Jr. as VP, Brent Guthrie as treasurer and Heath Stevens as secretary. The chapter also heard a technical presentation at its fourth quarter dinner meeting in November.

South Carolina Chapter
presents Cadet Mary Coastal Watkins of The Citadel with prestigious "Mac" Nigels Scholarship; several PDCA past presidents were in attendance. PHOTOS

Pacific Coast Chapter
partnered with JD Fields & Company for two technical seminars; around 30 attendees each joined the Seattle and Huntington Beach events.


Texas Chapter
held a November lunch & learn in Houston, providing attendees with a four-part technical program.

Palm Trees and Pile Driving
brought a cross-section of South Florida's driven pile market together in November for a happy hour reception and industry update. PHOTOS

Industry News
NCCCO reminds the deep foundation industry that testing for operating dedicated pile driving rigs goes ONLINE beginning Jan. 1.
Congratulations, Service Steel Warehouse Co., L.P, you are this month's winner!
Send an email to marian@piledrivers.org before the end of the month to claim your prize!
News from PDCA Companies
Giving back:
Baker GCI supported Gulf region charities by participating in the Hargrove Foundation Baton Rouge Fishing Rodeo; staff member Brandon earned second place in the In-Shore Bull Red category.

Clark Construction
named a Top Corporate Philanthropist for 2022 by Washington Business Journal.


Conti Civil
helps Share the Table raise more than $20K at a recent golf fundraiser.

Kokosing
hosts an internal auction among its locations each year, all proceeds raised are donated to ensure families in need can enjoy the holiday season. Zachary Jones, an engineer for the company, created a unique woodcraft sign that he is donating for the charity auction.

McCarthy
raised funds to support Texas Children's Hospital, Houston Methodist and We'll Get This Foundation through the annual charity golf tournament at The Clubs at Houston Oaks.

Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction
helps Utah's West Bountiful Police Department restart its K-9 program; unit member Goose participates in a photo op with officers and Wadsworth team.

Atlas Tube
and its travelling "grill of steel" was spotted at a November fundraiser in Birmingham, participating in the 26th Annual Pig Iron BBQ Tailgate. The event supports Children's Harbor.

Lodge Lumber
sponsored the 12th annual charity golf tournament benefitting Houston's Combat Marine Outdoors organization; it provides unique rehabilitation to combat veterans.

Recognitions:
Keller tops the 2022 ENR list, named number one firm for Excavation and Foundation.

Canal Barge Company, Inc.
can add to its service line, "facilitates missions to the moon." NASA's November launch of Artemis I, an initiative to reestablish a human presence on the moon, got an assist from the New Orleans mariners who provided transport of the spacecraft.

GRL Engineers, Inc.
 is part of the team that earned an ACEC-FL Honor Award for a major reconfiguration of the Central Florida Expressway. Hop on a plane, train or automobile and take the fam to Disney this project had many major stakeholders from the air, rail and highway sectors.

Nucor Skyline
parent company joins the UN 24/7 Carbon Free Energy Compact. President & CEO Leon Topalian announced Nucor is the first major industrial manufacturing company to do so.

ECS Southeast
earns ENR Firm of the Year; Wes Jacques, Raul Peralta accept honor in Atlanta.

Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering, PLLC
shares that the SC-DOT US 21 Over Harbor River Bridge Replacement has won again. Those paying attention know this project won a PDCA Project of the Year Award in 2021 as entered by ICE® International Construction Equipment.

The Citadel Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
is one of seven programs around the country to win a $10K NCEES Engineering Education Award.


Governmental relations:
Bowen Engineering Corp. begins construction on a new water treatment plant in Oak Ridge, TN; among dignitaries who addressed the ceremonial groundbreaking was U.S. Rep. Fleischmann.

Mason Construction
's VP Le Short was at a November Legislative Update in Southeast Texas; Speaker Phelan of the Texas House of Representatives gave perspectives on current issues.

McCarthy Building Co.
, Tolunay-Wong Engineers were among sponsors for the Gulf Coast Industry Forum this fall in Pasadena, TX. Gov. Abbott, former Gov./U.S. Energy Secretary Perry addressed the topic Global Geopolitical Energy Landscape and Texas.

Sealevel Construction Inc.
is the GC for a new $96M pump station at Bayou Lafourche near Donaldson, LA. Gov. Edwards and U.S. Reps. Carter and Graves helped break the ground for the project, which will protect the drinking water supply for four nearby parishes.

Koppers
leadership joined with the American Chemistry Council to host U.S. Rep. Miller for a tour of the company's rail joints facility in Huntington, WV.

Nucor
lauded for transparency in governmental/political affairs; it is one of 89 companies in the S&P 500 designated as Trendsetter in political disclosure and accountability for 2022.

ECS Limited, S&ME, Inc.
participate in annual ACEC Capitol Hill reception with members of the North Carolina congressional delegation.

Terracon
is geotech of record on the I-26 widening project in South Carolina; Gov. McMaster and other elected officials attended an October groundbreaking to start construction.

Acquisitions & expansions:
Russell Marine, LLC announces expansion into Texas Coastal Bend Region through acquisition of marine branch at JM Davidson, Inc.

Bull Moose Tube
updates social media followers on construction of its new mill in Sinton, TX.

CPS Houston
adds field splicing capability to its service line; the new double-joint, welding rack system can splice pipe pile 175 feet and longer, points/shoes, full length connectors at a job site.

John Lawrie Tubulars
becomes a U.S.-based steel supplier, rather than a U.K.-based operation, following the November acquisition of the company by Center Rock Capital Partners, LP.

Thomas & Hutton
arrives in North Carolina's Research Triangle market with the purchase of CJT, P.A., Preston Royster, P.E. is named principal/civil manager for the office.
People on the Move
Transitions:
Michael Blaylock named new project engineer at Dissen & Juhn Company in Stevensville, MD.

Matthew Knight
rejoins Aggregate Technologies, Inc. Formerly an estimator with the company, he has been appointed VP business development for the A-team.

Hollie Miles
joins the sales team at Flores Automation & Machine Control; she will serve clientele in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia.

Audrey Gilbert
 appointed strategic advisor and corporate secretary at GILBERT Products. The Quebec-based supplier also names Frank Gilbert as CEO.

Nam Nguyen
onboards at JD Fields & Company as new regional manager in Pacific Northwest.

Recognitions:
Mike Hiatt wraps up a 41-year career with Bowen Engineering Corp. Calling him a "legend" who contributed to the Indianapolis company's evolution into a major, self-performing GC, colleagues past and present celebrated Mike and sent him off for hunting season.

Jason Cardenosa
of J. Fletcher Creamer & Son, Inc. served as a panelist at a forum at Rowan College of South Jersey that explored aligning education and workforce preparation.

Kimberly Martin, Ph.D., P.E.
of Keller named ENR Top Young Professional and Top 20 Under 40.

Paul Giroux
, a senior manager at Kiewit, elected to the National Academy of Construction.

Melissa Benitez
started as an apprentice at McCarthy; now project safety coordinator, she recalled her experience on a panel at the Women in Apprenticeship Summit in Houston.

Steven Mathers
of Interpipe, Inc. becomes new VP Eastern Region at NASPD in 2023; the Ontario-based pile supplier north of Buffalo was in the region that endured a massive November snowstorm and said of the winter blast, "But you can still drive piles until it's below 23°!"

Abigail Haneke
from Haley & Aldrich in Hawaii was tapped to lead the National Society of Professional Engineers Maui Chapter. STEM education support is a priority of the group.

Louis Greco, P.E.
from Tectonic competed in the NYC Marathon; he raised charitable funds for Comfort Zone Camp and his employer matched all inner-office donations up to $5K.

In sympathy:
Brian Rogers, the longtime piling division manager at Consolidated Pipe & Supply, has passed away in Birmingham, AL. PDCA sends heartfelt condolences to the friends, colleagues and family of Brian, who has been a consummate industry professional and supporter.
On the Job
Blue Iron Foundation and Shoring completed the Huntington Beach repair project, which involved installation of a new, 16K+ foot seawall on the California coast. Smith Welsh starred in the promo video that shows action footage of the team using Giken equipment to install 3,700 AZ 52-700 series sheets.

Bowen Engineering Corp. drives 60-foot sheets for a new lift station, an initiative of Evansville Water & Sewer Utility in Indiana. Spotted on the job is an ICE®  International Construction Equipment vibro.

Clark Construction finishes its scope for Southwestern Washington, DC's Waterfront Station II, a 420,000 square foot, mixed-use development. Early on, driven concrete piles were installed for the support of excavation phase in what is now a new 12-story structure with two levels of below-grade parking.

Foundation Constructors, Inc. crews installed more than 2,000 piles for a wastewater treatment plant in San Mateo City, CA; an asst. professor uses timelapse video of this job as an educational resource.

George Harms Construction Co. is GC for the Raritan River Bridge Replacement; the New Jersey job received federal funding as a resiliency project. Nucor provides sheet piling and other steel, and Dan Brown and Associates is on the consulting roster for the replacement, expected to be complete in 2024.

Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. replaced two spans of the historic Kapaa Steam Bridge on Kauai.

Pacific Pile and Marine, SPOTTED driving 30-inch steel pipe piles from JD Fields with PACO equipment on Seattle's festive waterfront.

Parker Marine Contracting treks down I-95 to Savannah, GA to install piling in a historic district with a Junttan PM 23.

R.J. Gorman Marine Construction will rebuild Panama City's Sun Harbor Marina; the job includes a full redesign and doubled boat slip capacity. Hurricane Michael in 2018 imposed significant facility damage.

Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction is a top contractor in Utah and other mountain states, and a repeat winner of the PDCA Project of the Year Award. Its crew on a bridge replacement had difficulty placing the 1,300-ton precast span, so they used an unlikely tool dish soap! See the "slick" video.

SJ Hamill Construction, LLC has its crane, Geoquip/HPSI hammer and other equipment on the barge to install 14" x 55' concrete piles as it constructs a pier on John's Island, SC.

Trevcon Construction updates its project for the New York Ferry System; crews continue working to build the new Homeport II location in Atlantic Basin, which will increase capacity at the growing facility.

Triad Metals supplies the USACE seven miles of Gerdau PZC steel sheet piling to integrate into coastal storm risk management improvements on the Rockaway peninsula in New York City.
Media Hits
The New York Times quotes Paul Armstrong, owner of South Shore Pile Driving in Marshfield, MA, in a November story about a growing national trend in waterfront house-moving, due to persistent beach erosion. Paul installed house piles for a home at Cape Cod National Seashore in 2015; it was the lone surviving structure there, after a massive January 2022 storm. It has since been relocated (again).

Paper City Magazine, covering Texas culture, calls Jay Fields and his wife Allie "adorable" in a story about a successful, charity pickleball tournament the couple and their company JD Fields sponsored in Houston. The event attracted nearly 100 participants who raised money for A Shelter for Cancer Families.

YouTube: DFI's Rumble proves it's not the critic who counts, when two professionals deemed legends go head-to-head. Greg Canivan of S&ME, Inc. and Paul Axtell of Dan Brown & Associates debate Dynamic Pile Testing: Fiction or Reality. Lucky Nagarajan of Giken hosts and Sebastian Lobo-Guererro referees.
Notes from the Field
It wasn't rainin' fire in the sky the day the Keller pile driving crew from North Carolina was photographed on a Colorado job site, but the mast on their Junttan rig was Rocky Mountain High while driving the steel.

Oh, the places you will go it was interesting to see the sister company of Smart Structures on a residential job site next to historic Mar-a-Lago in Florida; Mike Muchard, P.E. proclaimed that his team was there '"making static load testing great again."

Equally Committed and Adventurous is the takeaway from David Crawford's LinkedIn post about a post-BAUMA 2022 challenge he and ECA colleagues Greg Barta and Rob Likens accomplished before leaving Germany. They hiked up Zugspitze, Germany's highest peak. Did Rob wear his trusty Crocs?

Coffee is for closers digital marketing lead Marissa Charles at Kiewit HQ got the message in her coffee that the in Omaha, NE, powerhouse has a big closing soon as it welcomes Weeks Marine into the fold.

If you ain't first, you're last Look, if your company president goes on camera as Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights, you'll be a Note from the Field. Period. We applaud Darren Sparks of Bigfoot Pipe & Piling, who, in costume, strolled the company yard on Halloween and gave tips for trick-or-treaters.

Call him DANta Claus We knew Dan Collins is chief swagmaster at APE while on the trade show circuit. But, he doesn't limit gift-giving to industry events, as noted by this grateful logo-hat recipient.

As 2022 wraps up, many of you will be getting away from the job site, yard, office, home office or wherever you conduct your important work in the deep foundations industry. This reminded us about a social media post from Robert Griggs, president at Trinity Products, with two timely suggestions: 1) have some fun at work, and 2) occasionally go into "low power mode." The second suggestion indicates it's okay to power yourself down and rip away from your business tethers so you can enjoy family, friends and celebration! When he encourages you to have fun, go ahead and attend that office holiday party...but you don't want to be that person who has too much fun! 😉

We wish you a happy holiday season and will see you back here in 2023!
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Posted in A Pile of News PDCA Monthly e-newsletter.

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