FREE Networking Social for New England Pile Drivers, Thursday

 
Since the Red Sox are eliminated from contention in the postseason and the Patriots aren't scheduled this week for Thursday Night Football, there's no reason not to join PDCA for the Cheers! to New England Pile Drivers networking event coming Thursday (Sept. 28, 2023) at Copper House Tavern in Waltham, MA. This is a FREE informational happy hour event that will include food, beverages, a short program and plenty of time for networking with pile driving contractors, equipment manufacturers, material suppliers and civil engineers who all share a common goal of advancing the driven pile. PDCA members and non-members are encouraged to attend this event. It is the organization's goal to strengthen its place in this important region and build lasting relationships.

You are encouraged to register in advance to ensure yourself entry. To do so, please click the button below:




Cheers! to New England Pile Drivers is made possible by several industry partners who have come forward to help sponsor the event. Please join us in thanking the following:


 

Value Driven Webinar Series Goes On-Location in September


PDCA visits Houston offices of JD Field & Co. (L-R: Frank Peters, Arjin Dogan, Carol Smith, Alwyn McDowall, Kathy Harper)

September featured a variety of events at PDCA. In addition to the PDCA Texas Chapter Golf Tournament and DICEP '23 both being in Houston on consecutive days, the monthly installment of the Value Driven - PDCA Webinar Series was a third event taking place during the same week. Longtime Associate Member JD Fields & Company agreed to host PDCA in its Houston offices to conduct the webinar; the PDCA broadcast team consisting of Executive Director Frank Peters and Education Director Kathy Harper, who were already in the city for previous events, originated the broadcast in a Fields conference room. The program featured Alwyn McDowall, a Business Development Engineer with the steel piling supplier, who presented the hour-long webcast examining the use of steel pilings in U.S. infrastructure. 

Mr. McDowall's presentation was entitled Heavy Highway/Bridge Infrastructure Webinar - DOT Piles. He discussed the features and benefits of domestic steel piling - including pipe, H-piles, and steel sheets - for use in heavy highway transportation and bridge geostructures. The program was topical and timely considering the U.S. government's recent execution of the $1 trillion Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which earmarks funds across all 50 states to repair and upgrade these failing transportation structures. The webinar addressed what the Federal Highway Administration and Department of Transportation agencies recognize as scour, a leading risk to bridge structures. 


Following the monthly webinar, McDowall toured the PDCA visitors around the JD Fields' offices located in Houston's historic Wortham Tower. A newer tenant in the building, the steel supplier has made the suite home, which is complete with framed pictures of Fields' steel mill and other interests. After the office tour, the team visited the Houston steel mill for another tour of yet another historic building in the city, the JDF/HDM Spriralweld Mill; the facility was once home to a U.S. Dept. of Defense contractor's submarine manufacturing facility during World War II. PDCA thanks JD Fields & Co. for its ongoing support of the pile driving industry and for hosting the organization during a Houston visit.


A photo of the Fields' nearby steel mill decorates the office breakroom

PDCA tours the JDF/HDM Spiralweld Mill in Houston

The next installment of the Value Driven - PDCA Webinar Series takes place at 2:00 PM EDT on October 12th; the program is entitled Estimating the Bearing Capacity for Vibro Driven Bearing PilesMeantime, September 2023 events aren't done at PDCA. Please join us at Cheers! to New England Pile Drivers, a FREE networking reception on Sept. 28th in Waltham, Mass.

DICEP '23 Delivers 8.5 hours of Diversified Education in Houston

DICEP '23 featured thought-provoking programming (L-R: Chad Held, Clayton Signor, Silas Nichols)...

...and an active Exhibit Hall (L-R: Josh Martinez, PE, Mike Leal, Kristian Dietel, Shiri Foster, Tim Williamson, Brad Roberts).

Participants in DICEP '23 earned up to 8.5 Professional Development Hour (PDH's) credits for attending the variety of educational sessions at the September 12-13 PDCA technical conference in Houston and your certifications are on the way to your inboxes. The 2023 program took place at the Marriott West Loop near the Houston Galleria and attracted attendees from across North America. DICEP was rich in diverse content, providing all attendees with the opportunity to gain new perspectives on a well-rounded menu of technical presentations during the 1.5 day event. Participants took advantage of the following sessions and activities and convened for breaks, meals and a networking reception in the sold-out Exhibit Hall. Here is a summary of the event:
  • panel discussion about the role of geotechnical engineering on design-build
  • presentation on the installation of an offshore platform
  • understanding on construction costs related to steel sheet piling materials, design, configuration and installation
  • discussion about an earthen levee retrofit with pressed-in double sheet pile walls
  • optimizing pile lengths with an embedded instrumentation load test program for a large industrial plant
  • a comparison of two shorings
  • the role of sustainability in future design
  • innovative methods of pile installation
  • an academic presentation on the fundamentals of driven pile design 
  • design considerations for displacement rigid inclusions
  • a discussion of the Surfside Beach Pier Replacement, a winning project from this year's PDCA Project of the Year Awards
  • networking time during breakfast, lunch, and a Meet & Greet Reception in the at-capacity Exhibit Hall
The DICEP '23 Exhibit Hall was at capacity, where industry suppliers and manufacturers provided professional staff available to discuss their products and services with attendees. PDCA thanks the following exhibitors: GRL Engineers, Pile Dynamics, Inc., Meever USA, Lodge Lumber, Hammer & Steel, PACO Equipment, American Piledriving Equipment, JD Fields & Company, Essve Tech, Inc., Bauer Equipment America, Dawson Construction Plant, Giken America, Eustis Engineering, Sutherland Pipe and Supply, Liebherr, Service Steel Warehouse, American Equipment & Fabricating, and Pileworks.

Additionally, the following DICEP '23 sponsors helped make the annual event a success: American Equipment & Fabricating, Darkhorse Metals, GRL Engineers, Pile Dynamics, Inc., APE-American Piledriving Equipment, Liebherr, and ICE-International Construction Equipment, Essve Tech, Inc., Lodge Lumber.

Photos from DICEP '23 in Houston, TX, thanks to attendees, presenters, exhibitors and sponsors!

Scenes from the technical program...

Seen in the Exhibit Hall...

 

Texas Chapter Hosts Successful, Sold-Out Golf Tourney


Event Title Sponsor J.D. Fields & Co. outfitted its players with the latest in the company's line of head-wear.

Fourteen under par at Houston's Hermann Park Golf Course was enough to edge out 18 other teams and secure First Place for the PDCA Texas Chapter Inaugural Golf Tournament. The sold-out event on Tuesday morning, September 12th, attracted golfers at all levels, many of whom would be participating later that day in the DICEP 2023, an annual technical program from PDCA that was held in Houston. Teams finishing in 2nd and 3rd place were also awarded, as were individuals who won various golf contests that they encountered throughout 18 holes of play. Photos of winners and their representatives are below:
 

Brandon Phetteplace (L) represents the 1st place team consisting of himself, Scott Webster, Brandon Bicknell, and Craig Drachman
 

Erica Ferens (R) accepts the 2nd place prize for teammates Walter Van Zuthem, Strider Noone, and James Whiteley 
Tyler Henneke reps the 3rd place team that included Dustin Walker, Nicco Hacopian and Thomas McCarther
 

David Toups (front) won Men's Closest to the Pin

Jenny Ellis won Lady's Closest to the Pin

Erica Ferens won Lady's Longest Drive

Josh Averitt won Men's Longest Drive
 

Jerry Rogers, Jose Perez, Mark Gonzalez and Brian Land were crowned the Most Honest team!

All prizes were made possible by the generous Event Sponsors recognized on tournament signage

This event would not have been possible without a strong showing of generous sponsors and dedicated volunteers. Title Sponsor JD Fields & Company, Breakfast Sponsor Tolunay-Wong Engineers, and Lunch Sponsor Lodge Lumber are recognized, along with Hole Sponsors Aggregate Technologies, Inc., McCarthy, American Piledriving Equipment, Service Steel Warehouse, Pileco, Inc., THI Pipe & Piling, Pipe & Tube Supplies, Inc., Tolunay-Wong Engineers, Russell Marine LLC, JD Fields & Co., Eustis Engineering LLC, Mammoth Carbon Steel, Lodge Lumber, Dunham Price Group, and CPS Houston. Hole and event sponsors also included Colgan Industries, Energy Materials, Co., Stiver Engineering, Brannon Industrial Group, Bigge Crane, and Coastal Ice & Water. Many of the Hole Sponsors made sure that golfers were refreshed when they visited their tents, photos below:

Eustis Engineering LLC
Russell Marine LLC
THI Pipe & Piling

Aggregate Technologies, Inc.
Service Steel Warehouse
Mammoth Carbon Products
Tolunay-Wong Engineers
Lodge Lumber
Pipe & Tube Supplies, Inc.
Energy Materials Company

This event would not have been possible without a critical, dedicated group of volunteers who assisted the PDCA Texas Chapter leadership in organizing and executing the successful golf tournament. President Brandon Bicknell, VP Condon Verble, Secretary Mike Leal, and Treasurer Derek Brodnax gained critical support from the team of volunteers who are pictured - in action - below: Lori Cooley Bauer EquipmentKyle Plaisance McCarthy Building Companies, Kyrsten Garcia - Russell Marine LLC, Mario Alanis - Bauer Equipment, and Shiri Foster - Lodge Lumber.


Cooley

Plaisance

Garcia

Alanis

Foster

By all accounts, the PDCA Texas Chapter hit a hole in one (pardon the cliche) with its Inaugural Golf Tournament. At times it was competitive, other times it was rowdy, but for about 6 hours on a Tuesday morning in Houston, support and advocacy of driven pile-based deep foundation construction was the inspiration for an overall, highly successful event. The PDCA Texas Chapter and PDCA thank all participants for supporting the cause, A driven pile...is a tested pile! If you missed it, this PHOTO DUMP is our best effort to give you the pictorial story of a great day on the golf course:

Must've been Wheaties in that burrito...


Spicin' things up with an early morning game of golf cart 'chicken.' No injuries or collisions occurred!


It doesn't take a lot to convince PDCA President Brian Heck to take a morning off for some golf.


So which Toups is it???

A beautiful week to be a Longhorn
This one's interpreted as a Gig 'em Aggies

Thanks to all for making this a great event!

Posted in Chapter News.

POSTPONED: July Webinar on Steel Piling for Bridge, Heavy Highway Projects


 (L-R) Alwyn McDowall, Arjin Dogan of JD Fields & Co. break between sessions at a previous PDCA event

Federal Highway Administration and Department of Transportation agencies recognize scour as a leading risk to bridge structures. A portion of the widely celebrated, $1 trillion Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has earmarked funds across all 50 states to repair and upgrade these failing transportation structures.

The July 13, 2023, installment of the Value Driven - PDCA Webinar Series delivers a presentation entitled Heavy Highway/Bridge Infrastructure Webinar - DOT Piles by Alwyn McDowall of JD Fields & Company, Inc. He will discuss the features and benefits of domestic steel piling - including pipe, H-piles, and steel sheets - for use in heavy highway transportation and bridge geostructures. 

The webinar happens Thursday, July 13th from 2:00 to 3:00 PM EDT and carries a 1-hour PDH award for completion. All representatives of PDCA member companies are invited to participate in this online event at no cost; PDCA virtual learning is offered as a member benefit. Non-members may also attend for the nominal cost of $50.00. If you have questions, please contact Kathy Harper at PDCA at kathy@piledrivers.org or by phone at 904-215-4771. Please click the button below for more information and to reserve your spot.
 

Pacific Coast Chapter Gives Scholarships; Two Winners Interned for PDCA Members


Through funds raised during the successful Pacific Coast Chapter Scholarship Shoot in April, the organization is awarding six scholarships to students on the West Coast who are pursuing higher education in construction and/or engineering disciplines. Each of the following students is receiving a $2,000 scholarship available for the 2023 fall semester at their respective schools. 

Part of the application process for hopefuls who pursue this scholarship is to share information and documentation about their experiences, to date, and their plans for the future. Meet the 2023 Winners of the Pacific Coast Chapter Scholarship:

Ben Nguyen
 
Through a sponsorship from his summer internship employer and PDCA member Pacific Pile & Marine (PPM), Hiep (Ben) Nguyen wins a Chapter scholarship. The award comes in time for his 4th year at University of Washington (UW) where he is pursuing a bachelor's degree in civil engineering, concentrating in heavy civil and sustainable construction. A native of south Vietnam where he watched and used numerous buildings founded by driven piles, Ben has developed a passion to contribute to the built environment. To supplement his application to the Chapter, Ben submitted enthusiastic reference letters from a professor from UW who said he 'embodies the intent of this scholarship,' and his internship supervisor at PPM who remarks that his 'potential is limitless.' One look at his credentials, and we can see this young man is going to be an asset to the pile driving industry.
 
Roan Fettig
 
Roan Fettig also lists work experience from a PDCA member company on his Chapter scholarship application. His past employer, Vortex Marine Construction, Inc. praised his qualities of 'dependability, conscientiousness, and thoughtfulness,' saying he 'demonstrates creative problem-solving skills.' Earlier this year, Roan achieved Eagle Scout, graduated Campolindo High School in Moraga, CA, and started his freshman year at Montana State University where he pursues a degree in Civil Engineering. He has amassed an impressive resume to date, which includes competing in numerous sports and volunteering at a community food bank and as a youth coach. He has a rare and impressive history of advancement and in the Boy Scouts of America organization. His high school guidance counselor endorsed Roan, saying 'he has all the attributes that will make him successful in life.'
 
Will Millette
 
As he begins his third year at Colorado State University as a student in Construction Management, Will Millette has achieved an impressive GPA, but also scheduled himself a challenging fall semester schedule where he has classes and labs including materials testing, visual arts, business law and ethics, and calculus, to name a few. With a heavy load like this, it is no surprise that in her reference letter for his Chapter scholarship application package, his high school math teacher said he 'was constantly striving to improve his skills and prove his mastery of the given subject.' Will also has a history of success outside of academics. He was an award-winning, multi-sport high school athlete who captained his soccer team. The Walnut Creek, CA native also found time to develop work skills through performing part-time jobs in an iron works shop, a real estate office, and a construction company. 
 
Robert Leerkes, Jr.
 
By 19 years old, Robert Leerkes, Jr. has built a resume that includes achievements from FEMA, Skills USA, and the Arizona Career and Technical Education Quality Commission. Now, in his first-year student at Northern Arizona University where his is enrolled in the civil engineering program, he starts with numerous credits from his time as a dual-enrolled student at Williams Field High School and Maricopa Community College. His resume also includes experience as a formal tutor to math and science students, a volunteer assistant to the high school engineering department, and part time work with a Phoenix-area traffic control company. He earned a Chapter scholarship endorsement letter from a past instructor from the Federal Dept. of Homeland Security who gave a glowing review of Robert's time in his class, noting he is a 'talented, intelligent student with charisma, confidence, and strong values.'
 
Ben Schussel
 
As he begins his first semester at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where he is studying Construction Management, Benjamin Schussel earned the Chapter scholarship based on his academic successes at Mission Oak High School in Tulare, CA. He built an enviable resume that includes extra-curricular pursuits in athletics and community service, and part-time work at Rio Blanco Dairy, Tulare City Parks and Rec, and Stacked Bar and Grill. In his application essay, Ben states that he maintains a keen interest in construction industry technologies such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), virtual reality, and drone utilization, all which can enhance driven pile foundation installation. According to his high school science teacher, who notes his high degree of 'self-motivation', she says Benjamin 'displays initiative, leadership, and a natural inclination to help others.'
 
Adam Schussel
 
A Tulare, CA native, Chapter scholarship winner Adam Schussel graduated from Mission Oak High School and begins college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. The freshman majoring in construction management brings a diversified set of experiences, having worked for his hometown park district as a swim instructor and lifeguard, and worked at an area dairy where he performed painting and general labor. A scholar and an athlete, he won the Future Engineer Award for his coursework and Best Defensive Player the school's water polo team. A former teacher summed up Adam by saying "This kid is the type of student every teacher wishes to have: affable, intelligent, and respectful." In our estimation, he has the makings of a future driven pile foundation construction leader!

Posted in Chapter News.

DICEP Starts Tuesday in Houston, There's Still Time to Register

Dave Chapman presents a program about sheet piling design at a previous DICEP technical conference

There's still time to secure your registration at PDCA 24th Annual Design & Installation of Cost-Efficient Piles (DICEP Conference beginning Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at the Houston Marriott West Loop. The Exhibit Hall is sold out, but if you are interested sponsoring some portion of the event, you can find information about availability on the registration page. Please click on the following link to register and learn more about this annual technical conference. 


DICEP 2023 Schedule at a Glance:

Tuesday, September 12, 2023


3:00 pm     Registration Opens   

4:00 pm     Opening Ceremony & Welcome Announcements     

5:00 pm     Role of Geotechnical Engineering on Design Build Panel Discussion     
  • Chad Held, P.E., Executive Vice President, Eustis Engineering
  • Clayton Signor, Owner, Texas Pile, LLC
  • Silas Nichols, P.E., Principal Geotechnical Engineer, Federal Highway Administration's Office of Infrastructure
5:00 pm     Meet & Greet Reception - Exhibit Hall


Wednesday, September 13, 2023


7:00 am     Registration & Breakfast - Exhibit Hall     

8:00 am     Morning Welcome Announcements     

8:15 am     Installation of an Offshore Platform     
  • Bob Stevens, PhD, PE, F.ASCE, D.GE, Principal Consultant, Fugro
 
8:45 am      The Impact of In-Depth Understanding of Steel Sheet Piling     
Materials, Design, Configuration and Installation on Construction Cost   
  • Gerry McShane, Director Piling Sales, Service Steel Warehouse

9:15 am     Earthen Levee Retrofit with Pressed-in Double Sheet Pile Walls     
Takefumi Takuma, Senior Advisor, Giken America

9:45 am     Optimizing Pile Lengths with an Embedded Instrumentation Load Test Program for a Large Industrial Plant
  • Brandon Phetteplace, P.E., Project Engineer, GRL Engineers, Inc.
  • Daniel Sprunk, Project Manager, Cajun Industries, LLC

Break - Exhibit Hall     10:15 am

10:45 am     Tale of Two Shorings: Dallas Rail Yard and Lake Austin Water Quality Pond
  • Clayton Signor, Owner, Texas Pile, LLC

11:45 am     The Role of Sustainability in Future Design     
  • Silas Nichols, P.E., Principal Geotechnical Engineer, Federal Highway Administration's Office of Infrastructure

12:30 pm     Lunch - Exhibit Hall

1:30 pm     Innovative Methods for Pile Installation
  • Keith Cronin, Pacific Pile & Marine
2:00 pm     Fundamentals of Driven Pile Design Principles
  • Aaron Budge, PhD, P.E., Associate Dean, College of Science, Engineering & Technology, Minnesota State Univ.
  
3:00 pm     Break - Exhibit Hall

3:30 pm     Design Changes and a Material Substitution - Savings for Heritage Point at Canalside's Building One in Buffalo, NY
  • Buck Darling, President, Herbert F. Darling, Inc.
4:00 pm     Design Considerations for Displacement Rigid Inclusions
  • Timothy C. Seigel, P.E., G.E., D.GE, CEO/Senior Principal, Dan Brown & Associates
4:30 pm     Surfside Beach Pier Replacement Value Engineering Design
  • Michael Simpson, P.E., Senior Geotechnical Engineer, Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering

Greg B. at Heron Wolf Wins August #PDCADriven Contest

A Pile of News - September 2023

A Pile of News: September 2023
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 Sept. 1, 2023
Top of the Pile PileDriver magazine reveals winners of Project of the Year Awards. Click to read about each project. Meantime, congratulations to these winning entrants who persevered in stiff competition:

Forefront Deep Foundations (Land: Less than $1M) 
Texas Pile (Land: $1M-$5M) 
R.E. Pierson Construction Co. (Land: Over $5M)  

Cape Romain Contractors, Inc. (Marine: Less than $5M) 
Pacific Pile & Marine (Marine: Over $5M)
Richard Goettle, Inc. (Earth Retention: Less than $5M) 
ASAP Group (Earth Retention: Over $5M) 
Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering, Inc. (Associate/Engineering Affiliate) 
 
Looking ahead your pile driving project completed by Dec. 31, 2023, is eligible for entry in the 2024 program; the submission period will open in January. Start thinking about it! 
 
Speaking of 2024 check your PDCA account at piledrivers.org and make necessary changes to your personnel, contact information, etc. We want your entry in the 2024 PDCA Membership Directory to be accurate.
From the Association & Chapters
Mark your calendars:
Sept. 12: Texas Chapter Golf Tourney, Hermann Park Golf Course, 8:00 AM As a kickoff to DICEP in Houston, join the Texas Chapter for a morning of golf. SOLD OUT.

Sept. 1213: DICEP 2023 The annual technical conference is at the Houston Marriott West Loop by the Galleria. Hear from industry experts and earn up to 8.5 PDHs at the 1.5-day event.

Sept. 14: Value Driven Webinar Series, 23 PM EDT  a presentation from JD Fields & Co. and Gerdau entitled Heavy Highway/Bridge Infrastructure Webinar DOT Piles.

Sept. 28: Cheers! to New England Pile Drivers, Waltham, MA, 5:307:30 pm A FREE networking happy hour at Cooper House Tavern, open to the pile driving industry. Sponsorships available.

Oct. 1113: DFDTA in partnership with Pile Dynamics, Inc. (PDI) at PDI Cleveland offices.

Nov. 1516: Engineers Driven Pile Institute (EDPI) at the Hilton Baltimore Airport, registration is OPEN!

To see a list of upcoming events, including PDCA committee meetings, visit the Events Calendar.

Immediate Need: volunteers for the Board at Pacific Coast Chapter: interested parties in the pile driving industry in the western U.S. are encouraged to Contact Chapter Pres. Dermot Fallon. Board members assist in annual, successful clay shoot, scholarship program, and more.

News and PHOTOS from the PDCA Blog:
PDCA on the Road Louisiana: see a collection of photos and observations from member visits.

Gulf Coast Chapter Clay Shoot Hot temps, hotter competition; who won and who was there?

South Carolina Chapter honors Andrea Edwards; assembles under VP Pete Adams.

Northeast Chapter raises educational funds during annual sporting clays event.
Congratulations, Greg B., 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
Acquisitions & expansions:
HF Darling Inc. expands marketing and launches its new website. The octogenarian piling and shoring company in Tonawanda, NY, is also on LinkedIn with plenty of company news and job site photos.

Lodge Lumber grows product line, now distributes JP Specialties Earth Shield Waterstop.

Trinity Products announces its third expansion of the distribution division. The new facility at 2200 Cabot Drive in Lisle, IL, doubles existing office space and other capacity.

Giving back:
Bowen Engineering Corp. donates a Day of Service to the local community through participation in the restoration of a non-profit community center serving children and families in Indianapolis.

C.D. Perry & Sons sponsored Ride With Mike, a fundraiser for an Albany, NY, cancer foundation. Mike is a two-time lymphoma survivor, construction superintendent and car enthusiast.

DFI Piling provided The Warming Tent and sugar cookies for a ball hockey tournament in Edmonton, AB, a fundraiser for mobile mammography operations at an area hospital.

Veit partnered with local labor to host 41 high schoolers from the Minnesota Trades Academy; the students toured the facilities, engaged in career panels and watched equipment in action.

Recognitions:
GROUP Contractors awarded nationally and in Louisiana for Dow Plaquemine Eagleray project.

Canal Barge Company makes the Times-Picayune list of Top Places to Work in New Orleans.

EMC Engineering Services, Inc. makes two 2023 top business lists from the Zweig Group.

Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering is a Best Place to Work in South Carolina.

Governmental relations:
Richard E. Pierson Const. crew members on the Carsonia Ave. job site in Pennsylvania were paid a visit by Sec. Carroll, State Sen. Schwank and other supporters of the Lower Alsace restoration.

Eustis Engineering provided geotechnical services for the most ambitious environmental restoration project in Louisiana; company reps joined Gov. Edwards at the groundbreaking.

GZA GeoEnvironmental staff was on hand, along with Gov. Healy, U.S. Rep. Neal and other lawmakers, for a ceremonial groundbreaking of expanded facilities for the Holyoke Veterans Home in Massachusetts; the firm is retained for geotechnical and permitting services.

Race Coastal Engineering is in a Connecticut consortium that met with Gov. Lamont and area legislators at Mystic Shipyard to discuss marine industry issues; the event earned TV coverage.

Shannon & Wilson reports that VP Michael Harney won appointment from Gov. Inslee to the State of Washington Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors.

Apex Steel Pipe & Piling hosts speakers who share various professional experiences with the interns. July's segment was Uvalde Mayor McLauglin, who disparaged complacency.

Anniversaries:
Tolunay-Wong Engineers marks 30 years in business in 2023 see a festive anniversary video. Founded in Houston in 1993 by Dr. Daniel Wong, who subsequently served under two Texas governors as chairman of the Board of Professional Engineers, the firm has grown to 12 offices sprinkled throughout Texas and Louisiana and has amassed a wide range of industry awards.
People on the Move
Transitions:
Daniel Sprunk elevates to senior project manager/estimator at Cajun Industries, Baton Rouge. One more: Rachel Bache, a new admin in the deep foundations offices, set a record at the August Gulf Coast Chapter clay shoot.

Gerard Chenevert assumes a new role as estimating manager at GROUP Contractors.

Alex Flynn onboards as new superintendent with HF Darling Inc.

Justin Bright onboards at Lynnhaven Marine and Dock as new field ops superintendent.

Chelsey Ullrich rises to business development coordinator for Houston, Austin at McCarthy.

Brendan Fitzpatrick promoted to president at DuroTerra, LLC.

Trip Story named new, Atlanta-based account manager for Equipment Corporation of America.

Ric Anderson, P.E., S.E. takes 15 years' experience in steel to Gerdau North America to become a new product line manager. This contributor to PDCA's CFI program in 2022 also serves in leadership at the South Carolina Chapter.

Mike Roberts returns to Jinnings Equipment as sales rep servicing Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas for the Fort Wayne, IN, piling machinery dealer.

Glenn Buckley named VP/GM at Pinnacle Drilling Products, will oversee U.S. and Canadian operations.

David Schoenwolf starts a new chapter with Haley & Aldrich as senior vice president.

Jackson Vogel, Darlene Bush join Southern Earth Sciences in New Orleans and Destin, FL.

Kristen Lanier is new client development manager at the Charleston offices of Terracon.

Recognitions:
Andrew Abate, supt. at J. Fletcher Creamer & Son, coached daughter Ava's softball squad to third place in the Babe Ruth World Series! The contractor sponsored the Vineland, NJ, 12U team.

Henry Massman, CEO/pres. at Massman Construction, was elected chair of the Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT). Gayle Packer, P.E. of Terracon is one of the board members at CIRT.

Amory Scott adheres to the mission at the family business, Scott Bridge Company Inc., which is proudly Building to Serve. The VP for the contracting firm also oversees its charitable foundation. Last month, she was named to the Auburn Alumni Association 20 Under 40.

Anthony Sciortino, who leads the Boston office at Equipment Corporation of America, and his wife Kai welcome their third child; daughter Emilia June arrived July 22.

Larry and William, servicemen at Gilbert Products, win contest at lumber industry competition.

Andy Walters, a senior engineer and regional manager for American Engineering Testing, wins distinguished service award from ASCE.

Brandon Ivanowicz competed in the Juneau, AK, Aukeman Triathlon; the PND Engineers staffer finished sixth against 38 rivals. More news, Todd Belsick, P.E., VP, reaches 25 years at the firm.

Ryan Wakeford garnered royal designation and a BBQ lunch, courtesy of his Terracon colleagues in Charleston, SC, following his passage of the P.E. exam.

Dagmar Pena, Sean Leatherbuery, Regan Swift of Universal Engineering Sciences were all honored for their inspection work on a Florida roadway project.

Ryan Maloney, construction law contributor to PileDriver magazine, and three of his partners at Jimerson Birr make the cut on the annual Best Lawyers in America list.

Anthony LaPlaca made the legal list, too, along with dozens of his Seyfarth Shaw colleagues.

In Sympathy:
William S. "Bill" Zoino, P.E., co-founder of GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc., passed away in July at age 91. The widely respected geotechnical engineer and dam builder was a dual grad of MIT, a Navy vet and family man. He maintained active industry involvement. GZA's CEO recalls Mr. Zoino's simple business philosophy: "Professional quality, service, family first."
On the Job
Blue Iron Foundation & Shoring brought mood lighting for nighttime pile driving on a CalTrans freeway.

Cajun Industries, LLC updates progress on a 450-pile installation for a new facility nearing 20K square feet that will become expanded space for Equipment services in Port Allen, LA.

Commerce Construction Corporation shares imagery from a waterfront improvement project it is performing in Gloucester County, NJ. Features include twelve 48-inch diameter piles and three walkway pile caps.

H.B. Fleming, Inc. installs a foundation for a subcontract on a Portland, ME, project that will become a new cold storage facility. Crews drive 550 H-piles, 180 feet, at a capacity of 1,100 kips.

Kokosing is half of the JV selected to build the Brent Spence Bridge spanning the Ohio River between Cincinnati to Covington, KY. The DOTs picked the design/builders for a $3.1B infrastructure investment.

Orion Marine updates from waterfront Tampa; it says Phase 1 of the developing Westshore Marina District is done. The job included installation of steel pipe piles to support an aluminum dock system.

Sealevel Construction is among the contractors on the front lines of Louisiana flood mitigation; its crews are making progress on the critical Bayou Lafourche pump station installation in Donaldsonville.

SJ Hamill Construction needs a pile driver foreman and other staff. Also, the Charleston, SC, contractor reminds you that it has a "big hammer," but didn't need it for crane work at the South Carolina Aquarium.

Clydesdale Steel services Meever USA with waler fabrication, exemplifying PDCA member collaboration.

JD Fields & Co. steel was installed and GeoQuip, Inc. hammers were used by crews working for the parent company of Hal Jones Contractor, on the new North Causeway Bridge in Ft. Pierce, FL.

ESP Associates, Inc. testing and inspection services team, led by Tracey Turner, finished work on a new band addition at Wando High School, just in time for the new school year.

GeoEngineers Inc. continues growing its Boston practice. Two new staff geotechs, Lisa Pavan and John McCabe, are reportedly on site at two neighboring Greystar developments near Revere Beach Parkway.

Haley & Aldrich strives to interest students in AEC jobs through their teachers. It hosted Boston Public Schools faculty for an externship, toured them on local projects and highlighted engineering roles.

UBC Pile Drivers and Divers ED Mark Benacquisto and colleagues were boat guests of clean energy proponents in New England; they visited developing offshore wind installations in the Atlantic.

Janice Graziosi of USI Insurance shares executive guidance on OSHA compliance, because, depending on your latitude, September can still bring dangerous heat and outside working conditions.
Media Hits
ENR (PAYWALL) covers the rebuild of the Port of Beaumont Terminal 1, where McCarthy replaces a critical piece of East Texas infrastructure. Robert Wood and Ryan Everette are quoted.

The Wall Street Journal (PAYWALL) reports on challenges the U.S. faces in Arctic glacial melt. Photos and video that show a Coast Guard icebreaker berthed at Juneau Cruise Ship Berths an installation PND Engineers, Inc. designed and for which the company subsequently won a 2017 PDCA Project of the Year Award.

Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo gets perspectives on the steel industry during interview with Atlas Tube CEO Barry Zekelman. Among the topics: consolidation, IRA, trade, economy and more.

INC. magazine publishes a piece on succession planning; among actualities in the article is Trinity Products founder and chairman Robert Griggs, who shares his philosophy of "open book management."

Q Magazine carries a story by Tyler Swanson, intern at TRC Companies, that examines mounting tensions among stakeholders in converting traditional farmland to solar harvesting fields. Learn about Agrivoltaics, an emerging land-use technique striving for common ground among competing factions.

Ground Engineering enlightens readers on the iconic Crooked House in Britain. Renowned for its unique foundation that continues to mitigate the effects of 19th century mining. ECS Limited geotech David Wilshaw was educated nearby and recalls the pub as a hangout among his peers.

Birmingham's Talk 99.5 FM aired an interview with Richard Shea of Morris Shea Bridge Company about his founding, management and support of the Birmingham Thunderbolts Softball national youth team.
Notes from the Field
Uber for antique airplanes might be a new side-hustle for Weeks Marine. For the second time this century, it relocated The Concorde, a supersonic jet known for the fastest-ever New York to London flight (in 1996, it completed the trip in 2:52:59). Now a museum piece in NYC, it needs offsite maintenance, and Weeks' crane/barge move was the only option. The contractor also moved the iconic aircraft in 2008.

Cue up the "back when I was in school" sob stories "Ten feet of snow" never has been and never will be a challenge for Miami kids walking to school, but when the FIU students go back to their apartments after class, some will be enjoying luxurious South Florida living in this Balfour Beatty US showpiece.

At least nobody had a viral jumbotron moment An office party for the Portland, OR, staff at Shannon & Wilson, Inc. took place at the MLS game between the local Thorns FC and San Diego. Their attendance was broadcast to the stadium on the big screen scoreboard, the crowd went wild!

Clean "dad" jokes, as told by staff at TRC Companies, Inc., which apparently manages a "Dadabase."

It's not a joke that vibration data is valuable to PDCA Share scientific findings with the industry. For the uncomfortable dad humor: We can also learn from your unscientific findings; for instance how ICE International Construction Equipment, Inc. equipment pro Rick Sadler gathers data in his truck. Meet "Iwanna Leia."

As we sign off and wish you a happy and safe Labor Day weekend, we remind you that the relentless battle cry at PDCA is "A driven pile...is a tested pile." You know this, you communicate this and you practice this. At the same time, you are aware of outside forces that may attempt to diminish this long-understood reality. At PDCA, the paramount objective is to advocate for the driven pile as the preferred method of deep foundation construction. This can only be effective when we all participate and contribute to the cause. If you're not currently a PDCA member, consider supporting the only organization that elevates your voice and your passion for pile driving. Join PDCA today!
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