March 21, 2024
Members of the
PDCA Texas Chapter gathered Tuesday, March 19th at the Hyatt Regency - Baytown hotel, near Houston, to hear presentations from suppliers of steel and concrete piling, as well as a 30-year veteran pile driving contractor. Approximately 70 attendees gained new insights into the industry and enjoyed the opportunity for lunch and networking.
Program speakers included
Jody Singletary from
Dunham Price, a seasoned producer of concrete pile manufacturing. He addressed matters pertaining to quality in concrete piling and its manufacturing process. This segment was made possible through sponsorship by
APE-American Piledriving Equipment.
Gerry McShane of
Service Steel Warehouse also presented to the assembly. With more than 35 years in the construction industry and expertise in ground engineering, Mr. McShane has worked in the steel piling industry, exclusively, for the past decade. With a resume that includes practical experience on four continents, he addressed material quality in relation to steel products. This presentation was courtesy of
Taylor Marine Construction.
A marine and heavy civil construction veteran pile driver, and presently general superintendent at
McCarthy Building Companies,
Condon Verble concluded the program in his capacity as president of the PDCA Texas Chapter. He briefed attendees on Chapter initiatives and activities it will be offering to members throughout 2024.
OTTO Fabricators and proprietor
George Cerda sponsored this final segment of the Lunch & Learn event.
The PDCA Texas Chapter Lunch & Learn was made possible through support from the following event sponsors:
- CPS Houston
- Flexifloat
- PACO Ventures
- APE-American Piledriving Equipment (presentation sponsor)
- OTTO Fabricators (presentation sponsor)
- Taylor Marine Construction (presentation sponsor)
Shiri Foster of Lodge Lumber gave introductions of the Lunch & Learn speakers and provided event photography. Mickey Thatcher, Texas Chapter VP from Russell Marine LLC, also contributed photos.
(L-R) PDCA Executive Director Frank Peters, Texas Chapter Sec. Mike Leal, speaker Gerry McShane,
TX Chapter VP Mickey Thatcher, TX Chapter Treas. Derek Brodnax, TX Chapter and speaker Condon Verble, speaker Jody Singletary.
G. McShane
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C. Verble
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J. Singletary
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Pile Driving Contractors Association
Pile Driving Contractors Association
Posted in Chapter News Texas.
March 20, 2024
Shooters enjoy a beautiful day during the 2023 PDCA Pacific Coast Chapter Scholarship Shoot
Registration is open for the
PDCA Pacific Coast Chapter's 13th Annual Scholarship Shoot, a popular event that raises funds for regional students pursuing college degrees in engineering and construction. The friendly competition among pile driving professionals takes place Friday, April 26, 2024, at Birds Landing Hunting Preserve, 2099 Collinsville Road, Birds Landing, CA.
Following the shoot, a BBQ lunch takes place on the grounds of Birds Landing where shooters will be recognized for individual and team scoring. Also, there will be a raffle featuring donated prizes, including a variety of firearms and shooting accessories. And be sure to participate in the live auction which features a 3-day dove hunt for four people in Argentina, courtesy of
Norte Hunters!
PDCA members and non-members are welcome to participate in this annual event; to register, or for more information about competing in the shoot, attending the lunch and prizes portion, or simply donating to the Scholarship fund, please click the button below:
Pile Driving Contractors Association
Pile Driving Contractors Association
Posted in Chapter News Pacific Coast.
March 19, 2024

Attendees of the Driven Pile Technical Seminar assembled for a group photo in front of The Citadel football stadium on a beautiful March afternoon.
The 10th Driven Pile Technical Seminar, a recurring program from the PDCA South Carolina Chapter, featured an enviable lineup of presenters. The biennial event took place on March 14, 2024, at The Holliday Alumni Center at The Citadel in Charleston, SC. Attendees traveled from throughout the southeastern U.S. region to continue their education in the driven pile industry, and in applicable cases, earn credit hours. This important professional development opportunity was made possible by generous sponsors.
PDCA South Carolina Chapter Board Member Greg Canivan, PE, Technical Principal with S&ME, Inc., led the program development for the 2024 event, and served as its emcee. Another Chapter Board Member, Jason Moore of Palmetto Pile Driving, Inc., assisted with logistical and marketing support.
Upwards of 100 registrants secured seats for the educational program, which began promptly at 8:00 AM on a Thursday morning. And in order of appearance, attendees heard presentations from the following deep foundations professionals:
- John Ryan, PhD, PE, Assistant Professor at The Citadel - Axial Load Limits for Prestress Concrete Piles
- David Borger, PE, Director of Engineering at Nucor Skyline - Corrosion of Steel Piles & Staged Construction of Support of Excavation
- Michael Wysockey, PhD, PE, President of Thatcher Foundations - Driven vs. Drilled Deep Foundations
- Mohamad Hussein, PE, EVP GRL Engineers, Inc. - Dynamic Pile Testing: Basic Principles, Data Interpretation, and Practical Applications
- Matt Caskey, PE, Director of Sales and Business Development at DuroTerra - Ductile Iron Piles: Driven Piles for Constrained Access and Low-Vibrations Applications
Thanks to the following sponsors, the
Driven Pile Technical Seminar afforded attendees with a full day of quality deep foundations programming, along with breakfast, lunch and snacks. The
PDCA South Carolina Chapter thanks the generous supporters of this important event:
- Cape Romain Contractors
- Consolidated Pipe & Supply
- Essve Tech
- Gerdau
- International Construction Equipment
- Junttan
- Koppers
- Nucor Skyline
- Palmetto Pile Driving, Inc.
- Pile Drivers, Inc.
- S&ME
- Soil Consultants, Inc.
Photos of the event presenters and attendees are below:
During breakfast, lunch and short breaks in the morning and afternoon, attendees had the opportunity to enhance their industry networks.

Pile Driving Contractors Association
Pile Driving Contractors Association
Posted in Chapter News South Carolina.