| A Pile of News: August 2024 |
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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 Aug. 1, 2024 |
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Top of the Pile
We got winners! We can't tell you here, but we can give you the hyperlink. PileDriver magazine exclusively announces the 2024 Project of the Year Award winners and it now available; read it here! The 2024 contest was highly competitive.
Update your PDCA account for the 2025 Membership Directory. PDCA executive director Frank Peters gives this easy-to-follow tutorial on The PDCA Connection, the new member account management system.
Read to the end for a college football special see PDCA members impacting the sport. Plus, past presidents predict the SEC sorry in advance for any hurt feelings in the ACC, Big 12 and Pac 12. |
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| From the Association & Chapters |
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Mark your calendars:
Aug. 8: PDCA Value Driven Webinar Series (virtual), 2 - 3 PM EDT. Hear an important presentation on Employee Mental Health & Suicide Prevention.
Aug. 8: South Carolina Chapter Dinner, Charleston, SC, 6 - 9 PM; networking and dinner meeting at the the Town & Country Inn and Suites on Savannah Highway. Nucor rep Louis Nash, PE presents sheet pile job.
Aug. 9: Northeast Chapter Sporting Clays Fundraiser, Coplay, PA, 8 - 3 PM: This popular event includes breakfast, shooting and lunch. Registration is open, sponsorships are available.
Aug. 22: The Twin Cities Social, Fulton Taproom, Downtown Minneapolis, MN, 5 - 7 PM: Attend the FREE networking reception, PDCA membership not required. Sponsorship available.
Sept. 10 - 11: DICEP 2024, Renaissance Chicago O'Hare, Chicago, IL: Conference theme Driven Pile Mega Projects, special rate at hotel good 'til Aug. 19; exhibitors/sponsors welcome.
Sept. 24: Texas Chapter Golf Tournament, Mont Belvieu, TX: Second annual event open to singles, twosomes and foursomes. Sponsorships available, but they're going fast!
Oct. 7 - 10: DFI Annual Conference, Aurora, CO: PDCA is a cooperating organization.
Oct. 23 - 24: Engineers Driven Pile Institute (EDPI), Doubletree, Downtown Salt Lake City, UT: Designed for mid-level engineers, 15 PDH available, sponsorship opportunities for benefactors.
From the Piledrivers.org Blog:
Did you hear? PDCA and its slogan, "A driven pile...is a tested pile," went viral. Kyrsten Garcia of Russell Marine shared the YouTube show, Practical Engineering, which has 3M+ subscribers! |
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| Congratulations, Lally Pipe & Tube, you are this month's winner! Send an email to marian@piledrivers.org before the end of the month to claim your prize! |
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Giving back:
Clark sponsors PathForwardVA, and staff prepared meals for its homeless beneficiaries.
Mason Construction supports Beaumont's Children's Museum, STEAM education with fishing.
Morris-Shea Bridge Co. gave to a student scholarship fund through a Philadelphia golf outing.
Koppers Inc. honors its late company treasurer Louann Tronsberg-Deihle with a scholarship program administered through its employee resource group. Two awardees receive $2,500 each.
Gerdau awards 13 scholarships to employees' children pursuing higher ed; winners are featured in video series Part 1 and Part 2.
Nucor names a new building at South Dakota Mines; Rapid City crews add the lettering.
Haley & Aldrich and builders around Boston hosted high schoolers at an active jobsite. Jessie Siegel, P.E., Allyson Wheelwright shared their experiences and talked geotechnics.
S&ME offers educational help to employees; beneficiary and geotechnical staffer Alexandria Smith thanks the firm for supporting her pursuit of a master's at University of Tennessee.
Government relations:
Aggregate Technologies, Inc. staff Matthew Knight, Michelle Aseltine attended the Port Arthur, TX, State of the City lunch, where they interfaced with Mayor Bartie and other municipal leaders. Also participating in the event was Kevin Johnson from GROUP Contractors.
Nucor stays in front of policymakers this summer. Congressman Jordan visited its Marion, OH, facility, where he met a remarkable, well-tenured staffer. Read more in the People section below. In Arkansas, U.S. Rep. Westerman toured its plant and met employees in Sheridan.
American Engineering Testing helped resurrect the unique "golden panels" on a portion of I-90 in Minnesota. U.S. Sen. Klobuchar proclaimed the development carries "historic significance."
Acquisitions & expansions:
C.J. Mahan Construction Co. enlarges its tug fleet and christens the Malcolm S. White, in honor of a longtime friend and partner on his birthday. The ceremony was at Cincinnati's Sawyer's Point.
Atlas Tube benefits from a $6M investment in its Birmingham factory, creating almost 100 jobs.
JD Fields & Co. forges a strategic partnership in Houston to add a 35-acre pipe yard, new services.
Terracon grows its portfolio in Rhode Island by acquiring the SAGE engineering companies.
UES gets a bigger midwestern footprint through purchase of CSI in Lexington and Cincinnati.
Recognitions:
CIANBRO continues the streak with its ninth consecutive win of an ABC Pinnacle Safety Award.
Tolunay-Wong Engineers, Inc. won the silver safety award from the SW Louisiana Safety Council. |
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Transitions:
Nicholas Murdock, MBA, joins project management at C.J. Mahan Construction Co.; also, Jose Gomez rejoins the contractor as a project superintendent.
Mark Weisz returns to CS Marine Contractors in Vallejo, CA, where he is VP of engineering.
Paul Leonard is appointed president of Keller North America, succeeding Eric Droof. He helms the company and 4,000 employees across the U.S. and Canada from Keller's Houston offices.
Trent Gherardini onboards at McCarthy Building Cos. as senior BDM in the St. Louis region.
Justin Sutton is the newest inside sales rep at Associated Pile and Fitting.
Mike Powers elevates to chief digital and technology officer at Seattle-based ARG Industrial.
Madeline Lato joins the inside sales team at Bottom Line Equipment in Baton Rouge.
Jim Fink elevates to chief operating officer at Chesterfield, MO-based Bull Moose Tube.
Allan Korte returns to Hammer & Steel in Florida, where he's been named technical director.
Derek Brodnax is promoted to piling sales director at Service Steel Warehouse in Houston.
Stephanie Vezina joins Stealth Pipe and Steel in Montreal as administrative director.
Nathan Green, Perry Li, Muhammad Mehmood are the newest additions to the geotechnical staff at Shannon & Wilson; they serve Denver, Seattle and St. Louis, respectively.
Recognitions:
Numa Blanchard embraces Cajun Industries' employee growth program for PHR certification.
Sarah Johnson, a field engineer at McCarthy who leads crews on Gulf Coast marine projects, appears in Authority Magazine, where she advocates for women pursuing careers in STEM.
Travis Boone, CEO at Orion, appeared on the Schwab Network business program discussing recent successes for the marine contractor, including its addition to the Russell 3000 index. Boone also earned a spot on the Houston Business Journal's "Most Admired CEO" list.
Kelly Hansen, SVP at Veit, takes a seat on the National Assn. of Women in Construction MN-BOD. Also, training mgr. Jeff Madsen celebrates 35 years; driver Swain Wudtke has 30 years.
Brenna Moore, a heavy equipment operator at The Walsh Group, wrote an inspirational post that went viral. Here's a peek: If a woman wants to be out playing in the dirt, sitting at a desk will never make her soul happy. Read the post, and kudos Brenna (pictured) for speaking out. |
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Rodrick Pringle at Koppers Utility & Industrial Products in Eutawville, SC, visits on camera with CEO Leroy Ball to discuss the Zero Harm safety program at the timber pile manufacturer.
Francisco Barrera spent his 69th birthday fabricating at MKT Manufacturing, Inc., something he's been doing for the St. Louis-based supplier for 38 years.
Roberta McCullough is the longest-serving staffer at Nucor, where she is nearing a remarkable 70 years! She recently had a visitor and high-ranking official who took a special photo with her.
Bryan Connelly, CWI, welding inspection director at Eustis Engineering, chaired the 2024 meeting of the Texas State Welding Advisory Committee at the TSTC Waco campus.
Ryan Cole, principal at Gerhart Cole Inc., completed a one-year term as president of ACEC Utah.
Robert (Red) Robinson was celebrated company-wide at Shannon & Wilson. Since 1974, he's built a rep as a geotechnical exploration expert; he's now the fifth employee to reach a half-century of service with the firm.
Gayle Packer, pres./CEO of Terracon in Kansas, is the "Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 - Heartland Award" winner, a competitive, national honor from Ernst & Young that dates back to 1986.
Shayla Bradshaw of Thomas & Hutton is an ENR "24 Top Young Professional, 35 Under 35 Women to Know in Georgia Engineering," and has earned her P.E. Also, Army reservist LTC Mark DeSouza takes command of the 478th Engineer Battalion in Ft. Thomas, KY.
Sending sympathies:
Patrick Dispoto (1965 - 2024) was highly regarded by colleagues at J. Fletcher Creamer & Son in New Jersey; when news circulated about his heroic last act that resulted in his untimely passing, condolences poured in. The New Jersey father of two entered a local beach in June to warn teens about impending danger at the onset of a storm, to which he was ultimately a victim. |
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CIANBRO crews had a great seat for Fourth of July fireworks in Washington, DC. From his memorial, America's third president Thomas Jefferson watched over their job site and the red, white and blue GeoQuip hammer.
George Harms Construction won a $7.9M contract to build infrastructure for a commuter ferry service from Carteret, NJ, to the NYC financial district. Steel pile-supported walks are among the components.
Hal Jones Contractor drives piles for a downtown Jacksonville, FL bulkhead replacement on the St. Johns River to prepare for a new, adjacent high rise. JD Fields & Co. supplied steel sheet, king, and H-piles, and crews use machines from PVE Equipment USA and International Construction Equipment to install them. ECS Limited is the geotech of record.
Keller crews, also in Jacksonville, were directly across the river, driving steel pipe from John Lawrie Tubulars for another public initiative, a new waterfront park. GRL Engineers performed PDA testing on the piles, which were installed using a company-owned Junttan rig.
Kiewit is GC on Phase 1 of a bridge replacement, where it is building a new southbound span in West Baton Rouge Parish to improve travel for motorists on LA-1. A Liebherr crane is spotted on the job site.
Kokosing crews drive piling as they continue progress reworking the I-70/71 intersection in downtown Columbus, OH, an ODOT initiative. OSU Buckeye football fans, already known for their propensity to travel with the team, will be clogging this up soon enough.
Manson completed the U.S. Navy, Seal Beach Ammunition Pier replacement project in Southern California. Crews used company-owned hammers to install PSC piles, then added fender helmets from American Piledriving Equipment. PM Thomas Gomez joined Navy brass for a July ribbon-cutting.
Reagan Marine Construction won unanimous approval from the Newport, RI, city council for a $224K contract to perform a partial demo and temporary construction on the Elm Street Pier.
Russell Marine LLC won a contract to build a 1,100-foot wharf with fendering and high wind bollard points at the Port of Tampa. JD Fields & Co. will provide crews with pipe and sheet piling for installation as a combi-wall and other components. Construction is expected to begin in December.
CZM Foundation Equipment hosted academics from Georgia Southern University at its Savannah factory to share industry insights, part of its strategy fostering future talent and innovation.
Foundation Equipment Services, Inc. dispatched tech Luke Karr to Apple Grove, WV, to optimize Goettle pile driving equipment in advance of crews driving steel sheets and wide flange beams. |
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NCAA football starts this month and here's preseason news from some PDCA members impacting teams from the biggest conferences across the country. (Warning: Material below may be offensive to sensitive fans.)
- ACC: Did you know that Dallas-based SMU is now in it? JD Fields & Co. renewed its NIL partnership with SMU receiver Roderick Daniels, Jr. The Mustangs go to Reno to face Nevada on Aug. 24. Expect Rod-Dan to get some great exposure during the week one broadcast of College GameDay.
- PAC-12: A job site photographer from Manson Construction caught the excitement fans can expect for the conference matchup this football season. Herbie and the guys should originate their first show at the SMU game might be their best bet for a meaningful appearance out west.
- B1G: If they can repeat the magical '96 season, it'll be from a temporary home. (We don't see this happening.) Walsh Group, through a JV, begins privately funded construction of a new Ryan Field at Northwestern, completing in 2026. Evanston Mayor Biss and Ryan family members broke ground in June.
- Big 12: BYU is a long way from West Virginia, which is far from Houston, so air travel is essential for transporting teams and fans. With fewer motorists expected, officials in Kansas City okayed the Veit demolition of an historic bridge it might be the most exciting thing to happen this year in traditional Big 12 country!
- SEC: Read to the end to see past PDCA presidents predict season outcomes for their teams.
- Tailgaters: Regardless of the game you attend this fall, you will likely see cornhole tournaments at tailgate parties. If you're involved in a competitive bag-tossing group, consider adopting this prototype cornhole trophy used by the Maryland staff at Geo-Technology Associates (GTA).
And away from the gridiron...
- Baseball: Pennsylvania as a 'swing state:' The Pirates beat their cross-state rivals when Equipment Corporation of America held a family outing at the Pittsburgh ballpark. Later in July, Richard E. Pierson Construction celebrated summers interns with a field trip to the nearby Phillies game.
- Ocean racing: The Carina team included navigator Devin Santa of RACE Coastal Engineering, and it won the biennial Newport to Bermuda Race. Santa also won an individual honor.
- Bass fishing: Eighth-place at Bassmaster Elite went to Morris-Shea-sponsored angler, Logan Parks. After winning baseball and women's basketball, SEC fans followed fishing all summer.
- Olympics: The 2034 Winter Games are back in Salt Lake City, where they last competed in 2002. Back then, a crew from R.L. Wadsworth Construction helped assemble the bobsled/luge track.
- Raging: It's not likely to be an Olympic sport, but staff at USI Insurance in Virginia performed in a rage room. PDCA member Janice Graziosi says destroying a car is "stress relieving."
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| (L-R): Maryland engineering firm cornhole champions; Virginia insurers de-stress in a rage room |
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Thanks for reading August A Pile of News. By now, you realize that this publication is jam-packed with the hardest-hitting news in the driven pile industry. And there's still more!
Let's revisit the impending 2024 college football season. It's no secret how the SEC regards itself. And PDCA has significant influence from SEC country. In fact, five past presidents of the organization are outspoken loyalists to their favorite schools, and they share their predictions for how their teams will fare this year. Current president Brian Heck is a rabid Kentucky fan and tells us the Cats will go 8-4 on the season. His predecessor Kevin Gourgues, an LSU product, proclaims the Bayou Bengals win the conference, outright, with an 11-1 record. Fellow Tiger, and 2019 president Scott Callaway also predicts an 11-1 finish. And neither of them would say which game they expect to drop.
Take it back a couple decades to 2008 when Florida won the title; PDCA's president was a Gator, Van Hogan. He says this season won't be as glorious, but UF will finish respectably at 8-4. Finally, his immediate predecessor. John "Smells-Like-A-Gamecock" King. says the "original" USC ends at 9-3, with key wins over Kentucky and LSU. Time will reveal the best football prognosticator. And we hope YOUR team meets your expectations. We will see you back here on Sept. 3. |
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