As it does each January, the
PDCA Board of Directors has passed an operating budget to guide the research, education, outreach, professional development, and regional engagement activities of the organization for the new year. The
2024 Strategic Planning Meeting brought an aggressive agenda before the panel at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, Florida on January 11-12. Executive Committee and Board Members from throughout the country gathered to consider and refine various functions of PDCA such as member recognition, the Project of the Year Awards program, the Value Driven Webinar series, an ongoing field study on vibrations, the standing committee structure, and more.
| President Brian Heck formally gaveled-in* the proceedings at 8:00 AM on Jan. 11th and guided those assembled in the room and virtually through the agenda. Executive Director Frank Peters and PDCA staff presented an overview of the 2023 budget and proposed a revenue and spending plan for 2024. Additionally, the Board members engaged in several detailed discussions about ongoing functions at PDCA and aspirational initiatives designed to strengthen the organization through member growth, refined operations, and enriching programs. Toward the end of the proceedings, the Board agreed to a not-ready-for-prime-time photo opp, complete with props - more on that, with pictures, at the bottom of the page. |
*Historical note about the PDCA gavel, current Board Secretary Buck Darling was PDCA president in 2011, at which time, the Board had used a toy gavel. Buck's dad displayed a solid American Chestnut gavel in his office, retained from his time leading the American Chestnut Foundation. Buck asked to have the gavel and replace the unworthy toy, something his dad happily handed over and has been used since. |
The PDCA Executive Committee and Board of Directors consists of
Pres. Heck, VP Kustaa Mansfield, Secretary Buck Darling, Treasurer Scott Webster, Past President Kevin Gourgues, Directors Harold Baur, Greg Canivan, Jim Dempsey, Diane Fischer, Doug Keller, Randy Kelly, Mike Juneau, David Price, and Brad Roberts, and
Chapter Representatives Anthony Sepulvado (Gulf Coast)
, Erich Kremer (Northeast)
, Dermot Fallon (Pacific Coast)
, Kent Parker (South Carolina)
, and Condon Verble (Texas)
.
Signs of the Times
In addition to a full agenda, Board members agreed to take a break toward the end of the proceedings and stand for a group photo. A variety of replica highway signs had been produced to call attention to the attendees that the considerations they were making during the meeting periods were of high importance and consequential to the future of the organization. However, by the end of the event, Board members believed the signs were also great props for their photo opp.
PDCA thanks the panel of volunteers who have accepted the challenge to serve as the organization's leadership and help guide the industry mission of advancement of the driven pile.
