Three weeks left to enter 2025 Project of the Year Awards: Submit by April 3

March 12, 2025

Sharon Rowe (L) of Power Engineering Construction accepts project award for Marine: Less than $5M during ceremony at 2025 Annual Conference

The entry period for the 2025 PDCA Project of the Year Awards Program closes in less than one-month. If you completed the pile driving portion of a noteworthy project before December 31, 2024 that you believe is worthy of entry in this PDCA, members-only competition, the time is now to prepare your submission. The deadline to submit is April 4, 2025; there is no cost for PDCA members to participate.

You will need to complete the entry form that is available when you click the button at the bottom of the page. Also, you are required to draft a project narrative explaining why the driven pile installation for your project is worthy of the premier award available through PDCA. Your narrative should be written in suitable format for possible publication in full, in PileDriver magazine. Finally, you need to provide a minimum of 4-6, high resolution photos of your project construction. All components should be provided to PDCA in an electronic file. If you need an e-file, PDCA will provide one to you upon your written request to matt@piledrivers.org.

The PDCA Project of the Year Awards program has become highly competitive in several categories in recent years. Winning entries from each category will be revealed in the August issue of PileDriver magazine; representatives of the winning projects will be recognized during an awards ceremony at the next PDCA Annual Conference in 2026.

More information on this popular program that PDCA has held for more than two decades is below; and to enter, please begin by clicking the button at the bottom of this page.

Enter your unique project(s) in the categories of LAND, MARINE, EARTH RETENTION, ASSOCIATE/ENGINEERING AFFILIATE, OR INTERNATIONAL
Participation is FREE, and exclusive to PDCA members; non-members may enroll before April 4th to become eligible for the 2025 competition
Judges reward projects depicting unique design, problem-solving, value engineering, cost savings, driven pile application, end-user benefits
Industry celebrates ingenuity, commitment, and hard work
Winning entries will be featured in the August PileDriver magazine; runners-up may appear in subsequent issues.
Awardees recognized during PDCA Annual Conference
Entries open to any projects with driven pile installation which were completed by the end of 2024
Submit your entry by April 4, 2025 using an electronic file-share to PDCA

Enter Project of the Year

Posted in PDCA Awards.

Awards Ceremony: Project of the Year, Association, Golf Winners

February 8, 2025

Pres. Buck Darling calls the Awards Ceremony to Order; the brunch event closed the 2025 Annual Conference

The 2025 PDCA Annual Conference concluded with an awards ceremony in which winners of 2024 Project of the Year Awards and Association Awards were recognized before attendees of a brunch event. President Buck Darling, Vice President Chris Normand, and Executive Director Frank Peters emceed the ceremony which included a pictorial video of Project of the Year Awards winners, special recognitions of individuals for notable service to PDCA, and prizes for those who played extraordinarily well during the golf tournament that started the 2025 conference.

See the following winners of the various awards that PDCA presented to close the 2025 Annual Conference:

2024 Project of the Year Awards Winners

GZA GeoEnvironmental Winner: Associate/Engineering Affiliate for Back Cove West Storage Conduit	Orion Marine Construction Winner: Earth Retention: More Than $5M for Port Everglades Southport Turning Notch Expansion
Foundation Constructors, Inc. Winner: Land: $1M To $5M for Burlingame TopGolf USA	Cajun Industries, LLC Winner: Land: More Than $5M for Venture Global - Plaquemines LNG - Early Works Piling
Power Engineering Construction Winner: Marine: Less Than $5M for Berkeley Marina Timber Pile Replacement	Sealevel Construction Winner: Marine: More Than $5M for Inland LNG Pipeline Platforms
East Coast Marine Construction & Design Winner: Earth Retention: Less Than $5M for Hawaiian Inn Resort Restoration	East Coast Marine Construction & Design (PR Dept.)

For full coverage of the 2024 PDCA Project of the Year Awards program, including detailed articles about each project and plenty of photos from the various jobsites, please see PileDriver magazine Issue #4-2024.

2024 Association Awards Winners

Past President Brian Heck was recognized for an unprecedented three consecutive years service to PDCA as President. In addition to a special plaque commemorating his significant commitment to the organization, Executive Director Frank Peters presented him with not one, but two bottles of Blantons. However, one was empty. (You should have been there!) It was a special ceremony in which Brian was applauded by attendees in the near-capacity auditorium.

More Association Awards...

Scott Webster: Six years service as Treasurer of PDCA Board and Presidential Award for Distinguished Service	Kevin Gourgues: Three years service as Past President of PDCA Board and Contractor Distinguished Service Award
Matt Scerbak: John T. Parker Industry Ambassador Award	Tim Dutton: Associate Member of the Year
Dermot Fallon: Lifetime Achievement Award	Mohamad Hussein: Committee Chair of the Year
Mike Venezia: Dr. Frank Rausche Professional Engineers Service Award

2025 Annual Conference Golf Tournament Awards

Erica Parker represents the golf team that finished in 1st place

Rudy Szymczak, Michael Muniz were on 2nd place team

Colby Blackman, Jeremy Davidson, Mickey Thatcher helped bring a 3rd place finish

When the results from February 4th golf tournament were tabulated, the teams finished in the following order:

1st Place: Strider Noone, Erica Parker, Dean Abbondanza, Walter Van Zuthem
2nd Place: Mark Hunter, Michael Muniz, Andres Rodriguez, Rudy Szymczak
3rd Place: Brandon Bicknell, Mickey Thatcher, Colby Blackman, Jeremy Davidson

The tournament also brought individual competitions; winners in the different categories follow:

Mens Closest to the Pin #3: Walter Van Zuthem
Men's Closest to the Pin #16: Jimbo McKnight
Men's Longest Drive #9: Dean Cacio
Women's Longest Drive #18: Tina Peters

Congratulations to all PDCA Golf Tournament winners and thank you for participating in this exciting competition.

Posted in PDCA Annual Confernece, PDCA Awards.

Pile Driving Excellence, Industry Contributors Celebrated at Awards Lunch

May 17, 2024

PDCA crowd gathers for May 10, 2024 lunch to support winners of 2023 Project of the Year and Association Awards

The 2023 PDCA Project of the Year and Association Awards Ceremony took place on May 10, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas, immediately following the conclusion of formal programming at the International Foundations Congress and Equipment Expo (IFCEE). This was a change to past practice, initiated by the PDCA Board of Directors, to facilitate a timely, public celebration of the various winners, rather than wait for the next PDCA Annual Conference in 2025.

Several PDCA members who attended IFCEE stayed after the show to attend the luncheon ceremony and support the winners of Project of the Year Awards (POY) which exemplify excellence in pile driving, and the Association Awards winners who have been identified as significant industry contributors. Others made a special trip to Dallas to participate in the special program. PDCA Executive Director Frank Peters served as emcee of the event while PDCA President Brian Heck personally awarded all winners.

See the photos below which identify the 2023 awards winners:

Forefront Deep Foundations
POY, Land: Less than $1M

Texas Pile LLC,
Clayton Signor representing
POY, Land: $1M-$5M

R.E. Pierson Construction Co.
POY, Land: More than $5M

Cape Romain Contractors, Leonard Pharr representing POY, Marine: Less than $5M	Pacific Pile & Marine, Eric Muller representing POY, Marine: More than $5M
Richard Goettle, Inc., Doug Keller representing POY, Earth Retention: Less than $5M	ASAP Group, Ed Bisono representing POY, Earth Retention: More than $5M
Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering, Michael Simpson and Peter Graff representing POY, Associate/Engineering Affiliate	Dr. Richard "Dick" Hartman POY, E.A.L. Smith Award Lecture
Chris Normand Committee Chair of the Year	Greg Canivan John T. Parker Industry Ambassador Award
Les Chernauskas Dr. Frank Rausche Professional Engineer's Service Award	George Smith (accepted by John Miles) Associate Member of the Year
Jason Moore Presidential Award for Distinguished Service	Buck Darling Lifetime Achievement Award

2023 PDCA Project of the Year Awards Winners

Land: Less than $1M
Forefront Deep Foundations, Inc.
Mexico-U.S. Port of Entry Bridge Widening over the All-American Canal

Land: $1M-$5M
Texas Pile, LLC
Z Modular San Marcos

Land: More than $5M
Richard E. Pierson Construction Co., Inc. -
Tradepoint Atlantic Inner Berth Bulkhead Improvements, East Berth

Marine: Less than $5M
Cape Romain Contractors, Inc.
Noisette Creek Pedestrian Bridge

Marine: More than $5M
Pacific Pile & Marine
Port of Alaska Petroleum & Cement Terminal Phase 2

Earth Retention: Less than $5M
Richard Goettle, Inc.
Montgomery County SMART Project

Earth Retention: More than $5M
ASAP Group
Central Everglades Planning Project New Waters EA A-2 Stormwater Treatment Area

Associate/Engineering Affiliate
Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering
Surfside Beach Pier Replacement

The Project of the Year Awards program from PDCA represents the organization's most prestigious honor, and its annual winners exemplify excellence in driven pile-based, deep foundation construction. You can re-read about the 2023 program winners in PileDriver magazine, Issue #4-2023. And watch for PileDriver magazine Issue #4-2024 coming your way in August when PDCA will reveal winners of the 2024 Project of the Year Awards.

2023 PDCA Association Awards

John T. Parker Industry Ambassador Award: Greg Canivan
Presented to a PDCA member who demonstrates a unique passion for pile driving, in the spirit of the late John T. Parker.

Dr. Frank Rausche Professional Engineers Service Award:
Les Chernauskas
Presented to a PDCA engineer member who has made a significant contribution to the PDCA, the pile driving industry and the engineering profession from the Geotechnical, Civil or Structural engineering disciplines.

Presidential Award for Distinguished Service: Jason Moore
Pays tribute to a PDCA member who has made long-term and significant contributions to the PDCA and the pile driving industry through effective leadership, support, and participation.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Buck Darling
This award is presented to a PDCA member who has made a significant contribution to the PDCA over a consistent and extended period of time. It is presented with sincere appreciation for the exemplary service and support through a lifetime of participation, patience, and patronage.

Committee Chair of the Year Award: Chris Normand
Presented to the PDCA Committee Chair who has demonstrated exemplary leadership and outstanding dedication to PDCA and the pile driving industry.

Associate of the Year Award: George Smith
Presented to the Associate Member of PDCA who has demonstrated a consistent contribution of time, resources, and expertise to support a specific and critical function of the organization.

E.A.L. Smith Award Lecture: Dr. Richard "Dick" Hartman
Presented in recognition of the PDCA members' ceaseless efforts and dedication to advancing the driven pile industry through innovative, highly efficient, and environmentally sensitive solutions.

*Board of Directors votes on Annual Awards winners