A Pile of News: June 2026 | | 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 June 1, 2026 | | Top of the pile: Politics and rising costs apparently prompted the Maryland Transportation Authority to seek a new contractor for Phase 2 of the Francis Scott Key Bridge Replacement Project in Baltimore. However, its news release states, "work will not stop." PDCA Engineering Affiliate member representative Casey Jones of Foundation Consulting and Engineering analyzes the change on his YouTube channel. ENR, USA Today and other major media outlets have also published stories.
Driven pile installation for a modernization project at Boston's Logan Airport is on track, despite an early May incident involving the barge delivering the PSC piling from Virginia. A quick-thinking tug operator successfully grounded a listing barge that was taking on water. The barge was saved, the channel remained clear and the PSC piles were saved or salvaged, with no impact on the environment. Our source says the unaffected PSC is now at Logan. The incident is a reminder to always be prepared for unforeseen circumstances.
The early-bird rate for PDCA 2026 Annual Conference registration expires June 15. But be aware: the Exhibit Hall is full and there's a wait-list for the room block at the conference hotel. Remember, 2025 Project of the Year Award winners will be formally honored during the Association Awards ceremony on July 9. See you in Orlando!
Summer reading starts with the latest PileDriver magazine, Issue 3 2026. | | From the Association & Chapters | | Mark your calendars: - June 11: Value Driven Webinar Series, 2:00 PM EDT. Hear Mohamad Hussein of GRL Engineers, Inc. discuss evaluating and using static and dynamic testing results. Earn one PDH it's FREE to PDCA members.
- June 16: TX Chapter Lunch & Learn. Save the date!
- June 24-26: DFI SuperPile '26, New Orleans. Technical program co-chairs are Hunter Landry from Cajun Industries and Jesse Rauser, PE, from LaDOTD.
- July 1: Deadline to apply for Pacific Coast Chapter scholarship. Limited to West Coast students, awards of $2K will be announced in August.
- July 7-9: PDCA Annual Conference & Expo, Orlando: Register now. Attend for industry education, networking, awards. Jason Hewlett is keynote speaker.
- Aug. 14: Deadline for Texas Chapter scholarship applications. Texas students pursuing construction careers are eligible for $2,500 awards.
| | Congratulations, Tomas Cabrera, you are this month's WINNER! Send an email to marian@piledrivers.org before the end of June to claim your prize! | | Acquisitions & expansions: - GeoQuip, Inc. publicly announces its arrival on the Gulf Coast after soft-opening its full service, sales and rental operation in Houston in 2024. Proprietor Gary Terwilliger says "the future looks bright," with Gulf Coast region manager Eduardo Olvera and the new team. Read more in PileDriver.
- Kingdom Pipe & Steel brought a Texas steel pipe supplier with three of its employees into its portfolio in late 2025. Adam Spitzmueller, Kelsey Bradley and Jayme Ross are the newest reps for the Brenham, TX-based brand.
- PVE USA moves beyond its role as a Netherlands-based foundation equipment distributor to a "fully integrated U.S. platform for a global foundation group." A prominent change is a rebrand and new name to Dieseko USA.
- ECS Limited launches the Underwater Scientific Diving Program, which collects field observations for engineers supporting waterfront development.
- TRC Companies becomes part of Montreal-based WSP. It creates the largest U.S. engineering and design firm. Thanks, Craig Olson, for the tip.
Governmental relations: - Callan Marine reps attended a Houston Chamber lunch where Mayor Whitmire engaged attendees about infrastructure, port growth and ship channel investment. Later, the mayor hosted an Orion-sponsored reception; CFO Alison Vasquez lauded his support for the maritime community.
- CIANBRO corporate safety director Pat Sughrue told members of the U.S. House Committee on Education and Workforce that "enforcement alone cannot build an industry-leading safety culture," during his May testimony on the Hill.
- Richard E. Pierson Construction crews got a visit from Gov. Moore at a Port of Baltimore Sparrows Point Container Terminal job site, where he, U.S. Sen. Van Hollen and U.S. Reps. Mfume, Olszewski helped break ground in May. Last year, JD Fields & Co. opened its newest mill at the burgeoning port.
- Sargent turns 100! Maine State Sen. Farrin submitted a Legislative Sentiment to commemorate the milestone. More notable anniversaries in the last section of this newsletter.
Recognitions:
Giving back: | | Transitions: - Andrew Harble from Kokosing is promoted to foreman.
- John Holman, PE, rejoins Morris-Shea Bridge Co. as VP of Gulf Coast operations. Estela Leon Aguilar, M.S., PE, is a new geostructural engineer.
- Richard Pinckney retires as superintendent after 30 years at Palmetto Pile Driving in Charleston, SC. Gabe Lucas is named asst. plant manager.
- Maria Modesto is a new project manager at South Florida-based Piling Pros.
- Edward Clark onboards at JD Fields & Co. as a new Florida-based engineer.
- Justin Muldowney moves to Meever USA as Mid-Atlantic sales rep.
- Brian Land, a veteran steel supplier and longtime PDCA friend, moves to Service Steel Warehouse, where he'll manage steel sales from Atlanta.
- Leonardo Vidigal Meireles is a new regional sales engineer at Geokon.
| | Recognitions: - Kevin Dowd represents New York-based C.D. Perry & Sons in the rigorous Supervisory Training Program.
- Doug Keller, pres./CEO at Richard Goettle, Inc., is profiled in the Cincinnati Business Courier, which notes his unique leadership style. (Paywall)
- Kena Yoke from Island Piling in Naples, FL, actively supports and advocates for the Veterans Entrepreneurship program at Florida Gulf Coast University.
- Justin Ramirez, a safety officer at Virginia-based MEB, earned Construction Health and Safety Technician certification through the BCSP.
- Boston Thorn, Juan Flores of Aggregate Technologies, Inc. complete construction leadership program in Houston.
- Richard Northfield recalls his first workplace in 1976. Yellow Pages, paper maps and steel H-beams for $0.11/lb. It marks 50 years for the THI Pipe & Piling rep and longtime PDCA friend.
- Daniel Larson, PE, assumed the chairmanship at ACEC during its Washington, DC, convention and summit. The AET CEO will serve for one year.
- Lizzy Stark, PE, from Eustis Engineering is named VP for the Women's Transportation Seminar in New Orleans.
- Dan Amate, PE, of GZA GeoEnvironmental aspires to "strengthen engagement between industry and government" as SAME Philadelphia leader.
- Francis J. Arland of MRCE in New York earned the Ralph Atwater Award.
- Matt Moler, PE, of S&ME, and Victor Donald, PE, from Terracon, are seated on the GBA Council of Fellows.
- Gayle Johnson of SGH wins the ASCE Harbor and Coastal Engineering Award.
- Lucia Moya, PE, a Shannon & Wilson geotech, earned her PE in California.
- Dante Piccini is certified MSI from I.C.C. He and Southern Earth Sciences Mobile colleague Russell Nipper are two of only 10 Alabamians with the credential.
- Daniel Wong, pres./CEO of Tolunay-Wong Engineers in Houston, will finish 2026 as a county judge in Fort Bend County, TX, due to unique circumstances. Already a candidate for the seat, he will face voters in November.
In sympathy: - Anthony "Tin" Toomer DuPre (19392026) was a second-generation president of Wando, SC-based Cape Romain Contractors. Though he would later hand company leadership to his son, Sonny, followed by his other son and now-president Andrew, Tin remained a fixture around the company. The Clemson grad and USAF veteran is credited with modernizing the heavy civil contractor.
- Jackson C. Holley (20062026) was an outdoorsman who sought to follow his brother, Taylor Stiles of Sealevel Construction, into a building career. But illness took him too soon. PDCA sends prayers to the family at this time of loss.
| | Commerce Construction PM Sam Hudson said his crews used its ICE hydraulic hammer to install pipe piles from Nucor Skyline for the EASRCC wind turbine training facility near Hammonton, NJ, the local for the UBC Pile Drivers and Divers.
Dissen & Juhn crews use an APE D8-32 to drive four piling types for a marina refresh at Safe Harbor Oxford, MD, a private eastern shore facility. Work involves a new bulkhead with CMI Limited FRP sheets, Nucor Skyline steel sheet deadmen and timber piles. Also, Skyline pipes will found a travel lift.
Orion rebuilds a La Porte, TX, pier on Galveston Bay, which was destroyed by the 2024 hurricane storm surge. They say resilience informs construction decisions.
Sealevel Construction reports on progress for the $315M navigation, flood protection and ecological restoration, HNC Lock Complex Project, in coastal Louisiana. Completed work includes installation of a bulkhead, cofferdams and foundation piles.
The Walsh Group is in the three-way JV picked for the $1.29B Package 1C of the Hudson Tunnel Project, one of the country's most important passenger rail sections.
Walters Marine Construction, Inc. crews gave a facelift to the fishing pier next to New Jersey's Ocean CityLongport Bridge. Read about the job in OCNJDaily.com.
Eustis Engineering drew on its soft soils expertise from years of work in its home state of Louisiana, to Suffield, CT, where its crews are providing professional and geotechnical engineering services for the six-bridge replacement program. | | Several PDCA members observe significant anniversaries in 2026. We define this as 50+ years in business, and announce them on "the fives" (i.e., 55, 60, 65, etc.) But we don't know every member's anniversary. If you belong on the following list, tell us and we will make a subsequent announcement. Meantime, congratulations!
- Sargent The Maine-based contractor, which has grown its reach and competencies over the years, is the lone centenarian (that's 100 years!)
- Jordan Pile Driving (pictured) The Mobile, AL, contractor marks 80 years as a leader in heavy civil work. And, it produced PDCA past president D.R. Jordan.
- Parker Marine Contracting Corp. (pictured) Hailing from Charleston, SC, it has a rich, 75-year history that is featured in the newest PileDriver.
- Soil Consultants, Inc. Another Lowcountry representative on the list, the engineering firm has helped responsibly build in South Carolina for 75 years.
- Richard Goettle, Inc. (above) Turning 70, this Cincinnati, OH, contractor operates five regional offices. PDCA past president Brian Heck (three consecutive terms) is VP, while CEO Doug Keller is the current PDCA secretary.
- Schnabel Engineering is now 70 years old. The firm is based in Virginia, with 31 other offices. It has worked across the U.S. and in over 130 countries.
- GRL Engineers, Inc. marks a half-century providing specialized testing, analysis and consulting to foundation builders. Notably, the Cleveland-based firm with a worldwide footprint was instrumental in PDCA's establishment.
| | PSA: It's June 1st, the start of the Atlantic hurricane season. It runs through Nov. 30. NOAA and weather authorities predict 2026 will be "below-normal" for named storms. But we know that unpredictability reigns with Mother Nature; be vigilant.
Thanks for reading! See you back here on July 1, five days before the PDCA Annual Conference in Orlando, where the theme is "Pile Driving Around the World!" | | | Copyright © 2026 Pile Driving Contractors Association. All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you are an industry leader in the piling community and may be a member of the Pile Driving Contractors Association. | | | |
