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A Pile of News: October 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 Oct. 1, 2026

Top of the pile:

Welcome to these new members who joined in Q3 (Non-members: Join by October 16 to publish in the 2027 PDCA Membership Directory):

• Contractor Susquehanna Valley Construction Corp., New Cumberland, PA
• Associates Dozier Crane & Machinery of Pooler, GA, and Western Equipment Solutions of Salt Lake City, UT
• Academic Employees Richard Schneider of Madison College (WI) and Yazeed Alsharedah of Qassim University (Saudi Arabia)
• Student Kishan Dhaka of University of Central Florida

Board yet? Contact PDCA if you are interested in service on the Board of Directors. Openings occur each year it's a critical need to help your peers guide industry initiatives.

Full coverage of the PDCA 2026 Annual Conference and plenty of project and technical content just dropped in the latest PileDriver magazine Issue 5.

From the Association & Chapters

Mark your calendars:

• Oct. 1: South Carolina Chapter Fall Happy Hour, Holy City Brewing, Charleston, 6 PM. Catch up with Lowcountry friends at a casual gathering after work tonight $25 gets you food and drink!
• Oct. 8: Value Driven Webinar Series, virtual, 2:00 PM. Nick Kloenne, PE, and Cody Schappacher, PE, project managers at Richard Goettle, Inc., present Securing the Cuyahoga: The Combiwall That Holds Irishtown Bend.
• Oct. 15: Gulf Coast Chapter Dinner, Golden Nugget, Biloxi, 5:45 PM. Free to attend enjoy networking, dinner and a presentation. Sponsorships available.
• Oct. 19 - 21: Deep Foundations Dynamic Testing & Analysis, Cleveland. This includes a seminar, workshop and proficiency test, offered through a partnership between PDCA and Pile Dynamics, Inc. Thirteen PDH available.
• Oct. 23: 2026 ASCE Buchanan Lecture, Bryan, TX. Two distinguished lectures at Texas A&M University: Dr. Youssef Hashash presents on AI in geotechnical engineering, and Dr. Rodolfo Sancio gives a state-of-the-practice update.
• Nov. 2 - 5: DFI Annual Conference, Hyatt Regency, Orlando. The program explores mitigating rising sea levels. PDCA is a cooperating organization.

From the PDCA Blog:

• Higher ed Four Texas students received $2,500 scholarship awards from the Texas Chapter; congrats to M. Briceno, R. Glynn, S. Puente and G. Flores.
• Fred Couples played here (maybe?) For the fourth consecutive September, the Texas Chapter hosted a fundraising golf tournament for its annual scholarship program. This year, the event took place at Houston's Wildcat Golf Club. Thanks to dozens of golfers and generous sponsors for participating.
• Vibrations monitoring, CPT, sheet pile design, load testing, FRP piles this is just a sample of more than 50 webinar programs available for download at no cost to members. Browse the PDCA Value Driven Webinar Series archives.
• In just over seven months, IFCEE 2027 convenes in Dallas. Today (Oct. 1) is the deadline for equipment demo applications. And the exhibit hall is 75% full!

PDCA members, please log in to your account on the PDCA Connection before Oct. 16 to ensure your listing information is accurate. PDCA will pull the data later in October for the printed 2027 PDCA Membership Directory!

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Acquisitions & expansions:

• Patriot Construction & Industrial aims to open a third office in Brusly, LA, in spring 2027 to serve South Louisiana. It will join facilities in Duson and New Iberia to deliver deep foundations, marine construction and other civil services.
• Bull Moose Tube has finalized its purchase of Hanna Steel Corporation, acquiring structural steel production facilities in Alabama and Illinois.
• Dieseko USA continues a 2026 evolution which started with a rebrand, followed by its acquisition. Now, the home office has relocated within Jacksonville, FL.
• Eustis Engineering earned formal USACE validation for its Gulfport, MS, laboratory, further advancing the New Orleans-based firm's testing capacities.
• Original Survey Solutions grows into Southern California; project executive Ken Sandell joins the firm to open the new San Diego office.

Recognitions:

• Atlas Foundation Company is a 2026 Top Workplace, registering at #51 of 200 employers throughout the Twin Cities, according to the Minnesota Star-Tribune.
• Beaver Excavating Company is a 2026 Top Employer in Stark County, OH.
• Cajun Industries demonstrates a commitment to workforce development in Baton Rouge, and repeats as a winner of the GBRIA Award of Excellence.
• Mason Construction is the Best of the Best in Beaumont Enterprise listings.
• Aggregate Technologies, Inc. is named Subcontractor of the Year from AGC Houston. Team leader Chris Allen accepted the award on the company's behalf.
• D.W. Kozera, Inc. is a Baltimore Business Journal Fast 50 Company of 2026.
• Geo-Technology Associates, Inc. names a new President's Advisory Group to provide company leadership perspectives from early career professionals.
• Terracon is a Kansas City Business Journal 2026 Best Place to Work again!
• GRL Engineers, Inc. hosted a global audience of staff, clients and key industry partners for its 50th anniversary celebration last month in Cleveland. President Scott Webster was master of ceremonies, which included the extolment of co-founders Frank Rausche, Garland Likins and the late George Goble. Principal Mohamad Hussein was among presenters at an afternoon seminar that preceded a formal evening gala.

Giving back:

• D.A. Collins Companies advocates mental health awareness with Hard Hat Courage, an Initiative it highlighted for Construction Suicide Prevention Week.
• ORION recognized the 9/11 anniversary by supporting the Houston Heroes Run. Nathan Moya, a media specialist for the builder, finished #34 at the race.
• R.E. Pierson Construction Co. thanks sponsors, donors and golfers for supporting Pierson Charities through a charitable golf tournament that amassed $80K for Salem County, NJ, to buy a new bus to serve first responders.
• Dewberry is #11 on the TIME magazine inaugural list of America's Best Private Companies. Employee satisfaction and company impact are contributing factors.
• Eustis Engineering staff members volunteered at the "inspiring" Special Olympics Louisiana state swimming tournament.
• GeoEngineers, Inc. staff in Seattle, Portland and Boston recognized the 9/11 Day of Service by packing meals for more than 20 million Americans in need.
• Southern Earth Sciences, Inc. celebrates a quarter-century as a sponsor of Mobile, AL-based Partners for Environmental Progress, which promotes environmental stewardship and a sustainable Gulf Coast.

Government relations:

• Louisiana Concrete Products reps Ryan Jackson and Dustin Gaspard attended the historic SpaceX announcement in Vermilion Parish, LA, where it pledged $100B to build the world's largest spaceport. Gov. Landry and many other state leaders were also there.
• Equipment Corporation of America (ECA) supports action against geopolitical forces that challenge the building sector through rising costs in transportation, maintenance, procurement and more. ECA, like other PDCA members, says it is experiencing negative impacts on manufacturing, sales, service and profitability due to ongoing U.S.Canada trade tensions. The Pittsburgh-based supplier joined in advocacy with its equipment industry partner AED to call on northern governors and demand cross-border trade relief. Read more.

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Transitions:

• Buck Darling, a past two-time PDCA president and key contributor on the organization's board for many years, formally retired from his family business, HF Darling, Inc., on Sept. 4. The 45-year industry veteran leaves behind an expansive footprint of work in Upstate NY and the Western PA region, and a profound legacy in PDCA leadership. Congratulations, and thank you, Buck!
• Eric Coburn, Kyle Beaty, Jordan Heltsley and Tyler Gluys earn promotions at Beaty Construction to president, EVP, VP-Ops and highway div. mgr., respectively. The Indianapolis Business Journal carried the news last month.
• Chad Ratkovich named managing vice president at Beaver Excavating.
• Brandon Brignac returns as project manager at Houston GROUP Contractors.
• Dylan Pizura, as a Keller intern, worked on H-pile installation for a new hockey arena at Northeastern University. He becomes full-time field engineer in January.
• Tiffany Shaw, PE, onboards with The Walsh Group as VP-Industrial Water.
• Jeremy Martin retires after 28 years at VEIT as a heavy equipment technician.
• Gordy Burks rises to director of sales at ARG Industrial.
• Tyler Hartman is new eastern regional manager at Hercules Machinery Corp.
• Tammy Card elevates to Houston senior sales support rep at JD Fields & Co.
• Michele Gaabo onboards at St. Paul-based AET as new quality director.
• Leo Titus, Jr., PE, F.GBA, has been appointed chief administrative officer at ECS Group of Companies, and colleague Sal Fiorentino becomes chief operating officer.
• Kevin McKay, P.Eng., has been promoted to SVP for Northern Ontario at EXP. Also, Richard Gale becomes SVP energy services and Magdy Samaan, P.Eng., is now SVP transportation.
• Patrick O'Driscoll rises to senior project manager at GZA GeoEnvironmental in New Jersey. Laura Barzola, PE, is a new Boston assistant project manager. Isabella Kennedy, also in Boston, earns PMP certification.
• Kevin McLaughlin, PE, is promoted to CMT dept. mgr. at Premier Geotech and Testing, while Paris Du Vernay III, E.I., becomes geotech dept. mgr.

Recognitions:

• Scott Swindler, the VP of infrastructure at Cajun Industries, LLC, becomes the new Mississippi Valley Branch president at AGC.
• George B. Clarke IV, CEO of MEB, lands on the 2026 Virginia Business 500 Power List featuring the state's most influential leaders.
• Taylor Stiles of Sealevel Construction is a new dad of twin girls. Colette Anne and Lucille Mae arrived Aug. 11. The Gulf Coast Chapter VP tells us that he and his wife, Savanna, are "excited and blessed." Congratulations!
• Julianna Lindsey, a business analyst at SJ Hamill Construction in Charleston, SC, was guest of honor at a company lunch before the U.S. Army National Guard CBRN specialist deployed on a mission last month.
• Justin Lijo is chief estimator at Trevcon Construction in New Jersey. Along with his father Ray and brother Jaimie, they are the namesake for LIJO 3, a newly christened barge honoring the family's dedication over two generations.
• Lou Nash, GM at Florida-based Measutronics Corporation, explains the company's multibeam sonar solution on the Dredging Deep podcast.
• J. Randy Wirt, PE, an SVP at ECS Group, has been named to the 202627 Board for the Virginia Transportation Construction Alliance.
• Hugh Lacy, in his REMARKABLE 63rd year at Mueser Rutledge Consulting Engineers in NYC, is the 2026 Harry Schnabel Jr. Award honoree at G-I for his decades of contributions to foundation and earth retention designs.
• David Murar at PND Engineers earned his Oregon PE license. Up the coast, significantly, Wade Kamkoff and Ben Vanderhart passed the Alaska exam.
• Aaron Goldberg of S&ME is named to the board at ACEC-South Carolina.
• Johanna Simon of Schnabel Engineering co-wrote Putting Data to Use, which examines how real-time monitoring technology transforms risk management and decision-making on deep foundation construction.
• Scott Grier from SGH chairs the Boston Society of Civil Engineers. Bennard Amponsah is liaison to WNEU and Oliver Orthwein is newsletter editor.
• Matthew Wong from Tolunay-Wong Engineers demonstrated perhaps the first bearing capacity failure at a Dallas Federal Reserve meeting, aka, Y'all Street.

Bowen Engineering Corporation equipment operators keep current on upgrades to their Indianapolis fleet; they practiced using a new Hammer & Steel-installed MOVAX control panel that Tim Dittmeier added to their Hercules Machinery Corp. SP-100.

Commerce Construction Corporation crews continue waterfront repairs at the USCG station in Staten Island, where they prepare existing pile for jackets.

Kokosing has won the contract for the Dutch Gap Parkway Project in Chesterfield County, VA. The scope includes a new road and a bridge over the St. James River.

PRECO-MSE installs the foundation for a new high school in Cornwall, Ontario. Crews use their Junttan PM16 to drive 281 pipes from Stealth Pipe and Steel.

Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction crews used an ICE 146 to drive Nucor-supplied steel pipe and HP for a new parking garage at Salt Lake City's Delta Center. NBA Jazz and NHL Mammoth fans get to park in the new structure starting this fall.

Vecellio & Grogan used sub Blue Iron Foundations & Shoring for required press-in installation of Nucor Skyline steel sheets on a replacement seawall adjacent to the St. Augustine, FL, Bridge of Lions. The Giken Silent Piler was barge-mounted for the job.

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Notes from the Field

It's spelled right. Staff at The Great Lakes Construction Company in Cleveland formed a volleyball team in 2025, and just finished their second season. While It's not company-sponsored, it has brought palpable inner-office excitement and a fan base. This year, TGLCC bought their team shirts: a company logo on the front and the team name PILEDIVERS on the back. These competitors will gladly dive for a dig.

Reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Cooper Flagg and his twin brother Ace aim to inspire, instruct and develop young athletes at the University of Maine. CIANBRO supported this mission as a Premier Partner at Flagg Brothers Basketball ProCamp in August. Hilary Cain and Joci Miller from the Maine-based builder had the unique opportunity to staff the ProCamps event.

Ride the Lightning - All Within My Hands Foundation is a non-profit founded by metal legends Metallica to promote workforce education. In partnership with PDCA member Purple Wave Auction, they are taking bids on the last Hetfield TV450B Compact Track Loader; they'll throw-in tickets for Metallica at Sphere in Las Vegas, too! The fundraiser supports the next generation of builders. Enter your bid by Dec. 17.

Trick or treat? A crew from Premier Geotech and Testing had the assignment of retrieving soil borings from a Baton Rouge cemetery to prepare the grounds for a planned mausoleum. Just another day in geotechnology. Happy Halloween!

Last reminder - Join PDCA in the next two weeks and secure a spot for your company listing in the 2027 Membership Directory. BTW, your dues are prorated. Members, please update your PDCA account by Oct. 16 so your listing publishes accurately.

This is a space for member news. Send us content about your company's pile driving work, charitable initiatives, expansions, awards, personnel developments or something unique. We are already compiling notes for Nov. 2. See you then...

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