| A Pile of News: March 2021 |
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A briefing on news and information from the pile driving contractors, associated manufacturers, construction suppliers and affiliated engineers who comprise the PDCA.
By Matt Bisbee, PDCA |
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| PDCA recognizes Women in Construction this month, our valued female members individuals as well as women-owned and women-led companies appear in pink. |
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| From the Association & Chapters |
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Upcoming events:
- Deep Foundation Dynamic Testing & Analysis, presented by PDCA and Pile Dynamics, Inc. March 810. This three-day event, which offers a proficiency exam, takes place at Doubletree by Hilton Orlando Airport; PDHs are available and COVID-19 precautions in place.
- CLICK HERE to submit your entry for PDCA's 2021 Project of the Year Awards program. The deadline for submissions is May 7th. New this year, entry is FREE; full terms and form at the link.
Chapter news:
South Carolina Chapter: The highly anticipated, annual Chapter Oyster Roast is set for Friday evening, March 26th at Palmetto Pile Driving in Charleston. Attendance requires advance registration, will be limited per local guidelines, and will be offered to members and sponsors on a first come, first served basis. Watch your inbox for details.
- Congrats SC Chapter on hosting a successful, VIRTUAL Quarterly Meeting in February. More than 85 industry professionals logged-in and heard "Dynamic Pile Testing: Basic Principles, Capabilities and Effective Applications" by Mohammad Hussein, P.E.
Pacific Coast Chapter: Seeks chapter secretary, at-large board member, contact Pres. Dermot Fallon.
Publications:
READ it here, first! Click for your digital copy of PileDriver magazine, Issue #1 2021.
- CORRECTION: PileDriver magazine, Issue #6 2020 the page 51 university reference as host site for past PDCA Professor's Driven Pile Institute programs should read Utah State University. We regret the inaccuracy.
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Ed Bisono, you are this month's winner! Send an email to
marian@piledrivers.org before the end of March to claim your prize! |
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Acquisitions & Expansions:
Projects:
APC Construction installs sheets and pre-cast concrete for a Southeast Louisiana bulkhead.
ASAP Group drives H-pile in construction of a permanent highway retaining wall in Weston, FL.
Baker Gulf Coast Industrial broke ground for an IMTT Project Olive Piling Package in St. Rose, LA to facilitate three renewable diesel pipelines along the Mississippi River.
Clark Construction successfully mitigates sand traps and a large water hazard to complete the new, international headquarters of The PGA Tour, in Ponte Vedra, FL.
Coastal Contractors Inc. wins $9.4M USACE contract for Comite River flood control in Baton Rouge.
H.B. Fleming, Inc. facilitates operation of two side-by-side cranes on this 1,000-foot-long work trestle over the Connecticut River.
Kiewit and Manson collaborate on upgrade to Military Ocean Terminal in Concord, CA. The $350M Navy base modernization included a bridge demo, then rebuild on 793 octagonal piles.
Logan Marine, LLC works on a military base on the opposite coast; the North Carolina contractor finishes a new marina at Camp Lejune Marine Corps base.
Pile Drivers, Inc. installed production piles from Palmetto Pile Driving for a new $50-million Charleston, SC office complex. A true collaboration of PDCA members, Parker Marine and Essve Tech supplied foundation components and ECS Limited performed the geotechnical testing.
Poseidon Dredge & Marine shows artistic flair in photos of new Central Florida Seawall in Sheet Pile; down the peninsula, they perform restorative construction on eroded Palm Beach mangrove habitat.
PRECO-MSE collaborates on construction for the major expansion of Chambly High School in Quebec; among components in their scope was installation of 6,000 driven piles.
Junttan supplied Keller the rig used to finish the foundation on an olive oil storage facility in Spain.
MKT Manufacturing fulfills new hammer order for New Jersey client, prepares its STL departure.
Nucor Skyline steel aids Boston mass transit through Green Line Extension; elsewhere its sheet pile is installed at Kingston Terminal in Ontario with a PVE Equipment 40VM driving the AZ.
D.W.Kozera, Inc. commutes by tugboat to barge-based jobsite of new Baltimore Gas and Electric tower.
Engineered Rigging devised custom lift for 110-foot-long conveyor at Valporaiso, IN industrial site.
Haley & Aldrich geotechs protect integrity of Civil War-era structures in multi-phase project to transform historic Washington, D.C. hospital campus into U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security HQ.
Insight Group, LLC and partners make progress on City of Charleston, SC Low Battery Sea Wall.
Premier Geotech and Testing at Port of Greater Baton Rouge construction site for testing.
Seismic Surveys, Inc. was part of team that used aerial drone imagery to document vibration impact on adjacent buildings during implosion of a Rosslyn, VA hotel (see VIDEO).
Tolunay-Wong Engineers tapped to perform geotech services for two University of Houston projects; The UH College of Medicine and the campus Hilton hotel.
Giving back:
Recognitions:
Governmental relations:
Anniversaries:
Congratulations to Cincinnati-based contractor Richard Goettle, Inc. which reaches 65 years in business. At its inception in 1956, a woman was seldom found in a profession like construction; those in the workforce were typically limited to so-called "pink collar" roles. Fast forward to today and Goettle relies on professional women like project manager Regina Hartfiel and estimating coordinator Heather Huth to execute critical activity both in the office and in the field. You've come a long way, Goettle! |
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The monthly round-up:
- Donovan Crain, a 2020 LSU grad, takes job as assistant superintendent at Cajun Industries
- Billy Naylor promoted to VP regional safety at McCarthy's Southern Region in Dallas; Greg Lynch hired as project director in Houston
- Bryan Layman, P.E. promoted to ECS Mid-Atlantic VP; also, Liz Newcomb, P.E., Lauren Zangi, Scott Stannard, P.E., Drew Shontz, PG, Michael Bianchino, P.E. all elevate to ECS management
- Nicholas Izzo, P.E. earns promotion to project manager at Eustis Engineering
- Rich Lake, Dave Garbarino both rise to VP at GTA Engineering; Dan Terranova, P.E. tapped to lead new Nashville office
- Don Hopper joins Haley & Aldrich as director of estimating and project controls
- Todd Wager welcomed as president of infrastructure at TRC Companies
Recognitions:
- Johnna Emanuel, P.E. and Abiy Melles Ghirmay, P.E., of GeoStructures, Inc. earn (P.E.) licenses
- Carlos Ramirez of Sealevel Construction, Inc. earns commendation from an industrial client for extra steps he took on a jobsite to optimize public safety
- Kassie Davidson becomes Equipment Corporation of America (ECA)'s first female licensed as a 421a heavy equipment tech; she's based at the Ontario branch
- Leroy Ball, CEO of Koppers makes Pittsburgh Business Times Power 100; business manager Albert Robertson to represent the company at The Advanced Leadership Institute
- Megan Murphy, Victoria Ward of GZA GeoEnvironmental added to EBC leadership committee
- Devin Wood, recently hired at Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering, selected for recognition in alma mater, Clemson University Civil Engineering Department alumni program
Quotable: "We thank all you piledriving folks out there that do the hard work, because at the end of the day when it is time to go home, you can rest assured that your work matters to the rest of the world! Cheers Y 'all. [SIC]" American Piledriving Equipment VP Steve Cress on LinkedIn.
In sympathy:
It was 1953 in Orangeburg, SC when Cox Industries began; it quickly grew into a leading U.S. timber company. Founder and PDCA hall-of-famer William Burkett Cox Sr. passed Feb. 11, he leaves a giant footprint in the construction materials sector. Cox was purchased by Koppers Inc. in 2018.
"A long-term, devoted, hard-working employee" is how Vicente Vasquez is remembered by grieving coworkers at R. Kremer & Son Marine Contractors. PDCA sends condolences to family and friends. |
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KSHB 41 TV Kansas City reveals renderings of the forthcoming Buck O'Neil Bridge which Massman, as part of the joint venture selected for the $220M MoDOT project, will serve as the design-build contractor.
Civil Engineering Magazine pens a deep dive into an erosion controlling breakwater system built by Patriot Construction & Industrial in Southwest Louisiana's Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge.
NOLA.com publishes a photo of Canal Barge Company CEO Merritt Lane, who is part of a charity that donated $1M to local schools for annual Mardi Gras fundraising drive, despite 2021 event cancellation.
The Geotechnical Engineering Podcast interviews Cassandra Wetzel of GZA GeoEnvironmental in a February segment entitled Design and Construction Around the Water Table.
WVUA TV-23 Tuscaloosa interviews Matt Brooks, local GM at Nucor, about the company's support in opening opportunities to disadvantaged youth through the Boy Scouts of America.
American Cranes & Transport magazine covers Tadano VP Christian Bartley's work in advocacy on environmental issues and regulations.
Concrete Openings magazine interviews David Rogers, VP at Aggregate Technologies, Inc. |
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Dewberry U? We were honored that nearly 1/3 (29) of total attendees at the PDCA Educational Webinar Series #1 on February 2nd were associates from Dewberry. Remember, staff at member companies get FREE access to the full Series, a benefit of your membership! Join PDCA today.
Not a groupie! A familiar face and frequent presenter at events throughout the deep foundations industry is longtime PDCA friend Silas Nichols, P.E., an engineer with the FHWA. We heartily congratulate Silas on becoming a finalist for the prestigious 2021 Federal Engineer of the Year Award.
The kids are used to virtual learning, time for a lesson in construction! A Company Wrench videographer produced this informational video to teach some Ohio students about the always amazing excavator.
TEASER ALERT: Speaking of kids, we've learned one influential pile driving industry professional is expecting... but who is it? You know her, watch for the announcement this summer!
Seriously, FOUR dad-jokes in one post? We commend all PDCA members who provide company news on social media so we can fill this publication, there's always great content to glean. But we send notice to GeoEngineers Inc., FOUR dad-jokes in one LinkedIn post is pushing the limit. 😊
If the Rainbow Warriors aren't your dad's team, you might be a transplant. The Islands are home to fans of all teams; the Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. employs these fans of the Kansas City Chiefs who pose proudly in red during Super Bowl week, simultaneously supporting the American Heart Association.
How 'bout them Cowboys? On country radio in the 90's, Toby Keith famously asked the question, "Miss Kitty, have you ever thought of runnin' away?" Well, 25 years later, Kitty Rodriguez of Sunbelt Rentals signaled "no" when she dug in her boot heels and pointed her camera at the "Construction Cowboy," guiding paired sheet pilings to the laydown area for crane accessibility.
Q: "What's your favorite position?"
A: "CEO." Lauren Conrad famously answered the question from a 2012 Sirius XM radio host known for broadcasting misogynistic content. Don't forget, March 713 is the widely celebrated Women in Construction Week; PDCA enthusiastically tips our hard-hat to the many women contractors, suppliers, manufacturers and engineers who work daily to advance the driven pile. |
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