NRMCA Holds 2022 Annual Convention Names Officers, Presents Awards for Outstanding Industry Service
Alexandria, VA – March 31, 2022
The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association held its 2022 Annual Convention earlier this month, electing a new slate of officers for its 2022-2023 term and presenting a number of awards for outstanding industry service. Succeeding Abbott Lawrence as chairman of the Board of Directors is John Holliday of Holliday Rock Company, Upland, CA. Succeeding Mr. Holliday as vice chairman is Adam Manatt, Matt’s Inc., Brooklyn, IA. Elected secretary/treasurer is Nathan McKean of BMC Enterprises, Inc., St. Louis.
The convention, which was held in San Antonio, TX, featured an Awards Ceremony where NRMCA recognized individuals and companies for exemplary service to the ready mixed concrete industry. Please click here to access more background along with the history of each award winner listed below.
Robert A. Garbini Chairman’s Award – NRMCA Past President Bob Garbini was this year’s recipient of the award which was named in his honor. Mr. Garbini, who retired in 2019, was recognized for his exceptional commitment to moving NRMCA and the industry as a whole forward while serving as president.
“As I considered candidates who have given greatly of themselves in the service of our industry and our members, one highly deserving person who has not yet been added to the pantheon of distinguished recipients is the man who is the standard for the award itself. Bob was welcoming, encouraging and supportive as I learned the workings of the Association and how members could best engage and benefit from NRMCA. He was always generous with his time and ever willing to turn his boundless energy toward the next mission,” said Abbott Lawrence, NRMCA’s 2021-22 chairman during the presentation ceremony.
State Association of the Year Award – The Virginia Ready Mixed Concrete Association (VRMCA) was the recipient of this award as it was recognized for its Social Media Program, a joint business plan with NRMCA and its industry education and design assistance submittals.
VRMCA is in its second year of a joint VRMCA/NRMCA three-year marketing and promotion plan, which has the overall goals of increasing the market share for concrete buildings in Virginia; educating the community about the benefits of ready mixed concrete; strengthening the partnership between the two organizations; sharing resources and information; and supporting VRMCA marketing and promotion efforts. VRMCA has also invested significantly in expanding its social media program, with a growth in followers across all three of its social media platforms. Education is another key emphasis for the organization. Despite COVID restrictions, VRMCA was able to hold nearly 150 meetings, presentations and training programs, 26 site visits and tours, and 11 Design Assistance submissions (both paving and buildings).
Richard D. Gaynor Award – The NRMCA Research Engineering and Standards (RES) Committee recognized NRMCA Vice President, Technical Services, Dr. Karthik Obla for his longstanding service. Dr. Obla has been active in the concrete industry for more than 30 years. He joined NRMCA in 2003 after working as a technical manager at Boral Materials Technologies, Inc. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from IIT (BHU) in India and master’s and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. He is a licensed engineer in the state of Maryland.
At NRMCA, Dr. Obla directs research and testing at the NRMCA Research Laboratory, supporting programs of the RES Committee for quality initiatives, performance specifications, technical publications, and NRMCA technical education programs. He has administered the NRMCA Excellence in Quality Award, developed industry quality benchmarks and supported several initiatives to improve the quality of acceptance testing. Dr. Obla has authored a book on improving concrete quality and several technical papers and articles on concrete research, technology, and specifications. He is the recipient of many awards for his participation and initiatives, and for published papers.
William B. Allen Award – The Financial Performance Improvement Group presented the William B. Allen Award in grateful memory of Tom Baird, IV. As vice president of sales
and marketing for Conco Companies, Inc, Tom was a lifelong advocate for excellence in the ready mixed concrete industry and served on the NRMCA Board of Directors. Active in his community, Tom served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Springfield Contractors Association and was a volunteer fireman at Logan Rogersville Fire Protection District. He was a founding member of NRMCA’s Financial Performance Improvement Group. He died October 1, 2020.
Buildings Promoter of the Year Award – This year’s recipient is Duane Coy of Dolese Bros., Inc. Mr. Coy has been a Dolese Bros. employee for over 33 years with the last three years serving as the manager of business development focusing on the promotion of concrete and concrete systems. He is the first two-time NRMCA Promoter of the Year winner, having been awarded Promoter of the Year for Pavement in 2019.
In 2021, Mr. Coy successfully brought over a dozen projects to the Build With Strength (BWS) Team for design assistance. He organized promotional presentations to specifiers, developers, potential end-users, concrete industry personnel and other individuals or groups. He has given dozens of presentations to specifiers, contractors and owners on numerous concrete topics. He is currently vice chairman of the Building Subcommittee of the NRMCA Promotion Committee.
Pavement Promoter of the Year Award – The award this year goes to Scott Olin of Dickinson Ready Mix & Concrete Products. Mr. Olin is president and general manager of Dickinson Ready Mix & Concrete Products Company. In 2020 and 2021, Mr. Olin successfully used the Guide to Concrete Trails to capture new market opportunities with trails and cart paths. Using the guide as a door opener, he and a contractor were successful in overlaying more than three miles of cart path at a North Dakota golf course, followed by playing a key role in securing 24 miles of concrete trail paving for a planned 40-mile multi-use trail system within the city of Dickinson, ND.
Prior to that achievement, Mr. Olin used NRMCA’s Pave Ahead Design Assistance Program (DAP) for assistance with a runway extension project at Dickinson – Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport. What started as a 25,000 cubic yard project became a 4-year total reconstruction featuring over 100,000 cubic yards of concrete pavement.
Mr. Olin was also the recipient of the 2020 Bruno Benna Advocacy Award.
State Affiliate Promoter of the Year Award – Jeff Mulder, Nebraska Concrete and Aggregate Association. Mr. Mulder was honored for adopting a fresh, creative and ambitious approach to the promotion of concrete and the benefits it provides to the state of Nebraska and beyond. He has personally converted multiple projects to concrete while maintaining great contact with these key decision makers so that he is their first call for any future projects.
Mr. Mulder played a key role in convincing a local school district to build with concrete by inviting school officials to a roundtable discussion, assisting them in finding an ICF contractor, working with NRMCA to complete a Design Assistance Proposal (DAP) and being present for multiple visits to the jobsite. Jeff even personally visited a local newspaper to make them aware of this project and the following week it was showcased on the front page. He also played a major role in the conversion of a development of 10 2-story residential buildings by connecting the developer to local resources to answer questions regarding the technical elements of ICF construction. This project also used NRMCA’s Design Assistance Program with Mr. Mulder connecting the project with an ICF distributor.
John Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award for Promotion – William Childs of Chaney Enterprises is this year’s honoree. Over the course of Mr. Childs’ tenure, Chaney Enterprises introduced new concrete products and solutions, such as carbon sequestration technology and Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) construction that have made a significant positive impact on sustainability and the environment. He was involved from the start in helping shape the Build With Strength program and through his participation on the NRMCA Executive Committee and Promotion Committee, he is credited for providing direction to address the critical low/mid-rise building market.
Mr. Childs was the recipient of the NRMCA Promoter of the Year – Buildings Award in 2017. He was also honored with the Robert A. Garbini Chairman’s Award in 2017 and served as Board chairman in 2013.
Concrete Cares Award – NRMCA’s Manufacturers, Products & Services (MPS) Division presented two Producer members with this award: Callanan Industries, Inc., for companies producing 250,000 cubic yards or less and Ready Mix USA for companies producing more than 250,000 cubic yards in recognition of the work that these companies have done over the last year in local communities. Callanan Industrieshosts a year-round “Callanan Cares” community involvement program that connects employees with various causes throughout its operating regions. Two of the largest and most impactful projects are “Ride with Mike” and “Make A Difference Week.” The “Ride with Mike” fundraiser is named for long-time Callanan construction superintendent and two-time lymphoma survivor Mike Walsh who led a 70-mile procession of motorcycles and rare sports cars ending with a fundraiser and celebration at a local park. Now in its fifth year, Callanan employees, customers and community members came together to raise $12,000 for a number of cancer treatment foundations and facilities. During Make a Difference Week, Callanan employees volunteer for different organizations each day of the week. The week-long event ends on National Make a Difference Day.
Ready Mix USA (a CEMEX Company) and SEEED Knox (Socially Equal Energy Efficient Development) have partnered since 2018 to address Knoxville, Tennessee’s black poverty rate of over 40%. SEEED provides pathways out of poverty to young adults and promotes positive community development through career readiness training, environmental education and community engagement. During 2021, Ready Mix USA supported SEEED by sponsoring its COVID-19 vaccine education program and its Unity in the Community: Greenhouse Cafe event. However, the most significant project that Ready Mix USA contributed to this year was building SEEED’s first sustainable “Solar home of the Future” using the latest Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) technology.
The resilient, efficient ICF home is not only good for the environment, but it is good for the community as well. The home is located in Lonsdale, one of the most impoverished communities in Knoxville and will be sold well under market value to a low-income family, creating instant equity for the buyers and the opportunity to create generational wealth.
Shydlowski-Turner Materials Leadership Award – Mike Ragan of Ragan Consulting and Matt McGlone were this year’s recipients. Mr. Ragan began his career in the concrete industry in 1982 at W.R. Grace and advanced through various management positions with increasing responsibility. In September 2014, Mr. Ragan retired from W.R. Grace but returned to the industry in 2016 when GCP Applied Technologies became an independent public company as a direct report to the CEO. In this role he had commercial leadership responsibility for all the GCP product lines, including a +500-person global commercial organization. Mr. Ragan also continues to support NRMCA and the RMC Research & Education Foundation.
Mr. McGlone started his professional career in the concrete industry in 1980 as a sales representative for Coplay/ESSROC Cement. After five years, he joined St. Lawrence Cement/Holcim in the Mid-Atlantic Region and then in 1992, McGlone joined Master Builders in Philadelphia. At Master Builders, he held roles such as regional manager and division manager before taking on new opportunities when BASF Construction Chemicals acquired Master Builders in 2006. Mike Shydlowski, a former senior executive at BASF and award namesake, said “working with Matt was a real pleasure. In my mind, he is the epitome of what a sales executive and leader should be. Matt always knew what was going on in the industry and would make recommendations on what Master Builders should do about it. He was an excellent leader of people and represented Master Builders with pride within the industry.”
In 2021, Mr. McGlone retired as a consultant from Master Builders Solutions.
Bruno Benna Advocacy Award –This year, Alan Wessel of Thomas Concrete, Inc. was honored for his exceptional commitment to advancing the industry through participation in NRMCA’s government affairs, political and grassroots programs. Mr. Wessel, a current member of NRMCA’s Executive Committee, has been a staunch supporter of CONCRETEPAC for many years. He consistently makes personal contributions in the maximum amount allowed by the Federal Election Commission (FEC) and sponsors events through corporate funding at the Landmark Level each year. He has served on NRMCA’s Government Affairs Committee for the past several years and lends his voice regularly to issues on Capitol Hill.
Joseph E. Carpenter Award – This year’s Carpenter award winner is Keith Cates, the director of fleet maintenance for Concrete Supply Company, Charlotte, NC. Mr. Cates is a longtime SEO Committee member; he played an integral role in the creation of the Fleet Manager Certification Course curriculum and has been a driving force and supporter of NRMCA’s National Mixer Driver Championship since its inception. Mr. Cates has volunteered his time in many roles at NRMCA and through his state association, including the Mixer Driver Championship, Fleet & Plant Maintenance Committee chairman, Driver of the Year Program and as a longtime supporter and annual participant in NRMCA’s Fleet Benchmarking and Costs Survey.
Driver of the Year Award – Please note that a separate press release was issued earlier this year announcing the winners. The 2022 winner was Edward J. Folkersma of Northern Sand and Gravel, Sault Sainte Marie, MI. There were also two runners-up: John Becker of Dolese Bros. Co., Oklahoma City and Adam Kasztelewicz, of Holliday Rock, Inc., Upland. CA.
Kids Art Contest – This year, NRMCA received many entries to its ninth NRMCA Kids Art Contest, sponsored by the Truck Mixer Manufacturers Bureau. Entries were judged against others in their grade category on originality, effort, creativity, composition and interpretation of the theme, My Kind of Concrete!