02 DCA NEWS4 8 March/April 2015 9the DCA Safety Director of the Year Award, will be given to the...

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“Meeting of the Courts” ceremony highlight of this year’s Annual Convention in New Orleans Richardson, Texas – Over 400 DCA members and guests, including a record number of first time attendees, gathered February 7-12 at The Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana for DCA’s 2015 Annual Convention. The event was a well-blended mix of business and pleasure and fea- tured the installation of the 2015 Board of Directors. Frank Patterson, president of Primoris Pipeline Services in Garner, North Carolina was named the 2015 DCA president, succeeding Grady Bell, vice president of business development for Laney Directional Drilling Co. in Spring, Texas. Dale Anderson, executive vice president for Miller Pipeline in Indianapolis, Indiana, was elected vice president and Dale Mykyte, president and owner of Pe Ben USA, Inc. in Houston, Texas was elected treasurer. Elected to two year terms on the Board of Directors are: Tom Clapper, vice-president and co-owner of TekRock Trenching LLC in Georgetown, Texas; Larry Ernst, president of Midwest Underground in East Moline, Illinois and Ben Nelson, vice president operations for Michels Corporation in Kirkland, Washington. Michael Hickey, executive vice president of operations for The Hallen Construction Company, Island Park, New York; Dimitrios (Jim) Lagios, vice president of Oz Directional Drilling, Scottsdale, Arizona; and Jay Osborn, president of Q3 Contracting, Inc., Little Canada, Minnesota are cur- rently finishing two year terms. Kevin Miller president of Miller Pipeline in Indianapolis, Indiana was named past president MARCH/APRIL 2015 IN THIS ISSUE: 54th Convention ............... 1-2 Mid Year .................................3 Photo highlights ................. 4-7 Committee....................... 8-10 Scholarships .........................11 Industry news .......................12 Member news................ 13-15 Safety news ........................16 Calendar ..............................16 DCA NEWS 02 ISSUE (continued on pg.2) DCA JOB FAIR Tuesday, April 21, 2015 11:00 am - 7:00 pm Ramada Bloomington Minneapolis Airport Mall www.dcaweb.org for details

Transcript of 02 DCA NEWS4 8 March/April 2015 9the DCA Safety Director of the Year Award, will be given to the...

Page 1: 02 DCA NEWS4 8 March/April 2015 9the DCA Safety Director of the Year Award, will be given to the winners at the April 7th Safety Congress Luncheon, with a plaque and $1,000 check.

“Meeting of the Courts” ceremony highlight of this year’s Annual Convention in New OrleansRichardson, Texas – Over 400 DCA members and guests, including a record number of first time attendees, gathered February 7-12 at The Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana for DCA’s 2015 Annual Convention. The event was a well-blended mix of business and pleasure and fea-tured the installation of the 2015 Board of Directors.

Frank Patterson, president of Primoris Pipeline Services in Garner, North Carolina was named the 2015 DCA president, succeeding Grady Bell, vice president of business development for Laney Directional Drilling Co. in Spring, Texas. Dale Anderson, executive vice president for Miller Pipeline in Indianapolis, Indiana, was elected vice president and Dale Mykyte, president and owner of Pe Ben USA, Inc. in Houston, Texas was elected treasurer.

Elected to two year terms on the Board of Directors are: Tom Clapper, vice-president and co-owner of TekRock Trenching LLC in Georgetown, Texas; Larry Ernst, president of Midwest Underground in East Moline, Illinois and Ben Nelson, vice president operations for Michels Corporation in Kirkland, Washington.

Michael Hickey, executive vice president of operations for The Hallen Construction Company, Island Park, New York; Dimitrios (Jim) Lagios, vice president of Oz Directional Drilling, Scottsdale, Arizona; and Jay Osborn, president of Q3 Contracting, Inc., Little Canada, Minnesota are cur-rently finishing two year terms.

Kevin Miller president of Miller Pipeline in Indianapolis, Indiana was named past president

M A R C H / A P R I L2 0 1 5

IN THIS ISSUE:

54th Convention ............... 1-2

Mid Year .................................3

Photo highlights ................. 4-7

Committee ....................... 8-10

Scholarships .........................11

Industry news .......................12

Member news................ 13-15

Safety news ........................16

Calendar ..............................16

DCA

DCA NEWS02I S S U E

(continued on pg.2)

DCA JOB FAIRTuesday, April 21, 2015

11:00 am - 7:00 pm

Ramada BloomingtonMinneapolis Airport Mall

www.dcaweb.org for details

Page 2: 02 DCA NEWS4 8 March/April 2015 9the DCA Safety Director of the Year Award, will be given to the winners at the April 7th Safety Congress Luncheon, with a plaque and $1,000 check.

Richardson, Texas – The 2015 DCA Mid Year Meeting will be held at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia, Wednesday, July 22 – Sunday, July 26, 2015.

Steeped in a tradition of gracious Southern hospitality, Kingsmill heralds a rich history dating back to Colonial America. The bucolic land located along the banks of the mighty James River was considered a permanent base by the first Englishmen on May 12, 1607. They decided to settle at Jamestown the next day. Located in the heart of Virginia’s Historic Triangle, it should come as no surprise that the land now known as Kingsmill featured a bustling plantation from 1619 through the 1800s.

Kingsmill is a AAA Four Diamond resort and features luxurious accommodations with access to family-friendly amenities and three 18-hole championship golf courses. Kingsmill offers four on-site restaurants, tennis courts, a fitness center and spa, indoor/outdoor pools and a full service marina.

The business session will address current and topical issues facing our industry now and in the future. The keynote speaker will focus on a topic of interest to both the men and ladies.

Look for registration information in your e-mail inbox next month. s

DCA 2015 Annual Mid Year Meeting in Williamsburg, Virginia, Wednesday, July 22 – Sunday, July 26

The Kingsmill Resort, Williamsburg, Virginia

2016 Annual ConventionFebruary 15 - 19, 2016 at

The Naples Grande Beach ResortNaples, Florida

2 www.dcaweb.org March/April 2015 32 www.dcaweb.org

director; Ray Swerdfeger, president of K.R. Swerdfeger Construction in Pueblo West, Colorado was appointed as director at large for a one-year term; Pat Hunt, director of strategic accounts with CNH Industrial – Case Construction Equipment in Racine, Wisconsin will continue as an associate member director (Junior) and Bob Darby, president of Darby Equipment Co. in Tulsa, Oklahoma will continue as associate member director (Senior).

DCA kicked off the convention with the Registration Party sponsored by Vacuworx on Saturday. While registering for the convention, attendees could enjoy a New Orleans inspired party with refreshments, games and local musicians. Saturday afternoon Sharewell sponsored a Board of Directors and Leadership Council luncheon.

The annual Past President’s Dinner, sponsored by Midwestern Manufacturing Company, was held Saturday night at The Elms Mansion.

Working committees convened on Sunday and discussed agenda items and issues facing the association and the industry. For a summary of the standing committee meetings please see page 8.

The Welcome Reception sponsored by Cleveland Brothers and the Welcome Dinner sponsored by Caterpillar was held at the Mardi Gras World and Den where 80 percent of the floats that journey down New Orleans’ streets during the carnival season are designed and built. The carnival inspired party featured a lively band, dancers, fortune tellers and plenty of refreshments.

Monday morning’s Opening Keynote Breakfast sponsored by Case Construction Equipment included a video tribute to 2014 DCA President Grady Bell and the induction of Jack Gabrielse as an honorary member. The speaker was Rob O’Neill, a highly-trained Navy SEAL, who led the military’s most elite and was involved in our nation’s most important campaigns.

Monday night’s Auction Reception sponsored by Volvo Construction Equipment and DCA Auction sponsored by Ritchie Bros. with Honorary Member Butch Graham was

a record-breaking event, with the auction raising over $900,000 to support the association’s scholarship program and general activities.

Purchasing vacations, equipment and novelty items, once again DCA Members showed their support for the Association with their generosity.

Tuesdays Keynote Breakfast sponsored by Ditch Witch was held at the National WWII Museum and the speaker was Lt. General Russel L. Honoré, retired from the US Army. General Honoré led recovery efforts in the aftermath of the hurricanes that struck the gulf coast in 2005 and inspired members with his don’t quit attitude. After the breakfast members could tour the museum and view the documen-tary “Beyond All Boundaries” sponsored by McLaughlin Group.

The DCA Golf Classic sponsored by American Augers was held Tuesday afternoon at TPC Louisiana with beautiful weather and a challenging course.

Wednesday morning’s Closing Keynote Breakfast sponsored by HammerHead included the induction of Ken Gabrielse as an honorary member and the speaker was Joby Ogwyn, world renowned for his prowess as an alpinist, wing-suit pilot and BASE jumper.

The Arthur T. Everham Safety Award winners were announced as well as the recipients of the DCA - Dale R. Michels and Curtis Allen Scholarship.

Wednesday night’s President’s Reception sponsored by Deere and T.T. Technologies and the President’s Dinner sponsored by Vermeer was a Mardi Gras Masked Ball. The dinner was followed by hours of dancing at the After-Hours Reception.

The tours, food, fun and entertainment rounded out the five days of enjoyable events.

For photo highlights please see pages 4-7 or visit the DCA web site at www.dcaweb.org.

Join us next year at The Naples Grande Beach Resort in Naples, Florida, Monday, February 15 – Friday, February 19, 2016. s

(Convention continued from pg 1)

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4 www.dcaweb.org4 www.dcaweb.org March/April 2015 98 www.dcaweb.org

the DCA Safety Director of the Year Award, will be given to the winners at the April 7th Safety Congress Luncheon, with a plaque and $1,000 check. The committee also reviewed the results of the 2014 Arthur T. Everham Safety Award. The recipients of the award were: tied Alvah Contractors and Mid America Underground (less than 299,000 manhours); H.L. Chapman Pipeline Construction (300,000 to 899,000 manhours); and Q3 Contracting, Inc. (over 900,000 manhours). The 2015 Safety Congress schedule was also presented and all members were encouraged to send their safety directors to the event. The committee also reviewed the committee charter and discussed their goals for 2015. The charge of the Safety/Risk Management Committee is to review all information concerning safety in the industry and safe job-site practices. The committee also has oversight for the Arthur T. Everham Safety Award and the Annual Safety Congress. Tom Clapper of TekRock Trenching serves as chairman and Kevin Parker of Mears Group is the new vice chairman of the committee.

HDD CommitteeAttendees of the HDD Committee meeting reviewed and had updates on several items at their February meeting. The committee discussed future panel topics to possibly be presented at upcoming education sessions. Drilling mud disposal was also discussed. The committee talked about the research that Oklahoma State University (OSU) has been involved with. OSU has updated their research after collecting and analyzing samples of mud. They have collected 56 samples from 28 states. Committee members discussed getting involved in the draft cross bores position paper that Eben Wyman of Wyman Associates is working on. Kelvin Self, research and development project manager at Ditch Witch, presented a research initiative related to mud disposal at the July 2014 HDD meeting. He shared the updated research

with the committee and was encouraged to attend a future HDD meeting. The charge of the HDD committee is to support safety, training, technical developments and voluntary operational guides, that sustain professional practices and contractors in the area of HDD. The new chairman of the committee is Jon Heinen of Vermeer Corp. and the new vice chairman is Dan Carson of Carson Corporation.

Government Relations CommitteeThe Government Relations Committee focused on the Cross Bore Initiative at their February 8th meeting. The committee discussed the main points of DCA’s position on cross bores in the form of a PowerPoint slide deck that will be part of a panel presentation at this year’s Common Ground Alliance (CGA) Excavation Conference and Expo (March 11, 2015). The position paper is undergoing final revisions. Once approved by the DCA Board of Directors, it will be sent to initial audiences such as the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the CGA, American Gas Association, and organizations representing state and local governments. Committee members also received a legislative update on the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Act (HR 1900); Keystone XL Pipeline; Private Activity Bonds (PAB) for Water Infrastructure; and Pension Reform. Along with reviewing the accomplishments for 2014, the committee discussed their 2015 goals that included the second AGA/DCA Workshop, April 28-29, in Chicago, Operator Qualification Portability as well as the Cross Bore Initiative. The charge of the Government Relations Committee is to target specific regulatory and legislative items and report their findings through the following publications: DCA Insights, DCA News and the DCA web site. The chairmen of the committee are Greg Dahl of ARB, Inc., and Dave Wisniewski of Vermeer Corporation.

2014 Board of DirectorsThe 2014 DCA Board of Directors had their final meeting as a board on Saturday, February 7, at The Roosevelt in New Orleans, Louisiana. Board members reviewed the 2015 convention schedule, convention sponsorship, auction, safety award recipients and the induction of Jack Gabrielse and Ken Gabrielse as honorary members. The board also discussed possible scholarship application revisions, DOT compliance and the upcoming labor negotiations with the United Association and Laborers’ International Union of North America. Outgoing board members, Tim Bell of Midwestern Contractors and Shepard Poole of The Hallen Construction Co., were thanked for their time and efforts on the board.

Leadership CouncilThe Leadership Council met Saturday, February 7, at The Roosevelt in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Council reviewed actions of the DCA Board of Directors from their earlier meeting. DCA working committee chairmen each gave a brief outline of the topics their committee would be discussing in their individual meetings. The Leadership Council is made up of the elected chairs and vice chairs of each of the committees, the President and Vice President of the Board and the Executive Vice President. The purpose of the Leadership Council is to coordinate the strategic direction of the DCA, as directed by the Board of Directors.

Membership CommitteeThe focus of the February 8th Membership Committee meeting was reviewing and discussing the 2014 accomplishments and 2015 goals through the membership

committee charter. The committee reviewed the membership report presented to the DCA Board of Directors. It was noted that since the October committee meeting, two new Contractor Members and eight new Associate Members had joined the DCA. Two Contractor Members and one Associate Member had dropped their membership. Membership totals were noted as 70 Contractor Members and 136 Associate Members. The committee reviewed the prospective member list and assigned various members to contact the prospects. The committee also reviewed the results of the 2014 Equipment Survey and the committee chairmen emphasized the importance of the survey for the associates to justify their membership and sponsorship commitment to the DCA. With over 40 new convention attendees at the convention, membership committee members were reminded of the importance of introducing themselves to the delegates with the red badges and making them feel welcome. The charge of the Membership Committee is to actively solicit and evaluate potential DCA members and make recommendations on member programs and awards to help recruit and retain members in the association. Rob DeRue of D.R.S. Enterprises is the new chairman and Rich Prosser of American Augers serves as vice chairman of the committee.

Safety/Risk Management CommitteeThe Safety/Risk Management Committee focused on reviewing items for the upcoming DCA Safety Congress, April 6-8, the Westin, in San Diego. The committee reviewed the results of the conference call to revise the recommendation and scoring sheet for the 2014 DCA Safety Person of the Year Award. The award, along with (Continued on pg. 10)

If you are interested in being an active member of any of these committees, please contact the DCA office.

Committee News - February 7-11, 2015 meetings

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4 www.dcaweb.org4 www.dcaweb.org March/April 2015 1110 www.dcaweb.org

Education CommitteeThe Education Committee meeting focused on the upcoming April 21st DCA Job Fair in Bloomington, Minnesota; sessions for the 2015 AGA/DCA Workshop, Mid Year and Fall Meetings, as well as the 2016 Convention. The Job Fair has two goals: awareness of the industry and to attract qualified candidates for present job opportunities within DCA companies due to the labor shortage that effects both the contractors and associate members. Six “anchor” contractors confirmed their participation in the event. This job fair is a prototype and is being designed in such a way that if it proves successful can be replicated in other parts of the country. The committee agreed to do a panel discussion on the topic of “Workforce Capacity” at the April 28-29 AGA/DCA Workshop in Chicago. The panel will consist of representatives from: two utility companies; one union representative: two original equipment manufacturer (OEM) representatives; and two contractors. Committee members also suggested speakers and topics for the 2015 Mid Year Meeting, July 22-26, at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia. The charge of the Education Committee is to recommend educational programs for the association that would be of interest to the membership, many of which are technical in nature.

Gary Lawson of Ditch Witch is the chairman of the committee and Ray Swerdfeger of K.R. Swerdfeger Construction, Inc., serves as the vice chairman.

2015 Board of DirectorsThe 2015 DCA Board of Directors had their first meeting as a board, on Wednesday, February 11th. Board members reviewed and discussed the following topics: the 2015 DCA budget, the status of the Cross Bore Initiative paper, OQ development and improvements to the convention, auction and sponsorship. The board also discussed their 2015 goals and objectives of focusing on the value of membership, especially in regard to education and government relations. Kevin Miller, Past President Director, brought a recommendation from the Past Presidents that the Board consider ways to use DCA funds to support the industry. A subteam of Frank Patterson, Dale Mykyte, Bob Darby, Kevin Miller and Rob Darden was established to discuss alternatives for board consideration.

The next board of director and committee meetings will be in conjunction with the Annual Mid Year Meeting at Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia, July 22-26,

2015. s

Kevin Michels Eva Ann Allen

Richardson, Texas – Two students were selected by the

Curtis Allen Scholarship committee as recipients of the

Curtis Allen Scholarship. The scholarship was founded

in 2010 in honor of the late Curtis Allen and emphasis is

given to students entering a vocational, trade or techni-

cal school. The scholarship is funded by Halliburton and

is matched by DCA.

The recipients for the 2015-16 academic year are:

• Adam Dvorak, Groebner Associates - $14,000 over 2

years

• Tanner VandenHeuvel, Miller Electric - $8,500 over 2

years

The 2015 Curtis Allen committee was comprised of:

DCA Vice President Frank Patterson, Primoris Pipeline

Services, Garner, North Carolina; Associate Member

Director Pat Hunt, Case Construction Equipment,

Racine, Wisconsin; Halliburton Representatives Don Dell

and Ronnie Caufel, Bentonite Performance Minerals

LLC, Houston, Texas; and Karma Newberry, Discovery

Hydrovac, Draper, Utah. s

Curtis Allen Scholarship Recipients Announced

Richardson, Texas – Seven students were given a finan-

cial boost at the 54th Annual DCA Convention in

February when they were selected by the scholarship

committee as recipients of the DCA-Dale R. Michels

Endowed Scholarship. The scholarship was founded in

1998 in honor of deceased DCA Honorary Member and

Past President Dale R. Michels from the proceeds of the

DCA’s Annual Auction. It is designed to award students

each year from a $100,000 endowment.

The committee is pleased to announce that with your

generous support of the DCA auctions, we awarded a

record amount of scholarships to both students starting

college and people who are returning to college after a

several year gap.

The recipients for the 2015-16 academic year are:

• Jason Downie, Lincoln Electric - $15,000 over 3 years

• Kaitlin Chapman, Q3 Contracting - $15,000 over 3

years

• Edwine Campbell, Laney Directional Drilling -

$2,000 over 2 years

• Dana Redmond, Minnesota Limited - $5,000 for

1 year

• Robert Weaver, Ditch Witch - $15,000 over 3 years

• Hannah Heuer, John Deere - $15,000 over 3 years

• Gabriele Marrese, Michels Corp. - $8,000 over 2 years

The 2015 DCA-Dale R. Michels Scholarship com-

mittee was comprised of DCA President Grady Bell,

Laney Directional Drilling Co., Spring, Texas; Treasurer

Dale Anderson, Miller Pipeline, Indianapolis, Indiana;

Past President Director, Shepard Poole, The Hallen

Construction Co., Inc., Island Park, New York; President’s

appointee Anne Hillebrandt, InterCon Construction,

Waunakee, Wisconsin, Bob Darby, Darby Equipment,

Tulsa, Oklahoma; Kevin Michels, Michels Corporation,

Brownsville, Wisconsin; and Ruth Michels, also of Michels

Corporation, who sits permanently on the committee.

DCA-Dale R. Michels Scholarship Recipients Announced

Committee News (Continued)

On Wednesday, February 11, Members of the DCA Board

of Directors, the labor committee, signatory contractors

and representatives from the Laborers’ International Union

of N.A. (LiUNA), United Association (UA), and International

Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) met for a roundta-

ble discussion on four major areas of joint concern: the

Affordable Care Act (ACA); Operator Qualifications;

Workforce Development; and Pension Reform. Throughout

the discussions on each topic, it was agreed that the DCA

and representatives from the three labor unions need to

meet as a united front with representatives in Washington,

DC to discuss these issues and the financial impact these

areas of concern are having on the construction pipeline

industry. LiUNA General President Terry O’Sullivan and

IUOE General President James Callahan also attended

the meeting. s

Joint meeting of DCA members and Union leaders during the DCA Convention

Page 7: 02 DCA NEWS4 8 March/April 2015 9the DCA Safety Director of the Year Award, will be given to the winners at the April 7th Safety Congress Luncheon, with a plaque and $1,000 check.

Richardson, Texas - American Gas Association (AGA)

and Distribution Contractors Association (DCA) are con-

ducting a workshop for both natural gas utilities and their

contractors. The workshop will feature panel discussions

with both utilities and contractors in identifying practic-

es and strategies that drive a successful partnership for

both parties. Discussions will focus primarily on qualifica-

tion and training; making company procedures and job

aids available to contractors; effective approaches for

collaborating on safety; effective approaches in setting

incentives and penalties; and oversight of contractors

for quality.

The workshop will be held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in

Chicago, Illinois.

To register for the event visit the DCA web site and

click the banner on the bottom of the home page. s

AGA/DCA Utility Contractor Workshop, April 28-29, 2015

VACUUM EXCAVATORS | AUGER BORING | HOLE HAMMER | LOCATORS | MOLEING

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Trenchless Pull and Split Techniques from TT TechnologiesTrenchless service line splitting equipment from TT Technologies replaces existing gas service infrastructure quickly, easily and safely.

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Western Utility (WUCI) is an build and construction firm that integrates its clients’ future needs into its solutions for today. The company includes four main divisions (Telecom, Electric, Pipeline, and Sewer and Water), each with a 24/7 emergency response team (ERT). They conduct extensive research and employ the latest technologies and strategies. A pioneer in the field, Western Utility Contractors provides services for underground sewer and water, as well as wiring/cable (fiber/copper) distribution services. Many examples of their quality workmanship can be seen in the public ways of the City of Chicago.

Western Utilitywww.westernutility.com

Titan Machinery owns and operates a network of full-service agriculture and construction equipment stores in the United States and Europe. At their stores, they sell and rent new and used construction and agriculture equipment and provide superior parts and service support. Their primary new equipment manufacturer partner is the CNHi family of brands - including Case IH, Case Construction, New Holland Agriculture, and New Holland Construction.

Titan Machinerytitanmachinery.com

A family-owned business since 1951, Wyo-Ben is a leading manufacturer of Wyoming Bentonite Clay based products. Wyoming Bentonite is regarded as the highest quality bentonite in the world. Their materials are used globally in applications such as oil, gas, and water well drilling, metalcasting, environmental construction and remediation, hazardous waste treatment, cat litter, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, as well as many other industrial and consumer related products. Headquartered in Billings, Montana, Wyo-Ben mines its reserves from the Big Horn Basin region of Wyoming and operates three processing facilities serving the global marketplace.

Wyo-Ben, Inc.www.wyoben.com

Featured DCA Member Web sites

2 www.dcaweb.org March/April 2011 3 12 www.dcaweb.org March/April 2015 13

Page 8: 02 DCA NEWS4 8 March/April 2015 9the DCA Safety Director of the Year Award, will be given to the winners at the April 7th Safety Congress Luncheon, with a plaque and $1,000 check.

CONTRACTOR MEMBER

BRIGADIER PIPELINES, INC.6 Brigadier Pipelines, Inc.P.O. Box 78Burlington, PA 18814(570) 468-8052 Fax: (570) 234-3279Email: [email protected]

www.brigadierpipelines.com

John H. Kern, PresidentKevin Lewis, Business Development ManagerSteven Lewis, Director or Operations

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

ENERGY WORLDNETP.O. Box 2106Decatur, TX 76234 (940) 626-1941 Fax: (866) [email protected] Isbell, President

WEILER CORP.1 Weiler Dr.Cresco, PA 18356(570) 595-7495 Fax: (570) 595-2002Email: [email protected]

Chris Weiler, President/CEOBen Williams, Chief Financial OfficerAdam Hebert, Business Development Manager;

Welcome New Contractor and Associate Members

NEW ON THE DCA WEB SITE:

Photos from the DCA

54th Annual Convention

February 7 - 12, 2015 at

the Roosevelt Hotel in New

Orleans, Louisiana

Information on the

Common Ground Alliance

and a link to the media

materials for download on

the 811 Promise to always

call before you dig

Information on the DCA/

AGA Utility Contractor

Workshop

Information on the DCA

Job Fair

Digital download of the

2015 DCA Membership

Directory

Toolbox Talks for March

and April

IN THE NEXT DCA E-NEWS:

Obama administration

tightens federal rules on oil

and gas fracking

PG&E Faces Bigger

Fine Despite Safety

Improvements

John Deere launches Equipment App CenterJohn Deere announc-es the new John Deere App Center which is a convenient mobile app, designed specifically for

John Deere equipment users.Users will have the ability to search and

find apps most useful to their business or operations. They will also be able to share the apps on social media and provide feedback to improve the applications and develop additional apps for the future.

For more information, download the John Deere App Center on your iPhone or contact your local John Deere dealer.

McLaughlin gives students real-world experi-ence In underground constructionA group of C l e m s o n University civil engineering students stepped outside the classroom recently for some hands-on learn-ing in underground construction thanks to a neighbor who happens to be an expert in the field.

Employees of McLaughlin Group Inc., a leading manufacturer of trenchless construc-tion equipment, gave the students a demon-stration in identifying and marking under-ground utilities, vacuum excavation and the use of pneumatic boring tools.

And they did it on the property of McLaughlin Vice President Jeff Wage, who lives about 15 miles from the South Carolina school. The company’s headquarters is only 30 miles from Clemson.

“It gave the students real-world experi-ence,” Wage says. “They were able to see equipment run. They were able to speak with a global manufacturer and ask technical

questions. The opportunity to see the things they’ve studied in the classroom in an actual setting is very valuable.”

Eleven students from a graduate-level underground construction course participat-ed in the trip to Wage’s 20-acre property. They started by learning the importance of calling 811 before digging. The nationwide service takes information from anyone who is planning underground work – from profes-sionals to do-it-yourselfers – and notifies local utility companies, who will come out and mark underground lines, pipes and cables.

Next, the students saw a utility locator in action and found several utilities on the prop-erty. A Vermeer VX50 vacuum excavator by McLaughlin also was used to locate utilities, a process known as potholing, and to verify their depth. The students learned how vacu-um excavation works and in what scenarios air and water would be suitable for the work.

Finally, the students saw a demonstration of the Vermeer Hole Hammer pneumatic piercing tool. Although pneumatic boring has been used for decades, it is still the most prevalent way to perform short bores, such as from a curb to a home.

Such out-of-class demonstrations bridge the gap between university education and industry needs according to Kalyan Piratla, the civil engineering professor who teach-es underground construction at Clemson University.

“Research has proved that students who are taught using hands-on methods better retain and retrieve information than those who are not,” Piratla says.

McLaughlin also had some fun with the color scheme of its equipment. The boring tools are typically black, but the two brought to the demonstration were painted orange in a nod to Clemson’s school colors.

Member News

NEW ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER:

Photos from the DCA

54th Annual Convention

February 7 - 12, 2015 at

the Roosevelt Hotel in New

Orleans, Louisiana

Photos and news from

Regular and Associate

Members

Information about the

DCA Annual Safety

Congress, April 6 - 8, 2015

at The Westin in San Diego,

California

April is Safe Digging Month;

Make the 811 Promise to

always call before you dig

Jason Dorsey. Ck it out! 3

ways to improve #lead-

ership development for

#Millennials @B2Community

http://bit.ly/1CEhgB8

acebook

witter

Look for us on Facebook:

Distribution Contractors

Association

Follow us on Twitter:

DCAtweets

“The guys who build the boring tools were excited to participate in the event,” Wage says.

Henkels & McCoy, Inc. Names J. Daniel Pigott, Jr. Senior Vice President of Corporate Services

Henkels & McCoy, Inc. (H&M) is pleased to announce the appointment of J. Daniel (Dan) Pigott, Jr. to Senior Vice President of Corporate Services. Dan will be respon-

sible for general executive leadership and oversight of multiple Corporate Departments including Fleet, Procurement, IT/Information Performance Systems, Quality/Continuous Improvement, and the Project Management Office. Additionally, Dan will be an executive liaison with operations to ensure that all pro-

grams, initiatives, and projects are prioritized, adequately resourced, and aligned with cor-porate strategic goals to ensure overall value for H&M’s customers.

Dan has over 36 years of experience at H&M. He most recently led the company’s Project Management Office, which he has overseen since its establishment in January of 2005. Dan has produced or enhanced project deliverables on the most complex projects executed in H&M’s history and played a key role in defining Senior Project Manager competencies. Previously, Dan served as Vice President of Corporate Sales and Marketing and Vice President of the Engineering Division. In addition to his role at H&M, Dan will continue to serve as an Advisor to the Board of the Telecommunications Industry Association, which he previously chaired. s

14 www.dcaweb.org March/April 2015 15

Page 9: 02 DCA NEWS4 8 March/April 2015 9the DCA Safety Director of the Year Award, will be given to the winners at the April 7th Safety Congress Luncheon, with a plaque and $1,000 check.

2014 Arthur T. Everham Safety Award Winner (l to r) Jay Osborn, DCA President Grady Bell

DISTRIBUTION CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

DISTRIBUTION CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

DISTRIBUTION CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION

DCA NEWS is a bi-monthly publication of Distribution Contractors Association101 West Renner Road, Suite 460, Richardson, Texas 75082

972-680-0261 Fax: 972-680-0461 www.dcaweb.org

Robert G. DardenExecutive Vice President

Candace Green Marketing & Communications Manager

2015 CALENDAR OF EVENTS

APRIL 6-8DCA Safety CongressThe Westin HotelSan Diego, Californiawww.dcaweb.org

APRIL 13-17Pipeline Contractors Association of Canada (PLCA-C) Annual Convention,Hyatt RegencyKa’anapali, Mauiwww.pipeline.ca

APRIL 21DCA Job FairRamada Bloomington Minneapolis Airport MallBloomington, Minnesotawww.dcaweb.org

APRIL 27-29DCA/AGA WorkshopChicago Ritz CarltonChicago, Illinoiswww.dcaweb.org

MAY 19-22AGA Operations Conference & Biennial ExhibitionGaylord Texan HotelGrapevine, Texaswww.aga.org

JULY 22-26DCA Mid Year MeetingKingsmill ResortWilliamsburg, Virginiawww.dcaweb.org

OCTOBER 26-28DCA Fall MeetingtheWit, a Doubletree Hotel Chicago, Illinoiswww.dcaweb.org

Richardson, Texas – Safety excellence was recognized at the February 2015 DCA Annual Convention, where companies were rewarded for the effectiveness of their safety programs. The DCA established the Arthur T. Everham Safety Award in 1986 to recognize contractors with exceptional safety programs. The award is highly coveted as winners are recognized and honored by competitors.

The categories awarded are: those com-panies that complete less than 300,000 manhours of distribution construction per year; those that report more than 301,000 but less than 899,000 manhours; and those

companies that report more than 900,000 manhours.

The 2014 DCA safety award recipients are:

In the category of less than 300,000 hours there was a tie: Alvah Contractors, South San Francisco, California and Mid America Underground, Aurora, Illinois.

In the category 301,000 to 899,000 hours: H.L. Chapman Pipeline Construction, Leander, Texas.

In the category of over 900,000 hours: Q3 Contracting Inc., Little Canada, Minnesota. s

2014 DCA Safety Award Recipients