EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Starting in 2017, PDCA and Lester will publish PileDriver six times
annually. PDCA is excited to bring this change to our members.
Industry Progression Committee that will have total oversight
of both scholarships and research. This committee would report
to the Pile Driving Committee.
Looking forward to 2017
What’s in store for 2017 and beyond? Back in 2002, PDCA held
the first Professors’ Driven Pile Institute (PDPI) at Utah State
University (USU). After that, programs were held in 2003,
2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015. USU is no longer available
to host the program due to the retirement of Joe Caliendo,
PDCA’s “go-to guy” at USU. As a result, PDCA began looking
for a new home for the PDPI. At this time, PDCA has entered
into serious discussions with The Citadel in Charleston, S.C.
to host the PDPI. In the course of that process, PDCA began
evaluating the ROI of the PDPI program. There is no doubt
the program has been very successful for PDCA, and hundreds
of professors are more acquainted with and capable of teaching
the students in their foundation course more about driven
piles than ever before. However, as a result of the venue change
and the ROI of the PDPI, PDCA began to investigate a more
direct process of educating engineers about driven pile. The
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idea now is to create an Engineers’ Driven Pile Institute. With
this program, PDCA will directly target the designing and/
or consulting engineer. The idea is to create a program similar
to the PDPI, with a curriculum focused on providing critical
information regarding the advantages in driven pile design and
construction. This program will not necessarily eliminate the
PDPI, but will supplement it.
New PDCA staff
On the home front, PDCA has hired Deborah (Debbie)
Schmidt as the new director of events. Debbie's background
includes catering sales manager at the Bellagio Resort in Las
Vegas; director of events at the Platinum Hotel and Spa in Las
Vegas; and, most recently, acting as an independent meeting
planner and event consultant. Debbie holds a certified meeting
professional (CMP) credential, making her well qualified for
the position.
Debbie began her new role with PDCA on October 24,
2016. Her responsibilities will include acting as the staff liaison
for the PDCA Education Committee to help develop program
content for all conferences, seminars and workshops. She will
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