Another Successful
Annual Conference
In this edition of PileDriver magazine, much attention will be
given to the recently held PDCA 21st Annual International
Conference and Expo – The ExPEERience, which took place
June 27 to 30, at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort in
Amelia Island, Fla.
PDCA decided to move the 2017 conference to June this year
to provide a little “breathing room” for our attendees, sponsors and
exhibitors following the March 2017 ConExpo held in Las Vegas.
PDCA has also considered June as a month that would allow for
more family member participation, since schools were out for
the summer and graduation ceremonies were over. The strategy
seemed to work with more than 250 PDCA members, their families
and guests attending the four-day conference.
Of course, holding the conference at the Omni Amelia Island
Plantation Resort – a premiere AAA Four Diamond destination
property situated on the Atlantic Ocean with its own private beach,
adult and family pools, unique culinary approaches to your dining
experience in their on-site restaurants and proximity to historical
Fernandina Beach – probably provided additional incentives.
Conference participants endured some cloudy weather and
evening thunderstorms at first, but as Florida summer weather
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
goes, it doesn’t take long for the sun to come out and provide everyone
with an exceptional weather experience.
As part of the PDCA conference, the Education Committee
and Steel Sheet Pile Committee assembled and presented a
pre-conference course, titled “Steel Sheet Piling – Design to
Construction to Lessons Learned.” The well-attended eight-hour
course was designed to provide comprehensive and current state-ofthe
art learning in the various aspects of steel sheet piling, including
designing for loading and durability, product design and material
composition, advances in installation equipment and methods
of installation. Portions of the presentations were derived from
earlier industry case history mistakes and what to avoid through
project problems encountered and solved. All conference attendees
were eligible for eight professional development hours (PDH).
PDCA would like to thank Gerry McShane (Service Steel
Warehouse), Dave Chapman (Blakeslee, Arpaia, Chapman, Inc.),
Mike Justason (McMaster University), Frank Rausche (GRL
Engineers), Dean Abbondanza (J.D. Fields & Co.), Dick Hartman
(Hartman Engineering), Alwyn McDowell (Skyline Steel) and
Phil Wright (L.B. Foster Co.) for their support and participation
in the program development and delivery.
By Stevan A. Hall, Executive Director, Pile Driving Contractors Association
Photos by CJ Nurse
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