PDCA ANNUAL AWARDS
Pat Hannigan Receives Professional
Engineers’ Service Award
By Mark Halsall
Winning the PDCA Professional
Engineers’ Service Award
is quite an achievement. Getting
it twice in three years is an even more
remarkable feat.
That’s what happened to Pat
Hannigan, P.E., at the PDCA 21st Annual
International Conference and Expo in
Amelia Island, Fla.
Hannigan, who picked up his first
Professional Engineers’ Service Award in
2015, was honored a second time for his significant
contribution to PDCA, the driven
pile industry and the engineering profession
from the geotechnical, civil or structural
engineering disciplines.
Hannigan, who is president of GRL
Engineers, Inc. in Cleveland, says he’s grateful
to be honored for such a prestigious
award and is glad to be able to help support
PDCA’s efforts and the driven pile industry.
Of Hannigan’s second win in three
years, PDCA executive director, Steve Hall,
said, “Trust me, it’s not because there aren’t
other deserving individuals. It’s just that Pat
has distinguished himself over and above
what would typically be expected of a professional
engineer in their contribution not
only to the industry but also to PDCA. And
Pat really shines when it comes that type
of consideration.”
The PDCA Professional Engineers’
Service Award is presented to engineers for
their support for PDCA on various levels, as
well as their achievements based on exemplary
leadership, technical innovation and
practices that strengthen the engineering
field of driven pile as it relates to deep foundations
and earth retention systems.
Hall said there were numerous reasons
why Hannigan was chosen, including
his work on the revisions to the Federal
Highway Administration’s GEC 12 –
Design and Construction of Driven Pile
Foundations Manual and on FHWA policy
development. His significant contribution
to PDCA’s educational initiatives, such as
the Engineer’s Driven Pile Institute, was
also taken into account.
“I think it’s good to be active in the
driven pile industry because it’s a very
interesting business and it’s one that is
facing a lot of challenges,” said Hannigan,
a geotechnical engineer who has been an
active PDCA member for 15 years and
served six years on the association’s board
of directors.
“Trying to pass along ways to deal
with these challenges and keep the driven
pile industry vibrant is something that I
feel is important, and really enjoy doing,”
he added.
After graduating with a Bachelor
of Science in Civil Engineering from the
University of Notre Dame, followed by
a master’s degree from the University of
Missouri-Rolla, Hannigan became involved
in his first pile driving project in 1981.
“The people that you meet along the
way are all interesting people from different
walks of life,” said Hannigan. “Every project
has its unique challenges, whether they are
design challenges, equipment challenges,
installation challenges or environmental
challenges. Whatever the challenge may be,
you’re always thinking and working towards
a solution that meets everyone’s needs.”
Hannigan’s passion continues today,
as he passes along his considerable industry
knowledge to the next generation of professional
engineers. t
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