By Frank T. Peters, Executive Director, PDCA
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
PDCA Members
are Essential
Every experience presents the opportunity for reflection,
evaluation and measure. It is amazing how much clarity
the passing of time offers to a situation that, at the
moment, seems so unclear. There is no doubt that we will all look
back at 2020 with a startling amount of awareness and understanding
for all the things that we didn't have answers for during
this turbulent, frustrating and troublesome year. As we reflect
not only on this past year but over the past 25 years, there is one
thing that is very clear and will always be true: PDCA members
are essential!
PDCA members provide the means for the association to exist,
grow and fulfill its purpose to represent and advance the deep
foundation industry's driven pile process. They do this in a variety
of ways. Remove any one of these ways, and the organization
would be severely limited. Members are fundamental. They are the
lifeblood of a growing organization. They are why PDCA will continue
to work hard to represent the pile driving process in the deep
foundations industry.
At the risk of overstating the obvious, please allow us to be
straightforward. The first and most significant way PDCA members
are essential is because they provide financial support that
allows the association to operate. We want to state this in bold
terms because we don't ever want to take this fundamental fact for
granted. It is only through the generosity and support of the members
that PDCA exists in the first place. Financial support is vital
to allowing PDCA to complete its vision and mission to represent
the driven pile industry.
This financial support is not limited to just paying dues. Every
time a member registers for a PDCA-sponsored program, they
provide a level of financial support, even when the registration is
free. Their participation gives impetus to program development
and strengthens the effort spent to offer these resources to members.
The member provides the resource so PDCA can develop the
programs so the member can benefit. This activity is a constant
cycle because PDCA members provide financial support to make
it available.
PDCA members also provide financial support through the
purchase of PDCA-branded merchandise. This level of support
extends far beyond the money spent to purchase the item. PDCA
benefits by making a small profit on these logo items, but that is
not the most important reason the items are available. The more
significant consideration is the representation the association
receives when the member proudly wears or displays these items
in public. Think about it this way. PDCA would have to pay substantial
advertising dollars to buy the amount of exposure it
receives when one member wears a logo t-shirt, pullover or jacket.
Quite frankly, the organization can't afford that kind of marketing
budget. We encourage all members to visit the PDCA website and
consider purchasing a logo item. The member gets a quality product,
they identify with their association and PDCA gets the public
exposure to help increase brand recognition. Win-win-win!
PDCA members are also essential because they provide the
input and support for the programs, services and initiatives that
the organization will develop. Members accomplish this through
a series of efforts but most significantly through participation in
a PDCA standing committee. These important subgroups address
everything that the association is working on, including communication,
safety, membership, code and technical practices,
education, contracts and market development. There is something
here for everyone. Whatever level of interest the member has in
the driven pile industry, a PDCA standing committee is available
for their participation, input and ideas. The standing committees
shoulder a large part of the work performed by the association.
The saying goes that “many hands make light work.” The PDCA
standing committees are where the heavy lifting occurs because
members come together to carry the load. The accomplishment
of this work is dependent on the participation of members, their
ideas, their industry expertise and their time and effort. The Board
of Directors provides the direction for standing committees, but it
is the general membership that performs the work. This process
is as it should be. The PDCA standing committees not only give
members a place to serve, but they also provide an opportunity
Sergey Nivens / 123rf
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