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pile driving industry professionals from
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky,
Kansas, Wisconsin and Minnesota. There
is certainly a unique history of PDCA in the
Midwest, being that the organization was
originally incorporated in St. Louis; the
region also produced two past presidents.
On Oct. 15, members and non-members
in the industry from Connecticut,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont,
New Hampshire and Maine populated the
webinar program developed for the New
England region. PDCA has a rich history
here, too. The first president of PDCA
in 1996 was Skip Gardella of Norwalk
Marine in Connecticut. Dave Chapman
of Blakeslee Arpaia Chapman, also in
Connecticut, has led the organization
through two separate presidential tenures
and continues to be an important figure in
current educational programs.
Finally, the Regional Roundtable Series
concluded on Oct. 22 when and audience
from the Lake Erie Region heard
the presentation. The pile driving community
from Michigan, Ohio, Western
Pennsylvania and Western New York participated.
Unique to this area was the fact
that one of the early visionaries of PDCA
was the late George Goble, co-founder of
GRL Engineers and Pile Dynamics, Inc. in
Cleveland. Goble is credited with assembling
a network of pile driving contractors
back in 1994–95, which eventually incorporated
as PDCA.
In addition to providing member and
prospective member outreach, promoting
upcoming events and celebrating PDCA’s
great history, the Regional Roundtable
Series strategically focused on markets
where a PDCA chapter does not presently
exist. Based on internal data, the aforementioned
regions are home to enough
companies in the pile driving industry
that, if they are interested, could become
home to a viable PDCA chapter, if not
multiple chapters based on their geography.
PDCA is interested in growing its
chapter presence and is hopeful to inspire
formations in the various markets.
Removing his PDCA president hat for
a few moments during each Regional
Roundtable, Jason Moore from the thriving
South Carolina Chapter joined each
session to provide a contractor’s perspective
on the benefits of an active,
localized presence for PDCA. The general
manager at Charleston-based Palmetto
Pile Driving cited a significant project
on which he and other South Carolina
Chapter members contributed; he credits
relationships through the chapter that
led to the eventual contract award.
“Honestly, the check we cut to PDCA
is one of the easiest checks we cut each
year,” explained Moore during one of the
events. “It’s an easy win for me and for
the company that I lead. Palmetto Pile
Driving is better educated, more connected
to the industry and more profitable
due to our involvement at both the
local and national level. The order of that
statement is critical. We are more profitable
because we are better educated and
more connected.”
PDCA thanks all members and
non-members who participated in the
Regional Roundtable Series; each installment
brought opportunities for association
engagement with those in the
industry. A question and answer session
concluded each event and PDCA was
pleased to address specific subjects such
as joining committees, submitting news
to PileDriver magazine and supporting a
local chapter.
As we look ahead, PDCA intends to
continue facilitating virtual engagement
opportunities. t
PDCA REGIONAL ROUNDTABLES
As we look ahead, PDCA intends
to continue facilitating virtual
engagement opportunities.
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