Mt. Vernon, Iowa (August 18, 2008) — The Concrete Foundation Association (CFA) –  an organization dedicated to improving the quality and acceptance of cast-in-place concrete foundations – recently presented its 2008 Contractor of the Year Award to Rich and Patty Kubica of K-Wall Poured Walls of Traverse City, Michigan & Asheville, North Carolina.

A member of the CFA for nearly a decade, the Kubicas were selected for this award for their aggressive pursuit of excellence and business expansion.

Western Forms honored Rich and Patty Kubica with this additional award during the presentation.

According to Ed Sauter, executive director of the CFA, the Kubica’s high level of enthusiasm and commitment to advancing the concrete foundations industry and the CFA are primary reasons why they were selected for the CFA Contractor of the Year.

“Rich and Patty have been one of the most aggressive companies in our Association,” said Sauter. “We have reveled at their ability to take on challenges for promoting high-performance foundation walls, above-grade concrete shells and the growth of poured concrete foundations in traditionally block markets.”

The annual award recognizes the contributions of a poured wall contractor to the industry. This year’s award was presented at the CFA Annual Convention held July 30 to August 2 in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico.

Founded in 1992, in Traverse City, Michigan, K-Wall Poured Walls have maintained a commitment to craftsmanship and quality by implementing the latest foundation technology and staying active in education opportunities.  Their original location established a commitment to a full line of services including custom poured walls, flatwork and waterproofing that included ready to live basements.  However, that wasn’t enough for the Kubicas and their firm.  They continued to stay ahead of the market curves by expanding into epoxy-coated floors, pools and spas, decorative concrete and even flooring underlayment and radiant in-floor heating systems.  Their excellence in crafting high-quality poured concrete foundations also led them into the above-grade concrete home market where they pioneered this form of real estate in their market.  The opportunities continued to unfold as they became involved in featured concrete homes in St. John including a project affectionately known as “The Secret Seashell”.

The warmth of St. John behind them now, Rich and Patty have continued to push forward.  The excellence that they brought to the Traverse City market has now been replicated in the market surrounding Asheville, North Carolina.  Traditionally a concrete block market, this region has produced many challenges requiring innovative ways of promoting concrete, proving design compatibility and raising the bar for the quality of foundations.

At every step of the way, the Kubicas have remained an excellent model for contractor members of the CFA by recognizing the value of the CFA network to their business.  Rich credits the CFA with keeping his sights focused on the changing technology and providing valuable education opportunities that broadened both his construction and business backgrounds.  “Where we have found headaches and extreme challenges,” states Rich, “the CFA contractors and professional staff have been quick to come to our aid and support.  This encouraged us to tackle some pretty major obstacles such as jumping into the Caribbean and starting up a new venture half a country away.”

Rich and Patty thanked the CFA for the many opportunities, the support and the confidence during their presentation in New Mexico earlier this month.  They continued to encourage contractors to take on challenges and broaden their project opportunities by finding new products and techniques.  They also encouraged each company to recognize the wealth of knowledge and the reliability that resides in the CFA network and staff.  By using their membership and accessing these benefits, they can leverage their company to new heights.  They firmly believe that participation in the CFA is a main reason for their success.  The Kubicas were honored to receive this award and encouraged others to become involved in the one industry association that cares the most about the business they conduct.

Also during this presentation, Ron Ward, President of Western Forms, Inc. of Kansas City, Missouri added his congratulation and presented the Kubicas with a crystal eagle symbolizing the soaring achievements that their company embodies.

The CFA was established in 1974 for the purpose of improving the quality and acceptance of cast-in-place concrete foundations. CFA provides promotional materials, educational seminars, opportunities for networking, and technical meetings for members in 26 states and Canada. The CFA also represents the interests of its members and the industry on several code and regulatory bodies, such as the American Concrete Institute’s committee responsible for the creation of the “Residential Concrete Standard.” Once complete, this standard will likely be adopted by the UBC, CABO, and other building codes. The CFA has several of its members on the ACI committee responsible for this document and will endeavor to ensure that the interests of the foundation contractors are considered.  For more information about CFA, please visit www.cfawalls.org.