RECOGNIZING EXPERIENCE, COMMITMENT, AND PERSEVERANCE

Annually, the collective leadership receives and makes nominations for individuals and companies embodying the spirit, mission, and vision of the Association. These exemplify the energy, influence, passion, and servant leadership that advances industry, fosters relationship, and elevates the professionalism for all member organizations. Recognized during #CFACON22 in Boston, Massachusetts, this past July, the Concrete Foundations Association proudly introduces the 2022 award recipients. All awards, including previous recipients, may be researched at www.cfaconcretepros.org under “Association Awards” from the “Members” menu.

KICK-START MEMBERSHIP AWARD

WETTEMANN BROTHERS CONCRETE

490 Old Toll Rd | Madison, Connecticut | wettcrete@aol.com

The Kick-Start Membership Award honors an organization that commits to early exploration of the professional network found in the Concrete Foundations Association. This recognition is awarded to a member within their first three years and considers the breadth of participation in events, resources, programs, service, and communication.

Wettemann Brothers Concrete of Madison, Connecticut, embodies the spirit of both this award and membership in the Association as a whole. Joining just ahead of the COVID pandemic, Zach and Ed Wettemann were looking for an inspirational way to advance their company. It would have been hard for anyone to imagine the difficulty the next two years would usher in, and the decision to become a CFA member opened the door to many opportunities and considerable support during such a challenging time.

Participation is key to understanding how far an organization like the CFA can take a company. Participation for Wettemann Brothers Concrete has included adding credentials to their business, including successfully becoming both ACI/CFA Residential Foundation Technicians and Certified Crane Operators fulfilling OSHA requirements. Throughout 2022, the CFA’s Best Practice Groups (BPGs) that take place monthly via Zoom have led the company into numerous growing relationships and have given their team exposure to top-level thought leadership. They attended their first convention in Boston at #CFACON22 where they were exposed to the fullest CFA experience, including the equipment rodeo, economic forecasting, workforce development, technology exposition, and strong peer networking.

Through the many vehicles of the CFA, Wettemann Brothers Concrete has demonstrated how effective and enlightening membership can be. Virtual resources like the Hotline and BPGs and in-person settings like World of Concrete and Concrete Foundations Convention are now part of their commitment to improvement and high-performance contracting. 

“The association has proved to be invaluable to us already and we’ve committed to remaining active members going forward,” states Zach Wettemann. “In all honesty, we were a little surprised to have been selected. I just kept reaching out for help when needed or took advantage of learning opportunities as they were available. The assistance and education were so excellent, so timely, and so applicable, the CFA became a “go to” resource.  The wealth of knowledge and camaraderie once tapped into was simply too good to ignore. Our short time in the CFA has already made us a better company. And, perhaps even more importantly, showed us exactly how much better we can strive to be.  Though our work is still cut out for us, this group is impressive.  In the coming years, as we attempt to live up to and be worthy of both this community and award, we hope we’re able to give back at least a small portion of the overwhelming value we’ve already received.”

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ASSOCIATE OF THE YEAR AWARD

IRVING EQUIPMENT, LLC

1785 Count Road 1 | Tiffin, Ohio | www.irvingequipment.net

Supporting the contractors of the CFA since the very first year of the Association’s existence have been numerous manufacturing companies and distributors of high-quality products and equipment. The Associate of the Year Award honors the commitment to supporting and growing the Association from the preferred providers of materials, technology, and equipment in the marketplace. These efforts are recognized as going above and beyond a normal member relationship by accentuating and, at times, driving the mission and purpose of the CFA.

Irving Equipment is now a third-generation company whose name is almost synonymous with the Concrete Foundations Association. Founded by Joe and Kaye Irving, the company has a legacy of commitment to membership growth, service, and excellent support of this membership organization. Their sons, Mark and Steve, have advanced this passion for contractors in partnership with the CFA by building stronger relationships based on their commitment to service and thought leadership. After years of working to determine the impact of an OSHA regulation for crane operator certification, this company led the way forward by hosting training and certification courses for career advancement and OSHA compliance. Their staff organizes, promotes, and hosts these certification events multiple times each year with preference to CFA members. In addition, Mark has served on the CFA Board of Directors and participated as an at-large volunteer during the most recent strategic planning initiative that has ushered in numerous resources for the member network.

Mark and his wife Dawn have now welcomed the third generation into company leadership, as their son, Lane, has become an integral part of the legacy for service. Together, they have active involvement with CFA staff to identify key prospective companies for membership, companies with the right DNA to become CFA members, while they also continue to advance safe, efficient, and effective performance of equipment and operators.

This is the second time Irving Equipment has received recognition as the Associate of the Year (2016) and the only organization to have this honor.  

“I was very surprised when I heard about the award again this year. It is an honor. I do truly have to thank the others here at Irving Equipment that make up our support network and allow things to happen somewhat seamlessly. When I’m meeting with a customer that is not part of the CFA, I tell those “non-believers” they have a guy to call to talk about code issues, access to real-life small business savings and a vast network of peers that are not competitors but actually cheerleaders. Steel sharpens steel!” – Mark Irving

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CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

WEBER CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION

3701 S. Indianapolis | Lebanon, IN | www.weberconcrete.com

The Contractor of the Year Award recognizes a contractor member of the Association who has recently demonstrated the service, technology, and knowledge needed to advance the use of poured-wall construction. The recipient is acknowledged for an unselfish commitment to peers, to the Association, and to the industry both at the market level and on a national scale.

This year’s recipient of the most consistently awarded recognition from the Concrete Foundations Association is one of the longest tenured companies in present membership. Founded by Eldon “Eldie” Weber and now run by his sons, Jeff and Randy, Weber Concrete exemplifies recent contributions of many contractors. Along with having employees who are highly involved in the CFA, like Tim Eckert (strategic planning task force and Best Practice Group participant) and John Harle (membership prospecting, hotline, and classified ads), this company has injected a significant amount of energy in recent years. In fact, the efforts put in to help All Things Bing become one of the newest members also resulted in this new member attending #CFACON22 in Boston for their first convention experience. The team at Weber Concrete has expressed a desire to contribute as a thought leader and information provider, as many resources on economic and housing forecasting, membership growth, and multi-lingual support have come about in part from their energy.

 “My gratitude goes out to the wonderful members of the CFA among us. It is an honor for me to stand here tonight and accept the CFA Contractor of the Year Award. As many of you already know, my father, Eldie Weber, started Weber Concrete back in the early 1970s. I’m very grateful to be born into this company and leadership, but I know I wouldn’t be standing here without my talented associates and employees. Since the beginning, Weber Concrete has always strived to put our best foot forward. The recognition with this award means a great deal to our company, and we just sincerely appreciate it. I know that my father, Eldie Weber, would be extremely proud, though, tonight, being a proud member since July 1, 1984, and celebrating our company’s 38th anniversary of membership with the CFA. I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing many memorable companies achieve this award and I am extremely appreciative that we are now one of these companies to earn this honor.” – Jeff Weber, President

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ROBERT D. SAWYER AWARD

DENNIS PURINTON

Purinton Builders Inc. | East Granby, Connecticut | purintonbuilders@yahoo.com

The Robert D. Sawyer Award is the longest-standing award given by the Concrete Foundations Association. Named after of Bob Sawyer, the first executive director of the CFA, it is the most prestigious recognition and is offered to a member of the concrete foundation industry whose contributions to the entire industry, not just the Association, merit recognition. The award recognizes individuals who give tirelessly of their time and resources to serve the industry. The award is presented on occasions when the Association identifies an individual within membership embodying the spirit of the Association and the rich legacy of the individuals who have followed the precedent set by Sawyer.

This year’s recipient of the Sawyer Award is Dennis Purinton of Purinton Builders in East Granby, Connecticut.  Serving as a board member from 2007 to 2020 and as president from 2016 to 2018, Dennis took the reins of leadership and was determined to serve, with all his energy, an Association then still largely impacted by the recovery from recession. Developing a much more involved and hands-on approach to the position, Dennis set a new bar for actively engaging staff and challenging the membership. Among his passions was using his experience to help new member contractors from the New England markets, some of whom have now risen to leadership positions.

Purinton did not leave his energy to the CFA alone. With a true passion for concrete as the material of choice, he stepped to the stage offered by the American Concrete Institute, contributing significantly through ACI 332 Residential Concrete Code as a voting member and to the ACI 306 Cold Weather Concrete committee, where he nearly single-handedly held the line for concrete contractor needs in cold weather documentation and practical application. Beginning in 2012, he has maintained a decade of ACI membership and active participation in their conventions twice per year. Additionally, he invested considerable personal time and money into cold weather research and invented a device to accurately measure the temperature at the surface of the concrete in any condition. The imprint Dennis has made on the industry from these efforts alone will be felt for years.

“I am greatly honored to receive the Bob Sawyer award. This award belongs as much to my son, Mike, and my wife, as I would never have been able to do the things I did without their support. The industry has been very good to me, and I have always felt that it was a privilege to represent the CFA wherever I went. I would like to thank all the members I have met for all the information we have been able to share through the years. May all of you prosper and enjoy the success and camaraderie I have enjoyed all these years. Thank You!” – Dennis Purinton

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SPECIAL RECOGNITION:

CFA PRESIDENTIAL MERIT AWARD

PHIL MARONE, MARONE CONTRACTORS

Marone Contractors | Thorofare, NJ | www.maronecontractors.com

This year was a transition year in Association leadership. Doug Herbert of Herbert Construction, Marietta, Georgia, who presided over the Association for the past two years, prepared to hand the gavel over to Jason Ells, Executive Vice President of Custom Concrete, Westfield, Indiana. Together, these two have received mentoring from Phil Marone while he served his final two years as chairman. They have been joined by Sean Smith, Vice President of MPW Construction Services, Wellington, Ohio, and Ken Kurszewski, president of Hottmann Construction, Dane, Wisconsin.

Since election to the Board of Directors in 2005, staff records indicate that Marone missed only four meetings during those seventeen years. At four meetings per year, he took a minimum total of sixty-four trips dedicated solely to the leadership of the Association. However, there have also been numerous add-on trips for regional events, Executive Committee gatherings, and more where he has shown his commitment and leadership.

At the request of outgoing president, Doug Herbert, as his final official act, a new award was created, one that recognizes exceptional commitment, vision, passion, and energy. This award was bestowed on Marone. Herbert said, “At no time in the history of the Association that I have either been told of or experienced myself, has one individual committed so much to the organization. Phil not only went all in on contributing as a leader, but also his measure of unselfishness to engage, entertain and elevate his peers demonstrate the very nature this Association was developed to propagate. The only thing that makes our member companies different than everyone else in the marketplace is our association with each other…interdependency, as we are focused to understand this week. Phil has not attempted to set a higher bar; he has led with the true generosity of a passionate heart.”