Concrete Facts Magazine Online

BASEMENT OF THE YEAR

For the last few years we have asked our members to enter a basement project that offered challenges of any kind in the ‘Basement of the Year’ award competition. (A reminder to all CFA members — you can submit ANY basement you have done regardless of the level of difficulty you experienced). We want to thank the CFA members who entered the eleven entries we received this year, (would have been twelve, had the basement not caused so many issues for a company — perhaps it will be in next year’s competition.)

Each year we look forward to receiving ‘Basement of the Year’ entries from our members to ‘show and tell’ in Concrete Facts magazine and at the World of Concrete, for contractors and manufacturers from all over the globe to vote on. These votes come from everyone within the concrete industry. We appreciate the time you took to vote on the ones you believe would have created the most difficult construction issues for the builders and their crews.

The following basements are this year’s winners — the ones that were regarded as the most difficult basements to undertake. The information on the following pages is for you to read through and wonder if one of your basements could have beaten it out of the top spot.

Here is the information that was submitted by our members when asked these few simple questions

1. What was the size of the project?
2. Project information.
3. Discuss any significant footing details.
4. Discuss any outstanding wall features.
5. Why did the owner select you as the contractor?
6. Describe the complexity of the project and how the challenges were met.
7. Discuss the special materials or processes used.

Any additional information you would like to add regarding why this project should be selected for the Basement of the Year Award.

Single Family 2,000 to 5,000

Kaser & Maeyens out of South Bend, IN. Entry # 9

The basement was a total of 4, 303 square feet. The footings required a total of 44.75 yards with 4,117 lbs of steel. The walls themselves had a total of 107 yards with 2,909 lbs of steel and a wall thickness of 8” by 10”.

Outstanding features: Wall that had 26’-4”of 10” x 8’-10” radius wall. This wall has 8” by 10” walls with eight different wall heights. There were three bay windows that angled in three different directions.

The most complex part of the job was dealing with an architect that was not familiar with residential construction, with that in mind we made sure that everything was approved by the owner

Single Family over 5,000 feet

FormCo out of Salt Lake City, UT. Entry # 1

The basement was a total of 25,000 square feet. The footings required 301 yards with a total of 8,809 lbs of steel. The walls required 953 yards of concrete. 113,452 lbs of steel.

Outstanding features for this entry include the 27’ foot wall was a single pour of pre-tied, double faced #6 and #7 rebar at 6”, using three stacked 9’ aluminum forms. The project contained multiple radiuses, 140 plus corners and contained two major elevation changes of 15 and 16 vertical feet. One area contained a stairway to angle wall connection requiring two inside corners back to back.

The project took nearly 25 different trips to layout the 370 plus points for the footings and foundations. The size of the project took three major mobilizations; the first included the high walls of the trophy room and the butcher shop. The second and third involved the high walls of the racquetball court which was at a different elevation, and finally there was the cabana and the pool house again set at a different elevation.

Single Family over 5,000 feet

Ekedal Masonry and Concrete, Inc out of Newport Beach, CA. Entry # 5 (Loder Project)

This project was a total of 14,000 square feet. The footings required a total of 150 yards of concrete, and 20,210 lbs of steel. The walls took a total of 450 yards of concrete and 30,000 lbs of steel with thicknesses ranging from 8” to 32”. The width of the footings was minimal due to the spancrete deck.

The outstanding feature on this project was the suspended elliptical concrete staircase with an overall rise of 30’, and covering three floors. Another outstanding feature that was a part of this project was that most every wall had window and or door openings with corresponding lintel beams.

Complex aspects of this job included many different types of concrete work, from spread footings to suspended decks. Most of the forming systems were designed on site with the aid of the project managers. Using a CAD system the layout of the walls and the elliptical stairs were put into drawings so that the architect had the information before construction started for any design or structural elements that may not have worked.

Commercial / Multi-Family

Balmer Brothers Concrete Work, Inc out of Akron, PA. Entry # 11

This building was constructed for a rock quarry; uses for the building would be intended for an underground aggregate storage.

The nature of this project was to construct the footings, piers, retaining walls and a cluster of six bins. The piers and walls used a total of 1,097 yards of concrete while the footings themselves used a total of 503 yards of concrete. A total of 107 tons of steel was used for the entire project. The concrete on this project was between 4000 and 4500 BL with some of it mixed having 50% slag to give the project a more durable surface Since the slag was at 50% and acting as a natural retarder, this posed pouring concerns on the higher wall pours.

After the rock excavation and the footings were back filled then compacted, the footings for the six bins had been started. The retaining walls were 24’ and 27’ in height. The bin cluster was the more labor intensive of the project. The exterior walls and beams on the first level were done in a monolithical pour to a height of 12’ 6”, then using a 6” angle iron on the inside of all six of the bin. The next level of pour was to a height of 11’ 6”, with the walls being stepped in 6” to receive the steel bin hoppers. On the top of this there is a 4” angle to support the steel grating to help support the dump trucks. The third and final lift was 42”, this project was completed mid December of 2007.

Ready For Round Two!

Dear CFA Member,

Over the past year, our Management Committee has been working hard to develop the content for a new series of information products that deliver tips and tricks we all use for the management of our businesses. Attend one CFA event and the first thing you realize is how much collective business expertise exists between the companies of this Association, and yet, we all approach things differently.

We realize that not everyone has the budget to attend events regularly and given the size of our market, it is difficult to get to each region on a frequent basis to make attendance to even one event easy. Therefore, expanding our membership services has been a primary motivation of the CFA Board in recent months.

It is our hope that through the Management Moves, you also will be compelled to share ideas you have successfully implemented in your own business. These publications continue growing the membership impact the CFA has, and further building the value of CFA to you.

Any ideas that you have had and implemented in your business that have helped you get through some tough situations, are ideas we’d like to share with other CFA members. Please feel free to contact CFA headquarters to discuss putting your valuable information to use. Together we can continue building CFA member companies into the top functioning foundation businesses in the country.

I hope you enjoy this series!

David B. Martinson

CFA Management Committee Chair

CFA Board of Directors

Basement of the Year WINNERS

The home for the new millennium—it continues to astound in complexity and size. Even more impressive is the increasing requirements for concrete work generating complex foundation support for these homes as well as becoming integral to the finished appearance. The Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) – a North American network dedicated to improving the residential concrete industry by building better businesses and improving codes and standards – 2008 Basement of the Year competition salutes some of this year’s most challenging home projects and their cast-in-place concrete foundations.

“Each year we look forward to receiving entries from our members to ‘show and tell’ the craftsmanship and skill that exists throughout a market that otherwise goes unnoticed,” states Ed Sauter, CFA Executive Director. “We have been fortunate to grow this program through recognition in our own Concrete Facts magazine and at the World of Concrete, attracting contractors and manufacturers from all over the globe to vote for their favorites. These votes come from everyone within the concrete industry.”

The following basements are this year’s winners — the ones that were regarded as the most difficult basements to undertake. The information presented was based on images supplied along with responses to some key questions about the project including project size and material quantities; significant project details (i.e. footings, wall features and challenges); owner selection criteria; and any special means and methods employed.

Single Family 2,000 to 5,000: Kaser & Maeyens (South Bend, IN)

The basement was a total of 4, 303 square feet. The footings required a total of 44.75 yards with 4,117 lbs of steel. The walls themselves had a total of 107 yards with 2,909 lbs of steel and a wall thickness of 8” by 10”.

Outstanding features: Wall that had 26’-4”of 10” x 8’-10” radius wall. This wall has 8” by 10” walls with eight different wall heights. There were three bay windows that angled in three different directions.

The most complex part of the job was dealing with an architect that was not familiar with residential construction, with that in mind we made sure that the owner approved everything.

Single Family over 5,000 feet: Formco (Salt Lake City, UT)

The basement was a total of 25,000 square feet. The footings required 301 yards with a total of 8,809 lbs of steel. The walls required 953 yards of concrete and 113,452 lbs of steel.

Outstanding features for this entry include the 27’ foot wall was a single pour of pre-tied, double faced #6 and #7 rebar at 6”, using three stacked 9’ aluminum forms. The project contained multiple radiuses, 140 plus corners and contained two major elevation changes of 15 and 16 vertical feet. One area contained a stairway to angle wall connection requiring two inside corners back to back.

The project took nearly 25 different trips to layout the 370 plus points for the footings and foundations. The size of the project took three major mobilizations; the first included the high walls of the trophy room and the butcher shop. The second and third involved the high walls of the racquetball court which was at a different elevation, and finally there was the cabana and the pool house again set at a different elevation.

Single Family over 5,000 feet: Ekedal Masonry and Concrete, Inc (Newport Beach, CA)

Known as the Loder Project, this project was a total of 14,000 square feet. The footings required a total of 150 yards of concrete, and 20,210 lbs of steel. The walls took a total of 450 yards of concrete and 30,000 lbs of steel with thicknesses ranging from 8” to 32”. The width of the footings was minimal due to the Spancrete deck.

The outstanding feature on this project was the suspended elliptical concrete staircase with an overall rise of 30’, and covering three floors. Another outstanding feature that was a part of this project was that most every wall had window and or door openings with corresponding lintel beams.

Complex aspects of this job included many different types of concrete work, from spread footings to suspended decks. Most of the forming systems were designed on site with the aid of the project managers. Using a CAD system the layout of the walls and the elliptical stairs were put into drawings so that the architect had the information before construction started for any design or structural elements that may not have worked.

Commercial / Multi-Family: Balmer Brothers Concrete Work, Inc (Akron, PA)

This building was constructed for a rock quarry; uses for the building would be intended for an underground aggregate storage.

The nature of this project was to construct the footings, piers, retaining walls and a cluster of six bins. The piers and walls used a total of 1,097 yards of concrete while the footings themselves used a total of 503 yards of concrete. A total of 107 tons of steel was used for the entire project. The concrete on this project was between 4000 and 4500 BL with some of it mixed having 50% slag to give the project a more durable surface Since the slag was at 50% and acting as a natural retarder, this posed pouring concerns on the higher wall pours.

After the rock excavation and the footings were back filled then compacted, the footings for the six bins had been started. The retaining walls were 24’ and 27’ in height. The bin cluster was the more labor intensive of the project. The exterior walls and beams on the first level were done in a monolithical pour to a height of 12’ 6”, then using a 6” angle iron on the inside of all six of the bin. The next level of pour was to a height of 11’ 6”, with the walls being stepped in 6” to receive the steel bin hoppers. On the top of this there is a 4” angle to support the steel grating to help support the dump trucks. The third and final lift was 42”, this project was completed mid December of 2007.

Banding Together

According to the IRS, the official definition of an association is:

In general, an association is a group of persons banded together for a specific purpose.

That leaves a lot of room for interpretation, since associations are formed for an enormous variety of purposes. They also engage in a wide range of initiatives and activities from improving networking opportunities for like-minded people, to setting standards for industries and professions, to publishing magazines and providing education.

In our case, I would like to make special mention of the phrase “banded together” in the IRS definition, with particular reference to our Associate members. Since the birth of the Concrete Foundation Association in 1975, the Associate members have been one of the main driving forces behind the organization. Throughout every initiative, program, or publication, the Associates have been there to offer not only their financing, but equally important, their physical support. They have been on the forefront of bringing new technology, products, and processes to our industry. Over and over our Associates have supported and participated enthusiastically with every CFA initiative, even when it may have been difficult to draw a straight line to any direct benefit that they might receive. I have had numerous conversations with various associates who have felt that perhaps a certain event or sponsorship did not generate the level of response or participation that they were hoping for. This is a very critical issue, especially during a time when every advertising dollar is supremely scrutinized in order to receive the most bang for the buck.

In this letter I would like to not only say thank you to our Associates for all of their participation, but also to say how much the contractor members value and depend on your involvement and efforts. You not only provide product for contractors, you also provide invaluable leadership, guidance, and direction for our industry.

I think that it is fair to say the Associate members of the Concrete Foundations Association have proven time and time again that they are just as concerned about the success of the contractor members and our industry as a whole as they are about their own individual success. A simple thank you seems inadequate to show the level of appreciation for how our Associate members have “banded together” with us, the contractor members, to achieve our “specific purpose”…but it is an appropriate start.

Brad Schrock, CFA President, Custom Concrete Company Inc.

bschrock@customconcrete.com

Surviving A Down Economy

The residential housing market is in the midst of the worst economic slump that most of us have the capacity to remember. Some CFA members (as well as many others in the industry) have closed their doors. Nearly everyone has cut back operations severely in hopes that will be enough. Ways of coping with the current downturn are as varied as our members themselves.

At the recently completed World of Concrete I spoke with many members who were able to make the trip, to find out what strategies they were employing to carry them until the market returns. I also queried them as to their expectations about the “new economy” when the market does turn around.

Some of our members are old enough to remember the last time we had a major market downturn. Those of you in family businesses or enterprises that have been passed down from an older generation have the benefit of their experience. Others of you don’t. Even if your area of the country isn’t experiencing the severe hardships of the upper Midwest, Florida, and other depressed regions, wouldn’t it be prudent to plan for such an event – after all, its not a matter of if, but when.

That brings us to Summer Meeting 2008. The original theme for this summer’s convention was to be “Managing Your Workforce.” While a noble topic, it doesn’t necessarily apply if you have put your entire workforce on furlough. With that in mind, the board and meetings committee decided to change the focus of the summer meeting. This year’s event will present topics relating to “Surviving a Down Economy.” There will still be a couple of great presentations about workforce management, including one on the Legal Issues on Immigration and one on Sustainability. After all, these are issues that you were facing before the downturn and will face again once things improve.

The balance of the summer meeting presentations will focus on strategies and techniques being employed by CFA member companies to squeeze that extra dollar out of their assets, their manpower, and what customers they still have.

There will be a full seminar on financial strategies by Doug Staebler and one on What to Expect in the Commercial Market. The remainder of the program will focus on specific solutions employed by members who are surviving. Topics will be presented in short presentations by your peers – those who have been there, followed by a series of round tables discussions where you can get specifics about their experiences and share your concerns and ideas.

Short topics currently planned include: Relocating Your Business; Precast Concrete with RCFs; Breaking into the Decorative Market; Overlays; and Marketing to the Commercial Market. If you have a strategy or story you would be willing to share with the membership, give us a call. This is too important of an issue not to get all the good ideas on the table.

Lastly, the CFA’s Company Certification Program will be introduced at the summer meeting. An afternoon will be devoted to an overview of the program, a preparatory seminar for the exam, and the qualification exam. We get at least one call per month from someone who says that certification is being discussed in one or more of their jurisdictions. Certification is coming, and the CFA wants to be ahead of the curve.

Oh, and by the way did I mention that New Mexico is an absolutely fabulous place to spend an extra few days. Over the next couple of issues of Concrete Facts we will highlight some of the sights and activities that are just an hour drive or less from the Hyatt Tamaya Resort, site of this year’s Summer Convention.

Now is the time to start planning for this year’s convention, as well as positioning yourself as a stronger business when the economy turns around or, not to sound pessimistic, the next time it heads south.

Ed Sauter, Executive Director, CFA

esauter@cfawalls.org

DURAND FORMS NAMES NEW VP

The Board of Directors of Durand Forms has appointed Mark Markovich as Vice President / General Manager effective April 1, 2008.

Mark Markovich has previously owned Dependant Foundations, Inc. in Brighton, MI and has been using the Durand Forming System for over 25 years. In that period of time, Mark helped pioneer the change in poured foundations from wood forms to aluminum in Michigan and the surrounding area.

Mark has served on the Board of Directors of the Concrete Foundation Association since 1998; and is recognized as an industry leader in developing and implementing new systems and methods for reducing on site labor costs for contractors.

The current management team in place for Durand Forms that will continue to work with Mark would include, Phil Fearnow VP of Sales, Mark Schmitz Controller/Material Manager and John Buechler Plant Manager.

Recapping the CFA Convention 2008 What Defines Success?

The 2008 Summer Convention has come and gone and with all the concern building up to this event for the industry, the economy and the ability to make such a business decision weighing; ask anyone in attendance and they’ll say the CFA hit a home run.

We don’t need to convince you of the scenery or the quality of the hotel that was chosen as the host venue. That information was quite clear throughout the published brochure and promotional flyers that were sent during the months leading up to the event.

Perhaps you missed those or perhaps you didn’t take the time to really read them though…and you wouldn’t be alone. One member arrived in New Mexico exclaiming: “Man, if I had only taken the time to read what you guys put together before I made my trip reservations, I would have stayed the whole weekend. I thought I was heading to the desert but look at all this natural beauty.” – Phil Marone, Marone Contractors

Success isn’t defined though in whether or not we caught your eye or whether or not you had the time to give us your attention in reviewing the opportunity. We know many of you were convinced that this was the weakest point in the economy and that the business you were doing took so much effort that time away just could not have been a more difficult decision. This challenged everyone and turned most to the decision of remaining at home… exhibitors included.

“Great job on the meetings! I came away feeling that this was the most effective summer meeting that we have had in years if not ever. I heard nothing but compliments from everyone. Every aspect of the event went smoothly and professionally. I had a lot of feedback from the Associates that they were satisfied with everything. Because of the reduced attendance and budget concerns I had last minutes thoughts of scaling back with our people. I am very glad that we didn’t do that, they all had a great experience and it has been a welcomed shot in the arm for our company.” – Brad Scrhock, Custom Concrete

Success isn’t defined by the density of people in the room or the number of spaces and signs that adorned the space for exhibits. We’re certain that most of you were not fully aware of the subject matter that was offered, the fact that two distinct certification opportunities were provided or that the meetings concluded with hot topic networking that would surpass all previous efforts.

“I found this year’s Convention a most interesting meeting. Everyone that was there really made an effort to be in conversations related to business and to find out what others were doing about the economy or what product concepts could begin making a difference. This was definitely a worthwhile event for us.” – Keith Reifke, CertainTeed Form-ADrain

Success isn’t defined by an educational program that is packed with content from dawn till dusk saturating the minds of those in attendance.

Bummer Convention 2008 will be thought of for many years as not the meeting that could have, or should have or even would have…we know for sure, at least for those companies that made the commitment to make it to the Hyatt Tamaya, that it will remain near the top of their CFA Summer experiences. Here’s some of the reasons why:

• This year’s meeting focused in part on strategies for sluggish and troubling economic conditions. What were other companies doing to continue growing or at least preventing decline in the face of residential numbers so far recessed?

This question was answered throughout the presentations and echoed by many in attendance.

Jim Bartley (Bartley Corporation) spoke on the “Challenges of Commercial Work” but what was delivered could best be described as a realization that without a commercial component to your business, you are at stake for remaining out of balance with the volatile economic conditions. In fact, Bartley Corporation demonstrated how their residential and commercial divisions are actually challenging each other to become or remain the dominant percentage of their company’s portfolio.

Doug Staebler (Custom Concrete) continued his meaningful and sensible presentation series by bringing the topic of cash fl ow management and business decision making to the fl oor. This challenging topic ventured into territories that were quite subjective and risky but that were sound in their advice for ways that companies can insulate failure from within.

• Perhaps the most entertaining presentation came from what some would think the most unlikely of sources.

Attorney David Whitlock (Littler Mendelson, PC) delivered a witty and sarcastic look at the landscape of today’s immigration law and what it holds for companies like the many in the CFA. The realities, the risks and the opportunities were covered in what many in attendance described as the most informational session in years that could affect their company the most.

• A host of CFA members brought forth their company stories on products, processes and divisions that have become the backbone of their business in light of the economy or that promise future stability and growth.

Greg Peacock’s (BEP Forming) powerful challenge to the industry to think of poured concrete walls as a major above-grade commercial market construction method certainly shed light on where the direction of the craftsmanship is headed.

Tim and Charlie Parrish (Cornerstone Foundations) demonstrated how effective it could be to combine the site craftsmanship of poured walls with available yard space for precast landscaping systems to carve a niche in the infrastructure market.

Jason Ells (Custom Concrete) demonstrated how effective and imperative it is to market your company rather than focusing on selling a product in these troubling times.

Finally, Kirby Justeson (Formco Foundations) provided yet another example of the natural curiosity and migration interest that exists with the craftsman in the CFA to learn new concrete systems and applications such as concrete overlays and decorative concrete elements.

• These professionals defined an educational program that stimulated many discussions throughout the afternoon and evening sessions.

The concepts were carried forward on the final day to hot topic discussions that also included positioning the CFA for a full out blitz on prime real estate existing below grade. Each company representative spent between six and eight hours focused solely on business growth and business networking to shore up, expand or insulate their business for the future as well as the present.

• Let’s not overlook the significance of Certification.

In addition to the significant success generated by the inaugural CFA Company Certification Program, Composite Technologies Corporation once again offered their Thermomass Certification program to attending contractors.

This two-for-one opportunity is evidence that the growing focus on certification as not just a technical validation but a business advantage is real and that CFA companies understand this value.

The National Associates applauded this focus during their Annual Meeting and encourage other companies to consider their certification programs that exist now or may come in the future. The CFA Summer Convention should be the primary opportunity for the contractor to achieve all their certification needs.

• Finally, let’s not overlook the good times.

The Summer Convention is billed as the major networking and education event in this industry each year and at the heart of this is the social interaction that occurs when contractors from coast to coast have the opportunity to make connections with old and new life-long friends. Generations of involvement are on display each time this meeting takes place.

“When I joined the CFA in time for the Niagara Falls meeting in 2001, I was amazed at the number of kids fl oating through the halls of the meeting. Many of those kids are now grown and involved in the business like Charlie Parrish. This year, a new wave and generation of kids was present. The future of the CFA could be seen in their eyes as they begin their opportunity to absorb, feel and ultimately learn to love the industry that their parents and grandparents helped shape.” – Jim Baty, CFA Staff

Ultimately, success comes down to what you take away from the Summer Convention. Although the business side of this event both for the CFA and perhaps even for the suppliers that demonstrated such loyal support may not define success; the real purpose, an opportunity for the members, Summer Convention 2008 was true to the label as the CFA’s annual pinnacle event.

If you missed Summer 2008, you really should re-evaluate that decision now and get your calendar circled for Summer 2009 – Amelia Island, Florida taking place July 29 – August 1, 2009. Information on this meeting and its continued significance to your business will be coming to you each month.

CFA LOSES A PARTNER AND FRIEND

Kim Robert Steveley, 71, former Business Manager and partner with Ed Sauter, died Saturday, July 26, 2008, following a long illness. Surviving, in addition to his wife, Julia, are two sons, Marc Steveley of Austin, Texas, and David Steveley of Fort Collins, Colo.; a daughter, Tracy Cullinan of Worthington, Minn.; a brother, Kip Steveley of Rochester Hills, Mich.; and two grandchildren, Nicole Cullinan and Roman Steveley. Kim was born July 6, 1937, in Evanston, Ill. and served the CFA faithfully from 1993 until his retirement in 2003.

LOOKING BACK

A lot of time and energy has been spent recently on trying to identify and communicate member benefits. I think that the CFA staff has done an outstanding job of producing literature and contacting members in order to help them better understand and take advantage of what information and services that the association has to offer. As my term of president of this association is beginning to wind down, I have been doing some reflection as to what the CFA has meant to me personally. One particular story comes to mind that represents how my involvement with the people of this association has benefited me.

While flying to Halifax, Nova Scotia for a quarterly board meeting in the fall of 1999, my wife and I had a scheduled layover in Newark, New Jersey. During our flight from Indianapolis we were informed that the entire eastern seaboard was shutting down due to severe thunderstorms that had been pounding the area since early that morning. We were going to be able to land safely in Newark, however we needed to be prepared to stay put for awhile. As we were beginning to hunker down for a long night in the less than comfortable Newark terminal, I noticed a friendly face across the aisle way. Bob Sawyer had a similar layover and it turned out that we were awaiting the same connecting flight. For those of you who do not know or remember Bob, he was a founding member of our association and devoted a large portion of his life to promoting our industry; the highest honor and most esteemed award given by our association today bears his name. Back to the story; we sat down together and embarked on a wonderful discussion about family, business, and all of life’s experiences. The hours seemed to fly by and our conversation continued on throughout the wee hours of the night. My wife and Bob seemed to connect on a special level and they remained very close until his unfortunate passing in 2004. It was clear during our meeting that he was nearing the twilight of his life; however his passion for helping those in our industry shined brightly. That night he had no agenda, he had no product to sell, he was simply offering of himself and being a friend.

It was well into the next morning before we reached our hotel in Halifax. That night in that cold dreary airport was a very special night in my life; it is probably easy to tell from reading this article that it has had a lasting impact on me. Thank you Bob, and thank you CFA, for affording me innumerable opportunities to improve and enrich my life.

Brad Schrock, CFA President, Custom Concrete Company Inc.

bschrock@customconcrete.com

CFA ELECTS NEW BOARD MEMBERS, BROMLEY ELECTED PRESIDENT

During the CFA Annual Convention, held in August at the Hyatt Tamaya in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico, the attending members elected Tom Brown of TJ Construction Unlimited Inc. in Ely, Iowa and Jerry Hoyer of Hoyer Poured Walls Inc. of Marysville, Ohio to serve three-year terms on the Board of Directors. In addition, Jim Rowe of Fastrac Foundations in Pittsburgh, Penn. and Amanda Morris of Herbert Construction Company of Atlanta, Ga. were reelected to the Board for three-year terms.

Also at the meeting, Dan Bromley of ABI Corporation of Lee’s Summit, Mo. assumed the role of CFA President, replacing Brad Schrock of Westfield, IN. Bromley had previously served and will continue to function as chair of the new Foundation Contractor Certification Program that successfully started during the same event in New Mexico. His plans for the Association over this next two-year period include extending the recognition of the certification program on a national level and seeing the benefits for contractor members of the CFA continue to increase. These benefits would include opportunities for lower insurance rates, safety programs and management network groups among the already rich opportunities.

Bromley becomes the 23rd president in the rich history of the CFA and establishes the second father/son leadership. His father, Gary Bromley, was president from 1995-1996. Previously, Larry and Dave Clark became the first father/son presidential family, following Larry’s inaugural term in 1976-78 and Dave ‘s term from 1996-97. One other pair added to this history of lineage are Joe Carr, who served as President from 1993-95, and the current Past President (06-08), Brad Schrock, his son-in-law. The heritage of the CFA seen through the tenures of these gentlemen speaks of the passion held by the entire membership.