• Board of Directors Announce New Management for Association and Celebration Strategies for 50th Anniversary

    Thursday, December 19, 2024

    Mount Vernon, IA (date) – The Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) Board of Directors has announced a management change for the organization, which coincides with its 50th anniversary. Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, CFA will be managed by the AOE Team – an association management and marketing consulting firm with headquarters in Farmington Hills, Mich.,  after more […]

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  • Using Decorative Concrete to Refresh Outdoor Spaces

    Thursday, December 19, 2024

    In both residential and commercial construction, decorative concrete is gaining popularity as a transformative element that revitalizes outdoor spaces. No longer reduced to just a functional, utilitarian solution, decorative concrete now serves as a versatile canvas for architects and designers looking to create aesthetically pleasing, durable, and cost-effective environments. The adaptability of decorative concrete allows […]

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  • New Identity for Central Wisconsin CFA Member

    Thursday, December 19, 2024

    Dane, WI – With a 77-year history of building trust, excellence, and strong foundations, Wisconsin-based concrete contractor Hottmann Construction, Inc. announces a rebranding initiative that reflects the company’s evolving vision, values, and commitment to the future. “We are excited to re-introduce ourselves to the marketplace in mid-December as Cru Concrete,” states company president, Ken Kurszewski. […]

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  • Caught-In-Action

    Thursday, December 19, 2024

    Timing on jobsites is not always precise, yet, as quality firms recognize, good crews always find a way to be productive. This photo was captured and sent in by CFA member, Bartley Corp, showing team members, who were waiting on forms to arrive to the site, capitalizing on available time. “This job was run by […]

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  • 2024 PROJECTS OF THE YEAR

    Thursday, December 19, 2024

    The Rest of the Best The last issue of Concrete Facts presented the top-voted project and each of the respective category winners from the 25th annual competition for the Concrete Foundations Association. Two ways to revisit these project awards are available in the toolbox accompanying this article. The feature image from each project can be […]

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Feature

Feb
12

Hurry hurry hurry, “click” right up and see the most amazing feats of engineering and information technology unfold at your very finger tips…

Jim Baty, CFA Technical Director Do I have your attention now? I bet I do. The time you were hearing about and waiting for is at hand. The collaborative effort from the CFA Board of Directors, CFA Staff and the software engineers at Consulting Engineers, Corp. produced the most convenient way of analyzing and designing concrete […]

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Feb
12

2003 Contractor of the Year Award

Talia J. Nelson, Marketing & Member Services The Concrete Foundations Association (CFA) presented the 2003 Contractor of the Year Award to Randy and Deb Friemoth of Walls Are Us, Inc at the Annual Meeting Dinner on February 17, in conjunction with the World of Concrete in Orlando. Members of the CFA since 1996, The Friemoths’ selection […]

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Feb
12

The Importance of Crisis Management in Your Company

Doug Staebler, Custom Concrete – Westfield, Indiana Most of our businesses were built on a series of business relationships that have developed over many years. They include customers, suppliers, subcontractors, bankers, insurance professionals, CPA’s, and attorneys. In addition to providing important guidance for our business, some of the relationships represent strategic relationships, that if disrupted could […]

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Feb
12

Concrete Homes Council Joins Builders to Promote Concrete Industry

Wendy Shannon, Marketing Director of CHC January marked the third-year anniversary of the Concrete Homes Council (CHC), an alliance of concrete system providers, contractors and industry partners, under the auspices of the Concrete Foundations Association(tm) of North America, established to promote cast-in-place, removable form concrete housing. The CHC celebrated its anniversary and stepped up its commitment […]

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Dec
8

The Importance of Crisis Management in Your Company

There are many possible crises that can affect your organization or the manner in which you conduct your business. Such crises include union organization, wage and hour violations, key business alliance interruptions, computer and IT systems crashes, lawsuits and litigations, succession issues, and loss of a major customer. This issue begins a series of articles […]

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Dec
8

CFA Plans Web-Based Structural Engineering Program

Attendees at the CFA summer meeting received their first look at the web-based foundation and retaining wall structural engineering program the CFA is developing for its members. The program consists of two different designs – the first is for residential foundation walls, the second covers retaining walls. The programs will allow users to stipulate and […]

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Magazine Issues

Jan
27

WESTERN FORMS ACQUIRES SOLID WALL SYSTEMS

Western Forms and Mercedes Homes are pleased to announce Western Forms acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Solid Wall Systems, Inc. (“SWS”) from Mercedes Homes, Inc., a Melbourne, Florida- based homebuilder, effective May 9, 2008. Since its inception in 2001, SWS, has been a leading production builder of cast-in-place concrete walls in Florida and was featured in several publications and national broadcasts, such as the Bob […]

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Jan
27

Bilco’s Permentry Offers Direct Basement Access

Consisting of a monolithic concrete stairwell and Bilco basement door, the PermEntry Basement Entrance system is used extensively in new home construction applications. It maximizes and expands lower-level living space by adding direct, safe and convenient access from the basement to the outdoors. Precast in one piece and thoroughly vibrated for maximum density, the stairwell can be installed on poured concrete and concrete block foundations. PermEntry is secured to […]

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Jan
27

FALL REGIONAL CONFERENCE TAKES US TO OHIO

Fall has come and gone, at least for those in the northern half of the country. As the snow flies and the election energy draws down, we can begin thinking about what happened to those golden months of autumn. This fall was a great opportunity missed by many no thanks to the economy and the need to work harder. Still, some member companies took the […]

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Jan
27

MOVING AHEAD WITH FAITH

It seems like just the other day I was reading the farewell letter authored by Terry Lavy in Concrete Facts as his term of President of the CFA was expiring. In what seems like the blink of an eye, it is now my turn to do the same. As I step down I am both encouraged and excited about what has been accomplished and […]

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Jan
27

FALL REGIONAL WAS FIRST CLASS!

I am writing this letter to the membership on a plane going home from the Fall Regional Convention that was held in Columbus Ohio. As I reflect on the conference, there are four topics that stand out for me, quality education, CFA certification exam, captive insurance and what a great group of people CFA members are. First, the quality of the education featured at our first […]

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Jan
27

CFA FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY SURVEY

Just how bad is it? Many of you know – you are experiencing it on a daily basis. But how bad is it elsewhere? I recently completed a survey of foundation construction activity of members to put some actual figures on the state of the economy. The good news – I had a record number of respondents for a CFA survey. Forty-eight of […]

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Jan
27

CERTIFICATION DEBUTS

It’s been in the planning process for over two years. Countless meetings, conference calls, consultations, dry runs – but now its for real. The Concrete Foundations Association will roll-out the CFA Certified Foundation Contractor program at this summer’s Annual Convention. The details of the program will be covered in an in-depth article in the next edition of the Concrete Facts. This introduction will cover […]

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Jan
27

THE UN-COMFORT ZONE… What’s Pushing Your Buttons?

by Robert Wilson What motivates you? That’s the question I’d like to ask in this inaugural column on motivation. Are you motivated by fame, fortune or fear. Or is it something deeper that fans the flames inside of you. Perhaps you are like Jeanne Louise Calment whose burning desire enabled her to do something that no other human being has done before. A feat so spectacular […]

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Jan
27

Bilco Company Offers 2008 Residential Products Catalog

The Bilco Company has announced its availability of its 2008 Residential Products Catalog. The catalog, which includes information on the company’s complete line of the IRC 2006-code compliant basement projects, is available free of charge by calling 800-854-9724 or emailing Bilco at bilco@bilco.com. The new catalog offers information on their full line of basement doors, including the Classic Series Sloped Wall and Steel Sided doors and […]

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Jan
27

Round Three of Management Moves is Ready!

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, […]

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Jan
27

CFA SELF-INSURANCE PRESENTATION IN OHIO

My “From the Director” column two issues ago presented some of the details of the CFA initiative to form a CFA self-insurance “Captive”. The CFA Board of Directors is ready to move forward with the CFA Self-Insurance Captive, but we need member participation to make it happen. This has the potential to be the biggest single benefit […]

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Jan
16

WESTERN FORMS CREATES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH B.E.P. FORMING SYSTEMS, INC.

Western Forms Inc has created a new partnership with B.E.P. Forming Systems Inc, previously headquartered in Fayetteville, Georgia. The newly formed entity, B.E.P. Forming Systems, L.L.C. will be headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. Greg Peacock, Founder of B.E.P. Forming Systems will serve as Vice President/General Manager of the newly formed entity. Mr. Peacock and his […]

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