A publication of the Concrete Foundations Association
Talia J. Nelson, Marketing & Member Services The Concrete Foundations Association was beginning just about the time that another organization was forming. Menke Brothers Construction Company in Fort Jennings, Ohio began with only seven employees. Just as the association has grown, so has the staff at Menke Brothers. They employ 45 and provide a variety of […]
Brad Barnes, PE received the first ever CFA MVP Award at ACI’s Northeast Ohio Chapter monthly meeting on Thursday, November 11, 2004. Barnes, the ACI Chapter Director, was chosen for his time and effort put into the CFA Cold Weather Research Program. Jim Baty, CFA Technical Director, gave a brief presentation on the significance of […]
By Ed Sauter, Executice Director Where does one go to learn how to run a concrete construction business? Not the nuts and bolts of building a footing or wall, those are still best taught on-the-job. I’m talking about finance, estimating, managing personnel, marketing; the things that can make or break a business even if you […]
Bob Milford, Drewry Simmons Vornehm, LLP Concrete Facts recently featured several articles regarding subcontractor agreements. In one of these articles, Doug Staebler of Custom Concrete Company, Inc. pointed out that both the large national builders and the smaller local builders are insisting on the use of subcontractor agreements. Builders utilize these agreements to shift as much […]
Doug Staebler, Custom Concrete Company, Inc., Westfield, IN You have just landed that big customer you’ve been working on for two years. Prices and scope of work have been agreed to and everyone is ready to begin. There is one last detail to take care of, the Subcontractor Agreement. At this point in the game, the […]
Bill Dwyer was recently promoted to the new role of National Sales Manager. He will now directly supervise all national field and office sales personnel who sell the company’s comprehensive line-up of products. The Putzmeister equipment range includes new and pre-owned concrete boom pumps, separate placing booms, belt conveyers, trailer pumps and mortar machines. In […]
In May of this year, the CFA Management Committee brought you two opportunities for plugging in to inexpensive and highly motivational management seminars online and via teleconference. These presentations were made by nationally-renowned author and conference speaker, Maura Shreier-Flemming. Her books include the recent release of Monday Morning Sales Tips and other effective tools to stimulate improvements to your sales approach […]
This issue we offer you an update on the codes and standards that continue to evolve in and around the residential and foundation industries. Codes and Standards comprise a significant portion of the energy this Association puts forth and a considerable amount of the sta$ time that is allocated on behalf of the membership. There are three primary areas […]
The CFA Board of Directors met recently in Chicago for their fall meeting and preceded the meeting with what amounted to a 2 hours round table discussion on the economy and what steps they were taking with their businesses to survive the current downturn. Summarized below are a few of the points. You may be already have implemented some of these ideas. 1) INVOLVE EMPLOYEES. Most contractors are making […]
We had a great fall board meeting in Chicago last October. We choose Chicago because it is easy to fly to and the airfare is reasonable. Most people arrived and left the same day. Thank you to Hanley Wood for the generous use for their conference room, with the economy CFA is very grateful for the cost savings. The […]
Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the world. It is used for foundations, roads, walks, beams, columns, pipe, and a host of other critical applications to provide for mankind’s needs. Because it is so widely used, the industries that manufacture and use the concrete are very diverse in nature. Therein lies a critical problem with the industry. Everyone is “out there” doing their […]
Schwing has announced the introduction of a new concrete pump with placing boom. The S 36 SX with RZ4 Boom combines the best features of two boom types, Roll and Fold™ and Z tip section, in a unique four-section boom. The new machine promises to set new standards for placing concrete at distances of more than 118-feet vertically and 104-feet horizontally. Standard features of the […]
Subscribers choose best products of the year for concrete contracting industry Concrete Contractor, the leading business information resource for concrete contractors, announced today the Concrete Contractor’s Top Products of 2009. Top winners are recognized by readers based on interest and inquiries over the past year. “Concrete Contractor reaches 29,000 decision-makers who help build America,” says Editor Rebecca Wasieleski. “Having the right tool or product […]
EDITOR’S NOTE: We recently caught up with Janie Stephens, president of Montana Structural Concrete, Inc., MSC. after she attended one of CFA’s Certified Contractor seminars. Janie started MSC in June of 2006 after working for a large volume concrete contractor. She says that after “being inundated with requests for a quality, trustworthy, concrete contractor, she started Montana Structural Concrete, Inc.” When Janie took the Certification Exam, she […]
If you spend much time on the Internet, it will not take you long to see how many opportunities there are for joining online groups, be it social or business related. This is the new wave sweeping the world and drawing our large planet together into an ever-tightening world market and social environment. Whether you deem this to be a […]
Many CFA members made, or were forced to make, the decision to not attend the CFA Summer Convention this year. This is not too surprising, as we know the impact this recession has had on member companies and face it, the Convention is an event that not has drawn a large percentage of CFA members in recent years. The […]
The Concrete Foundations Association recently presented its highest honor, the Robert D. Sawyer Distinguished Service Award to Barry Herbert at the CFA Annual Summer Convention held July 30-August 1. Barry was introduced by Jim Bartley of Bartley Corporation, and described as a significant example of great leadership; innovation; spirit and faith in our industry and both a person and businessman that he has […]
Welcome to the “new” CFA…at least the new online CFA from the perspective of how to interact with your Association. Over the past six months, we have been working painstakingly to transition our data systems to a new provider that offers a much more robust and intuitive system for CFA staff, CFA members and the general public. We are now ready to unveil this new system […]