A publication of the Concrete Foundations Association
Concrete Facts Magazine Online
Feature
EXPOSED CONCRETE MASTERY
Single-Family Foundation, 2,000–5,000 Square FeetBrowning-Plunkett Ski Lodge SOLID CONCRETE WALLS, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH CFA Contractor Member The winning entry for the 2019 CFA Project of the Year award was Solid Concrete Walls of Salt Lake City, Utah. This medium-sized yet complex structure attests to the popularity of board form architectural concrete in that region. […]
My Key to Success -Tim Upton
CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR, 2018 By Lindsey Bloomquist The Contractor of the Year, presented annually by the Concrete Foundations Association (CFA), demonstrates the service, technology and knowledge needed to advance the use of poured wall construction. The recipient is acknowledged for unselfish commitment to peers, to the association and to the industry, both at their […]
Responding to an OSHA Inspection (Part 1)
By Mark A. Lies II & Elizabeth Leifel Ash Editor’s note: This is the first part of a multiple-part series offering advice on interactions with an increasing level of OSHA inspection activity. Perhaps the number-one inquiry received right now at CFA headquarters is for advice on how to handle these inspections and, at times, the […]
Stephens & Smith Construction Company Revives Student-Learner Program
FEATURE ARTICLE: Stephens & Smith Construction Company Revives Student-Learner Program By Jereme Montgomery, Business Development Many of you reading this article will testify that the skill gap is real. There is a shortage of skilled craftsmen in the construction industry, and it has continued (and will continue) to effect quantity and quality of structures built […]
Projects of the Year: Customer Challenges Deliver Award-Winning Results
CFA PROJECTS OF THE YEAR 2018: Customer Challenges Deliver Award-Winning Results This article features the Concrete Foundation Association’s Projects of the Year, the expanding industry recognition program that features high-quality concrete work that is all too soon, never seen again. Projects are submitted by member organizations in a variety of project categories and are reviewed […]
Aerial Photography Technology, Old and New
By: Mitch Bloomquist and James Baty | Concrete Foundations Association Drones continue to be a very hot topic these days. Whether you attend World of Concrete, pay attention to the news media or pay attention to the photos posted throughout social media, the age of drones is here. The news offers a wide variety of […]
Magazine Issues
2024 PROJECTS OF THE YEAR The Top-Placing Winners
The 25th annual competition for the Concrete Foundations Association welcomed members to submit projects throughout the first four months of this calendar year to vie for recognition among the storied projects of all time. As the entries were received, surveying the collection can best be described by a single word: diversity. Across the record-tying thirty-three […]
Gratitude and a Sense of Accomplishmen
As I pen this farewell letter, it is with a heart full of gratitude and a sense of accomplishment that I reflect on my two years serving as your president. These past two years have been an incredible journey, marked by significant milestones, collaborative efforts, and shared triumphs. One of the initiatives I am most […]
How Would Your Company Benefit From an Expert Talent Attraction Consultant?
By RecruiterGuy – Bill Humbert Running a business is not easy. There are so many moving parts, not the least of which is recruiting (Talent Acquisition or Talent Attraction). Does your business have a line of qualified candidates (Project Managers, Concrete Superintendents, Finish Superintendents, Commercial Drivers, and Laborers) outside your figurative gates desiring to work […]
Gearing Up For Success: Revolutionizing Workplace Culture
In today’s post-pandemic landscape, characterized by an employee-centric and highly competitive market, organizations across the board are grappling with the challenges of attracting and retaining talent. The notion that “Times are changing” might sound cliche, but the reality is undeniable. We are not going back to the “good old days” of 2019. This article will […]
Spring Executive Retreat – Baltimore, Maryland: How to Find a $100,000 Idea
“Wait, say that again,” I asked. My contractor friend explained again what he was doing in his business that was different from what we are doing in ours. I quickly pulled out my phone and punched some numbers into the calculator. I wanted to see how much we could reduce our costs by doing it […]
Laying the Foundation for Safety: The CFA’s Take on OSHA’s Top 10 Violations
I. Introduction Construction and workplace safety are ever-evolving, with the consistent imperative being to adapt and improve. A critical tool in this endeavor is the annual list of the top ten safety violations released by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This list does more than just highlight prevalent safety issues—it serves as a […]
Lessons to be Learned from a Sad Story
By Wayne Schooling On March 22, 2024, a concrete pumper truck veered into oncoming traffic on State Highway 21 in Texas, striking a school bus full of children and ultimately killing a 5-year-old and an adult. At the time of the crash, the bus was transporting 44 children and 11 adults’ home from a field […]
Robert D. Sawyer Distinguished Service Award: Bruce Neale, Modern Foundations
The Robert D. Sawyer Award, named on behalf of Bob Sawyer, the first executive director of the CFA, is the most prestigious recognition that can be offered to a member of the concrete foundation industry. The award recognizes individuals who give tirelessly of their time and resources to serve the industry. “Bob Sawyer took the […]
Contractor of the Year: Doggett Concrete Construction
The most frequently awarded recognition from the CFA historically has been the Contractor of the Year award. This recognizes the industry contributions of a poured wall contractor and often shows the great efforts the contractor makes to benefit more than just their company’s location and position—how they work toward the greater goals of the association […]
Innovative Contractor of the Year: Bulletproof Walls Inc., dba TCB Walls Inc.
An industry with as much history as cast-in-place concrete may appear as if practices and systems are no longer evolving. While new technologies using computers and advanced mechanics or logic are often brought to light, many times the most innovative solutions are initiated by the contractors themselves, tapping their experience and creativity to find a […]
National Associate of the Year: Owens Corning Infrastructure Solutions
National Associate members are the primary supplier and manufacturing members of the association, which can be found in the CFA’s active Products and Services Directory. The Associate of the Year award honors one of the many National Associate members (a company or an individual) for their commitment to supporting and growing the association. Their efforts […]
Kick-Start Member of the Year: Curtis Cowgill, Nies Foundations
The most valuable part of joining an organization is diving in and finding the networking, interaction, support, and resources beneficial to your company’s goals. In honor of the value of jumping in, the CFA Board of Directors developed a new award in 2015 that honors the intentional exploration of the professional network found in the […]
