Greetings ACI Supporters!
In the time since So Cal ACI’s last communication, COVID cases are down and testing lines have been replaced by people queuing for vaccinations. With the arrival of spring, I am optimistic that this year-long pandemic has an end in sight. As we continue to contend with the destructive economic impact in our personal and professional lives, I encourage everyone to continue to be vigilant in doing our part to stop the spread and protect yourself and your community.
I am pleased to announce that the pandemic did not stop one of our key January traditions – our Annual Chapter Meeting including the Sam Hobbs Award. Josh Cavender, the well-deserved awardee, was honored with a presentation by last year’s recipient, Robert Cleeland. We also celebrated the memory of three exceptional members who sadly passed in 2020 – Rod Elderton, Terry Dooley and Reid Briley. Another piece of business covered at the annual meeting was the announcement of a proposed revisions to the chapter by-laws and held a nearly unanimous vote to advance the process. To ratify the new document, an email will go out to all members soon with a choice to approve or reject the new by-laws and that ballot will remain open through the end of May. Thank you to all who participated in the meeting planning efforts and to all who attended and participated in the Zoom meeting.
The Programs committee has been working hard to plan chapter events for this year. In collaboration with SEAOSC, we are planning technical seminars for May to cover the relevant topics related to Modulus of Elasticity testing and local supplies of cement and SCMs. We are also working with the NRMCA and the Tall Wood Design Institute to educate our members on the growing mass timber industry. In-person jobsite tours are also being arranged for the summer. Please keep an eye out for more details in your email inbox.
The annual golf tournament has sold out, which speaks to our members’ excitement to see each other in person, however there are still sponsorship opportunities available. This annual event includes a $2,500 scholarship opportunity for local University students. Please visit our website for the more info. I look forward to seeing you at the Black Gold Course on May 13th!
Last April, the Board decided to extend all current memberships one year at no cost to our members. This was done due to the very limited in person events resulting from the pandemic. With things slowly progressing towards a return to normalcy, we are reinstating membership dues for 2021 starting May 1st. With that being said, we revamped and streamlined our membership categories. Most members will now fall into the Associate/Local Chapter member category. An Individual member will be both a member at the local and national level. The Organizational membership includes numerous certification discounts as well as company recognition on our website. Lastly, those currently enrolled in college or university will fall under the Student membership category, which will remain free of charge. Please see the website for details and benefits of each category. If you are not a member, please consider applying!
Lastly, I would like to congratulate our chapter as we have once again been recognized as an Excellent Chapter by ACI International for the year 2020.
Sincerely,
Chris Garcia
Chapter President 2021
Want to get involved in ACI SoCal? Please consider joining a committee and contributing to the success of our industry. The ACI SoCal Chapter has committees available for you to contribute and get involved.
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Dear Members
It has been said that the only constant is change. It seems that we have all had to adjust to what has become the “new normal”. Everyone has had to adjust their lives in so many ways, from temporal temperature checks when going onto a construction site, zoom meetings, foregoing the customary handshake, the list goes on, and we are not out of the woods yet. Please stay strong.
As we have mentioned, strains have been put on everyone, but our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones. In this last week folk and family members of people in the industry, have passed due to Covid. Please continue to do all that you can to protect yourself, and all those around you. We must be vigilant.
Of course, we have kept you updated of the impacts that the pandemic has had on our Chapter activities. Our last in person event was February 2020. We have had a number of virtual events including, in November, our Concrete Awards. The winners of those awards will be submitted to National for the Fall Convention International Excellence in Concrete Awards. We wish these projects every success at this prestigious level. One of last year’s submittals won the People’s Choice award for the 5900 Wilshire project. Our congratulations to Trademark for taking this award.
This week we have our ACI So Cal Chapter Annual Meeting which incorporates the Sam Hobbs Award. The Sam Hobbs award recognizes the contribution that an individual makes to both the industry and the Chapter. This year’s award winner will be Josh Cavender who most will know. Josh has been a Board member for three years, and has been very active on the Certifications Committee for many, many years. This year he took over as Chair for the Certification’s Committee when Rod Elderton stepped down. The SoCal Chapter certifies about 800 industry practitioners each year in about 8 different categories. Our congratulations go to Josh who joins an illustrious group of previous winners who have really advanced the uses of concrete over the last half century.
At this meeting we will farewell Ann Harrer, who is active in ACI at both the International level and the local Chapter level. Ann was voted to the Board in 2016. During her tenure on the board she served as Vice President in 2018 and President in 2019. Ann has the distinction of being the Chapter’s first female President in the 63 years of the Chapter’s history. Ann was a very heavily involved with the 2017 ACI National Convention that our Chapter hosted in Anaheim and the Chapter’s 60th anniversary in 2018. We thank Ann for all the work that she has done for the Chapter. We would also like to thank Ramon Aguilar for his service this last year both on the Board and the Executive Committee. We thank both these departing Board members and look forward to their continued contribution to the Chapter and the industry in the years ahead.
The Board will be welcoming Heather Todak of WJE and Brandon Agles of Associated / A&A Ready Mix to the new Board on January 26th. They have been elected for a three-year term. Chris Garcia of Pankow Builders, will take over as President for 2021 following his service as Vice President this year, and all the behind-the-scenes work he has done this year in the Programs, Finance and Executive committees. Thank youChris, and congratulations. Don Kahn of Largo Concrete will become Vice President.
Also at this meeting Nathan Forrest will table the proposed upgraded By-Laws that the Chapter is submitting and looking to be approved. A vote will be taken at the meeting to move this process forward and if approved members will be asked in the coming weeks to vote on the By-Laws. Please be sure to register, attend and vote, please.
We would also like to recognize all the support that we have had this year from our administrators, Co-Pilots, especially Dianne Ochoa and Stephanie Gonzalez. Thank you both very much. This year saw quite a few reorganizations of events as well as behind the scenes, including our updated website. They have handled an increased workload due to rescheduling of all the Certification sessions. Thank you to you both.
Our industry faces many more challenges at this time, beyond the normal challenges which always seem to exist. Against the background of the pandemic our markets are changing, which is requiring restructuring. People working and educating from home, is redefining the residential needs, purchasing has moved the retail market more online and to home deliveries, reducing the demand for brick and mortar stores. And all industry is looking at ways to reduce the carbon footprint of what it does. This is resulting in a different world for design, construction and materials. Our members and our Chapter are working to assist with all these measures. We look forward to working with you all in this endeavor as we continue to look towards the future.
We wish you all the best as we enter this new year and face the things it brings. Be safe, be strong.
Sincerely
Paul Heis
Chapter President 2020
We hope that you and your families, and loved ones, are taking all the necessary precautions to stay healthy. We have all been affected by this COVID pandemic, to a greater or lesser extent. Our hearts go out to those whose families have suffered with the virus, or worse still, have lost a loved on. The numbers are reported to be on the rise, and we hope that the vaccines that are going out will be able to stem the tide.
We have been able to conduct a couple of planned events virtually. This included some joint presentations of technical interest to the industry.
Also, the Chapter held our annual Concrete Awards night online, including the Charles Pankow Award. Winning projects were The Webster by Shaw and Sons, LA Stadium and Entertainment District (SoFi) by Morley Construction, Ivy Station by Largo Concrete, Linea Project by Largo Concrete, The Green House by Beeson Masonry / Pacific Pervious, Metropolis 2B by Pankow Penta Builders and the winner of the Pankow Award was the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures - Geffen Theater by Morley Construction. We congratulate everyone who was involved in these projects and the other projects that were also nominated for the awards. We would like to thank Heather Todak for organizing the Award event, and also Janeen Oliver, who was host for the presentations. We invite you to go to our website and view these great exhibits of concrete construction. Winners of this year’s So Cal Chapter Awards are submitted to the ACI Excellence in Concrete Awards for 2021.
At the International ACI Excellence in Concrete Awards, held as part of the ACI Fall Convention, the 5900 Wilshire Project by Trademark was voted the overall People’s Choice Award winner. Our congratulations to Trademark.
In addition to the programs that have been undertaken, albeit limited, we are pleased that our Certification sessions have recommenced and continue. Much of the backlog has been cleared and sessions for 2021 are now posted on our website. Again, we thank Josh Cavender, the Certification Committee and the examiners for working through this difficult year and the additional measures that they have all had to take to keep everyone healthy.
Elections for the Board are now underway, and voting is online at our website. Please make sure to vote in this election (https://acisocal.org/Announcements). Voting will close January 1, 2021. We thank the candidates who have stood and greatly appreciate the Nominations Committee for their work in this process.
Our Annual Meeting will be held on the evening of Tuesday January 26th, 2021. The new Board members will be introduced, proposed new By Laws tabled with a vote on them to follow within 30 days, and also the presentation of the Sam Hobbs Award, which is given to an individual who has contributed significantly to both the Chapter and the Industry. Make sure to keep checking your inbox to find out who the Sam Hobbs awardee will be this year! The night will also be a virtual event, and we look forward to a big turnout.
When the year began none of us could have imagined the extraordinary year that was to come, and the challenges to be faced, as a community and as an industry. It goes a long way to show the resilience of all who work in the concrete sector of the overall construction industry. Thank you to everyone for the part that you have played.
On behalf of the Board and Committees of the Southern California Chapter of ACI, we want to wish everyone the very best for a safe, happy and joyful Holiday Season and for a healthy and successful New Year.
Paul Heis,
ACI SoCal 2020 President
Members Click Here to Vote Click here to view Board of Director nominee bios.
2021 Board of Directors: Past President: Paul Heis - Master Builders President: Chris Garcia - Pankow Vice President: Don Kahn - Largo Directors (to serve a 3-year term): Austin Eminhizer - Gary Bale Ready-Mix Brandon Agles - Associated Ready-Mix Charlie Zahari - Salt River Materials Heather Todak, P.E. - WJE Ramon Aguilar – Coreslab
2021 Nominations Committee Slate: Ann Harrer, P.E. - WJE Chris Forster - Largo Ed Luce - Cemex Howard Garcia - Boral Josh Cavender - Cemex Josh Hamilton - Vulcan Ken Sears - Polaris Materials/US Concrete Melineh Zomorrodian, S.E. - Structural Focus Vito Thornton - Ekedal Concrete Will Haigh - Bonanza Ready Mix
The Nominations Committee thanks all the slated nominees for their dedication to the Chapter as well as the continuing Board members.
Board Members continuing their terms are:
Dear Members,
It goes without saying, but what a year 2020 has been! Even if we have not been directly affected health wise in our families or workplace, Covid-19 has certainly wearied us. No home is immune, so we need to stay vigilant to slow the spread and do what we can to end this pandemic.
We have all been shocked by the extent and widespread occurrence of the wildfires here in California and although Southern California has not seen similar acreages burned as Nor Cal, the devastation is just the same to those affected. Our thoughts are with those victims too.
In addition, in October we have said goodbye and celebrated the life of two active ACI members: Charles Terry Dooley and Reid Briley. Terry Dooley was a long-time member, past-president, and recipient of the Sam Hobbs Award. Reid has been involved with the Certifications Committee and was a proctor for multiple certification programs. Reid leaves behind a wife and young family. Please refer to the In Memoriams posted on our website.
The ACI SoCal board is busy planning events (such as the annual project awards program), certification programs, and many more. Please see the updates below for more information.
Programs Update
Looking at the concrete industry, there have been various circumstances including the severe weather impacts that have resulted in a shortage in both cement and fly ash. Unfortunately, the supply chain allocations to ready-mix producers and concrete product manufacturers are limiting construction activities. Our chapter is organizing a virtual event on this subject and other trending topics. Keep an eye open for the announcement in your email inboxes.
Certification Committee Update
We are pleased that our Certification sessions have restarted, and the backlog of registrations has been reduced. We will have most registrants in sessions before the end of the year. If you are registered and have not heard from us, please contact the office at info@acisocal.org. Our 2021 schedule is now on the website and registration is available at this link: https://acisocal.org/Certification-Registration. We would like to thank Josh Cavender, the Certifications Committee and the Examiners for all the hard work over the past few months in providing this important service.
The ACI Resource Center has now opened in San Bernardino, and is being managed by Rusty Ownings, former quality control manager for Kansas based Geiger Ready Mix. The Chapter is pleased to welcome the Resource Center and expects it will strengthen ACI’s presence in the Pacific South West. It will offer certifications that the Chapter has been unable to facilitate, such as the Adhesive Anchor Installation Inspector. https://form.jotform.com/202576707827161
ACI SoCal Chapter Concrete Awards
We received eighteen entries for the newly re-named ACI SoCal Chapter Concrete Awards including the prestigious Pankow Award. We put out a call to entries to design firms, contractors, material suppliers and any others involved with recently completed concrete projects. The awardees will be recognized at a virtual event on Thursday, November 19th at 5:30pm. We have offered each company involved with these notable projects a unique opportunity to showcase their outstanding work. The free registration can be completed with this link (https://acisocal.org/event-4029175/Registration) and there will be raffle prizes as well! We look forward to celebrating the strength of our local industry on this evening.
ACI National Fall Convention
The ACI National Fall convention has shifted to a virtual format and will run from October 25th to 29th. Registration costs are significantly reduced, and we encourage anyone who was not thinking about attending to reconsider as you can do it from the comfort of your own home or office and not have to travel. https://www.concrete.org/events/conventions/currentconvention.aspx
We trust that everyone continues to work and stay safe.
Vice- President and Programs Chair
ACI Southern California grieves for the passing of a friend and colleague, Reid E. Briley. During many weeknights and Saturdays, Reid worked to certify industry professionals by acting as proctor and guide for several ACI certification programs. If you had a question about a test method or procedure, he was the one to turn to. Reid had an eye for detail, he did not take things at face value, but instead took the time to think them through and make them his own.
Reid was a committed father and husband; he leaves behind his wife Kristen and 4 children with one on the way. We send our deepest condolences to the Briley family; our organization and the construction industry will not be the same without him.
A GoFundMe page has been established to help support his family during this difficult period:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/memory-of-reid-briley
Charles Terry Dooley June 24, 1930 – September 27, 2020
Please join ACI SoCal in the celebration of the life of Charles “Terry” Dooley who led a full life of service to family, career, and community. Terry’s continued leadership and support of the Southern California construction industry made him a pillar of our community.
Terry was born in Hammond, Indiana. After receiving a BA in Liberal Arts from St. John’s University in Minnesota in 1951, also the year he married the love of his life, Kathleen Hughes Dooley, the Dooley’s relocated to Champaign, Illinois. In Champaign, Terry completed his BS in Civil Engineering in 1954 at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. After graduation the Dooley family relocated to the west coast where Terry took a position with Bethlehem Steel. He received his ME degree from UCLA in 1969, in the Executive Engineering Program. In 1981, Terry started with Morley Builders in Santa Monica where he worked for 21 years. During his tenure at Morley Builders, Terry lead the construction of multiple high-profile projects in Southern California including Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles.
Terry was committed to giving back and contributing to the professional community, including his involvement with ACI, ACI SoCal, SEAOSC, and other organizations. Terry was a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers and the co-winner of its 1991 Awards for Innovation in Civil Engineering for Rockwell Building 80. He was an Honorary Member of the American Concrete Institute and received its Corbetta Award for “contributions to the advancement of construction techniques in seismic repair and retrofit.” He was also an Honorary Member of the Structural Engineers Association of Southern California. Terry participated in many industry organizations and served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and chaired its Construction Industries Committee. Terry served on the Board of Directors for ACI SoCal between 1984 and 1988 and served as president in 1988. Terry received the Sam Hobbs Service Award in 1991.
After retiring from Morley Builders in 2002, Terry founded the ACE Mentor Program in Southern California, where his leadership and passion for helping students led to the creation of 27 inner-city high school teams each paired with a half-dozen mentors from the southland’s top firms in architecture, construction and engineering.
His dedication and care for family, upstanding character, work ethic, and enthusiasm for live music performances and ice cream will be missed. Terry leaves behind his wife of 69 years, Kathy, six children, twelve grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren. Services are pending. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to ACE Mentor, MEND or St. Andrew’s Abbey.
The Board and members of the Chapter express our sadness and condolences to his loved ones at this time.
Should you like to attend Terry’s funeral on Friday October 23, 2020 at 10:30am Pacific Time, it will be viewable on Facebook at the following address: https://www.facebook.com/StCyrilofJerusalem
Note, in-person attendance at the funeral has been restricted to immediate family.
Please visit www.cterrydooley.com for Terry’s full obituary.
Longtime ACI member Rod Elderton, who held almost every position in the ACI Southern California Chapter and received many honors and awards throughout the years, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly last week. He was 74 years of age and had devoted more than 40 years to the industry and ACI. Rod was a BS in civil engineering, having graduated from California State University in 1976.
Rod is a veteran of the United States Navy where he served in the Construction Battalion (SeaBees).
After his military service, Rod worked for Livingston-Graham, a ready-mix producer in Chatsworth as their plant manager. It was at that time that he joined the ACI So Cal Chapter.
Rod’s passion and energy within the chapter never waned. He was twice elected to the Board of Directors for three-year terms and in addition to that he served a year as Vice-President twice (1991 and 2005) and then President twice (1992 and 2006). Rod was also a Supplemental Examiner for the Chapter’s Certification programs since its inception in the mid 1980’s. He was most recently Chair of the Certification Committee, the Chapter designate for ACI Nationals Sponsoring Group and the Chapter’s Board Parliamentarian, stepping down in early 2020. Rod was also recognized with the honor of being made a Life Member of the Chapter.
Rod was nationally recognized for his contributions to ACI and ACI Southern California receiving the ACI Certification Award in 2017 as well as being elected to be an ACI Fellow in 2020.
Rod Elderton is survived by his wife Patty, son Lee, and daughter-in-law Megan. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to them.
A memorial service will take place when it is safe to do so.
Rod was a proud Navy Vet. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to your local American Legion Chapter.
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