Organizations

The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association has named John Hilbrink of Alby Materials, Burlington, Wis., Promoter of the Year. A powerful force behind

The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association has named John Hilbrink of Alby Materials, Burlington, Wis., Promoter of the Year. A powerful force behind marketing and promotional efforts for 12-plus years in the Great Lakes region, Hilbrink served first as the marketing director of the Wisconsin Ready Mixed Concrete Association. Currently president of Alby Materials’ marketing division, he has put together a series of successful programs, advertising campaigns and public relations efforts to create a higher profile for concrete and concrete products. The Promoter of the Year Award is to be presented during this month’s NRMCA Annual Convention in San Antonio.

Separately, Madison, Miss.-based MMC Materials received the annual Innovation in Training award Û a joint effort by NRMCA and Middle Tennessee State University’s Concrete Industry Management program Û for its entry Supervisory Skills Certificate Series. The MMC curriculum steps beyond training paradigms to offer a program enabling managers to more effectively lead themselves and positively influence customers and team members. Special recognition was also given to Consumers Concrete Corp., Kalamazoo, Mich., for its Operations Focus Group, which brings together participants from multiple levels (operators, managers and executives) and company sectors (operations, sales, safety and environmental, and finance) to jointly solve challenges and improve service delivery performance.

Additionally, NRMCA’s Excellence-in-Training award recognizes the top three ready mixed producers’ 2005 participation in association training and certification programs, calculated by cubic yards produced. Each company receives a plaque for its outstanding efforts. The following top companies were cited for recognition:

Category A Û More than 1 million yd.

1st Place: Oldcastle Materials, Inc., Wash., D.C.

2nd Place: Ozinga Bros. Inc., Orland Park, Ill.

3rd Place: Lehigh Cement Co., Allentown, Pa.

Category B Û 250,000 to 1 million yd.

1st Place: Smith’s Ready Mix, Inc., Nashville, Alaska

2nd Place: Geiger Ready-Mix Co., Leavenworth, Kansas

3rd Place: Silvi Concrete Products, Inc., Fairless Hills, Pa.

Category C Û Less than 250,000 yd.

1st Place: Sequatchie Concrete Service, Inc., South Pittsburg, Tenn.

2nd Place: Action Supply, Inc., Seaville, N.J.

3rd Place: Ferrara Bros. Bldg. Materials Corp., Flushing, N.Y.

The Aggregate & Ready Mix Association of Minnesota’s (ARM) 2005 Promoter of the Year is Jason Fritz (below, center) of St. Paul-based Cemstone Products Co., the exclusive Upper Midwest distributor of Reward Wall Systems. A Cemstone sales representative for nine years specializing in insulating concrete form technology used to build above-grade concrete walls for residential and commercial buildings, Fritz twice served as co-chairman of ARM’s ICF Committee and is currently active on several subcommittees, including Education, Finance and Promotion. He also established ARM’s ICF course to help educate architects, engineers and developers in the benefits of the technology.

Part of an ongoing effort to improve the quality and acceptance of cast-in-place foundations, the Concrete Foundation Association (CFA) recently presented its 2006 Contractor of the Year Award to Arie Van Wyk, president of Van Wyks, Inc. in Waldo, Wis. Known throughout the industry as a dedicated contractor, he has been a CFA member for 27 years, serving on the board of directors for 14 years. Van Wyk’s commitment to innovation, years of service to the association, and willingness to assist those getting started in the business were the basis for his selection as CFA Contractor of the Year.

At its annual spring committee meeting held in Chicago in early March, the Portland Cement Association announced seven industry professionals as Promotion Progress Awards recipients. Winners were selected from 16 PCA member company personnel nominated for outstanding efforts in promoting cement and concrete products. The Promotion Progress Awards are cosponsored by PCA and the Cement Association of Canada. Honorees are:

  • Ron DeLeenheer, Ash Grove Cement Co., for leadership in creating a powerful promotional liaison between PCA and the Regional Promotional Group programs.
  • Bob Helinski, Lafarge North America, for his role in the development of U.S. and Canadian cement specifications, including the recent change to ASTM C 150 permitting the use of up to 5 percent limestone in portland cement.
  • Al Innis, Holcim (US) Inc., for his efforts in the creation of PCA state DOT communications teams to inform local DOTs of upcoming standard changes regarding limestone in cement and the benefits thereof.
  • Bill Larson, Cemex, for forming the first Sustainable Development and Construction Workshop to discuss key issues affecting the use of cement and concrete in southern California.
  • Frank Lennox, Buzzi Unicem, for promoting the use of roller-compacted concrete, pervious concrete, and full-depth reclamation using cement in the Southeast.
  • Barrett Reese, TXI, for avid promotion of concrete in all aspects of construction, including residential and architectural projects as well as flatwork.
  • Cathy Sauerwine, Lehigh Cement Co., for promoting the use of white cement in infrastructure applications to improve aesthetics and enhance roadway safety.

The recipients have accomplished impressive results in the promotion of cement and cement products through their exemplary leadership, tireless commitment and inspiring dedication to and for the industry, affirms PCA Chairman Jim Repman (California Portland).