The National Steering Committee for the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program raised more than $800,000 in gross revenue at its 10th annual auction. Proceeds will benefit CIM degree programs at Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro; California State University, Chico; New Jersey Institute of Technology; and, Texas State University.
Staged at the Las Vegas Convention Center during World of Concrete 2015, the event “was a huge success … a real example of the high value the industry places on the CIM 
program. We had a record in terms of the value of donated items and attendees that helped make this year’s auction a tremendous success,” affirms CIM Auction Committee Chairman Mike Philipps (Cemex USA).
The signature item was Mack Granite bearing a McNeilus 11-yd. Bridgemaster mixer. Thanks to a $163,000 bid, Ozinga Ready Mix Concrete, Inc. will add the truck to its northern Illinois fleet. “In an educational environment dominated by more traditional liberal arts programs, the CIM program is a welcome alternative that equips and empowers students with hands-on management experience that meets the urgent need for professionals in the concrete and construction industry,” says CIM graduate Paul Ozinga, co-owner of Ozinga Bros., Inc., Mokena, Ill. “As a fourth generation family business, it’s important for us to have a long-term outlook on sustaining our industry. Supporting the CIM program through the annual auction is a solid investment in our future.”
A silent auction accompanied this year’s live bidding and netted record proceeds. Auction items included 100-plus truckloads of cement and fly ash, concrete saws, drills, mixers, vibrators, safety equipment, screeds, fiber transport systems, dust collectors, decorative concrete tools, water meters, pumps, generators, training sessions, reference books, and laptop computers, along with sports or vacation travel packages.
The CIM National Steering Committee partnered this year with GiveSmart, a user-friendly bidding technology service providing customized auction and event solutions primarily for non-profit organizations. Participants were able to register for the auction, sneak preview silent and live bidding items, make donations, and bid on target silent auction items immediately. Participants who were not able to attend the Las Vegas Convention Center gathering were able to bid online during the event.