Minnesota’s Cemstone Companies assembled employees from its namesake, Amcon block and TCC Materials divisions for a formal 90th anniversary celebration at the U.S. Bank Stadium. The Minneapolis venue is one of the most recent milestone projects built with materials and products from Cemstone brands: 916 bags of mortar; 750,000 block; 115,000 yd. of ready mixed; and, 65,000 tons of Dakota Aggregates sand.
“It’s fitting we invited employees and their guests to gather at U.S. Bank Stadium to celebrate their work. Employees from all of our divisions were integral to the construction of this massive building,” said CEO Tom Becken, whose was honored for his 60 years with the business, having led it from a small, east Twin Cities metro-focused producer to one with operations in seven states.
“Since my grandfather Hammon T. Becken founded Cemstone in 1927, we’ve made it our commitment to build with the best—the best employees, products and partners,” he added. “This 90th anniversary is really a celebration of how people and businesses have come together to make Cemstone Companies who we are today.”
Precast/prestressed building solutions leader Spancrete has named Kelly Weis named director of Preconstruction and Construction, based at Waukesha, Wis., corporate headquarters. He joins the company having led 1,000-plus projects throughout the U.S. in the last 13 years, and will oversee a team that provides customers with opportunities for collaboration throughout the planning stages—virtually designing the project to ensure resources and budgets are maximized in an effort to optimize design and deliver on the client’s vision. The team consists of 20 professionals with varying backgrounds in the construction industry covering finance, design and operations.
“Dedicating a team exclusively to the planning stages will provide opportunities for more virtual design and innovation in partnership with our customers, and help to identify areas for value engineering,” says Spancrete Vice President of Business Development and Construction Services Jeff Winters.
Ozinga Bros. in Mokena, Ill., has received a 2017 Top Workplaces honor by the Chicago Tribune. Top Workplaces lists are based solely on the results of an employee feedback survey administered by WorkplaceDynamics LLC, a leading research firm that specializes in organizational health and workplace improvement. Several aspects of workplace culture are measured, including alignment, execution and connection.
“The award is not a popularity contest, and oftentimes, people assume it’s all about fancy perks and benefits,” says WorkplaceDynamics CEO Doug Claffey. “Top Workplace [candidates] must meet our strict standards for organizational health, and who better to ask about work life than the people who live the culture every day—the employees. Time and time again, our research has proven that what’s most important to them is a strong belief in where the organization is headed, how it’s going to get there, and the feeling that everyone is in it together.”
The 19,000-seat Golden 1 Center, home to the NBA’s Sacramento Kings in California’s state capital, took first place in the Sustainable Building category of the 2017 International Edition of the Cemex Building Award. Contractor Urata & Sons Concrete accepted the award for its work on the venue after topping 12 other sustainable-building finalists from around the world. One of the largest construction projects in Sacramento in the last decade, the $477 million arena was completed in late 2016, and required large, strictly-timed pours to meet specs.
“The Cemex Building Award encourages top-performing players in the industry, like Urata & Sons Concrete, to develop buildings using superior concrete products and advanced techniques,” says Cemex USA Regional President – West Region Eric Wittmann. “The Golden 1 Center is a great example of what you can accomplish with innovation, expertise and quality building materials.”
A 29-year veteran of Tindall Corp. in Spartanburg, S.C., David Britt has been promoted from South Carolina Division vice president of Sales to vice president and general manager. Leading into his current post, he had served as vice president of Marketing and Tindall Corrections Division vice president of Sales.