PRODUCERS Dallas-based Trinity Industries, Inc. has named Mark Stiles senior vice president. Stiles' career at Trinity began in 1991, when the company acquired Transit Mix, a 35-truck operation based in Beaumont, Texas, which he owned. Stiles was named unit president after the transaction, and in the eight years since, Transit Mix revenues have grown from approximately $20 million to upwards of $250 million annually. Earlier this year, Stiles moved to Trinity's Dallas headquarters to become group president of the company's Concrete and Aggregates division and head of its Shared Services Group.

Ohio-based precast/prestressed producer Marietta Structures has promoted Gary Dennis to vice president and general manager. Dennis has more than 15 years' experience in the concrete industry, including drafting, production management, project coordination, and sales and marketing management. In his new position, he will manage day-to-day sales, engineering, production, project management, accounting and administrative functions, plus field operations.

Vulcan Materials Co. has named Guy Badgett senior vice president-construction materials, East. He will have responsibility for thecompany's Mideast, Southeast and Southern divisions. Badgett has held a number o f management positions in the company's construction materials business since 1970, most recently serving as Southeast division president and Southern division chairman.

Separately, the Birmingham, Ala.-based producer has named Ejaz Khan vice president and controller. Khan joined Vulcan in 1979, has held a number of financial management positions within the company and its divisions, and has been controller since 1995.

Durham, N.C.-based Unicon Concrete, LLC has named Tommy Wagoner chief financial officer. A Wake Forest University graduate and a CPA for 23 years, Wagoner has 17 years' CFO experience. Unicon Concrete, with ready-mix, block and paver operations in the Carolinas, has also announced the appointment of Rick Cox to corporate controller. A University of North Carolina graduate, Cox has 20+ years of accounting experience.

Rotondo Precast Modular Group, a Telford, Pa.-based division of Oldcastle Precast Inc., has appointed Tyler Delong project engineer. Delong, currently working at the Oldcastle Manchester, N.Y., plant on the Seneca County Maximum Security Facility, graduated from Mansfield University, Pa., with a degree in geography and environmental science.

In addition, Richard Shandler, Jr. has joined Rotondo Precast Modular as finish-area superintendent. Shandler, a graduate of East Stroudsburg University and Persian Gulf War veteran, is currently overseeing the precast cell finishing process for the Northern New Hampshire Correctional Facility in Berlin, at the Oldcastle Rohobeth, Mass., plant.

Ed "Griff" Sparks, laboratory manager for Catalina Pacific Concrete of Glendora, Calif., was recently honored with the Sam Hobbs Service Award from the American Concrete Institute for a career of dedication to the concrete industry and the institute's Southern California Chapter. Sparks has been with the company since 1980 and has overall quality assurance responsibility for Catalina Pacific. His department's responsibilities include reviewing mix designs and job specifications, assisting operations with quality control, and enabling contractors to ensure customer satisfaction. Catalina Pacific officials note that Sparks has been involved in many of the most visible and demanding projects in Southern California, including the Getty Center; Orange County toll roads; Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim; and Staples Center.

ORGANIZATIONS The American Concrete Pipe Association has appointed the following officers: Adrian Driver of CSR Hydro Conduit Corp., Houston, vice chairman; Vince Bussio of Geneva Pipe Co., Orem, Utah, treasurer; and William DeLay of Sherman-Dixie Concrete Products, Nashville, Tenn., secretary. The appointments follow the naming of Larry Johnson, Johnson-Bateman Co. in Ontario, Calif., 1999 chairman.

The Iowa Ready Mixed Concrete Association elected its 1999 officers and board of directors during its annual meeting in Des Moines: Jim Sauter of Hawkeye Ready Mix, Hiawatha, president; Jay Johnson of Ideal Ready Mix, West Burlington, vice president; and Bill Croell of Croell Redi-Mix, New Hampton, secretary/treasurer. Board of directors appointees include producer members Tim Mallicoat of Iowa State Ready Mix, Ames; Garth Van Ahsen of Iowa Mobile Concrete, Williamsburg; and Steve Flynn of Century Concrete, Maquoketa. Also named director as an associate member was Doc Wilson of Cummins Great Plains in Des Moines.

Tom Lerick, a project manager with Zeman Construction Co. of Minneapolis was elected president of the Minnesota Concrete & Masonry Contractors Association at its annual meeting. He succeeds Dick Dentinger of Bill Dentinger, Inc. Lerick, a 1989 graduate of North Dakota State University with a B.S. in Construction Management, has 16 years' experience in construction.

Other officers and directors elected for the 1999-2000 term include: Bob Storm of Northland Concrete & Masonry Co., president-elect; Cheri Nienkerk of Corning-Donohue, Wunder Klein, secretary; Kirt O'Konek of Camas Minnesota, treasurer; Mike McGowan of Adolfson & Peterson, general contractor representative; Steve Bulach of E.L. Bulach Construction, masonry & concrete contractors representative; and Mike Hart of American Masonry Restoration.

Associate members named to the board include Mark Severson of Anchor Block; Dan Esch of Esch Construction Supply; and Vince Lacroix, Cemstone Products Co. Remaining board members include: Dick Dentinger of Bill Dentinger, Inc., past president; Cary Miller of McGough Construction, general contractor representative; Tim Selken of Gresser Concrete/Masonry, masonry & concrete contractors representative; Barry Blazevic of ADB Construction; and Joe Moore, Arsenal Sand, associate member.

Terry Deeny has been elected the 1999-2000 president of the Associated General Contractors of America, the nation's largest construction trade association with more than 33,000 member companies and organizations. He is chairman and CEO of Deeny Construction Co., a municipal-utilities contractor based in Seattle, and an AGC member since 1954. Deeny chaired AGC's municipal-utilities division in 1986 and has served on 15 national AGC committees. He was also president of AGC of Washington in 1979.

Also elected to AGC offices are Ralph Johnson, senior vice president; Robert Desjardins, vice president; and Robert Elsperman, treasurer. Johnson is the senior vice president of New York City-based Turner Corp., a New York City-based firm specializing in general building construction, and an AGC member since 1923. Johnson was president of the New York State Building Chapter in 1990. He is a past chairman of the Building Division and has served on other AGC committees. Desjardins is executive vice president of Cianbro Corp., a Pittsfield, Maine-based firm specializing in highway/bridge and heavy/industrial construction, and an AGC member since 1951. Desjardins was president of the AGC of Maine chapter in 1991. Elsperman is chairman of Tarlton Corp., a St. Louis-based firm specializing in building, heavy-industrial and utilities construction, and an AGC member since 1947. In addition to serving on many national committees, Elsperman was president of the AGC of St. Louis in 1981.

Separately, AGC has announced winning projects and participants in its 1999 Marvin M. Black Excellence in Partnering Award program: Brown County Santa Fe Depot, Brownwood, Texas-RBR Construction of Weatherford, Texas; Caterpillar Building CV (RR) Renovation, East Peoria, Ill.- River City Construction, East Peoria; U.S. 75 North Central Expressway Section 52, Dallas-Granite Construction of Lewisville, Texas; Lock 25 Dewatering and Rehabilitation, Winfield, Mo.-Massman Construction of Kansas City; U.S. 93/S.R. 68 Jct. and Kingman P.O.E., Kingman, Arizona-Granite Construction of Watsonville, Calif. The program is named for AGC's 1991 president, a Georgia general contractor and vigorous partnering advocate.

Portland Cement Association named James Rappel vice president of finance and administration. His responsibilities include financial management and planning, information resources, facilities, accounting, human resources and other support services. Rappel joins the Skokie, Ill.-based group from the American Medical Association, Chicago, where he held a series of senior management positions in a career spanning more than 20 years.

Michael Plei, P.E., has joined the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, in Schaumburg, Ill., as manager of transportation programs. Plei's duties include directing CRSI's promotional programs for the pavement and bridge markets. His previous experience includes 12 years with engineering consultants working on transit and highway bridge projects in the U.S and overseas. Plei has spent the last five years with the Portland Cement Association as their program manager for the transit market. Plei has a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Northwestern, an M.S. in Structural Engineering from the University of Illinois and is a registered professional engineer.

The Cement and Concrete Promotion Council of Texas has named William Weseman paving engineer. He will represent CCPC in working with the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Turnpike Authority to improve the quality and performance of portland cement concrete pavements in Texas. Weseman had worked at the Federal Highway Administration for more than 37 years. He oversaw various development aspects of interstate and other major highways in Michigan, Kentucky, Georgia, Utah, and South Dakota.

Weseman held positions in many FHWA field offices and served the agency's Office of Engineering as chief and director of construction and maintenance. He also served as secretary to American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials subcommittees on maintenance and construction, and was a charter National Quality Initiative Steering Committee member.

The National Ready Mixed Concrete Association has named Dr. Earl Keese its counsel on education. Keese is dean of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences at Middle Tennessee State University, a position he has held since 1985, following eight years as dean of continuing education and public service. Dr. Keese holds a Ph.D. in mathematics education from George Peabody College, plus masters degrees in education administration and mathematics from West Texas State University and University of South Carolina.

Dr. Keese performed a key role with concrete industry leaders in developing the curriculum for MTSU's Concrete Industry Management program-a four-year degree program designed to prepare college students for careers in the concrete industry. As counsel on education for NRMCA, Dr. Keese will act as a consultant on matters involving the development, design, and implementation of educational programs on the national and state levels. Notes NRMCA President Robert Garbini, "Dr. Keese's knowledge and expertise in the field of education will be a valuable resource for us. His counsel enables us to develop educational programs of the highest quality."

Separately, NRMCA Second Vice Chairman Norman Nelson, marketing manager for Nebraska-based Lyman-Richey Corp., will serve a two-year term on the Committee for Research on Improved Concrete Pavement for Federal-Aid Highways. He joins the committee on behalf of NRMCA with a term running through March 2001. The committee, part of the National Research Council's Transportation Research Board, is responsible for reviewing the long-range work plan for the Federal Highway Administration's Concrete Pavement Research Program. Nelson and his colleagues will provide advice on the suitability of overall objectives and review ongoing projects. Under a Congressional charter granted to the National Academy of Sciences, the NRC provides scientific and technical advice to the government, public, and scientific and engineering communities. As a council appointee, NRMCA reports, Nelson will serve the nation's interest by offering his industry expertise to the public sector.

Industrial Contractors Inc. of Evansville, Ind., was recently named a member of the Con/Steel Alliance, a design-build network of general contractors. Only one alliance member is licensed for the proprietary Con/Steel tilt-up concrete building system in each region or major metropolitan area; as such, ICI will have exclusive rights to the system in Evansville and surrounding counties. The alliance is comprised of contractors throughout the Americas who have a 25-year track record spanning 650+ projects totaling more than 45 million sq. ft. of tilt-up concrete buildings.

The American Society of Concrete Contractors has added four new members to its board of directors: Anthony Gallis, P.E., manager of formwork systems for Patent Construction Systems in Paramus, N.J.; Raymond Knotts of Concrete Concepts Co. in Kings Mountain, N.C.; Frank Piccolo of Artcrete Inc. in Natchitoches, La.; and James Toscas, executive vice president of Detroit-based American Concrete Institute.

Separately, ASCC has presented its second annual awards recognizing concrete contractors for their efforts to create safe work environments. There are three categories each of specialty and general contractors based on the number of hours worked per year. The awards are based on each company's Incidence Rate. The Incidence Rate is a nationally recognized measure of safety that equalizes the number of lost workdays for all sizes of firms.

There are four awards: ASCC Best Safety Achievement Award for the lowest Incidence Rate in each category; ASCC Zero Lost Time Accident Achievement Award for all contractors with no lost workdays in a year; ASCC Safety Improvement Award for each firm that reduces their Incidence Rate from the previous year; and, ASCC Certificate of Recognition for an Incidence Rate below the national average.

The following are winners of the ASCC Best Safety Achievement Award presented to contractors with the lowest Incidence Rate in 1997 for each category:

* Category 1A-General Contractor with less than 100,000 work hours, Lombard Co., Alsip, Ill.

* Category 1B-General Contractor with 100,000 to 250,000 work hours, Simpson Bridge Co., Charleston, Tenn.

* Category 1C-General Contractor with over 250,000 work hours, Hensel Phelps Construction Co., Greeley, Colo.

* Category 2A-Specialty Contractor with less than 100,000 work hours, Garber Bros. Precision Concrete, Greenville, Ohio.

* Category 2B-Specialty Contractor with 100,000 to 250,000 work hours, Noel Co., Albuquerque, N.M.

* Category 2C-Specialty Contractor with over 250,000 work hours, S.B. Ballard Construction Co., Norfolk, Va.

Wes Brooker has returned to Raleigh, N.C.-based management consultant FMI, focusing his efforts on construction products and equipment manufacturers.

MANUFACTURERS Putzmeister America has appointed Charlie Schumacher director of sales - Eastern U.S. In the newly created position, he will manage regional sales and be responsible for targeted sales promotion of Putzmeister equipment to ready-mix producers, including the recently unveiled 24-meter Redi-Reach combination boom pump and mixer truck.

Also, Putzmeister has appointed Greg Giese field service manager. He is responsible for coordinating all field service activities in North America, including managing the company's service technician staff located throughout the continent and coordinating service activities for concrete boom pumps, placing booms, truck-mounted conveyors, trailer pumps and industrial pumps.

Mack Trucks has named Scott Kress vice president of business development and industry relations. He will focus on identifying new growth opportunities and report to Paul Vikner, executive vice president of sales & marketing.

Sterling Truck Corp. reports that its headquarters facility has passed a thorough review of practice and procedures to qualify for ISO 9001 certification. The quality review was performed by KPMG Quality Registrar, an independent ISO quality registrar. To become ISO 9001 registered, Sterling reports, a company must demonstrate to a third-party auditor that its quality management system meets all requirements of the international standard. Once registered, a company is subject to periodic audits to ensure continued compliance. ISO 9001 registration certifies that each employee understands and strives to meet quality objectives and that critical business, engineering, manufacturing and service processes operate in a consistent manner.

Separately, Sterling has named Jon Wyman vice president of sales, responsible for medium and heavy-duty trucks. He joined parent company Freightliner Corp. in 1996, most recently serving as general manager of marketing for its Freightliner Trucks subsidiary.

Chicago-based Navistar International has announced the appointment of Steve Keate as president of its Truck Group, replacing Don DeFosset. Keate most recently served as group vice president and general manager of the heavy vehicle business where, officials note, he led a team that improved profitability and competitiveness. Under his leadership, the heavy vehicle center introduced several highly successful models, focused on understanding and meeting customer needs and aggressively reduced costs, they add.

Hill and Griffith Company's Indianapolis facility has received NSF International certification for the use of selected Grifcote form-release products in the manufacture of potable-water precast products. Conforming to NSF Standard 61, Grifcote is one of the first form-release agents to receive the certification, Cincinnati-based Hill and Griffith notes.

Cummins Engine has appointed Jim Kelly vice president of industrial marketing. He is responsible for marketing strategy and planning in construction, mining, rail and military markets. Kelly's Cummins tenure spans 20 years; most recently he served as automotive group's vice president-worldwide operations.

The Holland Group has signed an agreement to acquire its Michigan neighbor, Neway Anchorlok International of (NAI) Muskegon. "Neway Anchorlok is a world-class supplier of products for the truck and trailer market for both the North American and international markets," says Holland Group President Dick Muzzy. "The company's reputation for innovation and product performance and extensive distribution network are major factors contributing to its leading market position in each product line. We believe the acquisition will strengthen our strategic position globally, increase shareholder value and lead to enhanced growth and margins."

"The union marks an excellent strategic combination," adds NAI President Jack Smith. "The combined company will have the scope and scale necessary to compete effectively in the world market."

Holland Group specializes in coupling, lift, and suspension systems for truck tractors and trailers, while NAI has two major branded product lines: Neway suspension systems and height control valves and Anchorlok spring brake actuators.

Separately, in response to increasing sales and an expanded global presence, Neway Anchorlok has announced organizational changes in its sales, engineering and business unit structures. Bill Pierce has been promoted to senior vice president of advanced engineering. Mark Litke has joined the company as vice president of engineering. Bill Wakefield has been promoted to vice president of European operations, in addition to his responsibilities as director of NAI's trailer strategic business unit. Jeff Talaga has been named director of NAI's truck suspension strategic business unit. Jim Muntean has joined the company as product manager in the brake strategic business unit, where he will be responsible for product planning and marketing. And Phil Reynolds has been named western regional sales manager for NAI's aftermarket activities.

Pennsylvania-based Grove Crane has announced that David Birkhauser is rejoining the company as senior vice president of sales and marketing, Americas and Asia. In this position, he will have overall responsibility for sales, marketing, and strategy development for all Grove rough-terrain, truck-mounted, all-terrain, and industrial crane products in Asia/Pacific, North America, and South America.

Separately, Grove Crane named Al Antoniewicz senior vice president of operations. He will be responsible for Shady Grove, Pa., manufacturing, materials, engineering, quality, safety and environmental affairs.

Baltimore-based Dryden Oil Co., the heavy-duty lubricants manufacturing arm of Castrol North America has changed its name to Castrol Heavy Duty Lubricants Inc. The name change was part of a company restructuring along market segment lines. With the name change, Castrol Heavy Duty Lubricants will be a stand- alone unit of Burmah Castrol PLC, with global responsibility for heavy duty lubricants in off-road and on-road applications.

Coinciding with the distribution of its first truck models to dealers, U.S. truck newcomer, Bering Truck Corp. of Front Royal, Va., has formed a strategic alliance with Ford Credit, Dearborn, Mich. Under this alliance, Ford Credit will provide Bering with substantial funds for working capital, construction and permanent financing of a new Front Royal manufacturing and assembly facility. In addition, Ford Credit, under a Primus commercial private label, will offer a wide range of financial products for dealers including floor plan, and retail and lease financing.

JLG Industries and Gradall Industries recently signed a definitive agreement under which the former company will acquire Gradall in an all-cash transaction. The transaction creates a diversified capital equipment manufacturer with revenues approaching $800 million.

Grace Construction Products has named John Wardzel vice president of engineering and manufacturing support. His responsibilities include global direction for the company's Engineering, Logistics, and Environmental Health, Safety and Quality Assurance functions.

Dywidag Systems International USA, Inc. has named A.H. Harris & Sons, Inc. of New Britain, Conn., distributor of its form tie systems for medium and heavy concrete applications in the Northeast. Harris currently distributes construction specialty products in New York, New Jersey and New England with plans to expand its coverage area in the near future.

Minnesota-based Wolf and Associates, Inc., a company specializing in the design and fabrication of bulk material handling equipment, has added J. Daniel Engel to its engineering staff.

Thomas Breslin has been appointed vice president of finance and chief financial officer of OmniQuip International, Inc., Port Washington, Wis.

Eaton Corp./Hydraulics Division has named William Sackrider operations vice president-hydraulics. A 30-year Eaton employee, he replaces James Earnshaw, who has taken a position at another company. In his new position, Sackrider will have responsibility for Eaton's worldwide hydraulics business, with headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minn.

Elementis Pigments has brought its expertise in the manufacture of iron oxide pigments to the Nanshan district of the Guangdong Province of China through a joint venture. The newly built plant in Shenzhen has the capacity to produce high-quality iron oxide pigments for architectural concrete products. The 43,000-sq.-ft. (12,000-sq.-meter) operation incorporates North American and European production technology and processes. By combining high-quality raw materials with the latest production techniques, architectural concrete producers are assured of high product quality, Elementis officials note.

Further expansion is expected to increase the plant's initial capacity of 12,000 tpy (20,000 mta). The plant operates under international health, safety and environmental standards. Experienced teams of technical service personnel will also be housed at the Shenzhen site.

Palmer Supplies Co., a regional distributor of resins, pigments, fillers/extenders, minerals, additives, containers and equipment to the plastics, rubber, paint, coatings, ink, chemical and concrete industries, has recently appointed Joseph Lykins its new president. He replaces Ronald Kehl, who had been with the company for 37 years and was responsible for expanding Palmer into a major regional distributor.

Crown Andersen Inc., the Georgia-based manufacturer of engineered environmental control and waste management products, has named Tom Graziano president of its recently acquired subsidiary, Griffin Environmental Co., Syracuse, N.Y. A civil engineer who also holds an MBA, Graziano started his career in the environmental field as an engineer with Research Cottrell. In 1984, he became vice president and general manager of its subsidiary, Flex-Kleen, manufacturer of fabric filter dust collectors. Under his management, Flex-Kleen experienced exceptional growth and became a dominant name among baghouse producers, Crown Andersen officials note. He assumed the position of executive vice president and COO for all of Research Cottrell's environmental divisions in 1990. He has also served as group president for Wheelabrator's Clean Air Systems Group, and most recently was with Howden Fan Co. in Buffalo, N.Y. He is taking over the Griffin post from Frank Smith Jr., who retired from the company when he sold it to Crown Andersen in December 1998.

Muriel Burns has joined Cleveland-based Master Builders, Inc. as a consultant and will focus her efforts on the development and advancement of architectural precast concrete through active participation in industry trade associations and the development of programs promoting the use of exposed aggregate precast. A 25-year veteran of the precast industry, Burns has often been referred to as "the first lady of precast." She was instrumental in the launch of the Preco Division of Fosroc, a supplier of exposed aggregate retarders, release agents, coatings, sealers and a range of accessories for precast concrete applications. In 1998, Preco was acquired by Master Builders.

Minnesota-based Elk River Machine Co. has announced the addition of Richard Erickson to its sales and marketing team. He joins the Minnesota company as sales manager and will be responsible for sales and marketing efforts to the concrete pipe and precast industry in the Western U.S. A graduate of Texas Lutheran College in Seguin, with a degree in business administration, his most recent position was district sales manager for Insteel Wire Products. Spanning 25 years in the precast industry, his career beginning as a laborer has included management positions in production, sales and administration with two major concrete pipe producers.

American Spring Wire Corp. of Bedford Heights, Ohio, has announced the promotion of Tim Selhorst to executive vice president. His responsibilities will include management of all sales and marketing, manufacturing, engineering, R&D, and quality functions throughout the company and its three manufacturing locations. He has been with ASW for more than eight years and held positions within the sales and marketing department, most recently vice president.

Steve Husak has been appointed corporate manufacturing manager. Husak's new position as leader of ASW's three manufacturing operations includes managing quality, productivity, cost control, safety, and scheduling throughout the company. Separately, the company has announced the hiring of Jim Rudolph as product manager and the promotion of Jeffrey Polantz to sales representative.