After 54 years of service as a ready mix truck driver, Wilbur Balmer departed from Ready Mixed Concrete Co. of Lancaster (Pa.) in a blaze of glory. His November 2002 retirement at the age of 77 followed an impeccable tour of duty during which he had no vehicle accidents, on or off site, nor a single “driver error rejected load.” Accordingly, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) has named Mr. Balmer the winner of its 2002 Ready Mixed Concrete Truck Driver of the Year contest.

A $5,000 check from the Truck Mixer Manufacturers Bureau will be awarded to Mr. Balmer in recognition of more than half a century of service to the concrete industry. Judges of the contest, cosponsored by NRMCA and Concrete Products magazine, concur that the pool of contestants was of the highest caliber, rendering Mr. Balmer's award especially meaningful.

Wilbur Balmer was employed by Ephrata, Pa.-based Kurtz Bros. until its 1984 acquisition by Ready Mixed of Lancaster. He began hauling concrete with a 3-yd. mixer, working with approximately a third — or less — of the load-carrying capacity of the current 8-11 yd. models. Even during the last five years of his career, following hip replacement surgery, Mr. Balmer averaged nearly 5,000 yd. of concrete delivered per year. When doctors advised him to retire six years ago after surgery because the rigors of hauling concrete would be too stressful, he instead obtained aluminum chutes — and continued driving for another five years.

Four sons who own a contracting company, Balmer Bros. Concrete, carry on the Balmer tradition. If the old adage “like father, like son” holds true, we haven't heard the last of that name yet.