NRMCA chairman, committees honor annual award recipients

Convening last month in Las Vegas, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association committees and divisions recognized individuals and groups for association and industry contributions. Concrete Products joins NRMCA in saluting those honored during the 2017 convention, by AWARD:

WILLIAM B. ALLEN



Martin Ozinga, III

The Business Administration Committee (BAC) presented Martin Ozinga, III, chairman of Mokena, Ill.-based Ozinga Bros. Inc., the 2016 William B. Allen Award for outstanding leadership and commitment to high standards in business acumen. Those qualities underpinned the instrumental role he played in growing a family business from a strong Chicago market footprint to a major player in the states surrounding Lake Michigan. Now the industry’s largest independent ready mixed producer, Ozinga Bros. and its principal business, Ozinga Ready Mixed Concrete, operate under President and CEO Martin Ozinga, IV and his five brothers. The award honors longtime BAC and NRMCA member William Allen, whose 55-year career in concrete and aggregates production and management consulting began at a family-owned ready mixed operation.

CONCRETE CARES

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Martin Ozinga, IV

The Manufacturers, Products & Services Division presented the 2017 Concrete Cares Award to Ozinga Bros. in recognition of its long-time community commitments and work on behalf of the PulteGroup Built to Honor program. The producer partnered with the builder last year, donating aggregate and ready mixed concrete for a mortgage-free home in Yorkville, Ill., awaiting retired U.S. Army Sergeant Broderick Richmond and his family.

A Chicago native, Sgt. Richmond joined the Army in 2006, served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was wounded in the latter country in 2008. A Purple Heart recipient, he was selected for the 2,600-sq.-ft. home after applying through the Military Warriors Support Foundation. The nonprofit organization supports the nation’s combat wounded heroes through home donations, academic and employment assistance, and recreational activities. PulteGroup engaged Ozinga Bros. materials, logistics and concrete staff regarding participation in a project scheduled to culminate this month. Accepting the Concrete Cares Award was Ozinga Bros. CEO Marty Ozinga, IV.

BUILDINGS PROMOTER OF THE YEAR

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Bill Childs

The Promotion Committee’s Buildings Promoter of 2017 is Bill Childs, president and chief executive officer of Maryland-based Chaney Enterprises. The award recognizes outstanding contributions in support of concrete building promotion by an individual from an NRMCA producer member. Childs has helped shape NRMCA’s Build with Strength campaign, aimed at promoting cast-in-place methods for low- to mid-rise buildings nationally. Closer to home, he has a) spearheaded public awareness and state government relations measures to tighten wood-friendly building codes; and, b) leveraged the Build with Strength-backed Concrete Design Center to compel the developer of a 317-unit, 450,000-sq.-ft. multifamily property to revisit wood construction specifications in favor of insulating concrete form walls and precast hollow core plank floor components.

RICHARD D. GAYNOR

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Thomas Adams

The Research Engineering & Standards (RES) Committee named American Coal Ash Association Executive Director Thomas Adams recipient of the 2017 Richard D. Gaynor Award. The Committee especially notes diligent efforts early in his ACAA tenure, when he helped a broad coalition of industry stakeholders prevent Environmental Protection Agency designation of fly ash and other coal combustion products as hazardous waste.

A past RES Committee chairman and NRMCA director, Adams is also credited with assisting in development of the Certified Concrete Sales Professional Program, plus contributions to additional certification and research undertakings, along with the Concrete in Practice series. He joined the RES Committee in 1980, shortly after taking a sales and technical service position with the Michigan operations of Ernst Concrete & Supply. That tour of duty served as a springboard for participation in Michigan Ready Mixed Concrete Association and NRMCA committee work, plus American Concrete Institute and American Shotcrete Association staff positions—ahead of his current ACAA role.

JOSEPH E. CARPENTER

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Jeffrey Hinkle

The Operations, Environmental & Safety Committee (OES) named Jeffrey Hinkle, transportation manager for North Carolina-based Chandler Concrete Co., the 2017 Joseph E. Carpenter Award recipient. Members cite a deep track record of OES activity support, especially: Critical 2013 testimony on Capitol Hill regarding federal Hours of Service rules for commercial vehicle drivers, leading to ready mixed producers’ 30-minute break exemption; contributions to NRMCA’s “A Day in the Life of a Ready Mixed Concrete Driver” recruitment video; and, assistance in developing and building the National Mixer Driver Championship. A 30-year veteran of fleet management, including 18 years with Chandler Concrete, Hinkle chaired the OES Operations Task Group prior to serving as 2014-2016 Committee chair.

An equipment and fleet management manager at West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Rinker Materials, Joseph Carpenter was instrumental in forming the NRMCA Committee on Maintenance, which has since evolved to OES.

PAVEMENT PROMOTER OF THE YEAR

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Dave Gray

The Promotion Committee named GCC of America Market Manager Dave Gray Pavement Promoter of 2017. A 26-year cement and concrete industry veteran, he has most recently focused on specialty products, experimenting with expansive or fast setting cements for pavement and concrete overlay mixtures. His work with Colorado Ready Mixed Concrete Association and NRMCA Local Paving staff secured concrete overlay specifications for large projects, most notably John Elway automobile dealerships throughout the Denver market, plus Pinehurst County Club, encompassing nearly 250,000 square feet of thin slab area. Gray is also credited with prioritizing contractor involvement in concrete pavement and overlay promotion, and leveraging NRMCA and CRMCA resources to expand the use of ready mixed in new parking lot construction.

STATE ASSOCIATION OF THE YEAR

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Todd Ohlheiser

The Construction Industry Alliances Committee named Colorado Ready Mixed Concrete Association State Association of 2016, noting the group’s adoption of the NRMCA Build with Strength campaign and plan to drive the message throughout the state; promotion, training and outreach efforts involving municipalities and commercial construction interests; development of an app for members and project stakeholders to evaluate whether testing personnel in the field are performing ASTM procedures correctly; and, engaging with peer construction and materials groups behind a 527 organization targeting statewide issues, including a 2017 ballot initiative for infrastructure funding. Accepting the award was CRMCA Executive Director Todd Ohlheiser.