ORGANIZATIONS – AUGUST 2017

After working with the Concrete Reinforcement Steel Institute since 2011 as a founding cosponsor, the American Concrete Institute is exclusively overseeing Adhesive Anchor Installer (AAI) certification. Developed in response to a National Transportation Safety Board request following a fatal Boston Central Artery/Tunnel precast panel anchor failure, the certification program is now available in 40-plus locations.

“CRSI was instrumental in bringing this program to ACI and participating in its development and launch,” says ACI Managing Director of Certification John Nehasil. “Their involvement, along with anchor manufacturers and ACI, demonstrated industry solidarity at a crucial time. ACI now has program operation well in hand, and is in a solid position to promote and expand AAI [certification].”

An AAI Certification committee maintains a CRSI representative member to monitor developments in program content and operation. Certification indicates that an individual a) has demonstrated the ability to read, comprehend, and execute instructions to properly install adhesive anchors in concrete; and, b) knows how to properly assess ambient and concrete conditions, materials, equipment, and tools attending anchor installation.

SAI Global recently became the ACI’s newest distributor of Institute-published content, which can be accessed digitally and on-demand by multiple employees at the same time, at multiple locations worldwide, and bundled with content from other publishers. ACI distributor network members also offer traditional printed content.

Following a rigorous review and documentation process, Arcom has elected to include National Precast Concrete Association Plant Certification in precast related content of the MasterSpec program, which the Salt Lake City firm operates for the American Institute of Architects. Architects and engineers use MasterSpec to create construction specifications and choose from prequalified certification programs; the change in precast concrete content will push NPCA certification into more contract documents.

“The addition of NPCA’ s certification program is a significant boost for Certified Plants and a high-level recognition of the program,” says NPCA President Ty Gable. Citing five-plus years of work with Arcom by NPCA Director of Certification & Regulator Services Rich Krolewski, he adds, “This was no easy task. It took persistence and lots of documentation, but the end result achieved on behalf of our members is substantial.”



Frank Wawrzos

CTLGroup, a Skokie, Ill., engineering and materials science firm, has appointed Frank Wawrzos as director of Marketing and Business Development. He is tasked with building and implementing business plans that grow market share, increase brand equity, create differentiation, and promote solution value propositions. He brings 12 years of marketing and business development experience in such areas as construction materials, industrial minerals, plastics and polymers, plus 15 years in research & development.