NRMCA e-news
NRMCA members have elected the following slate of officers during its annual convention held earlier this month in Las Vegas just before the CONEXPO-CON/AGG Show. The Association’s new chairman is Scott Parson of Producer member Staker Parson Companies and Oldcastle Materials Co., Ogden, UT. Mr. Parson succeeds Ted Chandler of Chandler Concrete Co., Wilmington, NC. Elected vice chairman was Rodney Grogan of MMC Materials, Inc., Madison, MS, and the new secretary/treasurer is William Sandbrook of U.S. Concrete, Inc., Euless, TX.
 
"Ready mixed concrete is one of the most flexible, durable and widely used building materials and is included in nearly every construction project," said Parson upon being elected. "I am humbled and honored to have been chosen by my peers to help lead the NRMCA. Our association provides a wealth of resources to help members succeed by improving the products we produce, the projects we supply and our people working in the industry. NRMCA’s advocacy, education, engineering, operations, promotion and research teams are hard at work every day strengthening our industry for our members and customers."
 
Each of the three new officers has begun serving a one-year term which concludes at NRMCA’s 2018 convention.
 
Schwing America, Inc. Fritz-Pak Corporation
Pavement
In 1991, a group of Vietnamese Catholics purchased an old movie theater in Wheatridge, CO, and renovated it into the Queen of Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church, which continues to grow today. What’s unique is the concrete overlay (3 ½ inches, 147,000 square feet) that the parishioners of the church built by hand to complete the renovation. They used 2 x 4 wood forms to build the overlay in strips directly on the old asphalt pavement. The concrete was supplied by NRMCA Producer member Flannigan Ready Mixed Concrete (now Aggregate Industries). NRMCA Vice President, Local Paving, Don Clem noted that after 25 years of service, the concrete lot (shown below) still welcomes parishioners and over the years has required very little maintenance.
  
 
 
NRMCA Vice President, Local Paving, Don Clem noted that after 25 years of service, the concrete lot (shown here) still welcomes parishioners and over the years has required very little maintenance.
 For more information, contact Don Clem at dclem@nrmca.org.
 
 
Association & Industry News
Mark Helm, chief executive of Oklahoma City-based and NRMCA Producer member Dolese Bros. has been elected chairman of the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA). His election took place at NSSGA’s 2017 annual convention in Las Vegas. Helm succeeds Hal Williford, Jr, president of the Memphis (TN) Stone and Gravel Company.
 
In related news, NSSGA unveiled its Rocks Build America 2020 strategic plan. It outlines four areas of focus to direct the growth and success of the association for the next three years. "What we’ve developed here is a great plan for this industry and association, and I am excited to be the first chairman to execute the Rocks Build America 2020 plan," Helm said.
 
The next public Webinar in the series offered by the MIT CSHub will take place on Thursday, March 30, and will take a look at pavement life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) price projection modeling. Webinars are free and open to the public, but advance registration is required.
 
Click here to register and here to view CSHub's full newsletter.
 
WAM USA, Inc. CarbonCure Technologies Inc.
Government Affairs
Media articles on Congress, transportation infrastructure, regulation, taxes and other subjects, each of which relate to the ready mixed concrete industry, are updated each week by NRMCA's Government Affairs staff. To access the most recent compilation of articles for March 20 - 24, 2017, please click here.

If you would like to receive this weekly updated link in a separate e-mail, or if you have questions or comments about the roundup, contact NRMCA’s Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org.
 
On March 22, 2017, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) officially withdrew its proposed rule on Carrier Safety Fitness Determination (SFD). This proposed rule would have changed the methodology for issuing SFD for motor carriers, determining safety fitness by compiling on-board safety data, an investigation, or a combination of both.
 
Secretary of Labor nominee Alex Acosta sailed through his confirmation hearing last week before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The Committee is expected to vote on his confirmation later this week and favorably recommend him to the full Senate.
 
BASF Construction Chemicals True Dispatch
OES
Last week, the Trump Administration’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) was busy exercising its new directive of regulatory reform. In the span of a week, FMCSA formally withdrew its controversial proposed Safety Fitness Determination (SFD) rule, put its finalized negotiated rulemaking Entry-Level Driver Training rule on hold until May and granted an exemption from the problematic Hours of Service (HOS) 30-minute break provision for concrete pump truck drivers.
 
McNeilus Truck & Manufacturing, Inc. The Euclid Chemical Company
Engineering
The Florida Department of Transportation has released a report that explores alternative materials that can be used as supplementary cementitious materials in concrete. The report can be accessed here.
 
The American Concrete Institute recognized NRMCA with the Henry C. Turner Medal at its spring convention in Detroit this week. The recognition is for extraordinary support of the concrete industry through commitment to professional development, promotion and partnering. The award was presented by ACI President Mike Schneider with Baker Concrete to NRMCA Executive Vice President, Engineering, Colin Lobo who is attending the ACI convention.
 
Xypex Chemical Corp
Education & Training
NRMCA's CCSP series schedule, to be held in Silver Spring, MD (metro Washington, DC) is as follows: 
• Module 1: Concrete 101: October 10-13, 2017
• Module 2: Understand the Contractor's Business: December 5-7, 2017
• Module 3: RMC Business Knowledge: January 16-18, 2018
• Module 4: Professional Sales Skills and Promotion: March 27-29, 2018.

These four classes are required to earn certification in the Sales and Promotion STEPS career program. They are standalone courses so they do NOT have to be taken consecutively. Therefore, if someone is missing a couple of classes, they are most welcome. This is the perfect time to refresh skills in preparation for the projected rebound in Spring 2018. Earn the industry's prestigious capstone certification, CCPf .
 
Registration is open for each module. A discount is extended for those who register for the series. For more information, contact NRMCA's Eileen Dickson at edickson@nrmca.org.
 
Calendar
*Please note that e-mail and direct links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's Web site.

April 25 – 28, Seattle
Plant Manager Certification Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
June 6 – 8, Atlanta
Concrete Durability Course
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
October 10 – 13, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module I: Concrete 101
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
November 8, Salt Lake City
Handling Concrete Specifications
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
December 5 – 7, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module III: General Business Knowledge
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
2018
 
March 27 – 29, Silver Spring, MD
CCSP Module IV: Professional Sales Skills
Email: Jessica Walgenbach, 888-84-NRMCA, x1152
 
Quad-Lock Building Systems Ltd. Mack Trucks, Inc.