 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Association & Industry News
Please be aware that NRMCA has received several reports of unauthorized companies contacting attendees to offer assistance with hotel reservations. These companies are not affiliated with NRMCA or the official event hotel and are not authorized to book rooms on our behalf. To ensure you receive the guaranteed group rate and a valid reservation, please book your accommodations only through the official hotel link provided to you through your event registration confirmation. Using unofficial vendors may result in higher charges, false reservations or no reservation at all. If you are contacted by anyone offering to book your room or claiming to represent NRMCA housing, please do not engage. As a reminder, NRMCA encourages you to practice safe cybersecurity habits. Avoid clicking on suspicious links or attachments, do not share your passwords and report any unusual activity in accordance with your organization’s established procedures. For more information on NRMCA's ConcreteWorks, contact Jessica Walgenbach at jwalgenbach@nrmca.org. Discover the perfect platform to showcase your products and services and maximize your reach by connecting with potential customers at NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks 2025. Exhibitor information and the full Exhibitor Prospectus is now available online. To secure your space, complete the Exhibit Booth Application and Contract and return it to NRMCA along with the required payment.
Buildings
Attendees at the recent American Institute of Architects Dallas Credit Carnival & Allied Expo were offered a compelling vision for the future of concrete and construction resilience courtesy of NRMCA Vice President, Building Innovations, Michael Wymant. His presentation, A Roadmap to Concrete Decarbonization and Building Resilience, highlighted NRMCA's proactive approach to addressing climate change and enhancing the durability of our built environment.
Against the backdrop of a full day of continuing education and a bustling Allied Expo, Wymant articulated clear pathways for reducing the carbon footprint of concrete, a material often scrutinized for its environmental impact. His roadmap delved into innovative solutions such as the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), advancements in concrete mix designs, and strategies for carbon capture and utilization. Beyond environmental considerations, Wymant also emphasized the crucial role of modern concrete practices in bolstering building resilience. In an era of increasing extreme weather events, the inherent strength and durability of concrete, coupled with innovative technologies, offer significant advantages in creating structures that can withstand these challenges.
The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) Northeast Region has named NRMCA Senior Director, Building Innovations, Frank Mruk, FAIA, RIBA, CSI, its next president. Mruk is an architect with over three decades of experience in the profession. In his current role at NRMCA, he works with architects, engineers, developers, specifiers and construction professionals, advocating for resilient construction and providing technical support at the national, state and local levels.
Ward R. Malisch of Lebanon, TN, died on Sunday, May 18. Mr. Malisch was most recently the director of engineering at the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) where he supported engineering and construction issues for contractor members; authored ASCC position statements and established the ASCC Hotline to respond to contractor and other questions on concrete materials and construction. He retired in 2020. Prior to ASCC, Ward served as senior managing director at the American Concrete Institute (ACI), editor-in-chief of Concrete Construction magazine, director of the World of Concrete seminar program and director of construction information services for the Portland Cement Association (now the American Cement Association). He was an Honorary Member and Fellow of ACI and an active member of several ACI committees on dealing with specifications, tolerances and construction of floors. Mr. Malisch was the recipient of several ACI awards and the ASCC Lifetime Achievement award. He also received NRMCA's Richard D. Gaynor Award in 2008. Mr. Malisch authored more than 200 articles, books, reports and papers and helped write and edit most of the NRMCA's CIP and TIP topics. He earned his bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. degrees in civil engineering from the University of Illinois; taught civil engineering subjects at three different universities and also managed a testing laboratory. He was a licensed professional engineer in several states.
The Concrete Advancement Foundation is pleased to share a new video resource created to support both state affiliates and industry partners in bringing the Skate4Concrete program to schools and communities across the country. Skate4Concrete is a nationally recognized certification program that introduces high school students to careers in the concrete industry through an immersive, hands-on experience in skatepark design and construction. This innovative program combines career-connected learning with practical, real-world application, offering students a meaningful pathway into the skilled trades. The video highlights the program’s core components, its alignment with workforce development goals, and the essential role both state affiliates and companies play in ensuring its successful implementation. By partnering with Skate4Concrete, organizations help bridge the gap between education and industry, strengthening workforce pipelines, expanding opportunities for students and supporting the growth of local communities. Click here to view the video. The Concrete Advancement Foundation is proud to fund Skate4Concrete. For more information on the Foundation or video, contact Julia Garbini at jgarbini@concreteadvancement.org. Learning & Development
The nomination window is still open for the 2025 - 2026 cohort of Developing Industry Leaders (DIL). This year the cohort will accept 24 learners: 18 from NRMCA Producer members, four from Associate members and two from state affiliate partners. Nominations will be accepted until Friday, June 20, or when the cohort fills (whichever comes first). As of today, Wednesday, May 21, 11 spots remain for Producer members and four for Associate members. The state affiliate slots are now filled. As the nominations are first received, first accepted, there is benefit in submitting as early as possible. Click here for more information on the program or by e-ailing Jeannette Munroe at jmunroe@nrmca.org. 
SEO
Last week, NRMCA communicated to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a lengthy list of regulations ripe for withdrawal and amendment. The submission was in response to OMB’s request for information (RFI) notice published back in April. OMB’s RFI solicited “proposals to rescind or replace regulations that stifle American businesses and American ingenuity… where costs exceed benefits, where the regulation is outdated or unnecessary, or where regulation is burdening American businesses in unforeseen ways.” NRMCA detailed regulations that covered environment, labor, safety, taxes and trucking issues that have burdened the ready mixed concrete industry. Remedies for the various regulations highlighted are aimed at reducing costs for concrete delivery and production operations, regulatory clarity and regulatory practicality. Similar regulatory issues were also communicated earlier this year to the Trump Administration transition team prior to President Trump’s inauguration. Since the new Administration came into office, the ready mixed concrete industry has seen movement on roughly 60% of these targeted regulations. For more information, contact Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org. 
As the demand for low-carbon concrete increases, opportunities exist to optimize concrete mixtures to achieve project goals of reduced embodied and operational emissions. This webinar helps one understand the impact of overdesigning concrete mixtures (the level of strength higher than the specified strength) on embodied emissions.
Engineering
The NRMCA Concrete Durability Course was offered as one of several course offerings during NRMCA’s Spring Semester Series held in Fort Lauderdale, FL, from May 5 - 7. There were 10 course attendees; it was taught by Kevin Folliard, professor at the University of Texas at Austin; Anton Schindler, professor at Auburn University and Colin Lobo of NRMCA. Attendees were well engaged in the detailed discussion of various durability mechanisms impacting concrete and ways to avoid them, including how these are addressed in industry codes and specifications. The course included a group case study to propose mixtures for a mass concrete member and to minimize the potential for corrosion using the TX ConcreteWorks model. The exam at the end of the course was attempted by nine personnel with seven passing. NRMCA Concrete Technologist Level 4 Certification was earned by six attendees. The highest score on the exam was obtained by Collin Bender with CarbonCure Technologies. The support and sponsorship of NRMCA Super sponsors (Chryso/Saint Gobain, Euclid Chemical, Master Builders Solutions and Sika) is acknowledged and attendees are congratulated for their involved participation. The next Concrete Durability Course is scheduled during the NRMCA Fall Semester Series from November 18 - 20 at the Omni Dallas Hotel in Dallas. Click here for Course Calendar; for more information contact Colin Lobo at clobo@nrmca.org. 
Calendar
*Please click here to access the relevant links for each of the entries listed below. This link also includes a link for the NRMCA Course Calender. September 8 - 12, Baltimore November 4 - 7, Atlanta November 17, Dallas November 17 - 18, Dallas November 17 - 18, Dallas November 17 - 18, Dallas November 17 - 19, Dallas November 17 - 19, Dallas November 18 - 20, Dallas November 20 - 21, Dallas November 20 - 21, Dallas November 20 - 21, Dallas December 9 - 10, Salt Lake City 
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
