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Association & Industry News
Longtime NRMCA member and industry supporter Robert F. Strayer of Associate member Erie Strayer Co. died Wednesday, October 7, at 74 years old from complications from heart surgery. Mr. Strayer was chairman of the NRMCA Manufacturers Division from 1990-1992 and also chairman of the Concrete Plant Manufacturers Bureau from 1994-1996. He is survived by his wife, Susan Fish Strayer; daughter Shelby Strayer Roberts and son Kyle Flynn Strayer along with numerous other family members. He was the son of Erie Strayer founder Hamilton W. Strayer and was president and CEO at the time of his death. Please click here and here for more information on Mr. Strayer's life and legacy along with funeral and memorial contribution details. 
Buildings
Martha Herrera Gonzalez is co-president of the Private Sector Alliance for the Creation of Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE) from the United Nations' Office of Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), president of the ARISE Network in Mexico, president of the UN Global Compact network in Mexico, president of NEO Nuevo Leon (a multisectoral alliance for the employability of youth in Latin America), RedEAmerica in Latin America (network that promotes development of sustainable communities in Latin America) and president of the Human Development Committee of the state of Nuevo Leon Council. All this while functioning as global director of responsible business at CEMEX and director of CEMEX-Tec Center for Sustainable Communities. Ms. Herrara is a social and inclusive activist, passionate about women and youth empowerment, social innovation and a firm believer in the creation of strategic alliances to scale efforts. She will be keynote speaker for Week Two of the Global Concrete Summit, scheduled for November 30 - December 10. Her presentation will discuss the imperative for building resilient communities. Register here using coupon code NRMCA40 for a 40% discount. Contact Lionel Lemay at LLemay@nrmca.org for questions and sponsorship opportunities.
Government Affairs
Construction has begun on the center (rendering seen here), which includes a 16,000 square foot building that will focus on delivering technical-career education and a 200 x 400 foot dome for indoor equipment and skills training. The training center is for Knife River employees and those interested in construction-related careers. NRMCA’s Workforce Development and Government Affairs teams supported Knife River’s tour with Rep. DeFazio and applaud Knife River’s efforts to promote workforce training programs and engage with key Members of Congress. Click here to read an article on the subject by the Albany (OR) Democrat-Herald. For more information, contact Andrew Tyrrell at atyrrell@nrmca.org or Eileen Dickson at edickson@nrmca.org.
The early bird registration deadline is Friday, October 23, for the Global Concrete Summit conference and expo, scheduled online for November 30 - December 10. NRMCA, Grey Matters, and other partners and sponsors are hosting this first-of-a-kind virtual conference to bring practitioners, researchers and policy makers together to exchange the latest ideas, knowledge and tools to build the future of concrete construction. After October 23, the registration fee increases. Click here to register and use Coupon Code NRMCA40 at checkout to receive a 40% discount. For more information, contact Lionel Lemay at LLemay@nrmca.org. 
Pavement
For more Information, contact Don Clem at dclem@nrmca.org. 
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Business Advancement
Please attend or assign your workforce staff specialist to participate in this Friday’s (October 16) online NRMCA Workforce Development Committee meeting from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Eastern time. This venue offers the opportunity to those who normally do not travel to participate. NRMCA realizes our members’ workforces are inextricably linked to the vitality and the profitably of the ready mixed concrete business. Only through participation can the “rising tide lift all boats.” Click here to register. For more information, contact Eileen Dickson at edickson@nrmca.org. If you're planning to attend NRMCA’s Plant Manager Certification Course, please register as soon as possible; seats are filling quickly. In response to everyone’s safety during the pandemic, the class will be virtual and launch on Friday, December 11. Once the class is in motion, attendees can assess class lectures at their own pace through December 17 when NRMCA will host a Q & A session. The class will conclude on Friday, December 18, when participants will take the two certification exams virtually. This course establishes the basic industry standard for ready mixed concrete plant managers, operators and batch personnsel, measured through certification and meeting the requirements of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' specification for its contracts. Click here to learn more and to register. For more information, contact Gary Mullings at gmullings@nrmca.org. Engineering
The following courses, typically offered in person, have been scheduled for online offerings: Concrete Technologist Training and Certification (Short Course) is typically presented over one week; it offers the NRMCA Concrete Technologist Level 2 and Level 3 certifications. The course is now scheduled online from November 2 through 13. Sessions will be offered between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. between November 2 and 10. The exams are then scheduled for November 13. Pre-course study materials are available and books have to be shipped to registrants. Click here for more information and to register. Improving Concrete Quality is scheduled online November 16 and 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern time each day. Course content will be typically uploaded for registrants to access. The live session webinars will be recorded for registrants to access in case of a schedule conflict. Click here for more information and to register. The NRMCA Research Engineering and Standards (RES) Committee met in a virtual meeting on October 12. The meeting was attended by 50 members who discussed initiatives in standards impacting the industry, quality resources, research activities, initiatives to improve testing of concrete, plant certification, member engagement for better use and awareness of quality and technical resources, and several other NRMCA technical initiatives. The committee received updates from the Concrete Pavement Technology Center and the Portland Cement Association. It also completed two additional topics in the Technology in Practice series: a preconstruction checklist on pumping and a guide to improving specifications for concrete. These documents will be published shortly. Members also selected a recipient for the 2021 Richard D. Gaynor award. For more information contact Karthik Obla at kobla@nrmca.org or Colin Lobo at clobo@nrmca.org. The CP Tech Center is offering a series of webinars for DOT, local and regional tranportation officials and consultants beginning on Tuesday, October 20:
Each webinar begins at noon Central time. Click here for more information and registration links. 
Calendar
*Please note that e-mail and direct links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's Web site. October 19 - 23, Online Course October 21-23, 28-30, Online Course November 2-3, 5-6, 9-10, 13, Online Course November 16 – 20, Online Course November 16 – 17, Online Course November 30 - December 10 Online Conference and Expo December 11 – 18, Online Course December 14 – 18, Online Course 2021 January 26 – 29, Charlotte, NC February 10 – 12, Dallas March 23 – 26, Boston |
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Last week, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR) toured the site of NRMCA member Knife River Corporation’s future training center where the company will house education and training programs for the ready mixed concrete and construction industries workforce. Rep. DeFazio, who chairs the influential House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is one of Congress’s most outspoken and ardent supporters of infrastructure, and the architect of the one-year FAST Act extension. The House-passed H.R. 2 also included important workforce development legislation known as the BUILDS Act, which provides federal grants for industry partnerships that foster workforce development programs. (H.R. 2 was not passed by the Senate and has not become law.)
NRMCA Vice President, Local Paving, Don Clem reports that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has recently completed a concrete overlay over an existing asphalt parking lot at its Little Snake Field office in Craig, CO (shown here). BLM engineers used the National Concrete Pavement Techology Center's Guide to Concrete Overlays of Asphalt Parking Lots for design guidance as well as overall support from NRMCA and the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center. Concrete for the project was supplied by NRMCA Producer member Peak Ready Mix and by MSG Ready Mix.