t AGGREGATE TECHNOLOGIES HIRES GREG MAJOR

Aggregate Technologies has hired Greg Major, a 30-year veteran of the piling and concrete cutting industry. Major has worked on numerous pile cutting and crushing projects throughout the world in his impressive career, and adds a vast amount of knowledge and experience to the team.

Major was hired to expand Aggregate Technologies’ pile cut-ting, crushing and concrete cutting operations in North America and globally. Aggregate Technologies’ patented Pile Cutting Machine (PCM), with its one man and one machine concept, is the safest and most efficient way to cut concrete, steel and timber piles. The patented machine and process has revolutionized the pile cutting industry. What would normally take multiple people and multiple pieces of equipment – along with the risk of injuries – has been revolutionized. This process can now be done with one man in a climate-controlled cab performing all of the operations – this includes holding the pile, cutting the pile and laying the cut piece to the side for disposal.

Due to the success of the machine and innovative process, Aggregate Technologies currently has four machines. With the addition of Greg Major, the company is planning to expand and add additional machines to the fleet to meet the demands of the market.

t NICK OWEIS, P.E. OF ELLIS AND ASSOCIATES RECEIVES AWARD

Nick Oweis received a First Coast Manufacturers Association’s (FCMA) Crane Award in recog-nition of his contributions to the success and longevity of Ellis & Associates, Inc. (E&A) during his 19 years of service. The FCMA Crane Awards annual banquet was held at the University of North Florida Adam W. Herbert University Center, in Jacksonville, Fla. on March 6.

Oweis, a partner in the firm, is E&A’s chief engineer, director of construction materials testing (CMT) services and is also direc-tor of building inspections through the City of Jacksonville Private Provider Program. Oweis assumed the role of chief engineer and

director of CMT services in 2003 and previously served as the geotechnical engineering manager from 2000 to 2003 and senior project engineer from 1996 to 2000. He is a licensed professional engineer in Florida, Georgia and Alabama and he is a certified building inspection engineer.

“Since he joined the firm in 1996, he’s been asked to take on numerous technical and management roles throughout the com-pany and has excelled each and every time. I’m very proud to have Nick as a partner, as a senior manager and as a friend,” said E&A’s president, Greg A. Edmonds, P.E.

t GRL ENGINEERS, INC. OPENS ITS 10TH BRANCH OFFICE

GRL Engineers, Inc. has announced the March 16 opening of its 10th branch office, in the Houston metropolitan area.

“We will be opening this office to better serve the needs of our growing client base in Texas,” said Pat Hannigan, president of GRL.

The office will be staffed by Brandon Phetteplace and man-aged by Camilo Alvarez, who together will bring more than 22 years of experience in dynamic testing and quality assurance meth-ods for deep foundations to the Texas market. Both men hold mas-ter level certificates on the PDCA/PDI Dynamic Measurement and Analysis Proficiency Test.

Alvarez, who has a MS in civil engineering from Case Western Reserve University, is a registered professional engineer in multiple states. He will manage the Texas office in addition to the Colorado and California offices. Phetteplace has a BS in civil engineering from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio and a BS in physics from the State University of New York at Fredonia.

As all other GRL offices, the Texas office will provide dynam-ic testing services (PDA) on driven pile foundations as well as other testing services. The office will also provide wave equation analysis, SPT Hammer and Becker Drill calibration, and other specialty services and analyses.

Phetteplace may be reached at bphetteplace@grlengineers.com or 832-389-1156.

t NEW HIRES AT EQUIPMENT CORPORATION OF AMERICA

Gordian Ulrich, engineering sales managerEquipment Corporation of America (ECA) has hired Gordian Ulrich as engineering sales manager. He will be responsible for BAUER technical applications and advancement of its available technology in the Eastern United States and Canada.

Ulrich graduated from the glob-ally renowned Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Fredericiana) in Germany. He studied geotechni-cal engineering while working at

his father’s consulting company. In 2007, he joined BAUER Maschinen Germany. Over the next seven years he travelled world-wide for BAUER, doing start-ups, providing training and consult-ing for customers and salespeople. Ulrich and his family moved to Canada to work for ECA following the arrival of their first child.

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“Gordian has an exceptional handle on BAUER machin-ery and will bring that expertise to ECA customers,” said ECA’s executive vice president, Ben Dutton. “His technical background and field experience will enhance equipment applications for our diverse BAUER product line.”

John Devine, Midwest regional sales managerECA has named John Devine Midwest regional sales man-ager. He will manage all of the firm’s product lines in Western Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota.

Devine has 25 years of construction equipment sales experience in his coverage area.

His specialties include sales management, branch management and territory and product line expansion in both distribution and manufacturing.

“We look forward to John’s contribution to ECA due to his wealth of experience in the manufacturing and distribution of construction equipment,” said Dutton. “His local knowledge and reputation will complement the ECA brand.”

Devine graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. He enjoys hunt-ing, recreational sports and home improvement projects in his spare time.

t PDCA INTERN AND COOPERATIVE STUDENT PROGRAMS

PDCA developed the promotion of a Student Summer Intern and Cooperative Program for PDCA members. There is no time like the present to bring this important PDCA program back to the attention of our members – summer is just around the corner and students at both the undergraduate and gradu-ate levels are looking for summer employment.

Members of PDCA have had great success employing coop students and/or summer interns that are enrolled in schools of building construction, construction management and engineer-ing at college undergraduate and graduate levels. This program

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is a PDCA member service/benefit, and will be available only to PDCA members.

PDCA established this program in 2014 to help facilitate the placement of students with PDCA member companies. With the recent formation of the PDCA/USUCGER Joint Council, the intern program now has direct access to advertise company openings through the 120 colleges and universities that are USUCGER members, which will help not only pro-mote the program, but also facilitate a greater chance of stu-dent participation.

The benefit to the PDCA member comes in the form of a willing and hardworking student who wants to learn more about and work in the driven pile industry; quality and reliable summer employment that can be very economical for the level of work performed; experienced candidates available for full-time employment upon graduation; and more college students familiar with and inclined to promote driven piles once active in the deep foundations industry.

The benefit to the student comes in the form of practical knowledge of the foundation industry, specifically driven piles, which he/she can utilize when performing or designing foun-dations – this is a benefit to both interns and pile drivers. For coop students the program also provides a convenient way for finding companies willing to provide a real world working place and professional support for gaining not only practical knowl-edge but also college credit hours

PDCA has a USUCGER form available that companies can fill out to identify available intern positions during the summer and/or fall of 2015. The form will include all necessary information about the position to allow interested students to contact the supporting company. The information will be posted on the USUCGER website developed exclusively for the PDCA/USUCGER collaborative program. PDCA is still working with USUCGER to develop details of the coop pro-gram. Visit piledrivers.org for more information.

The intern and coop programs will help PDCA and USUCGER establish the connection between student and company. Company and student can then negotiate a short-term employer/employee agreement that is satisfactory to both. PDCA and USUCGER will only act as facilitators and will not participate in any aspect of the hiring process – this is strictly between employer and employee. t

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