MCIA receives Association of the Year award

Mississippians involved in the Ready Mixed Concrete Industry have recently been recognized by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) for their contributions in the areas of promotion, education, advocacy and research.

Mississippi received one of NRMCA's State Association of the Year awards given during a ceremony held at NRMCA's convention in Las Vegas. Robert Varner, executive director of the Mississippi Concrete Industries Association (MCIA), accepted the award.

Dave Robison, president of Delta Industries and an MCIA board member, was pleased to know that his association had been chosen to receive the award.

"The Mississippi association is not a social club," said Robison. "There is a tremendous amount of involvement by the member companies to improve the ready mix concrete industry in our state through training events, promotions and schools."

The Mississippi Concrete Industries Association is a non-profit trade association that represents 72 concrete and related industries in Mississippi. The association focuses on expanding concrete markets and improving the quality of concrete construction in Mississippi.

SCAN holds annual forum in Biloxi

The 2005 Southeast Concrete Alliance Network (SCAN) annual workshop was held recently in Biloxi, Miss., at the Beau Rivage Hotel.

The Mississippi Department of Transportation served as this year's host to more than 125 participants across the southeastern region.

In conjunction with a presentation by MDOT on the use of concrete pavement repair techniques, the highway department hosted a tour of a recently repaired 54-year-old jointed concrete pavement.

Other topics included in the three-day conference were:

• Southeast state DOT reports on concrete pavement use

• Concrete pavement design and specifications

• Use of concrete pavement recycling and experiences with new technologies

• Effects of bases on concrete pavement Performance

Contractors participating in a "ask the industry" panel included Chairman Rick Brockman of Costello Industries, Joe Bush of McCarthy Improvement Co., Dan Rowzee of APAC-Tennessee and Terry Kraemer of Diamond Surfaces.

They shared ideas on constructing or preserving concrete pavements. Many of the questions from the audience pertained to building longer-lasting pavements under today's traffic conditions.

A workshop featured 13 exhibitors, as well as an awards program recognizing some of the higher quality projects recently completed across the southeast. District and project level engineers from the Alabama Department of Transportation, Mississippi Department of Transportation, South Carolina Department of Transportation and Georgia Department of Transportation were present to receive recognition for their award winning projects.

SCAN is an organization comprised of seven southeastern states in cooperation with academia, industry and FHWA. The vision of SCAN is to continuously improve concrete pavement performance and durability in a cost-effective manner.

ACPA-SE is a charter member and supporting organization. Offices are located in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee, Georgia and the Carolinas.