June 2014, Vol. 69, No. 6
Features
NTA Holds Annual Meeting At UCT
The Northeast Trenchless Association (NTA) kicked off the new year with its first-ever annual meeting held outside New England.
The event was held in Houston in conjunction with the annual Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition. (UCT).
“A trip to Southeast Texas in late January seemed like a great way to get away from the winter weather in the Northeast,” said Shawn Ready, who took over as association president at the meeting. “A large contingent made the trip and was greeted in Texas by 20-degree temperatures and threat of an ice storm.”
Fortunately, the ice bypassed Houston and NTA members were able to spend time on the exhibit floor, participate in educational sessions and network with underground construction professionals from all parts of the country.
Founders Award
In addition to election of officers for 2014, the Association’s Founders Award was presented to Tod Cote, formerly of ECI Directional Drilling and now with King Pipeline. The award is presented annually to a NTA member who has contributed exceptional service to the association.
The annual meeting was not the only activity of the first quarter of the year. The NTA continued its collaboration with the Great Lakes Trenchless Association by participating in its annual meeting with a presentation on pipe bursting by NTA member Matt Timberlake.
In March, NTA members held the annual strategic planning session to coordinate the year’s events and update the association’s strategic plan for future years.
Ready said significant initiatives for 2014 include:
• A “shop talk” session will be held in Henniker, NH, to provide members and field staff a round table of topics affecting the industry and region and discuss best practices members have used to help increase successful applications of trenchless construction in the Northeast;
• The tradition of an NTA Summer Outing to be scheduled in August in Maine; and
• The 2014 Municipal Outreach Forum will be held in October in the Boston area with a program that includes tracks on basic trenchless construction methods. The forum is a cooperative effort of the NTA, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NASSCO (National Association of Sewer Service Companies), IPBA (International Pipe Bursting Association) and Dig Safe, New England’s One-Call agency.
The NTA is composed of trenchless technology contractors, suppliers and engineers – all volunteers dedicated to the quality improvement of the trenchless industry in the region.
Information about NTA activities and events and member benefits are on the association’s web site, www.northeasttrenchless.org. Visitors to the site can sign up to receive NTA’s quarterly newsletter.
SIDEBAR
2014 NTA Officers
Northeast Trenchless Association 2014 officers elected at the 2014 annual meeting are: President Shawn Ready, Ted Berry Company Inc.; Secretary Matt Boeh, UGSI; and Treasurer Bruce Hubbard, ETTI (retired).
Past presidents of the association continue to serve on the board of directors.
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