April 2018 Vol. 73 No. 4
Features
DCA Convention Breaks Attendance, Auction Records
A record crowd of 508 people, including 75 first timers, attended the Distribution Contractors Association Annual Convention at the famous Monarch Beach Hotel in Dana Point, Calif., Feb. 25 to March 1.
The ocean-front venue provided breathtaking views and excellent facilities to accommodate the various needs of the convention. In addition to the well-received and often-inspiring slate of keynote speakers, the convention was filled with a mix of important business meetings and relaxing activities.
Well-known television personality Mike Rowe was one of the keynote speakers and entertained the audience with the story of his first “Dirty Job.” His talk also emphasized the need to rethink America’s workforce, which has become focused on a college degree when there are millions of high-quality jobs available that don’t require a degree.
Alan Mayberry, associate administrator for Pipeline Safety, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), kicked off the initial DCA business session. “The DCA is a very important group in my mind for two reasons. First, my background is distribution and I owe a lot to this industry. The second reason is that distribution has an extremely large impact on moving energy. There are 2.7 million miles of pipe in the U.S., and 80 percent is distribution.”
Mayberry highlighted several PHMSA focus areas impacting the industry, including safety management systems (SMS).
“SMS is a non-regulatory approach to pipeline safety,” Mayberry observed. “SMS has already been done in other industries. It incorporates continuous improvement.”
He also noted that serious accidents, from 1998 to 2017, have been declining. “Of course, our quest is to get to zero. But pipelines are very safe. We need to do a better job of getting that message out.”
Outgoing DCA President Dale Mykyte, of Pe Ben USA, told the large audience that “I want to thank the family at Pe Ben for allowing me to serve as president of the DCA – it’s been a lot of fun.
“Most of all, I want to thank Debbie (his wife) for putting up with my little fits each morning,” he joked.
Auction
The annual DCA Auction set a new record, with proceeds netting $1,080,000 and shattering last year’s record of $928,00. This spirited, annual event raises critical funds for the association that are used to support DCA educational programs, such as the workforce initiative. Also, proceeds support scholarships awarded to worthy candidates whose field of study will promote and/or enhance the industry. Since 1991, the DCA auction has raised almost $5 million.
The 2018 DCA officers are:
President – Jay Osborn, Primoris Services Corporation
Vice President – Michael Hickey, The Hallen Construction Co.
Treasurer – Ben Nelson, Michels Corporation
Immediate Past President – Dale Mykyte, Pe Ben USA
DCA Executive Vice President – Robert Darden
The new board of directors includes Pat Michels, past president director, Michels Corporation; and Steve Dockendorf, director-at-large, NPL Construction Co. Regular directors are: Daniel Carson, Carson Corporation; Tom Clapper, TekRock Trenching; Jim Lagios, Atlas Trenchless; Andy Miller, Alex E. Paris Contracting Co.; Kevin Parker, Mears Group; and Ray Swerdfeger, K. R. Swerdfeger Construction.
Associate member directors are Randy Hayes, Vacuworx, and Vince King, McElroy Manufacturing Inc.
The 2017 recipients of the prestigious Arthur T. Everham Safety Award were:
Under 199,999 hour category (tie) – Mid America Underground, Aurora, Ill.; and TekRock Trenching, Georgetown, Texas
In the 200,000 hours to 599,000 hours category – Hypower, Inc., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
600,000 Hours to 1,300,000 hours – Blackeagle Energy Services, Berthoud, Colo.
Over 1,300,000 Hours – Q3 Contracting, Little Canada, Minn.
The DCA Mid-Year meeting is scheduled for July 18-22 at the Tenaya Lodge Yosemite, in Fish Camp, Calif., and the Fall Meeting will be held in Minneapolis, Minn., Oct. 24-26. The DCA annual convention in 2019 will journey to the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar, in Nassau, The Bahamas, from March 5 to 10.
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