July 2024 Vol. 79 No. 7
Business
Business People
Avanti
The Avanti team is fueled by determination, vision, and a steadfast dedication to our core values of collaboration, enthusiasm, growth, and integrity. Our mission is to provide sustainable solutions for safer work environments and healthier communities everywhere. We pride ourselves in the level of education, training, and support services our team offers that are unmatched in the industry. One of the most important strategies we follow is education – the way forward.
As testament to our unwavering commitment to innovation, growth, and excellence in the injection grout industry, our company is evolving and with that comes change. Most recent are changes to the Sales and Support team, with directors being named to the markets Avanti serves.
- Chris Hamilton, Director-Municipal Division
Hamilton leads strategic initiatives and operations to support grouting projects for municipal/government entities, specifying engineers, and municipal contractors.
- Jacob Swanson, Director-Geotechnical Division
Swanson is spearheading and driving initiatives for the geotechnical market, forge strategic partnerships, and lead our efforts in advancing geotechnical solutions and ensuring top-notch project outcomes.
- Keith Sisson, Director-Industrial & Dealer Channel Divisions
Sisson oversees the development and execution of strategies to expand Avanti's dealer network, provide training and support, and ensure alignment with organizational goals and market demands.
- Chris M. Hamilton, Director-National Accounts
Chris M. Hamilton heads the strategic management of key client relationships and business development initiatives on a national scale, helping to drive growth and market expansion. The role involves collaborating cross-functionally to identify opportunities.
“Each of these Directors brings a wealth of experience, expertise, and fresh perspectives that will undoubtedly enrich our organization and contribute to our continued growth and success,” said Britt N. Babcock, president of Avanti. “Their backgrounds span various industries and disciplines, providing a diverse range of insights that will be invaluable as we navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
Avanti International is a leading producer of injection grouts for municipal, industrial, and geotechnical applications used worldwide to stop water leaks, stabilize soil and rock, and control groundwater permanently. Since its founding in 1978, Avanti has continually demonstrated commitment to high-quality injection grouts and unparalleled customer support, solidifying our reputation as an industry leader.
Felling Trailers
Laurie Engle hung up her headset and powered down her system for the last time as an inside trailer sales consultant, retiring after 32 years of dedicated service in the trailer manufacturing and sales industry.
Laurie's trailer tale started in the fall of 1991; Merle and Kathy Felling (founders of Felling Trailers) were in the midst of an office expansion. The local contractor running the expansion was Laurie’s husband.
Like many family-owned businesses, Laurie was lending a hand to complete the project, working on painting and staining. “I was painting in the office one day, and the phones were ringing off the hook. I asked the secretary at the time if they (Felling) ever needed help answering phone calls, and she replied sure do,” said Laurie. Not knowing much about trailers but willing to learn, she spoke with Merle later that day and expressed her interest in working for Felling Trailers.
After a bit of conversation, Merle said, "Yes, certainly, but we'll start you off in the Parts room, selling axles, brakes, sheet steel, etc., then transition into trailer sales.” Merle believed strongly that having a good foundation of knowledge about the components and construction of a trailer makes for a better salesperson. "That was the best thing he ever did! Within six months, I sold my first trailer to Landscape Designs out of Alexandria, Minn., and when I was asked about the components on the trailer, I had the answers right away with my experience in parts sales,” said Laurie.
With each decade that passed, the company never ceased to grow in one way or another. Merle strived to maintain an ongoing process of improving efficiencies with new equipment and cutting-edge technologies, expanding production space, and increasing the workforce.
Through the years, Laurie has built many working relationships with dealers and customers, solving transport problems other manufacturers said were unsolvable. Felling's Trailer Experts (Sales Team) work with dealers/customers to configure a trailer to meet the desired specifications and provide a custom solution.
"Laurie has been a fixture of Felling Trailers for a long time,” said Pat Jennissen, vice president of sales and marketing. “Her experience and customer service skills will be sorely missed. Felling Trailers is a better place because of Laurie Engle!"
Passing on a few words of wisdom to those who follow, Laurie said, "Work hard, no matter what your job is, whether it's on the phone getting the next sale or doing a fantastic job welding, painting, or finishing a trailer."
PPI
Each year the PPI membership reviews and votes on Project of the Year and a Member of the Year for each of the five PPI divisions - Building & Construction, Drainage, Energy Piping Systems, Municipal & Industrial, and Power & Communications. The PPI Member of the Year Award is for an individual’s outstanding support and contributions to the association and the industry.
PPI Building & Construction Division Member of the Year: Steve Sandstrum, Borealis
Steve Sandstrum is a long-term member of PPI serving in many roles, including leadership positions. He recently led the BCD R&D Task Group that developed PPI MS-8, “Model Specification for Polypropylene Pressure Piping Systems,” published in late 2023.
He is currently chairing the BCD Project to develop an ASTM standard practice for polypropylene fusion, which is anticipated to be published in 2024. He is also the chair of the Plastics Pipe Institute’s Sustainability Committee.
PPI Drainage Division Member of the Year: Stefan Lupke, president Corma, Inc.
Stefan Lupke has been participating in Drainage Division activities since the Corrugated Plastic Pipe Association (CORMA) joined PPI at the turn of the century. CORMA, where he serves as president and CEO, has been an integral part of the CPPA and PPI for decades, routinely sponsoring events at PPI meetings.
Lupke has served on the Drainage Management Committee for multiple terms as a Supplier Representative. In 2020 he agreed to serve as vice chair, and in 2022 was voted chair of the Drainage Management Committee, the first Supplier Representative to do so for the division and becoming a member of the association’s Board of Directors.
PPI Energy Piping Systems Division Member of the Year: Dell Doyle, Dow Chemical Company
Dell Doyle has served on the association’s Board of Directors as Advisory Council Representative. For the Energy Piping Systems Division, he has served in a variety of capacities and is highly active in recruiting companies to join PPI.
Additionally, he has championed efforts through PPI to generate data on the effects of hydrocarbon swelling and HDPE fusion, an endeavor for PPI to provide oil and gas companies with guidance on fusing hydrocarbon impregnated lines in service.
PPI Municipal & Industrial Division Members of the Year
- Mike Anson, GF Central
- Billy Conatzer, McElroy Manufacturing
- Jeremy Harris, Plasson USA (photo, left)
- Jeff Wright, GF Central (photo, right)
Four members of the division were voted Member of the Year for their continued work and support of the group’s Municipal Advisory Board’s fusion and electrofusion training program. This team provided hands-on, personal instruction during the sessions at the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Green Bay.
PPI Power & Communications Division Member of the Year: Jennifer Reeves, Petroflex North America, Ltd.
Jennifer Reeves is Vice-Chair and responsible for the finances of the division, as well as serving on the PCD Management Committee.
She has been active in many division committees and projects, including the PCD Education Committee, Communications Committee, the revision to the HDPE Conduit Model Specification, plus a new document on conduit joining. She also sits on the PPI Sustainability Steering Committee.
In other news, PPI’s Building & Construction Division (BCD) made several committee management changes.
Bill Melvin, Legend Valve (Auburn Hills, MI), was elected as division chair, taking over from Joseph Poniatowski, Asahi/America. Melvin also represents the division on the PPI Board of Directors for the next two years.
Jim Paschal, Aquatherm (Lindon, UT) is vice chair and also serves as chair of the Polypropylene Pressure Pipe Steering Committee. Previously, he served as R&D Projects chair, which is now filled by Rick Stock, Uponor. Brian Conner, Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, joins the committee as Codes & Governments Affairs Committee liaison.
Adam Grier of iNOEX serves as the Communications Committee chair and is also chair of the PPI Umbrella Marketing Committee.
Jason McKinnon, Viega LLC, is the PPI Education Committee Chair and BCD Education Chair, a position he has held for more than eight years. Forest Hampton III, Lubrizol, continues as Advisory Council Liaison & Strategic Planning chair.
PPI, the major North American trade association representing the plastic pipe industry, is dedicated to promoting plastic as the materials of choice for pipe and conduit applications. It is the premier technical, engineering and industry knowledge resource publishing data for use in the development and design of plastic pipe and conduit systems. Additionally, PPI collaborates with industry organizations that set standards for manufacturing practices and installation methods.
The Building & Construction Division represents plastic pressure piping materials such as CPVC, HDPE, PEX, PE-RT, PP-R, and PP-RCT.
ASTM
ASTM International's plastic piping systems committee (F17) awarded its Frank W. Reinhart and Henry "Butch" Kuhlman Award to White Gan Jee, president/owner/consultant of JEE Consulting Services LLC.
The award is in grateful acknowledgment of Jee’s faithful and significant contributions in furthering the cause of sound and effective plastics piping standardization, as exemplified by Frank W. Reinhart and Henry W. Kuhlman, charter members of the committee.
Jee uses over 40 years of experience in petrochemical polymer product development to run his own consultancy, which he started in 2021. Previously, he served various roles in quality management and technical services for 30 years at INEOS Olefins & Polymers USA, before his more recent roles over the last decade as senior specialist in technical services at Ingenia Polymers Corporation and Sasol Chemicals North America LLC.
A member of ASTM International since 1976, Jee previously received the ASTM Award of Merit, the Paul Finn Award, and the Ayers-Wilging Award. Currently, he is the secretary and composites subcommittee vice chair for committee F17.
In addition to ASTM International, Jee is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI). He received a bachelor’s in chemistry at Mississippi State University, and an MBA in industrial management from The University of Houston-Clear Lake.
Committed to serving global societal needs, ASTM International positively impacts public health and safety, consumer confidence, and overall quality of life. We integrate consensus standards – developed with our international membership of volunteer technical experts – and innovate services to improve lives… helping our world work better.
Tnemec
Tnemec Company, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance coatings and linings, appointed Glenn Hauser as a new instructor for the AMPP Coatings Inspector Program (CIP).
With a profound understanding of corrosion mechanisms and mitigation strategies, Hauser will guide students through a course covering proper surface preparation and how to reduce corrosion with protective coatings. From the fundamentals of corrosion on steel, to advanced cathodic protection techniques, the program will equip participants with the skills needed to identify, prevent, and remediate corrosion issues effectively.
The training sessions co-led by Hauser and other AMPP instructors will delve into various surface preparation methods, including solvent cleaning, abrasive blasting, and water-jetting, ensuring that students are proficient in preparing substrates for any coating application. Moreover, the program will address critical aspects of quality control, emphasizing the recognition of design and fabrication flaws, as well as coating failure modes.
"Education is key to combating corrosion and ensuring the longevity of industrial assets," said Hauser. "Through this program, we aim to arm professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to tackle corrosion challenges head-on and leverage high-performance coatings to the best of their abilities.”
In addition to these classes, participants will engage in hands-on exercises covering air-spray and airless-spray application techniques, enabling them to apply classroom concepts in real-world scenarios. Furthermore, the program will cover a diverse range of coating types, curing mechanisms, and nondestructive inspection procedures, ensuring that students are well-versed in the latest industry practices.
Woolpert
David DiCesare, P.E., joined Woolpert as project manager supporting wastewater, stormwater, and utility projects, and clients throughout Ohio.
With t, DiCesare will manage existing sewer system evaluation studies and water/wastewater contracts, while also helping to expand Woolpert’s wastewater and utility management services throughout Ohio and the Midwest. He will also oversee regional technical plan production, permitting, and contract document management.
He has 15 years of civil engineering experience specific to water and sewer system management, during which he has authored and secured more than $10 million in grant applications for clients.
He holds a master’s in civil engineering, from the University of Akron and is a licensed professional engineer in both Ohio and Pennsylvania. He serves as chair of the Ohio American Water Works Association Asset Management Committee and is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Woolpert is the premier architecture, engineering, geospatial (AEG), and strategic consulting firm, with a vision to become one of the best companies in the world. We innovate within and across markets to effectively serve public, private, and government clients worldwide. Founded in 1911, in Dayton, Ohio, Woolpert has been America’s fastest-growing AEG firm since 2015.
Tsurumi
Ashleigh Johnson is the new product training manager at Tsurumi Pump, a position designed to advance pump education and training for staff, dealers and end-users.
With a robust background in mechanical engineering and hands-on experience in the pump industry, Johnson is positioned to bring fresh energy, innovative concepts and a profound understanding of the engineering and sales aspects of the pump business.
Johnson brings a distinctive blend of skills and expertise to Tsurumi. Her passion lies in pumps, and she enjoys sharing her knowledge with others. She envisions a hands-on and interactive training program that incorporates games, competitions, demonstrations, and deconstruction activities to engage her audiences.
Johnson holds a degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in mathematics, and she brings four years of experience in the pump industry to her new role. Her professional background has afforded her a thorough comprehension of the inner workings of a pump business and the associated industry expectations as well.
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