News Detail

Toronto—A Wonderful Meeting Place

12/1/2000

We have just completed the ACI Fall Convention in Toronto, and as usually happens when we meet in that great city, new attendance records were set: 1298 attendees for a fall meeting, with 146 guests, and 170 students. More than 34 different countries were represented. This President’s Memo is devoted to some of the significant actions and events at the Toronto Convention.

The Ontario Chapter Convention Committee, chaired by Nick Bada, arranged a great program of social events and exhibits. The exhibition area was a popular meeting place—especially with soft drinks and coffee being available at all times! A keynote address by local Toronto historian Mike Filey presented the attendees with a historical tour of his city and the region. The exact meaning of the name "Toronto" is not known for sure, but "meeting place" seems to be the most likely.

For ACI International, it was certainly a wonderful meeting place. The convention theme "Bridging the Centuries with Innovation and Value" was evident throughout the many technical sessions and figured prominently in committee and Board discussions. Theme sessions were presented on controlled low-strength materials, evaluation of old bridges, fiber-reinforced concrete, durability of high-performance concrete, rehabilitation of bridges, blast mitigation, precast concrete systems, and field studies of high-performance concrete. There was truly something on the Toronto program for all interests.

The Board of Direction approved publication of a draft Strategic Plan for member comment and for discussion with Board Committees. In the August 2000 President’s Memo, I described the planning process and some highlights of the new plan. When the plan is published, I hope you will take the time to read it and give us the benefit of your views. The Board also endorsed ACI’s operating plan for the year 2001, with a budget of nearly $12 million. Within this budget, a public relations and business development pilot program will be launched to survey our membership on key issues.

Perhaps the most significant action of the Board was to form a new International Committee that will be charged with Institute activities in the following areas:

• International membership, chapters, and student chapter support;
• International activities at conventions;
• International conventions and seminars; and
• Cooperation and agreements with international associations.

The scope of ACI’s involvement around the world was readily apparent in Toronto. Professor Byun, President of the Korea Concrete Institute (KCI), was among the distinguished attendees. The Board was pleased to hear his report on the ACI/KCI International Conference on "Repair, Rehabilitation, and Maintenance of Concrete Structures and Innovations in Design and Construction," held in Seoul, September 18 to 22, 2000, at which 30 countries were represented by 239 participants, and 94 papers were presented. During Toronto’s International Luncheon, a Board commendation was presented to V. Mohan Malhotra for his creativity and leadership in organizing a very successful series of international conferences and ACI/CANMET Symposia. Based on the positive results of ACI’s cosponsorship of the First International Seismic Bridge Conference, staged in both Paris and London during June of this year, the Institute will host the next conference in the spring of 2003. Also, approval of an ACI Chapter in Honduras brings the number of chapters to 89.

Technical committee activities are the hallmark of ACI conventions, and the major outcome from this last round of meetings was the creation of a new category of technical documents. This "Emerging Technology Series" will aim to get new technology into our literature so that others can evaluate the technology and develop further research to improve it. In addition, to make the committee areas of ACI’s web site more usable for document creation, web site enhancements are planned in the coming year.

The good student turnout at Toronto’s fall meeting demonstrates ACI’s commitment to education. Discussion continued there on ACI’s development of web-based distance learning programs to be patterned after our successful series of educational seminars. The Board was advised that two additional Certification programs, wet- and dry-mix shotcrete nozzleman, and tilt-up concrete supervisor, will be introduced at the World of Concrete, and that a Spanish-language flatwork finisher program is also in place. And the students will be happy to hear that draft rules were formulated for a new competition planned tentatively for the year 2002: a fiber-reinforced concrete bowling ball contest!

ACI’s Convention Committee is continuously striving to fine-tune our convention programs to meet the needs of both attendees and the local host chapter. This was evidenced in Toronto, where the Concrete Mixer was held on Monday night, a departure from past years. Once again, as at recent conventions, attendees were invited to suggest a theme for ACI’s Centennial in 2004. The Board Task Group on Centennial Activities and the 100th Year Anniversary Committee will be including all segments of the Institute in this milestone event. It is our hope that ACI’s Centennial Year will provide a legacy for the next 100 years.

In the coming issues of CI, you will be hearing more about many of these subjects and issues. If there are items that interest you and about which you would like more information, please let me know.

Best wishes for the holidays and for a happy, healthy year 2001!

James O. Jirsa
President
American Concrete Institute

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