News Detail

A Story, a Contest, and a Special Invitation to Atlanta in November

9/1/1997

It simply does not seem possible that I'm already up to Presidential Memo #5. As I write this, in late July, I've been in office for 3-1/2 months, and it has been a wonderful and gratifying experience, with challenges each and every day, and with so many opportunities for working with people both within and outside ACI. Thanks to the talents and dedicated efforts of literally hundreds of people, we've been able to launch some exciting initiatives and are in the process of starting even more. You'll hear about the developments in later issues of Concrete International. Given that many of you seemed to have enjoyed my first memo, published in the May CI, in which I was less technical, I decided to "lighten up" again this month.

Let's start off with a story, supposedly true (but I can't guarantee its veracity). It seems that a very famous pediatrician from the Boston area (surely his name is a household word with all you North American readers) decided to tear out the 33-year old driveway leading into his palatial residence and put in a top quality, new concrete driveway. He hired a concrete consultant, found the best contractor, and insisted on getting the very best ready-mix company to supply the concrete. Everything went fine, with the placement made on a quiet, dry, overcast, 20 C day. (Please note that ACI really is going metric!)

Just as the contractor was finishing up, and with the good doctor resting in his home after playing sidewalk superintendent all morning, a group of neighborhood children with sticks and garden tools arrived on the scene. They scratched their initials into the surface and then began gouging some holes, generally really messing things up. When "Dr. Sock" - we shall call him - noticed the disaster underway, he tore out of his house at breakneck speed, cursing the kids with the most vile, disgusting language ever heard in Boston (well almost!). His shocked wife came running out to quiet him down, grabbed him by his sleeve, and said, "Dr. Sock, how can you say such awful things to these kids? I always thought you really loved children."

To which "Dr. Sock" responded, red-faced and still in a very loud voice: "My dear, of course I love kids, but only in the abstract, not in the concrete!"

With this, I invite you to send me your best jokes and play-on-words on concrete, construction, and other related topics. A committee of one (guess who?) will rank them, with publication (and full credit to you, of course) in Concrete International in the spring of 1998, along with the announcement of the special gifts I'll award to the best (worst?) three.

Now to the invitation to the fall 1997 ACI convention in Atlanta, November 9-14. We have a very strong technical and social program put together for you, with something for everyone. There are many reasons why you should attend the ACI convention in Atlanta:

• The opportunity to learn from the leaders of the concrete industry in some 200 talks given during the 45 half-day sessions.
• To join in an exciting new special four-part plus program for contractors, where the traditional ACI Contractor Day (Tuesday) has been stretched into Contractor Days (Tuesday and Thursday, November 11 and 13) to include a Tuesday afternoon three-hour seminar on High-Performance Concrete (HPC) for Floors and Slabs - The Concrete Contractor, a Key Player and a Thursday afternoon seminar on Legal Questions in Concrete Construction, plus a breakfast and the traditional Contractors' Luncheon - both on Tuesday.
• The chance to network with your peers in all areas of the concrete industry.
• A look at what's coming down the pike by attending committee meetings where the future of our codes, standards, guides, and other technical literature is being created.
• A great evening at the social highlight of each convention, the "Concrete Mixer" on Wednesday evening.
• Other wonderful evenings with your friends and colleagues, enjoying true southern hospitality and exploring the delightful dining scene in Atlanta and its suburbs.
• Atlanta's excellent air connections and mild and pleasant weather in November, and...
• Of course, more frequent flyer miles that you can put away to help you get to the Houston convention in the spring of 1998. It's not too early to put this on your calendar - March 22-27 at the Houston Hyatt Regency.

So, to those of you who have come to ACI conventions before, come to Atlanta this November. I challenge you to encourage a colleague or two to attend the convention; in particular, we need younger members of your organization to become actively involved in ACI. And, for those ACI members who have not been to a national ACI convention, this November is the time to "take the leap." You are invited to attend any and all committee meetings, including the Board of Direction on Thursday. The only sessions not open to everyone are the occasional short executive sessions where personnel matters are being discussed.

In closing, I want to extend my personal invitation to you to come to Atlanta. ACI committee personnel, ACI staff, and the local convention committee in Atlanta have been working hard behind the scenes to make this convention a truly outstanding event. With your participation, we can have ACI's single most successful and best-attended convention ever!

Address: Hollister Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y., 14853; e-mail: RNW3@Cornell.edu; FAX: (607) 255-4828; telephone: (607) 255-6497.

Richard N. White
President
American Concrete Institute

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