News Detail

Thank You...

3/1/2016

It has been my honor to represent the American Concrete Institute as its 92nd President during the past year. I have interacted with members from across the Institute and met people from around the world, and they all shared a vision for improving our infrastructure, and the overall quality of life, through the use of concrete.

2015 was a very strong year for ACI, and I am pleased to share with you some key metrics:

• More than 2000 people attended The ACI Concrete Convention and Exposition – Fall 2015 in Denver, CO. Attendance has only exceeded 1800 people one time in the past—the 2010 Spring Convention in Chicago, IL;
• The publication of ACI 318-14 and the launch of associated educational seminars pushed net income to record levels for the Institute;
• The inaugural ACI Excellence in Concrete Construction Awards was extremely successful. More than 40 entries were submitted from ACI chapters around the world and 10 projects were recognized with awards; and
• More than 75 individuals and groups contributed to establish an ACI Foundation fellowship in memory of Dan Falconer, long-time ACI staff member.

All of these achievements, and many others, are the result of countless hours from our volunteer members. Thank you for your interest in and commitment to the Institute.

As a member of technical committees for more than 30 years, I was quite familiar with ACI’s reputation as a source of state-of-the-art technical information. The importance of providing unbiased technical information continues to increase with the development of new products and materials. ACI members continue to impress me with their commitment to vetting technical information thoroughly and developing comprehensive design standards to facilitate safe and reliable use of concrete.

I have also been extremely impressed with the ongoing activities within ACI’s educational committees. ACI is moving from in-person seminars related to a single technical document to a suite of online educational options. This change allows concrete professionals to obtain the technical information that they need in a timely fashion and on a schedule that can be accommodated within their busy careers. By all reports, ACI University and the certificate programs have been extremely well received by ACI members, and I look forward to further expansion of options in this area.

"ACI members continue to impress me with their commitment to vetting technical information thoroughly and developing comprehensive design standards to facilitate safe and reliable use of concrete."

Perhaps the thing that surprised me the most was the passion exhibited by ACI members and Chapter members in the area of certification. A severe shortage of workers in the U.S. construction industry is projected within the next 10 years, but through its certification programs ACI is dedicated to ensuring that the concrete workforce of the future is well-trained and ready to move our industry forward. In addition, the development of country-specific certification programs has the potential to improve the quality of concrete construction worldwide.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Past Presidents Jim Wight, Anne Ellis, and Bill Rushing. Each of you has served as a mentor for me. Your advice and insights have been instrumental to me during the past year. Vice Presidents Mike Schneider and Khaled Awad bring new ideas and insights to the executive committee, and I am confident that they will provide strong leadership of ACI. Finally, I want to thank all the ACI staff—an amazing group of dedicated professionals.

Thanks again for this opportunity. I look forward to seeing many of you at the ACI Convention in Milwaukee, WI, this spring.

Sharon L. Wood