NRMCA announced this week that the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award for Promotion is being awarded to Mike Shydlowski. Whether advancing the use of new concrete technologies or helping reshape the industry to function more professionally, Mike’s career was dedicated to advancing concrete within the construction industry. Continuing through to retirement in 2006, with his own unique profile among the great concrete promoters, no one has had more influence in the growth of both substance and image of our industry. Mike embodies the purest notion of promotion, which is to advance by making personal and company contributions that benefit the entire industry.

One of Mike’s greatest contributions was as a "founding father" of RMC 2000, an effort established during a special forum held at the 1993 NRMCA convention in San Antonio. Guiding principles of RMC 2000 were to protect concrete's stake in the construction market through industry modernization and to focus on marketing and promotion. The goals and objectives of RMC 2000 helped set the future direction of NRMCA and have been incorporated into the association’s strategic plan.

Beyond RMC 2000, Mike continued as an industry leader, including serving at NRMCA as a member of the Board of Directors and chairman of the NRMCA Materials Division. He received the RMC 2000 Visionary Leadership Award and was awarded the NRMCA Chairman’s Award for his "extraordinary dedication to the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association." Mike was also the founding chairman of the Strategic Development Council and served as a trustee and past vice-chairman of the RMC Research & Education Foundation.

"This is a fascinating industry," Shydlowski says. "I can honestly say that I can't remember five days in my entire career when I woke up and didn't want to go to work. It's always been exciting and there have always been new opportunities and new challenges. It's been a wonderful ride."