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Association & Industry News
NRMCA is welcoming nominations for the 2023 Developing Industry Leaders (DIL) program through May 1. The DIL program is a premier career development tool, with participants given the opportunity to advance their strategic-thinking skills and network with peers while being mentored by NRMCA’s senior staff. The DIL agenda differs from other leadership programs in that it exposes 25 selected participants to our industry’s big issues from an all-encompassing, national perspective. Once selected, DILs work over the summer via conference calls and webinars. They are then required to attend ConcreteWorks in Nashville from September 29 - October 3. The group continues to work via conference calls over the fall and winter. They will then present their findings at the March 2024 NRMCA Annual Convention. During their second year, DILs attend a two-day, networking and leadership workshop facilitated by an executive coach. Finally, once their initial work is over individuals are asked to make a long-term commitment to move their team’s initiative(s) forward by joining and attending the appropriate NRMCA committee’s meetings twice a year as well as participate in annual DIL alumni events. Additionally, they may attend NRMCA’s semi-annual Board of Directors meetings to watch senior level executives deliberate and make both short- and long-term strategic decisions that impact the industry. Click here for more information and to download the application. You may also contact Eileen Dickson at edickson@nrmca.org. The next Biennial Natural Pozzolan Symposium is scheduled for May 16 - 18 in Wickenburg, AZ, at the Rancho de los Caballeros Resort. The symposium begins with check-in at 4 p.m. on Tuesday and ends at 6 p.m. on Thursday. Click here for more information, including schedule and registration details. 
NRMCA recently verified a system-level Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) program for Texas-based Materials Division member Capitol Aggregates. The EPD was developed in consultation with Athena Sustainable Materials Institute and based on the GCCA’s Industry EPD Tool for Cement and Concrete software. The software tool was reviewed and verified by Industrial Ecology Consultants. The underlying life cycle data for the plant and EPD were reviewed and verified by Labeling Sustainability, a verifier in NRMCA’s EPD program. Public access to the EPD is available on the NRMCA EPD webpage and is listed as NRMCA EPD: 20084 Capitol Aggregates. This EPD reports the impacts for five bulk cement mixes produced at one plant in San Antonio, TX. For more information, contact Matthew Lemay at mlemay@nrmca.org. Engineering
NRMCA is offering its information-packed course, Handling Concrete Specifications, Low Strength Problems, and Mixture Submittals, intended for concrete producers, contractors, engineers, and testing labs, online between May 16 and 18. The course will feature a group discussion session on May 18. This one-day course will discuss the latest changes to the code and specification requirements (ACI 318, 301, ASTM C94) governing ready mixed concrete. This course will address many topics, including:
SEO
Last week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a proposal on how trucking companies, including ready mixed concrete companies, update their safety records. The current method for determining truck carrier safety ratings is through the Safety Measurement System (SMS) within FMCSA’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program. Traditionally, the SMS relies on data from crashes, roadside inspections, HOS violations, and other incidents and investigations to determine a carrier’s safety rating, which may then be used for any potential intervention with the carrier.
Remember, starting February 1 employers need to display their OSHA 300A logs where employees have access to it. The summary log needs to stay posted until April 30, 2023. Click here for more information on OSHA recordkeeping requirements; here to access OSHA 300A forms and instructions, and here for more information on required electronic submissions by March 2, 2023. The NRMCA staff contacts are Gary Mullings and Kevin Walgenbach. 
Buildings
After full day of meetings with House members David N. Cicilline and Seth Magaziner, and senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, at #AIALeads23 lobbying for the Resilient AMERICA Act, NRMCA Senior Director, Building Innovations, Frank Mruk (seen here at far left of the photo collage with Ken Filarski of AIA's Rhode Island chapter) was honored to be invited by Senator Whitehouse to a party celebrating Whitehouse's new role as chairman of the Senate Committee on the Budget. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Amy Klobuchar (also seen here, with Schumer at top right corner and Klobuchar at bottom right) also attended and said a few words. Build With Strength is a leader in supporting resilient design. For more information, contact Frank Mruk at fmruk@nrmca.org.
With the collective support of the California Nevada Cement Association (CNCA) and the California Construction and Industrial Materials Association (CalCIMA), Build With Strength sponsored and exhibited at the recently held WiReS Conference in San Diego. With a goal of addressing the increasing fire risk arising in the built environment, the conference highlighted topics involving applied sciences, knowledge and technology advancements in order to promote the importance of resilient structures. Wildfire seasons over the last few years have been the most destructive in history, each year more destructive than the last, and wildfire severity is expected to further increase due to climate change. These issues illustrate the need to improve our built environment and increase the resilience of buildings to wildfires. For more information regarding the event, contact Brandon Wray at bwray@nrmca.org.
Last week, NRMCA participated in the 2023 Nebraska Concrete & Aggregates Association Annual Convention in Kearney. Shamim Rashid-Sumar, NRMCA senior vice president, codes and standards, presented on How NRMCA’s Codes and Standards Team Advocates for the Concrete Industry during the convention’s education session. The presentation focused on the impact NRMCA’s advocacy efforts have in building and fire safety codes and standards as well as current sustainability initiatives on the state and federal levels. The education session also featured speakers from the Portland Cement Association, Ozinga Energy and Fiber Force among others, each speaking on topics related to the state of the economy, fleet alternative fueling systems, and fiber reinforcement and concrete durability admixture technology. For more information on NRMCA’s codes and standards advocacy initiatives, contact Shamim Rashid-Sumar at ssumar@nrmca.org. 
Pavement
NRMCA Senior Vice President, Local Paving, Phil Kresge recently joined Ohio Concrete Association (OCA) Southwest Promoter Ryan McAleer in presenting a lunch and learn program at the Loveland offices of Choice One Engineering. Representatives of Choice One’s Sidney, OH, office joined the presentation virtually via Zoom. Kresge’s presentation, Design and Construction of Concrete Site Paving for Industrial and Trucking Facilities, introduced the design methodology used in American Concrete Institute’s ACI330-R: Guide for the Design and Construction of Concrete Parking Lots. He then discussed the two latest ACI 330 documents: PRC-330-21 Commercial Concrete Parking Lots and Site Paving Design and Construction Guide, and 330.2-R17 Guide for the Design and Construction of Concrete Site Paving for Industrial and Trucking Facilities. Additionally, the program highlighted PavementDesigner.org and the Pave Ahead Design Assistance Program (DAP). For more information, contact Phil Kresge at pkresge@nrmca.org. 
Learning & Development
The Effective Supervisor Course is offered twice a year; because last year’s locations were in the center of the U.S., they will be offered on both coasts: specifically, April 18 - 20 in Los Angeles and November 7 - 9 in Charlotte, NC. The curriculum focuses on building solid communication skills, team building know-how and how to use conflict resolution procedures. Why? Frontline managers who understand their own strengths, weaknesses, biases and working styles are better equipped to influence and interact effectively with their team – and colleagues – who can have different working styles and personalities. If your operations managers are juggling safety, environmental, quality, productivity and schedule requirements in a fast-paced environment and at the same time trying to motivate their crew, dealing with employee and customer issues, managing an ever-increasing amount of paperwork, all while protecting the company's image and interests, this is a class to help put it all in perspective. This class is required for those working on their STEPS Operations and Production Certification. Click here for registration information and NRMCA staff contact. Calendar
Please note that e-mail and direct registration links to each event listed below can be accessed from NRMCA's website. March 10 - 13, Las Vegas, NV March 14 - 18, Las Vegas, NV March 21 - 23, Nashville, TN March 21 - 24, Columbus, OH *Sold Out March 28 - 30, Dallas April 4 - 6, Orlando, FL April 11 - 13, Carmel, IN April 18 - 20, Nashville, TN April 18 - 20, Oklahoma City April 18 - 20, Los Angeles April 24 - 25, Antioch, TN April 25 - 27, Manchester, NH May 9 - 11, Orlando, FL May 16 - 19, Albany, OR May 16 - 18, Online Course May 23 - 25, Manchester, NH June 6 - 8, Orlando, FL June 20 - 22, Manchester, NH September 29 - October 3, Nashville, TN October 11 - 13, Centennial, CO November 7 - 9, Charlotte, NC November 28 - 30, Orlando, FL December 12 - 15, Orlando, FL 
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