On November 21, NRMCA Senior Director, Building Innovations and AIA Rhode Island Past President Frank Mruk congratulated the 2024 American Institute of Architects Rhode Island Chapter (AIA RI) Honor and Design Award recipients at a gala held at the Guild in Pawtucket. (Seen here are, left to right, AIA RI past, present and future chapter presidents: Spencer Alexander, 2025; Paul Hauser, 2021; Jennifer Space, 2017; Jonathan Taylor, 2019-20; Mruk, 2023; Hector Rios, 2024; Greg Spiess, 2007-10 and Martha Werenfels, 2002.)

The AIA RI awards recognize design excellence in architecture and provide professional recognition for architects who contribute to a better quality of life through their creativity and imagination. The awards program also aims to increase public awareness of quality architecture in the built environment. The Build With Strength program is a leader in supporting design excellence and helping architects design safe, sustainable and resilient buildings.

For more information, contact Frank Mruk at fmruk@nrmca.org.

NRMCA’s Think First monthly safety initiatives feature different industry-specific safety items relevant to seasons, current topics or industry concerns. The initiatives are meant to be shared, used as a training tool, printed, posted or distributed, all of which are encouraged. This month’s issue, seen here, is titled Walking, Working Surfaces – Watch Your Step!

Click here to view this month’s and all previous issues.For more information, contact Kevin Walgenbach at kwalgenbach@nrmca.org.

The deadline for early bird registration for the NRMCA 2025 Annual Convention is quickly approaching! Register by Friday, January 3, 2025, to save $125 off the regular registration fee. The convention will be held March 4 - 7 at the JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson, AZ. Please note that NRMCA has introduced a third pricing tier for the event; on-site registration will be at a higher rate, so we encourage you to register early.

Important Dates:

• Early Bird Registration by January 3, 2025
• Regular Rate: January 4 - March 3, 2025
• On-Site Registration: March 4 - March 7, 2025

NRMCA has contracted a block of rooms at the hotel at a discounted rate of $349/night plus a $25/night resort fee (plus applicable taxes). We encourage you to make your hotel reservations online. The hotel reservations cutoff date is Tuesday, February 10, or when the block sells out, whichever occurs first. NRMCA’s discounted rate is available Monday, March 3 through Friday, March 7. Should you wish to extend your stay beyond these dates, contact the hotel directly at 520-792-3500 to arrange additional nights based on hotel’s availability and prevailing rates.

Click here for the convention website homepage which contains all relevant registration links and more. For more information, please contact Senior Director of Meetings Jessica Walgenbach.

NRMCA’s Pave Ahead engineer and Senior Director Amanda Hult and Build With Strength Vice President, Building Innovations, Michael Wymant attended the Alabama Concrete Products' annual Day of Concrete on December 3 with Hult presenting on Addressing Myths on Concrete Pavements and the Fundamentals of Quality Concrete, and Wymant on Concrete Innovations: Low Carbon Strategies. More than 70 architects, engineers and builders participated in the successful event.

NRMCA Associate member Putzmeister's Director Business Development 3D Printing Matthew Carli also presented on the emerging innovation of 3D printed buildings. "While virtual, it was great to have the attention of over 70 design professionals in Alabama," Carli said. "We have had a lot of interaction with large project teams building throughout the state this year and plans into 2025. It's great to have a partnership with Alabama Concrete Products and John Sorrell (executive director)."

Alabama has hosted similar events both online and in person with NRMCA presenting for many years.

For more information, contact either Michael Wymant or Amanda Hult.

The NRMCA State Association of the Year Award is presented to the state ready mixed concrete association that's making significant progress for the industry in the areas of promotion, education, advocacy and/or research. The award is presented at the awards ceremony at NRMCA’s Annual Convention to be held in March in Arizona.

The winning state executive as well as his/her elected official are encouraged to attend and receive the award. The winner is announced on NRMCA’s website, profiled in E-NEWS and Concrete InFocus magazine, and publicized via a press release to the industry.The nomination should highlight the association’s efforts and successes in concrete promotion, education (both within the industry and to client/customer base), advocacy and research as well as any other outstanding achievements. Particularly, the nomination should identify areas in which the state association has partnered with NRMCA and/or utilized NRMCA programs. Applicants are also asked to provide budget size, number of members and number of staff as this information allows the judges to review each entry taking into account the resources available.

Nomination Criteria:

1. The nominee must be a state or area ready mixed concrete association. The nominee may have other areas, including aggregate or construction, as part of its function. Prior winners are eligible to participate.
2. The person making the nomination may be the state association executive or one of the association’s members. If the executive is completing the nomination, he/she must have an endorsement of the application by one of the state association’s member representatives.
3. As with most recognition awards, the more detailed information you can provide, the better. However, materials submitted should be limited to 1,000 words and five pieces of sample materials per section (promotion, education, advocacy, research or other).
4. Materials should be submitted electronically and must be in standard office software programs (.doc, .pdf, .jpg, .xls) and of a size that can be easily emailed.
5. NRMCA’s officers and members of the Executive Committee serve as judges for this award.

Nominations must be e-mailed to Phil Kresge at pkresge@nrmca.org by January 10, 2025. Please write State Association of the Year Nomination in the subject header. For more information, contact Phil Kresge at pkresge@nrmca.org or call 215-779-7375.

February 3 - 7, Dallas
Concrete Technologist Training & Certification "Short Course"
Email: Jeffrey Bowers or 703-706-4835

March 4 - 7, Tucson, AZ
NRMCA 2025 Annual Convention
Email: Jessica Walgenbach or 703-706-4852

October 10 - 14, Orlando, FL
NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks 2025
Email: Jessica Walgenbach or 703-706-4852