TN Concrete Magazine Awards 2024 Issue

GRAND CHAMPION BUC-EE'S

Blalock Ready Mix • Dally & Associates

Lawrence S. Levinson

Glenne E. Mitchell & Co.

TENNESSEE CONCRETE magazine is published for the Tennessee Concrete Association—

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Phone: 615.360.7393

Fax: 615.360.6670 Website: www.tnconcrete.org

Publisher: Kahoy Group, LLC

Editor: Alan Sparkman

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Art Direction: Donna G. Heninger

For advertising rates and information, contact Morris at 800.315.9950 x602.

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Articles appearing in Tennessee Concrete are frequently contributed by outside, independent sources. Conclusions drawn from these articles may be at variance with the opinions of our readers.

Tennessee Concrete welcomes response and rebuttal and will make every effort to print these responses. Send comments to: Editor, Tennessee Concrete, 3026 Owen Drive, Suite 101, Antioch, TN 37013

Tennessee Concrete and its publishers assume no liability for errors or omissions in articles or advertisements appearing in Tennessee Concrete.

© 2024 Kahoy Group, LLC

All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

AWARDS 2024, VOL. 38, NO. 1

4

PRESIDENT WORKFORCE REMAINS CHALLENGE by Charlie Lay

6

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 2024, STEADY AS SHE GOES by Alan Sparkman

8

CONCRETE DESIGN AWARDS SEE PAGES 8–22 FOR A COMPLETE VIEWING OF THE 2024 CONCRETE Buc-ee's, Blalock Ready Mix, Dally & Associates, Lawrence S. Levinson, and Glenn E. Mitchell & Company

22

WORKFORCE UPDATES FROM TCA

Skate4Concrete, Be Pro Be Proud TN, ConcreteQuest and Driver Dash, plus some information about TCA’s Institute for Concrete Leadership

23

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR KNOW YOUR TEST METHODS by John B. Pearson, P.E.

24

CONGRATULATIONS ESSAY AWARD WINNERS 1st Kennedy Rains 2nd Luke Altman 3rd Emily Wahfeld

26 CIM UPDATE by Jon Huddleston

Charlie Lay TCA President

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

EXECUTIVE

Welcome to the Award Issue WORKFORCE REMAINS CHALLENGE

Let me start by saying Thank You for the opportunity to serve as your TCA President for the 2024–25 term. I look forward to another year of important accomplishments for TCA and all of its member companies.

Workforce is a key priority and the top challenge.

Your board of directors identified Workforce as our key priority for the last several years and that remains the top challenge for ready mix producers, contractors, and nearly every other business organization. Your board approved TCA becoming a founding council member for BE PRO BE PROUD Tennessee back in 2022. This exciting program was gearing up to reach high school students across our state and the popularity of ‘workplace on wheels’ program continues to grow rapidly.

The program launched in the fall of 2023 and the most recent stats, as of April 1st, 2024, are impressive:

• 488 Joined the Movement (a student who voluntarily signed up to learn more about construction careers)

• 9,170 Impacted

• 56 stops completed and 8 scheduled through end of May; view photos from the stops via the photo galleries at https:// beprobeproudtn.org/tour-schedule

• Over 140+ requested stops

The link above will give you a taste of what students experience when they tour the trailer. TCA and the Tennessee Trucking Association are sponsoring the CDL Driving Simulator

that provides a realistic experience of what it is like to operate a modern truck — including specifically ready mix concrete trucks! All together, students can experience about 15 different trade careers. Resources in the truck provide them, and their parents, resources to learn more about the great career opportunities available in the construction industry.

TCA has developed a Workforce section at our TCA website that provides students, and anyone else interested in a construction career, specific information about concrete career opportunities. You can check out that page at https://www.tnconcrete.org/work-inconcrete.

TCA member companies are included at the online Workforce page. It’s one of the many benefits of becoming a TCA member! You can make your company stand out by completing the online form at this page. provide more specific information about your company.

Be sure to read Alan’s article on Concrete Attraction explaining Skate 4 Concrete and a new program called ConcreteQuest for information about two exciting initiatives that TCA is working on to make concrete careers stand out to high school students. And if you are reading this and you are not yet a TCA member … please join us today (you can do that on the TCA website) and lend your support to our efforts!

2024 — STEADY AS SHE GOES

The first quarter of 2024 is already in the rearview mirror and we are rushing toward summer. There has been a lot of talk about what 2024 holds. So, here is a consensus of what people inside and outside the construction industry are saying about this year:

increasing population and supporting continued construction growth. Texas and Florida are at the top of this list, but Tennessee is in the Top Ten as our state continues to be an attractive place for people to settle and re-settle.

The

next three to fives years likely plateau from current activity. Workforce continues to be the number one challenge for

industry.

our

Be proud of what you do!

SHORT VERSION — steady as she goes. The talk of recession has faded for the near term. Most of the forecasts I have heard or read are predicting that the next three to five years are likely to be a kind of plateau from the current level of activity. There will likely be some ups and downs but no dramatic upswings or downturns. If you dig a little deeper you will see that while the overall level of activity in the construction industry will continue at a good clip, there will be regions where the economy slows more noticeably. As we enter the construction season for 2024 it is expected that some segments of commercial construction (i.e., office and warehouse) will slow considerably as the market absorbs excess capacity being delivered as a result of the pandemic surge. The good news is that the economy is still growing enough to slowly absorb this new capacity so these segments should see gradual improvement starting in 2025.

One way to predict what regions will slow and what regions will continue to grow is to look at population migration patterns. For the South this is good news as nearly all southern states are benefiting from positive in-migration that is

Proof of this can be found by looking at ready mix concrete production numbers. Tennessee set a fourth consecutive record for concrete production in 2023, coming in at nearly 9.5 million cubic yards. See the table below showing production in Tennessee since 2020. Plus, note the very interesting information about the growth of Type 1L cement in our state.

To give these numbers some context, national production of ready mixed concrete fell from about 402,000,000 CY in 2022 to 393,000,000 CY in 2023. In large part, Tennessee is continuing to set records for concrete production because our state is growing at a faster rate than most other states. This trend bodes well for Tennessee’s concrete production in the coming years. It is definitely good news for our industry.

With a nod to Paul Harvey, the rest of the story about record levels of concrete production is the continuing scramble to find people who can produce — and place — those record amounts of yardage. As TCA President Charlie Lay noted in his column, Workforce has been and will continue to be the number one challenge for our industry.

TABLE 1. PRODUCTION IN TENNESSEE SINCE 2020

2024 — STEADY AS SHE GOES

Alan's article continued from 6—

To this end, TCA is actively working to tell the story of concrete. We have a great story to tell to every audience that concrete touches. For the most part, however, we have not been compelling storytellers, so we need to up our game.

• We have a story to tell designers: Concrete is still the best building material on the planet and it is the most sustainable

• We have a story to tell consumers: Concrete is the best, safest and most resilient lifetime value for any application

• We have a story to tell the Workforce: A career in concrete provides the best foundation for your future

• We have a story to tell Ourselves: Be proud of your work!

Help TCA tell our story — your story — by working with us to get the word out to each of these audiences. And, Be Proud of what YOU do to make our concrete story great! ■

Corporate Office: (731) 968-2537 P.O. Box 1090 • Lexington, TN 38351

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We gladly service areas in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee.

Ready Mixed Concrete

EAST TENNESSEE REGION

Knoxville Chattanooga Tri-Cities 865-573-4501 423-892-6444 423-246-7701

2209 W Blount Ave • Knoxville, TN 37920 (865) 573-4501 www.readymixusa.com

— 1225 Parkway — Sevierville, TN 37862

DENNIE UNDERWOOD (865) 453-4433 (phone) (865) 428-6083 (fax) (865) 654-2912

 2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS

GRAND CHAMPION

Blalock Ready Mix • Dally & Associates

Lawrence S. Levinson

Glenn E. Mitchell & Co.

Project's Owner ................................................. Buc-ee's Project's Ready Mix Producer ............... Blalock Ready Mix

Project's Engineer ................................ Dally & Associates

Project's Architect ............................ Lawrence S. Levinson

Project's Concrete Contractor ....... Glenn E. Mitchell & Co.

We are thrilled to announce that the Buc-ee's Sevierville project has been awarded the prestigious Grand Champion title. This monumental project, the largest to date for Buc-ee's, features a 74,000 square foot tilt-up concrete store, a fueling center with 120 pumps and 24 electric chargers, and a 250-foot-long car wash. Utilizing over 22,000 cubic yards of concrete for interior slabs, tilt-up walls, and over 17 acres of parking area and access roads, this project showcases exceptional engineering and architectural excellence. Congratulations to Blalock Ready Mix, Dally & Associates, Lawrence S. Levinson, and Glenn E Mitchell & Co. for their outstanding collaboration and achievement in creating this landmark travel center!

2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS 

BEST CONCRETE PARKING LOT—COMMERCIAL, & GRAND CHAMPION

Buc-ee's Sevierville

Project's Ready Mix Producer Blalock Ready Mix

Project's Engineer Dally & Associates

Project's Architect Lawrence S. Levinson

Project's Concrete Contractor

Glenn E Mitchell & Co.

We are excited to announce that the Buc-ee's Sevierville project has won in the Best Concrete Parking Lot – Commercial category. This massive project, executed by Glenn E. Mitchell & Co. with ready mix provided by Blalock Ready Mix, includes a 74,000 square-foot store, a fueling center, and a car wash. Using over 22,000 cubic yards of concrete for the parking area and access roads, this achievement sets a new standard for commercial construction. Congratulations to the team!

 2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS

BEST ARCHITECT-ENGINEER COMMERCIAL BUILDING, LOW-RISE

Gatlinburg Skypark

Project's Owner Boyne Resorts

Project's Ready Mix Producer Blalock Ready Mix

Project's Architect Smithgroup

Project's Concrete Contractor

TChristman Southeast Constructors, LLC

he Gatlinburg Skypark project has won in the Best Architect-Engineer Commercial Building, Low-Rise category. Designed by Smithgroup and engineered by Christman Southeast Constructors, LLC, this rebuilt downtown Gatlinburg destination features a scenic chairlift, new terminal building, and a plaza with decorative timber finishes and pavers. Congratulations to Blalock Ready Mix and the entire team for this outstanding achievement!

2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS 

BEST

ARCHITECT-ENGINEER COMMERCIAL BUILDING, HIGH-RISE

Alcove – 900 Church Street

Project's Owner(s) Giarratana Development

Project's Ready Mix Producer imi

Project's Engineer Desimone

Project's Architect Goettsch Partners

Project's Concrete Contractor McHugh Concrete

Alcove – 900 Church Street project has won in the Best Architect-Engineer Commercial Building, High Rise category. This 34-story residential tower in downtown Nashville, designed by Goettsch Partners and engineered by Desimone, features 372,000 square feet of space and utilized over 17,000 yards of high-strength concrete. Congratulations to imi and McHugh Concrete for this exceptional achievement!

 2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS

BEST ARCHITECT-ENGINEER NON-BUILDING

Buckner Road and I-65 Interchange

Project's Owner(s) ................................................. TDOT

Project's Ready Mix Producer ............. Irving Materials Inc.

Project's Concrete Contractor .. Bell Construction Company

Buckner Road and I-65 Interchange project has won in the Best Architect-Engineer Non-Building Structure category. Owned by TDOT, with ready mix by Irving Materials Inc. and construction by Bell Construction Company, this Spring Hill, Tenn., project features a new diverging diamond interchange, including ramp paving, bridges, pedestrian walls, and over two miles of roadway. Congratulations to the team for this outstanding achievement!

Photos courtesy Aerial photography.

2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS 

BEST CONCRETE HOME

Welton and Ennis Street Project

Project's Owner Josh Hazlewood, Andy Pence, and Sam Gregory

Project's Ready Mix Producer Pavement Restorations Incorporated

Project's Concrete Contractor JA Construction

Welton and Ennis Street Project has won in the Best Concrete Home category. Produced by Pavement Restorations Incorporated and executed by JA Construction, this project involved pouring concrete slabs for three homes and one driveway. Congratulations to the team for their exceptional work and contribution to residential construction!

 2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS

BEST CONCRETE PARKING LOT, RESIDENTIAL

Copper Ridge Apartment Complex

Project's Owner

Belew Rental's Project's Ready Mix Producer Screaming Eagle Ready Mix LLC

Project's Architect DBS & Associates

Project's Concrete Contractor Reyes Concrete construction

Copper Ridge Apartment Complex project has won in the Best Concrete Parking Lot - Residential category. Completed on November 29, 2023, and owned by Belew Rentals, this project in North Clarksville features a durable and expertly crafted parking lot. With ready mix provided by Screaming Eagle Ready Mix LLC and construction by Reyes Concrete Construction, this project serves the community with excellence. Congratulations to the team!

2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS 

BEST FIBER PROJECT

Tindell's Lumber

Project's Owner Tindell's Lumber Company Project's Ready Mix Producer Harrison Construction Project's Concrete Contractor Jinks Concrete

Tindell's Lumber project has won in the Best Fiber Project category. Executed by Jinks Concrete with ready mix provided by Harrison Construction, this project incorporated Euclid's Tufstrand fiber, enhancing both reinforcement and abrasion resistance. With 1650 cubic yards of fiber-reinforced concrete pavement placed in 2023, this innovative approach is set to continue. Congratulations to the team for this outstanding achievement!

 2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS

BEST FINISHING ARTISAN

Bailey-Meyer Residence

Project's Owners Julie Meyer and John Bailey

Project's Ready Mix Producer Delta Industries

Project's Engineer Kevin Baltz

Project's Architect Kevin Baltz

Project's Concrete Contractor Baltz & Sons Concrete

Bailey-Meyer Residence project has won in the Finishing Artisan category. Executed by Baltz & Sons Concrete, this backyard transformation included a new covered patio with an outdoor kitchen, an adjacent fire pit terrace, and an enlarged pool deck. A standout feature is the custom bar table with a concrete top and cypress slab "river," showcasing the team's exceptional craftsmanship. Congratulations to Baltz & Sons Concrete for this stunning project!

2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS 

BEST FINISHING COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL SOG

MHC Kenworth

Project's Owner M-H Property Enterprises Inc

Project's Ready Mix Producer Harrison Construction

Project's Engineer Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc.

Project's Architect Finkle-Williams

Project's Concrete Contractor Christman Southeast Constructors LLC

MHC Kenworth, this impressive commercial facility in Strawberry Plains, Tenn., exemplifies excellence in construction and project management. Harrison Construction, the project's Ready Mix Producer, and Christman Southeast Constructors LLC, the Concrete Contractor, have worked diligently to complete this project. In 2023, over 7,800 CY of concrete was expertly poured, including 4,300 CY for parking lots and additional volumes for foundations, slabs on grade, tilt walls, and slabs on composite metal decking. The MHC Kenworth project stands as a testament to the collaborative effort and outstanding skill of all involved. Congratulations to the team for this remarkable achievement!

 2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS

BEST FINISHING COMMERCIAL DECORATIVE

Memphis Botanic Gardens Japanese Moongazing Pavilion

Project's Owners City of Memphis

Project's Ready Mix Producer Delta Industries

Project's Engineer Kevin Baltz

Project's Architect Kevin Baltz

Project's Concrete Contractor Baltz & Sons Concrete

Memphis Botanic Gardens Japanese Moongazing Pavilion project has won in the Finishing Commercial Decorative category. Completed on April 18, 2023, this project by Baltz & Sons Concrete involved updating and restoring the pavilion's foundation and concrete pillars. The team, led by Tony Salvaggio, created a stunning stamped concrete floor mimicking cracked earth, framed by faux wooden beams, and added a concrete statuette of a moongazing hare. Congratulations to Baltz & Sons Concrete for this remarkable achievement!

2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS

BEST FINISHING RESIDENTIAL DECORATIVE

Quesada Residence

Ready Mix Producer

Engineer

Memphis Ready Mix

Kevin Baltz

Architect Kevin Baltz

Concrete Contractor

TBaltz & Sons Concrete

he Quesada Residence project has won in the Finishing Residential Decorative category. Executed by Baltz & Sons Concrete under the visionary direction of Kevin Baltz, this project transformed a mundane driveway into a modern showpiece. Featuring a stamped texture travertine finish, synthetic turf bands, tiered concrete walls, low voltage lighting, and custom Brazilian Ipe wood elements, the driveway perfectly complements the home's riverside location. Congratulations to the entire Baltz & Sons Concrete team!

 2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS

BEST SPECIALTY SELF-CONSOLIDATING CONCRETE

Hamblen County Justice Center

Project's Owner Hamblen County

Project's Ready Mix Producer Harrison Construction

Project's Engineer McGill Associates

Project's Architect Moseley Architects

The Hamblen County Justice Center project has won in the Specialty Self-Consolidating Concrete category. Produced by Harrison Construction and executed by Christman Southeast Constructors LLC, this project utilized nearly 9600 CY of concrete in 2023. Notably, 300 CY of 5000 psi self-consolidating concrete was used to address tight rebar spacing, ensuring superior performance and consolidation. Congratulations to the team for this innovative achievement!

2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS 

TCA EMERALD AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE SMALL 25,000 YD3 OR LESS

Project's Winner ReadyMix USA Boone's Creek Plant Plant Operator Paul Phillips

ReadyMixUSA's Boones Creek Plant, operated by Paul Phillips, has won the Emerald Award for Environmental Excellence in the Small Plant category. Located at 7503 Chapman Hwy, Knoxville, TN, the plant is celebrated for its Monarch Butterfly habitat, innovative water reclamation system, and comprehensive dust and fuel management practices. Congratulations to ReadyMixUSA and Paul Phillips for their outstanding environmental leadership!

Plant team members pose with their newly created monarch butterfly habitat which not only helps to beautify the plant entrance, but also aligns with national conservation objectives for monarch butterfly populations.

TCA EMERALD AWARD FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE MID: 25,001-75,000 YD3

Project's Winner Ready Mix USA Morristown Plant Plant Operator Joel Baxley

ReadyMixUSA, operated by Joel Baxley, has won the Emerald Award for Environmental Excellence. Recognized for outstanding environmental stewardship, ReadyMixUSA has implemented innovative practices such as reusing returned concrete, managing process water with sediment basins, and partnering with Carson-Newman University on educational initiatives. Congratulations to ReadyMixUSA and Joel Baxley for their exemplary environmental leadership and commitment to sustainability!

A 1500 gallon holding tank is utilized to store process water for re-use.

Returned concrete is re-used to make concrete blocks.

 2024 CONCRETE AWARD WINNERS

FRONTLINE AMBASSADOR AWARD

Jerry Kerkular of Harrison Construction

We are delighted to announce Jerry Kerkula of Harrison Construction as the recipient of the Frontline Ambassador Award! Jerry exemplifies respect in every aspect of his life, setting a standard for his fellow drivers, supervisors, customers, and the various plants he visits daily. His name emerged repeatedly when team members were asked about respect, highlighting his consistent and genuine approach to treating others with dignity.

Jerry's commitment to respect, both given and received, embodies the core values of Harrison Construction. His exemplary attitude and dedication to his work earned him Harrison's highly coveted 2023 Golden award. Congratulations to Jerry Kerkula for being a true Frontline Ambassador and an inspiration to all!

WORKFORCE UPDATES FROM TCA

TCAis utilizing several programs to enable our outreach to current and future workforce prospects for the concrete industry. This article will give a brief description of our current efforts and also introduce some new programs that are adding for 2024. Read on for more information about Skate4Concrete, Be Pro Be Proud TN, ConcreteQuest and Driver Dash, plus some information about TCA’s Institute for Concrete Leadership.

SKATE4CONCRETE is a concrete-specific curriculum developed specifically for high school students to introduce them to concrete as a building material — think of it as Concrete 101 for high school students. The curriculum was developed as partnership between Tony Hawk’s foundation (a famous skateboarder) and the Concrete Advancement Foundation using skateboarding as a way to attract interest from students. Here is a link to their website: https://www.skate4concrete.com/.

In 2023, TCA began outreach to high schools by contacting Career and Technical Educators (CTE) in high schools all across Tennessee. For the first time, TCA exhibited at the statewide CTE Institute that had over 700 CTE educators in attendance. Using these contacts, we were able to get about 20 high schools to agree to offer the program for 2023-24 school year. Three of these schools participated in our first ever competition to judge the miniature concrete skateparks they created as their final project in Skate4Concrete.

BE PRO BE PROUD TN is a collaborative effort of several trade associations in Tennessee, led by the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce. TCA is a member of the Founding Council for BPBP TN and works with the other council members to support the program and direct the overall effort. Since the launch of this program in late 2023, over 9,000 Tennessee high school students have been introduced to the many great career opportunities in the trades and construction industries. To get the latest information about the program you can go here: https://beprobeproudtn.org/

CONCRETEQUEST is a program created and introduced by TCA to help interested high school students learn more about concrete and more about job opportunities in the concrete industry. TCA has partnered with RocketStart to ‘gamify’ learning about concrete by linking the completion of lessons about concrete with points and prizes, and by creating a statewide community of high school students who are all competing to learn more about concrete. We are utilizing content from the Concrete Career Academy to guide students in their quest to learn more about

—continued on page 23

Heath Rogers, Middle Tennessee

OTECHNICAL DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE—JOHN

B. PEARSON, P.E.

KNOW YOUR TEST METHODS:

MEASURING CONCRETE TEMPERATURE IN THE FORMS

ne of the most straightforward of the fresh property tests on concrete is the determination of concrete temperature, ASTM C1064-17 Standard Test Method for Temperature of Freshly Mixed Hydraulic-Cement Concrete. This test is most often performed in a sampling container, typically a wheelbarrow that is used for obtaining the sample of concrete for acceptance testing. However, many people are not aware that this test method does not require that this test be performed in a sampling container.

According to the standard, a container is only required if the test is not going to be performed in the forms or transporting equipment after concrete discharge. This is a handy piece of information to know, especially for projects that might require additional temperature testing between the loads used for acceptance testing. Eliminating unnecessary sampling can reduce delays to the concrete placement and reduce time and effort associated with additional equipment clean-up.

WORKFORCE UPDATES FROM TCA

concrete, and the RocketStart platform allows the students to see in real time how they rank against all the other students in the game.

There are four levels to the ConcreteQuest game and students who complete a level can earn prizes as well as earning a certificate of completion to document their commitment to learning about concrete. One of our ultimate goals is for students to submit these certificates when they apply for jobs in the concrete industry as a way to help our members identify candidates who have already demonstrated their interest in concrete in a tangible manner.

Plans are underway to invite the top performers in the ConcreteQuest game to attend the 2025 TCA Annual Convention (February 5 & 6, 2025 at the Cool Springs Marriott) to learn more about the industry and to interview with TCA member companies who are interested in providing jobs or internship opportunities. Stay tuned for more about this exciting opportunity as we move closer to the 2025 Convention.

DRIVER DASH is a new and exciting competition for ready mix operator professionals who work for TCA member companies. Also powered by the RocketStart platform, TCA will provide each TCA ready mix member with five free seats in the Dash. Each ready mix producer can select up to five of their professional drivers to enter the game, and those drivers will compete with other professional drivers from TCA members all across the state.

Each month, the driver earning the most points in the Dash will recieve a $100 gift card and there will be a prize drawing each month for all drivers who qualify in the competition for that month. Every driver will be able to see where they rank in the

When testing in the forms or transporting equipment the other requirements of the temperature test procedure would still need to be followed, including the requirement for 3” or more of concrete cover in all directions around the sensor of the temperature measuring device. It would also be a good idea to let the contractor know if you plan to test in the forms to ensure that the thermometer is placed in a location where the test can be performed safely, and where the thermometer will not be disturbed during the duration of the test.

If you have attended any of my review classes, you already know that I caution testing technicians against taking selfdetermined “short-cuts” to save time and effort when performing acceptance testing since such practices could have an impact on the results and the validity of the test. However, by knowing your ASTM standards you may be able to take advantage of acceptable time saving practices that can achieve this same end while also maintaining the integrity of the test results. ■

continued from page 22

game against all the other drivers.

The 2024 Driver Dash will begin in June, 2024 and run through the remainder of 2024. The top five drivers for 2024 will each receive a complimentary registration to attend the 2025 TCA Annual Convention in Cool Springs. More information will be available during the month of May for interested companies and anyone who is interested can also reach out directly to Alan Sparkman at asparkman@tnconcrete.org

TCA launched our Institute for Concrete Leadership (ICL) in 2024. This program is focused on providing high-level leadership training and experience to the participants and will form a new cohort each year. Our inaugural group has selected a project to help support TCA’s efforts with reaching high school students and with helping TCA members establish ongoing relationships with high schools in their area. All TCA members will be receiving information and instructions about the best way to connect with high schools in your area in the near future — TCA would like to connect at least 100 high schools with local TCA members before the end of this year.

The ICL group is also working create a template for holding local training and educational events for high school teachers, with a goal of holding separate events in different parts of the state beginning in the summer of 2025. The ICL group is working on holding an event in late July with CTE educators from Cane Ridge High School here in the Nashville area and will use this event to gather feedback from teachers to use in scheduling and executing regional events in 2025. ■

by Kennedy Rains

1 ST SMALL TOWN IMPACT

Jumping from one stepping stone to the other as I run with excitement into my Nannie’s house to eat a home cooked meal, that’s my first thought when I think of concrete. Why is concrete so important within our lives and our community? Concrete can be viewed as the solid foundation that pulls small pieces of material together to make the overall structure strong and durable. Just like my Nannie’s house, she was the strong bind that kept many people together. Concrete is just like that, the hardened structure that holds things together to create so many blessings in our daily lives from our homes and schools to the workplace and roads. When you really stop and think of all the ways concrete is used in our daily life, it makes you realize what a huge blessing it is on a daily basis.

Sometimes in life we have incidences that occur that leave lives scattered and it takes years for individuals to recover. In 2018, one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit our nation occurred. Hurricane Michael left its path of destruction and took over many lives and left billions of dollars in damage. I was five years old in April 2011 when our community had a destructive EF4 tornado that came directly through the Sequatchie Valley

completely demolishing homes and businesses. As families were allowed back into their communities to view the damage, many saw only the slab of concrete from the solid foundation of their homes. Through the heartache and devastation of these storms, there was one consistent variable, the strongest man made structure ever created remained through the powerful 160 mph winds of Hurricane Michael and EF4 winds of a tornado.

When I think of the importance of concrete to my community, I think of the revitalization of downtown Pikeville. My small rural community now has sidewalks and a new main street stage for concerts. This addition to our quiet community has brought families together for many different activities. Concrete not only allows us the health benefit of walking in our town but it also connects us to our families from anywhere in the United States by the use of roadways. Being able to safely travel to see our loved ones is solely due to the fact we have a solid, strong surface to drive.

As my generation has endured a global pandemic, I like to think we resemble concrete. We go through hardships, have forceful things that may happen to us, but we are resilient and unmoved. We are the generation that will change the world for the better by being innovative and creative and overall unbreakable.

As I look forward to graduation and a future career, I should be smart with the use of my earnings. It is evident that money spent on concrete for any project is money well spent! As I

grow into an adult and look forward to having a family of my own, I hope those small concrete stepping stones offer the same excitement to my kids and grandkids as they have in my life. Those stepping stones are made of concrete, the glue that holds structures and communities together just like our parents and grandparents are the glue that holds our families together. May we always be thankful for all the science and minds behind how concrete was created that continues to impact our lives today!

WOULD FOCAL POINT REMAIN A BLEMISH

by Luke Altman

At the center of Christ Presbyterian Academy’s campus lies a seal roughly 10 feet wide. Unassuming, it is walked over by hundreds of students each day, most of whom are unaware of the inspiring story of its creation.

The seal was designed as the focal point of the campus. To its left would be a theater, where the Arts program could explore complex thoughts and ideas for the student body to learn from. To its right would lie a quad, a space where students could sit, run, and get to know each other. The upper, middle, and lower school also would surround the crest. In

this way, it would tie the student body together under one symbol and create unity. However, complications arose with its installation. Soon after its completion, the stone circle encompassing the crest cracked. It took months for new pieces to be commissioned and installed, during which the unbecoming sight of plywood and caution tape surrounded the crest. Finally, the replacement stone slabs arrived … and once again broke. For the next two years, different solutions were tested, from gravel to wood, but each one was either unsightly or fragile, leaving the school with very few options left.

Many students, including myself, thought that the crest would never be completed, and what was designed to be the focal point of the campus would instead be a blemish. However, when my classmates and I arrived for the first day of our senior year, we saw something unexpected. The unfinished crest that was thought to be eternally half-formed was completed. Over the summer, the school tried pouring concrete into the circle that the cracked stone had previously filled. They hoped that the intrinsic properties of the concrete itself would allow the poured slabs to withstand the high compressive forces that come from hundreds of feet bearing down on the slabs every morning and afternoon. The durability of the material meant that the crest would withstand those forces for years to come. Since concrete does not rust like metal, rot like wood, and is less porous than brick, the concrete circle was sure to last much longer than any of its predecessors. After all, there is a reason that the concrete behemoth that is the Roman Colosseum is still standing after two millennia.

Half a year after it was poured, the concrete ring around our school’s crest is still there, as strong and durable as when it was first made. Its installment has allowed our campus to be tied together once again. Recently, our football team walked right over the crest before loading onto buses to go win a state championship. Tomorrow morning, kids from ages six to nineteen will step on the concrete of their way to

learn. And in the future, some of their kids will hopefully walk the same path to the school that shaped them. In this way, I am thankful for concrete for helping bring my small community closer together. Now, if given the choice between keeping the concrete, or going back to stone, I would choose the concrete. Not only has the concrete proven itself to be a better material for the job, but I find the story of its implementation inspiring. Yes, the crest may not look exactly like the markups, but the new design represents some values I have learned at Christ Presbyterian Academy: resilience and strength.

THAT SIDEWALK STILL STANDS

by Emily Wahfeld

3RD

“Car!”

My mom yelled as I chased down the purple soccer ball rolling into the street. I whipped my head up and scampered out of the way just in time before the SUV barrelled down my little neighborhood street. My mom grabbed my arm and wrapped me up in hers as she yelled curse words at the empty road, words my 7 yearold mind could never understand.

It had been known for a long time that my neighborhood needed a sidewalk. Our tiny yards were not enough space for us to play in, and we couldn’t scuffle up enough money to assemble a neighborhood park. So, we took our chalk and our bubbles and our basketballs out into the empty street, and hoped it stayed empty for a few hours until the sun went down and the dinner bells rang from the doorsteps.

Occasionally, a neighbor’s mom would shout out to us to make sure we were being careful and watching for cars, but our chorus of “yes ma’am, of course

ma’am” was anything but convincing. My own mom was the most worried. She often sent strongly worded emails to the neighborhood warden, begging for a safer solution for us to play. I still remember the day she finally got the email back.

It was just after she had snatched me away from the speeding SUV that she dragged me inside to sit next to her and her computer. Fingers flying, she typed an email demanding safer conditions and explaining the danger I had just been in. Later that night, she received the answer she had been waiting for; our neighborhood had a new warden who was immediately attentive to the issue and grateful for her concerns. Sure enough, we began to see changes around the neighborhood.

Our streets were quickly lined with big trucks and men who shouted strange commands like “pour over here” and “seal over there.” I would stare out the window and watch our street, our only playground, become narrower and narrower. After a few weeks of playing inside, our brand new sidewalk was ready to go.

At first I was hesitant. What if the sidewalk was worse than the street? It took some convincing before I was ready to test out my new stomping grounds, but my enthusiastic mom convinced me and my siblings to grab some chalk and go play.

I knelt down with my sidewalk chalk in hand, and introduced it to a real sidewalk for the first time. To my delight, the blue chalk glided smoothly across the perfectly laid concrete.

I was quick to invite all the neighborhood kids outside to witness this discovery. Once they saw that the sidewalk was just as fun and safer for all of us, they were excited to give it a try. Squealing with joy, we all grabbed more toys and trinkets to test out our new favorite place.

Today, that sidewalk still stands, bearing the cracks from years of long walks and hopscotch memories. It is scheduled to be repaved on my 18th birthday this year, when I will surely walk alongside the street again, safe and happy and filled with hope for other ways a little concrete could shape our future.

CIM UPDATE

by Jon Huddleston, Associate Professor & CIM Director

STUDENT PARTICIPATION

It has once again been a busy semester for MTSU CIM! We had more than 40 students traveling this semester to the precast show in Denver, the National Ready Mix Concrete Association conference in Tampa, the American Concrete Institute conference in New Orleans and World of Concrete in Las Vegas. World of Concrete was especially eventful for one MTSU CIM student, Kellie Christian, who won the Weatherton Award which included a $2,500 scholarship. Each of the participants had to give a seven-minute speech which could cover practical applications of topics including safety, productivity and industry improvement. The presentation was judged by industry professionals and Kellie is the first student from MTSU to win the competition. The ACI student club was busy as well competing in the mortar flow competition in New Orleans, hosting multiple meetings, participating in a Habitat for Humanity build and finishing the semester with a BBQ feast where they played pickleball, corn hole, spike ball and recruited more students for next year.

RECRUITING SUCCESS

As many of you know from our CIM updates at the TCA convention, we have been actively recruiting from high school Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs as well as Future Farmers of America (FFA) programs. During recruitment we were approached by Lily Amstutz, a student at Oakland Hight School, to assist her in a

concrete research project that she wanted to enter in the state FFA competition. The faculty and staff of MTSU CIM and Oakland High school mentored Lily and provided technical support for her research on “The Comparison of Water Based, Acrylic, and Epoxy-Sealed Concrete Samples to Standard Concrete in Water Penetration, Abrasion, Rapid Chloride Permeability, and Visual Testing”. We are happy to share that Lily won the Power, Structural, and Technical Division, which means she will be taking her project to the National FFA Convention! In addition to this accomplishment, Lily will be joining us as a CIM student in the fall.

AWARDS BANQUET

We ventured out and tried something new in the MTSU School of Concrete and Construction Management this semester. Many of you may have heard of hardhat ceremonies at various universities throughout the country. On April 5th we hosted the inaugural ceremony where we presented a hardhat to each of our 2024 graduates and celebrated our outstanding seniors.

The ACI student club won the award for club of the year due to their outstanding work in national competitions, public service, and student recruitment. CIM student, Arie Milam, won the service award for her efforts to promote CIM and the ACI student club. Arie led the ACI Mortar competition team on their trip to Boston. She just completed another trip to the ACI New Orleans Mortar Workability competition. Arie assisted in the lab regularly and

she led the effort in making the first ever CIM Homecoming float.

Ashlyne Roeger received the Academic Excellence Award for Concrete Contracting. Ashlyne participates in numerous activities for CIM. She is very active in the ACI student club, active in ACI student competitions, and volunteers for high school student group recruiting. Ashlyne worked last summer on the MUREP Grant all while maintaining a very high GPA.

Kellie Christian received the Academic Excellence Award for Production Sales and Service. Kellie works outside of school for a contractor, and she is a member of a sorority. Kellie is an officer of the ACI student club and attends student competitions. She also volunteers for CIM activities such as student recruiting and homecoming events. She has completed several different internships. Even with all these activities, Kellie holds one of the best GPAs in the School which is why many students look up to her as a leader.

Caleb Perkins rounded out the CIM portion of the awards ceremony as the recipient of the Hats Off Award. This award is given to an undergraduate student who has achieved academic success in the School of Concrete & Construction despite adversity. Two weeks before the start of his 3rd semester, Caleb was injured in a car accident with a semi-truck. He suffered brain bleeding and compound fractures in his arm. Struggling with the decision to sit a semester out or continue with classes, he decided

commit to his studies and proceed with his academic work. Starting after his first semester in the CIM program, Caleb worked multiple summer and winter internships with a variety of companies and recently accepted a full-time position as a Field Engineer with Wayne Bros Construction

in Clarksville Tennessee.

ACI Student Club at their end of year celebration

Award Recipients at the First Annual School of Concrete and Construciton Management Hardhat Ceremony

Lily Amstutz preparing concrete samples for her FFA research

MTSU ACI club members Arie Milam and Sabin Shofner competing in the mortar competition at ACI New Orleans

MTSU CIM student at the World of Concrete as Kellie Christian was presented the prize for the Weatherton Award