As 2008 rapidly (incredibly) races to a close, one can reflect both on the year past and anticipate the year to come. I believe it has been a very successful year for the TCA. Among this year’s accomplishments is the culmination of years of hard work to create a Producers Council and introduction of Term Limits into the TCA Bylaws to keep the organization accessible to its members (and eliminate any feeling, real or imagined, of a good-old-boys network). Committees continue to be strengthened, further providing access and input into the organization by you, its members. Like any organization, you get out of it what you put into it.

ORGANIZATIONAL DIVERSITY

I have enjoyed serving as President this past year, “sandwiched” between my outstanding engineer and contractor colleagues, past President Dave Tomasula and President-elect Jim MacKinnon. The beauty of TCA is the diversity of membership: contractors, engineers, architects, suppliers, owners, and educators. In addition to professions, we have other great organizational diversity: Developing Tilt-Up markets/ Experienced Markets, Iowan/not Iowan, Canadian/South African/American/Rest of the World, serious/humorous, agreeable/ contrary minded, middle-aged/old, with hair/ without hair (just a little end-of-the-year humor). As Chief Design Architect at Haskell, a design-build organization, I have a great appreciation and respect for the diverse perspectives represented in each of these groups. Each president, like each group, brings his/her own expertise and interest to the position, and the diversity keeps the organization fresh and multi-dimensional.

As a design architect, it has been a pleasure to focus more on the architectural side of the industry. At the Convention, I unveiled the Top Ten Tilt-Up projects of all time, architecturally-speaking, and invited you to develop your own top ten list. (Keep in mind I also presented the top ten reasons our executive director has no hair, so that one is already taken… a little more year-end humor). The list can serve as the basis of future re-publication of ‘The Architecture of Tilt-Up’, highlighting outstanding works of Architecture. We completed our Second Annual Student Design Competition, and laid the foundation for the next year’s contest, which will focus on Sustainability. I’ve also enjoyed serving on the Awards Committee (though, like the organization, this is broad-based), with an outstanding group of award winners in 2008, and another phenomenal awards program coming in 2009; thanks to your great work!

The 2009 Convention is coming to Amelia Island, Florida, not far from my hometown of Jacksonville. Among the presenters will be the one I most anticipated at this year’s Convention but who was unable to come when his passport was stolen during a home break-in: Charles van Eck of South Africa will present the Sibaya Casino, easily a Top Ten Tilt-Up project. It should be a highlight of a great Convention.

Despite the accomplishments of 2008, and positive outlook for 2009, everyone knows we are facing stresses on our financial system not seen in most of our lifetimes. Yet, despite the recent drops on Wall Street, problems in the banking industry, and difficulty in acquiring credit, there are some hopeful signs for the future. Gas is back to a more civilized $2 per gallon, commodity prices are moderating, and there seems to be cooperation internationally and domestically to secure the financial system. For the TCA, we need to keep our organization strong, poised for the future, looking for better ways to work to serve our clients and industry, and weather the storm, so to speak. “Keep the faith” as may dad used to say.