I can hardly believe that 2010 is already coming to a close, which means the end of my term as president of the TCA. I have greatly enjoyed my year as president. This opportunity gave me the chance to get to know more of our members, continue to learn from the best in our industry, and help shape the direction of the Association during a challenging economic climate. I would like to thank my fellow board members and TCA staff for their tremendous support during this year.

While the economy has certainly impacted our industry, we should all find hope in the positive signs that we see. For example, there were more attendees to this year’s Annual Convention than in the prior year. We saw another excellent crop of Achievement Award winning projects that continue to push the envelope of Tilt-Up and show all the medium has to offer. Many of our members and Global Associates are pursuing innovative ideas and technologies which allow us to do more faster and with less resources as we respond to budget constraints. Also, we’ve seen Tilt-Up expand into new markets across the globe and contractors pursue more government work. I firmly believe that dedication, drive and persistence of our membership will position Tilt-Up for strong growth during the economic recovery.

During my time as president, education was a top priority for me. I initially thought my efforts would focus on developing the Contractor Certification Program and continuing to grow the ACI/TCA Superintendent Certification Program. However, over the course of the year, I learned more about an exciting program – the Concrete Industry Management (CIM) program. The goal of the CIM program is to produce broadly educated, articulate graduates grounded in basic construction management. Graduates who are knowledgeable about concrete technology and techniques, and who are also able to manage people and systems and to promote products or services related to the concrete industry. The CIM Program is a joint initiative between member institutions and leaders from the concrete industry. It provides students the opportunity to enter a field that has an urgent need for professionals with the skills to meet the growing demands of a progressive, changing concrete industry. The CIM Program was originally founded at Middle Tennessee State University in 1996. Since then, more than 550 people have graduated from the program. The CIM Program has expanded to Arizona State University, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, California State University-Chico and Texas State University-San Marcos. I see tremendous opportunity for the TCA to get more involved in supporting this program to increase the number of professionals in our industry. To learn more about CIM, visit www.concretedegree.com.

I recently had the opportunity to spend some time with incoming TCA president, Ed McGuire of Bob Moore Construction, Inc., at TCA headquarters. I know that I am handing over the reins to an extremely qualified and effective leader who will help advance the Association in the coming year. Again, I thank you all for your support during the past year.

Best wishes on a successful and productive 2011.

Jimmie Ballard, Jr., President

TCA Board of Directors