I want to start this off with a huge thank you to the Dallas Host Committee, TCA staff, and all the vendors and suppliers who made the 2018 TCA Convention such a success. This was the largest turnout we ever had at a convention.

While I was walking the exhibit hall, one of the things that impressed me the most was the interaction between everyone. There were engineers talking to contractors, architects conversing with vendors. The spirit in the room, alongside all the presentations, was to share what you know so the industry will become even better than we are today. Everyone should have picked up a wealth of knowledge from the convention and started implementing what they learned, which in turn will improve the product they produce.

Congratulations to all the outstanding achievement award winners who were recognized for their amazing structures that are being constructed out of tilt-wall. All the individuals who received a professional award were well deserving and have made a substantial impact on the tilt-up industry.

The convention showed off the type of tilt-up structures that Dallas has to offer with the fantastic buildings tour. Sorry about the heat, this is Texas after all. There were plenty of seminars available, no matter what part of the tilt-up industry you cover. The outdoor demo pulled us all a little closer under the tents when a small storm blew through, nevertheless a lot of knowledge was gained at the event. We were still able to demonstrate the lifting of a 4 ½ inch thick panel with 70% of the standard rebar being replaced with steel fibers. Our industry needs to keep exploring new methods and techniques without compromising safety. There was a lot of pressure to push forward with the demo; it reminded me there are a lot of choices when it comes to safety, but there is only one right choice. Are you making the right choices?

At our Board meeting, we decided to solicit a limited number of young professionals to meet in Las Vegas at the upcoming World of Concrete. They will spend a day designing and organizing what that group will be molded into for the future.

In closing, the TCA is working on releasing our online educational material and is constantly looking for ways to create better value for all our members. Thank you all for sharing and making our industry better.