CHICAGO — Kenneth J. DuPere has been named Managing Director of Finance & Administration for the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute. He will be responsible for financial operations, information technology, human resources, shipping, receiving and warehousing activities. More >>

CHICAGO — The Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute has named Kristine C. McIntosh to be its first Director of Education. The position has been created to coordinate student education efforts through the PCI Foundation, and continuing education programs for both precast manufacturers as well as for the design and construction communities across the country. McIntosh will work on developing programs at the local, state and national levels. More >>

As PCI’s new branding initiative - designed to reposition precast in the construction industry and refresh the image of PCI as an organization - continues to accelerate and gain momentum, our branding team has launched a new resource - an intranet for PCI marketing. Called Brand Central, this “information hub” displays all aspects of the branding initiative and is designed to give members a complete array of information and tools to keep you in sync with the marketing and branding efforts of PCI. We’ll continue to update and expand the resources available to the extended family of PCI marketing professionals.

You can access Brand Central under the Members section of the PCI Website at http://www.pci.org.

With a generally strong outlook for construction activity, materials prices are likely to rise faster than the overall rate of consumer or producer prices again in 2006. The rate of increase for construction materials and components prices could be closer to the 10.1 percent rate of 2004 than the 6.1 percent rate of 2005. Once again, however, prices are likely to vary greatly by type of material and project. More >>

One hundred and eighty builders, architects, engineers, contractors, and building officials received 7 professional development hours on hurricane resistant concrete construction during three workshops last week in the Gulf Coast states affected by Hurricane Katrina:

Hattiesburg, Mississippi - April 11

Baton Rouge, Louisiana - April 12

Mobile, Alabama - April 13

The 1-day workshops began with a session on Fortified Homes, a program of the Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) followed by sessions on building code requirements, concrete masonry, precast concrete, tilt-up concrete, removable forms, and insulating concrete forms. The workshops were sponsored by Mississippi Concrete Industries Association, Concrete and Aggregate Association of Louisiana, and Alabama Concrete Industries Association, Concrete Homes magazine, and Concrete Monthly magazine. The program was organized by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association and presented by IBHS, Portland Cement Association, National Concrete Masonry Association, Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, Tilt-up Concrete Association, Concrete Foundations Association, and Insulating Concrete Form Association. NACA members are currently planning additional seminars in other regions of the country.

BLOOMINGTON, MINN. — Michael Johnsrud, formerly the executive director of the Minnesota Concrete Masonry Association, has been named executive director of the Midwest Precast Association. Johnsrud is the first executive named to lead this group, which to date has worked informally as an organization member of the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute, based in Chicago. More >>

On March 6, WMAQ-TV (NBC) of Chicago featured the first Fortified...for Safer Living® home in Illinois during the station’s 10 p.m. news program. The 2,800-square-foot Bolingbrook home features a state-of-the-art precast concrete panel system for the floors and exterior walls, impact-resistant roofing, connectors to securely tie the house together from roof to foundation, and windows with high wind and water pressure ratings. In addition to the home’s added protection against tornadoes, hail, and severe winter weather¾three of the state»s most destructive natural elements—the segment highlighted the energy-efficiency aspects of concrete homes. Jim Niehoff, PCA residential promotion manager, reported on the growing trend of concrete residential construction. PCA, the Institute of Business & Home Safety, Dukane Precast, Inc., and AAA Chicago Motor Club sponsored the home. The home has also been featured in the Naperville Sun, a suburban Chicago newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, and the Wall Street Journal.

Notice of PCI Public Schools for Plant Quality Personnel and Erectors. The Personnel Training and Certification Committee offer four public schools per year. This year they are all at the Embassy Suites Hotel near the airport in Nashville. TN. The first school was in February and was well attended. The next three PCI Public schools are listed below. This year (2006) all erectors must be PCI Qualified to erect product in Groups A and C, produced by a PCI Producer Member. To know what is involved, the easiest way is to attend one of the PCI Certified Field Auditor (CFA) Schools scheduled for this year. By the end of 2006, all erectors must be PCI Certified. To know what is involved in the Independent Certification Audit, the easiest way is to attend one of the PCI Certified Company Auditor (CCA) Schools. All of the Public Schools will be in Nashville, TN this year. More >>