Pioneer Awards:
Gary Brown
R.L. McCoy, Inc.

Jim Clark
Schwing America, Inc.

Clifford Freed
Lehigh Concrete Placement, Inc.

Ray Harris, Sr.
Harris Concrete Pumping

Eric Kuntz, Sr.
SMECO

David Welstead
Amherst Concrete Pumping, Ltd.

R.E Henry "Lifetime Achievement" Award:
Richard O'Brien
O'Brien Concrete Equipment Sales

2006 ACPA Safe Operator of the Year Award:
ACPA Safe Operator of the Yearaward nominees are nominated by their company and must posses and agree to the following:

• Must be a current ACPA Certified Operator
• Must be employed by a current ACPA member
• Must have an outstanding safety record

All nominees are validated at the National Office and the winner is selected by lottery. The winner receives airfare for two - sponsored by Schwing America, hotel accommodations sponsored by Construction Forms, and $500 in spending money sponsored by Putzmeister.

Bob Dill: A good concrete pump operator is as great an asset to a company as the type of equipment it owns. Expertise, reliability, dependability, a good attitude, professionalism, and of course, the desire to ensure a safe pour are all the qualities that make up a good concrete pump operator. Bob Dill is all of these.

Bob began his career at O'Brien Concrete Pumping in Southern California over 25 years ago. Since his early beginnings running a Thomsen pump, Bob has gone on to operate virtually all sizes and makes of boom pumps. He's operated pumps for Yeager Construction, was a senior operator for Merli Concrete Pumping and is now the number one operator for Conco Pumping and Belting, Inc. in Southern California.

What makes Bob a number one operator? He’s the most requested of all Conco's operators and he's the one they always call upon for the toughest jobs. He always shows up for work on time; prepared with his pump clean, fueled, and ready to pump. And, although Bob doesn't really like to run the big pumps because of the long hours, when asked, he gladly accepts the job.

Bob is not just an asset as a pump operator. He spends some of his time everyday in the yard helping others. He will help or advise any operator who asks or wants to learn. In fact, he once was dispatched to a jobsite because a competitors pump had broken down and Bob ended up helping the other operator clean out his boom and save the system.

But, for all Bob does and as valuable as he is to Conco, he deserves to be the ACPA Operator of the Year because he makes those around him in the yard and on the job - better. He does this by hands-on helping others, by his example, and by his dedication to professionalism and to our industry.

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1. They must have fostered and advanced the concrete pumping industry.
2. They must have increased the use of concrete pumping.
3. They must have improved the conditions under which concrete pumping is performed.
4. They must have shared their knowledge and experiences with the concrete pumping industry.
5. They must have promoted good will within the industry and general public.
6. They must have promoted and practiced safety within the industry.

Webster’s Dictionary describes a Pioneer as one who originates or helps open up a new line of thought or activity or a new method or technical development. Each of this year's Pioneer Award recipients is being recognized for their specific or unique contributions to the concrete pumping industry. The 2006 Pioneer Awards were presented to:

Gary Brown:  After graduating from his hometown High School in Huntington, Indiana, Gary enlisted in the U.S. Army and served three years of active duty. Upon returning home, he enlisted in the Indiana Army National Guard and attended Purdue University majoring in construction technology. Gary served a total of 22 years in the military before retiring at the rank of First Sergeant in 1994.

While attending college, Gary worked construction and was first introduced to shotcrete pumps. Realizing there was potentially a future in this line of work, he and two business associates formed a partnership to pump concrete on residential and commercial projects in the northern Indiana area. Their first pump was a P-40 Whiteman purchased from Cross Concrete Pumping. Unfortunately, the housing market did not fare well in the late 1970’s, so the company dissolved and the partners went their separate ways.

But Gary knew there was still a market for concrete pumping so he contacted Bill Cross about starting a concrete pumping branch in the Fort Wayne, Indiana area. Cross agreed and later opened another branch in Indianapolis. He worked for Cross until 1987 when he left to work for Huber, Hunt, and Nichols and then later, F.A. Wilhelm Construction. During this time, he pumped many of the high-rise buildings in Indianapolis.

R.L. McCoy was the first bridge contractor Gary convinced to use a concrete pump. His persuasion and their growing bridge business convinced them enough to purchase their own pump in 1988. With Gary as their “concrete pump advisor” they were soon adding additional pumps to their fleet. During one of their trips to purchase a new 42-meter Schwing, Gary was offered the opportunity to expand and manage a second concrete pumping operation for the company. In 1994 Gary developed a new branch for R.L. McCoy located in the Indianapolis area.

Gary has served on the ACPA Board of Directors and has always been an active supporter of the Association and it programs. When the ACPA called upon Gary last year to give a Co-Worker Safety Seminar to members of the Concrete Foundations Association, Gary readily agreed. He is always ready to help promote safety and with the help of his wife Katrina, regularly organizes safety meetings for all concrete pumpers in his area.

Gary and Katrina have been married 33 years and live in Greenfield, Indiana. They have two adult children, Benjamin and Valerie, and they have three granddaughters.

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Jim Clark:  In 1966, Jim Clark began his career as an operator for the first concrete pumping company in Minnesota Midwest Concrete Pumping. The company operated two Thomsen model 600s on Ford trucks. They were Thomsen serial numbers 002 and 006. Midwest also had a Thomsen A 4½ grout pump. As the company grew, Jim gained experience operating one of two Engineered Equipment truck mounted pumps. They were manufactured in Waterloo, Iowa. The last pump Jim ran at Midwest was a J I Case P50 trailer pump.

In 1968, Jim moved to Seattle Washington and worked for Puget Sound Concrete Pumping as an operator. One year later, Jim joined JI Case as a Regional Sales Rep. 

In 1970, Jim transferred to Tokyo Japan and managed the sale of JI Case pumps in Asia.

In 1974, Jim was on the move again, this time to Sao Paulo, Brazil to launch the sale of Case concrete pumps and assist in the plans to manufacture there.

Jim joined Schwing America in 1983 as a Regional Sales Representative. He has held several positions at Schwing including Assistant Sales Manager, and Export Sales Manager. Jim is currently the Regional Manager for Schwing America's Northern US Territory. 

With close to 40 years in the concrete pumping industry, Jim has earned his reputation as a salesman who is always there for his customers.� Still today, Jim regularly delivers new boom pumps in his territory and personally trains the operators. Jim proudly represents himself as the oldest pump operator in the state of Minnesota”. That makes him serial #1.

Jim would like to thank his wife Eliani, his two sons Nic and Chris and all of his extended family at Schwing. 

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Clifford Freed: Clifford was born and raised in Allentown, Pennsylvania and subsequently graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering.

He first put his education to work at the Western Electric Corporation located in Allentown, Pennsylvania until 1967, when he partnered with his friend, the late Thomas Kehnel, to start Lehigh Concrete Pumping Service, Inc. With only two Engineered Equipment truck mounted concrete pumps and a barn for a base of operations, Clifford and his partner began a journey that would eventually culminate in a series of successions that would help to lead the concrete pumping industry to new and advanced technological plateaus.

The concrete pumping technology of 1967 was still quite primitive compared to the technology of today, yet Clifford and his partner, along with his engineering background, innovative style and his thirst for problem solving, led him to professional heights some can only dream of. This is evidenced by a 1974 invitation from the Case Corporation, a concrete pump manufacturer, and his subsequent trip to Libya to teach all aspects of concrete pumping, including maintenance and repair.

By this time, Lehigh Concrete Pump Service had grown to include boom pumps as well as a brand new building and office for their base of operations which came complete with their wives who were now actively involved in the business.

By the late 1970s, Clifford and his partner had attained Schwing dealer status. Boasting a small fleet of booms pumps and trailer pumps as well as a hard earned and deserved reputation for being on the cutting edge of the concrete pumping industry, Clifford had become well-versed in the practical application of the technology, including maintenance and repair. More importantly however, was his innovative style and ideas that provided new and viable technology that ultimately helped to improve and streamline concrete pumps as well as the pumping process.

Each concrete pump that made its way to Lehigh was thoroughly inspected by Clifford top-to-bottom and end-to-end. The engineer in him wanted to be sure he understood and was comfortable with all aspects of the pump; how it worked, why it worked that way, and if there was any way to improve it, which often times he did.

His reputation for excellence was further evidenced when a customer tracked him down while he was attending the annual World of Concrete. The customer wanted to fly him to and from the customer's location in order to trouble shoot and repair a pump.

During these years, Clifford was also involved with the Mercedes-Benz Unimog. As a dealer, he sold and serviced these versatile all-terrain vehicles and was also actively involved in the entire process, from inception, to design and planning, to delivery and practical application.

With the successful growth of Lehigh Concrete Pumping Service, and as the father of two children, Wendy and Darin, by the mid 1980s Clifford decreased his involvement with field operations and turned his business focus to administrative operations and equipment design and maintenance. The industry was evolving, time was marching on. His son, Darin now a teenager was spending all his available time learning the business, from the ground floor up.

The company continued to grow and business was thriving while Clifford taught his sons the proverbial ropes, and by the mid 1990s, Clifford was sidelined with health issues. By now, his son was proficient in all aspects of the business, from cleaning clamps, to operating pumps and it was time for Clifford to pass the baton.

In 1997, Clifford semi-retired when the partners dissolved Lehigh Concrete Pumping Service, Inc. and helped Darin organize and open Lehigh Concrete Placement, Inc. While Clifford is still semi-retired, he does spend time assisting with administrative functions, equipment maintenance, and the pastime he loves best, tinkering.

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Ray Harris Sr.:  Ray was born on June 5^th, 1930 in Palestine, Arkansas and has lived in the Little Rock area for most of his life.

In 1969, he was in the crane business and from time to time would have to place concrete with a bucket.  He just knew there had to be an easier way. He was looking in a magazine and came upon a picture of a concrete pump working on a job in New Orleans so he decided to go down there and watch it pump on a Shell Oil building. Ray liked what he saw and came back knowing that there would be a market for a concrete pump in Little Rock. 

He purchased his first pump in 1969 from a dealer in New Orleans. It was a Challenge Squeeze Crete. He brought it back to the Little Rock area and started working it. Over the next eleven years he owned a  Challenge Squeeze Crete, Thompson Flapper Blade, and an Elba. In 1980, Brad Dunn and Grady Stallings finally convinced him he was ready for a Schwing Pump. He became the Schwing Dealer for the state of Arkansas and kept that status until he sold his business in 2003. 

Over the years Ray has pumped a lot of interesting jobs. One that particularly comes to his mind is the Little Rock Airport runway. The runway was sinking due to a sewer line that had broken underneath the concrete pad.�He had to cut a five inch hole in the concrete and bolt down an adapter plate to the concrete and then pump under the slab until it came back up. He then had to fill the four foot in diameter, fifteen hundred feet long pipe full of concrete. Now that's a lot of concrete pumping! 

The most dangerous job he can recall was at the Nuclear One Plant in Russellville, Arkansas. A cooling tower was leaking and he had to pump walls around the perimeter to contain the leak. Over 300 feet of pipe was contaminated and ultimately ruined, but at least he didn't lose the pump!

Ray believes that a lot of good changes have occurred in the industry over the years; the mixes are better and the concrete pumps are certainly much more dependable, but his hope is that the industry will continue to evolve and that those coming into the business will realize the value of their services. Don't give them away free! His motto was always work less and charge more!

If he could go back and choose any other business, he would still choose concrete pumping. It will always be in his blood.

Ray would like to leave this message for all the new concrete pumpers in the industry today: 

Keep your pump clean, serviced, and ready to roll at all times. Don't go to bed until your pump is ready to go because you never know when someone will call and need a pump right away. And, if you aren't ready, they will call someone else.

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Eric Kuntz, Sr.: Eric Raymond Kuntz was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the oldest of three sons, all three of whom served in the Army National Guard as Green Berets.

Eric and Ray Smith co-founded Smith Material and Equipment Company, Incorporated in 1974. Using their prior work experience in the construction and concrete industry, they began selling construction equipment representing many different types and manufacturers. Within six years, SMECO grew from a small wooden trailer, to a 40,000 square foot complex in Kenner, Louisiana. Since 1975, they have represented some major equipment companies including: Schwing America, Stone Equipment, Target and Power Curbers. And, over the years have gained many more including: Con-E-Co Ready Mix Plants, Multiquip and Midland Machinery to name a few.

SMECO broadened their horizons in June 1988 and began pumping concrete. They started with a 32-meter Schwing pump and by the next year purchased a 28 meter Schwing. SMECO pumped concrete in the New Orleans area from their Kenner location and in 1994 opened a branch in Bush, Louisiana followed by a branch in Tickfaw and eventually expanded all over Louisiana with branches in Houma, Slidell, Baton Rouge and Shreveport. Their fleet now has a total of 29 Schwing concrete pumps.

Eric and SMECO have many loyal employees - some who have been with them since the company began as well as many new employees. People come to work for SMECO and enjoy their work environment due to the good work ethic and morale Eric extends to them. They know they can look forward to a long career at SMECO.

Eric is an active member of the ACPA, the Association of Builders and Conctractors, the Association of General Contractors, the Concrete Industry of America, St. Tammany Home Builders Association, Tangipahoa Home Builders and various Home Building Associations in Louisiana.

SMECO and Eric have donated money to the American Red Cross, VFW, Law Enforcement Services, LA Special Olymics and many foundations for the mentally and physically challenged. He had donated pumping services for many homes in the building process for St. Jude and Habitat for Humanity. He is an avid supporter and contributor in the rebuilding of New Orleans and the surrounding areas that were damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Eric is one of the first contractors to introduce line pumps to mausoleums and masonry contractors for the state of Louisiana.

Eric has been married for 37 years to Susan Boyle Kuntz and they have four children and five grandchildren. Two of their children, Matthew Kuntz and Jennifer Harris have since joined SMECO. Jennifer has been with SMECO for eight years and Matthew has been with them for three years. Eric, along with his family of employees, look forward to a bright and continuous future in the expansion, growth, building and rebuilding of Louisiana.

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David Welstead:  Back when Toronto was young, and so was Amherst Concrete Pumping, Limited, the construction business was composed of tough, hard-working laborers, the elite few money men, the artisans, and the artists. The concept of computerized job-costing and hydraulic concrete pumps was far removed from the sweat-on-the-brow construction industry.

It's come a long way! With the achievement and insight of a few inspired members, the construction business has progressed since the 1960s though a whirlwind of change and development. This advancement contributed to, in no small measure, by people such as David Welstead, President of Amherst Concrete Pumping Limited.

Back in the 1960s, David's ideals were simple; make some money, provide a comfortable life for your family, and enjoy your work. In retrospect, these were the principles which drove this persistent man to introduce, promote, and improve the concrete pump.

Back in the early days, prior to the arrival in North America of any concrete pump manufacturing facilities, David almost single handedly promoted and improved the business of pumping concrete in Eastern Canada. The first concrete pumps introduced to the area were purported to be time and labor saving miracle machines. Often they were not! It was truly a challenge for this man to adapt the methods of placement, and the equipment, and the change of attitudes of the skeptical contractors who genuinely feared being left with the ready-mix trucks churning!

David helped improved the product and the method of pumping to the dramatic benefit of the industry and greatly contributed to the constructions industry's confidence in the use of concrete pumping. He has been recognized by many general contractors and equipment manufacturers alike for his expertise and knowledge.

David and his family members at Amherst Concrete Pumping Limited have always remained mindful of the safety for their employees as well as their co-workers, and actively participate in safety training programs across all of Canada.

David and his wife, Cathy, reside in Toronto, Canada and have three children, sons, Mark and Christopher who also work at Amherst and a daughter, Katie. 

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R.E. Henry "Lifetime Achievement" Award:
This most prestigious award is given to those individuals or companies who have fostered and advanced the use of concrete pumping, have improved the conditions under which concrete pumping is performed, shared their knowledge and experiences with others in the industry, and promoted and practiced safe concrete pumping.

Richard O'Brien
O'Brien Concrete Equipment Sales

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