The ACPA's 40th Anniversary Celebration

Back to where it all began...

Forty years ago this past March, a group of Southern California concrete pumpers led by Bill Drake, had the idea to form a national association that would represent the interests of the concrete pumping industry. They rallied together concrete pumpers, manufacturers and distributors from all areas of the country and officially met aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California on March 01, 1974.

During this meeting, they elected officers and hired a professional management firm, Trade Association Consultants, to oversee its operations. Elected as the first officers were: Bill Drake, President; Arthur DiNatale, Vice-President; Dick Stone, Secretary and Dick Henry, Treasurer. Pump Directors included, Bill Cross, Frank Sambol, Ron Bailey, LaForest Twitchel and George Neel. Distributor Director was Frank Barradas and Manufacturer Directors were Bruce MacLellan and Tom Hollerbach.

On March 18, 1974, the ACPA was officially incorporated as a State of California non-profit corporation. And so it began.

There were many ups and downs over the years, especially during the first 20. Not only were there several changes in executive directors, but even a time when there was no executive director at all. It went broke not once, but several times with many members asked to donate money from their own pockets to keep the association afloat. But with the heart and sweat from many of you, the ACPA endured. Today, the ACPA is a healthy, thriving and respected organization amongst the entire concrete construction community.  

On May 2-3rd, 2014, the ACPA traveled back to California to hold its spring board meeting and pay homage to the founding members with a 40th Anniversary Dinner Celebration held once again, aboard the famed Queen Mary.

Those founding members recognized included:

Harvey Hoyer, Original Concrete Pumping, Bensenville, Illinois; Pete Horner, O'Brien Concrete Pumping, Phoenix, Arizona; Gunther Merli, Merli Concrete Pumping, Gardena, California; Tom Hollerbach, Retired - Hollerbach Equipment Co., Florida; Bob Weatherton, The Concrete Pump Store, Claremont, California; Dale Bone, Sr., Retired - Brundage-Bone Concrete Pumping, Seattle, Washington; Richard O'Brien, O'Brien Companies, Inc., Denver, Colorado; Duane Perrin, American Standard Concrete Pumping, Gardena, California; Roger Phares, Retired - Schwing America, Mesa, Arizona; and Donald Taylor, Retired - Construction Forms and past ACPA Executive Director, Port Charlotte, Florida.

This historic event was followed with special entertainment by comedian/magician, Chipper Lowell.

Click on the link below for a slide show of photos from the board meeting and the Queen Mary Celebration.