San Diego Shines for 2013 Workshop

Although the weather may not have been as sunny as we are used to in San Diego, the brilliance of the presentations, speakers, vendors, and hosted reception made up for it easily.  Many of the comment forms have statements like "Best workshop ever", "Great Speakers", "Very Informative Presentations", etc...  On and on they went.  Apparently the full two day format was also a hit with many of the attendees and that extra time gave the members of the CCSA the chance to include presentations on "everything pavement maintenance" in one place.  From aggregate, asphalt and emulsion testing and what they mean to your preservation treatment to local agencies, Caltrans and even the Foundation for Pavement Preservation extolling the virtues of protecting the pavement with the right treatment at the right time, this was the one stop store for pavement preservation and rehab information this year.  More than 20 member companies had great booth displays and tons of literature available to be picked up to help educate and inform our clientele on all the latest, as well as the tried and true of, pavement preservation and rehabilitation. 

One of the biggest shocks this year was when good old "Chipper Don" (Don Milner of Graham Contracting) put on a suit!  Who saw that coming??  See photo (left) of Don preaching the gospel of roadway maintenance to the choir of Bassem Muallem (Caltrans District 8 Director), Steve Takigawa (Caltrans Deputy Director, Maintenance and Operations, and Tony Tavares (Caltrans DIvision Chief or Maintenance).  What a wonderful sound as they were all singing in tune. 

One of the main highlights was at the end of the day when the 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award was presented by the Chairman of the Board, Andy Clayton, to Norm Aquirre.  Norm spent his over 40 year career advancing the cause of pavement preservation and was a deserving candidate that was soundly applauded by all.  Of course he did admit that he couldn't actually remember doing some of the things sighted in the resolution (good one Norm). At right, Lifetime Achievment Winners Steve Olsen, Jim Towns, Norm Aguirre, Don Milner, Bob McCrea and Gordon Rayner.  At least half of them are looking at the camera!

The CCSA also held its' annual elections at the end of the first day of the conference.  The newly recycled Vice President is Scott Dmytrow with Telfer Oil Company and the the new Secretary is Katrina Lynch with Petrochem Manufacturing.  They will soon be hard at work planning the 2014 Conference, to be held in Sacramento Feb 4-6, 2014, under the tutelage of President Metcalf and the rest of the board. 

The presentations from this years conference along with a photo gallery will be availabe soon. Please check back in a week or two.