At the American Concrete Institute’s (ACI) Concrete Convention and Exposition, April 17-20 in Milwaukee, John Busel, vice president of the American Composites Manufacturers Association’s (ACMA) Composites Growth Initiatives, was elected as a Fellow of the Institute.
Busel earned this designation through his extensive work with ACI, which includes leading the ACI Committee 440 on fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) from 2003-2009, as well as serving as the committee’s secretary from 1998-2003. He also served as the Chairman for ACI Committee 440-L from 2001-2003. For the past four years, he has served as the Co-Chairman of ACI Committee 440-J. In these roles, he has helped develop a number of industry-changing guides, standards, specifications and codes for fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites with ACI.
"I am deeply humbled to receive this honor," said Busel. "I am proud of the work I have done with the ACI to make viable FRP standards that contribute to the advancement of our industry."
Charlie McClaskey, a long-time member of ACI Committee 440, says Mr. Busel’s consistent professional oversight in the development of ACI guides, codes and standards has been a great service to ACI and its member companies.
"John joined the industry because internally, we felt there was a huge opportunity for the use of FRP in civil infrastructure," explained McClaskey. "However, there is no such thing as ‘trust me’ in this business. You have to prove that the materials are safe. John’s leadership in ACI Committee 440’s work has significantly added to that proof."
Dr. Antonio Nanni, a professor at the University of Miami who has also worked extensively with Mr. Busel on ACI committees, also believes his contributions to the construction industry have been invaluable.
"John has been and remains a cornerstone in the work undertaken by ACI Committee 440," said Dr. Nanni. "His contributions and leadership have made possible the timely development and deployment of documents critical to the concrete construction industry."
Back in 2009, Mr. Busel received ACI’s Delmar L. Bloem Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes noteworthy work on ACI technical committees.
Tom Dobbins, President of ACMA, stated, "After working with John for 12 years, the entire ACMA staff is very pleased to hear of his recognition. Mr. Busel’s work ethic and professional dedication to the study of composites have resulted in an unparalleled body of work that serve as the cornerstone of fiber reinforced polymer composite applications." Dobbins continued, "His dedication and professionalism set the bar for ACMA staff on a daily basis."
At ACMA, Mr. Busel leads the Composites Growth Initiatives, which work to create standards and specifications that encourage the use of composites in place of traditional materials. CGI committees also produce leads for ACMA members and form strategic alliances with industry leaders. These efforts help open new markets and expand existing markets for the composites industry.
