A high-energy and insightful keynote presentation by a 7-foot-4 former NBA All-Star and an increase in attendance are just two reasons why the Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association’s (CSDA) 43rd Annual Convention & Tech Fair was a huge success.
The association had nearly 200 people attend its flagship event, held March 31 to April 2 at the iconic Renaissance Vinoy Hotel in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. An impressive series of 10 industry-specific business sessions commenced with Mark Eaton’s message about The Four Commitments of a Winning Team. Eaton rose from an auto mechanic to an NBA All-Star who still holds the record for the most blocked shots in a season. He explained how business owners can turn themselves and their employees into top performers by applying the same concepts that create sports superstars.
“All the convention presentations were good, but Mark Eaton’s keynote was even better than I expected. His message provided me with actionable ideas that I can take back to my workplace,” said Rick Stelzer of Merlin Stelzer Services Inc., St. Louis, Missouri.
Also at the convention, Ken Barnes received the CSDA Lifetime Achievement Award. Barnes, a Past President of the association, was presented with the award by outgoing President Judith O’Day during the Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony for his years of outstanding service to the sawing and drilling industry. His company, Concrete Wall Sawing Co. of San Leandro, California, is a charter member of CSDA. Barnes becomes the seventh member of the industry to receive this prestigious award since its inception in 2005.
As part of its mission to “promote the use of professional cutting, polishing, imaging and selective demolition contractors and their methods,” CSDA scheduled certification and continuing education sessions as part of the convention program. Industry specifiers gathered at the Vinoy for a series of three AIA-approved sessions focused on concrete floor preparation, while a certification class for CSDA-ST-115 Measuring Concrete Micro Surface Texture had 17 graduates.
Aside from all the business sessions, networking opportunities and social events available in St. Petersburg, the CSDA Tech Fair was also on the convention agenda and proved to be as popular as ever. More than 20 leading industry manufacturers and affiliates exhibited at the event, drawing a great crowd. Attendees took the opportunity to talk one-on-one with vendors in an intimate setting, something that often cannot be achieved at large trade shows.
First-time convention attendee Veronica Conti of SouthEast Scanning, LLC, Suwanee, Georgia, was impressed with the convention. “As a new member of the association, it was everything I hoped it would be. The roundtables were helpful and informative while the hotel and social events—particularly the evening at the Dali Museum—were excellent."
The 44th Annual CSDA Convention & Tech Fair will be held March 10-12, 2016, at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort in Palm Desert, California.
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