“This is yet another example of the high value the concrete industry places on the CIM program,” said Eugene Martineau, executive director of the NSC. “The NSC appreciates the record number of 155 donated items and all the bidders that helped make this year’s auction a huge success.”

Danny Rodgers, president of MMC Materials, won the auction’s signature item: a Mack Truck model GU813 equipped with a McNeilus 11-cubic-yard concrete mixer. Mack Trucks and McNeilus, a division of Oshkosh Truck, donated the item.

“The money raised will benefit the National Steering Committee and support the current CIM program as well as help fund future program expansion,” Martineau explained.

In addition to the annual auction, the NSC also held a silent auction during which the committee sold items such as cement, a skid steer, concrete saws, drills, mixers, vibrators, scaffolding, safety equipment, screeds, fiber transport systems, dust collectors, NDT equipment, decorative concrete tools, water meters, pumps, generators, training sessions, reference books, advertisements, laptop computers, sports memorabilia, sports travel packages, golf school packages and vacation travel packages.

As part of this appointment, Patten Caterpillar will be a stocking dealer, which will allow the company to sell MB crushing and screening attachments at all Patten Caterpillar branches.

The award, named after the founding president ARTBA’s Research and Education Division (RED), annually “recognizes individuals who have made remarkable contributions to the field of transportation education.”  Farkas was selected by his peers for his career body of work.

He is a nationally-recognized expert on research and teaching in transportation economics and policy, logistics, systems evaluation, urban transportation, and land use.  He has previously been president of both the ARTBA RED and the Council of University Transportation Centers.

Dr. Farkas has served at Morgan State University since 1983, rising from associate professor to professor and then director of the National Center for Transportation Management, Research and Development.  He worked as a transportation engineering economist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and as a research associate in economics for the Georgia Department of Transportation.  He received his doctorate from the University of Georgia in 1978.

The 2012 CUTC Awards were presented to students, educators and transportation officials in six categories:

“Lifetime Achievement in Transportation Research & Education Award,” which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions throughout their professional lives to transportation research and education by working in government, business or non-governmental organizations: Bill Millar, who retired as president of the American Public Transportation Association last fall.

The award for “Distinguished Contribution to University Transportation and Research,” given annually to individuals who have had a long history of significant and outstanding contribution to university-level transportation education and research: Dr. Daniel Turner, University of Alabama.

“CUTC-ARTBA New Faculty Award,” presented to tenure-track educators in recognition of outstanding reaching and research contributions in the transportation field: Dr. Bruce Wang, associate professor at Texas A&M University.

“Milton Pikarsky Award,” given to graduate students in the transportation field for outstanding doctoral dissertations, Master of Science theses or Master of Science/Master of Engineering reports with an emphasis on science and technology: Dr. Vikrant Suhas Vaz, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Mr. Alexander Bigazzi, Portland State University.

“Charlie V. Wootan Award” given to graduate students in the transportation field for outstanding dissertations, theses, or Master of Science/Master of Engineering reports with an emphasis on policy and planning: Dr. Kari Edison Watkins, University of Washington and Mrs. Carey Blackmar Barr, University of Texas, Austin.

“Neville A. Parker Award,” given to students pursuing Master of Science degrees in the transportation field for outstanding non-thesis papers or projects in the areas of policy and planning, or science and technology: Mr. Michael Litschi, The Mineta Transportation Institute, San Jose State University and Mr. Rubens Sylvain, The City College of the City University of New York.

The agreement gives BearCom the ability to provide its customers with hands-free, wireless and push-to-talk products.

“Sonetics’ solutions create an integrated radio-compatible, full-duplex audio network on a work site, bringing an entirely new level of capability to our customers,” said Jerry Denham, BearCom’s president and CEO.

Painter will be responsible for overall performance of the division, including three manufacturing plants, the dealer network, and several strategic initiatives related to the dramatic growth of the tank trailer industry. He will be based at Polar Tank Trailer’s headquarters in Opole, Minn., and report to Ted Fick, Polar Corp. president and CEO.

Painter was president of Quality Trailer Products, a Polar company, since 2000.

“Jim [Painter] is an accomplished senior executive whose leadership within Polar over the last 11 years has been outstanding,” said Fick. “As president of Polar Tank Trailer, his immediate focus will be on advancing our fastest-growing business unit.”

Polar Tank Trailer builds custom tank trailers for dry and liquid bulk cargoes including oil and fuel, food products, asphalt, chemicals, and corrosives. Quality Trailer Products manufactures and distributes both original and aftermarket components for commercial trailers.

Before joining Quality Trailer Products, Painter was an officer and vice president at Simpson Industries where he was responsible for the Engine Products group, a global manufacturing operation. He also held positions of increasing management and executive responsibilities at Rockwell International, including president of the Rockwell Clutch Co. and general manager of the Specialty Axle Division.

Painter earned an M.B.A. from Xavier University and a bachelor’s degree from General Motors Institute.

Erik Schmidt

Johnson Crushers International Inc. (KPI-JCI)

The company says it created this new position because of a turnaround in domestic sales, a surging growth in the international marketplace, and a strong five-year sales projection. The new position, according to KPI-JCI, is designed to elevate service training programs at Johnson Crushers International Inc.

Schmidt, who has been with KPI-JCI since 1999, has held several positions within the service department. In his new role, Schmidt will be responsible for the development of training programs and technical resources for the company’s customers and employees. He will continue his duties as field service and training supervisor until the company hires and trains a replacement, said Ian Pendergrass, JCI service manager.

The new role expands Schmidt’s previous duties and allows him to focus solely on training and development programs, Pendergrass said.

“In Erik’s previous position, we just could not find the time to further develop our training procedures,” Pendergrass said. “We decided that in order to have a successful program, one person needed to be fully dedicated to training new employees and our dealers.”

Schmidt was a natural choice for the position, Pendergrass said, because he has been involved with the company’s training program since 1999, and has a background in training with the Navy.

“Erik has built almost all of the information and structure that we currently have,” he said. “I believe that we both share the same vision of what we want the future to look like, which is why I’m confident that he will be successful in this new position.”

Johnson Crushers International, Inc. is a branding partner with Kolberg-Pioneer, Inc. and Astec Mobile Screens. Together they make up KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens, a worldwide leader in manufacturing equipment for the aggregate, construction, paving and recycling industries

Erik Schmidt may be contacted at 541-988-9514 or e-mail him at eschmidt@jcieug.com. For more information about KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens, visit www.kpijci.com.

BAE Systems and Caterpillar signed a 20-year supply agreement to collaborate on an energy efficient parallel hybrid propulsion system for heavy-duty trucks.

The terms of the agreement require BAE Systems to integrate the Cat CX family of transmissions into its up-and-coming HybriDrive parallel propulsion system. In addition, BAE Systems will establish an aftermarket field services model which will leverage Caterpillar’s global service network to support the installed base.

The agreement will help to ensure a consistent supply of transmissions from Caterpillar, a long-term production pricing schedule, a warranty agreement and a field service support model.

“Through this alliance, our transmission will become an integral part of BAE Systems’ new HybriDrive parallel system,” said Jeff Pohl, hauling & OEM drivetrains product manager for Caterpillar.

BAE Systems expects to begin selling the HybriDrive parallel system, which is currently in its final stages, throughout the world in 2013.

Darin Wiebe of Extreme Concrete Inc. in Linden, Alberta, Canada, wins Wacker Neuson's Trowel Challenge at the 2012 World of Concrete

Darin Wiebe of Extreme Concrete Inc. in Linden, Alberta, Canada won Wacker Neuson’s fourth annual Trowel Challenge competition held at the 2012 World of Concrete in Las Vegas, taking home the a customized CRT 48-35VX ride-on trowel powered by a special Vanguard Big Block V-twin engine and an all-expense paid trip for two to the Caribbean.

His combined winning time was 67.428 seconds. Wiebe came into the finals in second place with a qualifying time of 34.312. His final run time was 33.116 seconds. It was a friendly competition between Wiebe and his partner at Extreme Concrete, Jon Baerg.

Baerg came into the finals in first place with a qualifying time of 34.084 and with his final run time of 33.553 he was just a mere .209 seconds behind Wiebe with a finishing time 67.637 seconds.  For his efforts Baerg went home with a Wacker Neuson CT 36, 36-inch walk behind trowel.  The third place finisher was Bruce Gesick, from Slater and Son Concrete, Chico, Calif. Gesick finished with a combined time of 70.220 and went home with a BTS 635s portable cut-off saw.

More than 150 trowel operators took this year’s challenge held in Wacker Neuson’s outdoor exhibit at World of Concrete. The challenge tested the participants’ entire range of skills as they maneuvered around an obstacle course on the 2,400 square foot slab. This year’s course was run on Wacker Neuson’s World of Concrete 30-foot by 80-foot slab that measured at a floor flatness of FF-152.

Preliminary competitions were held Jan. 24-26 during the show. The contestants with the top 10 fastest times from the preliminaries advanced to the finals held on Jan. 26. The top 10 finalists each had one run through the course and that time was added to the preliminary time.

The next Wacker Neuson Trowel Challenge will take place at Feb. 5-8, 2013 at The World of Concrete 2013 in Las Vegas. For more information about the complete Trowel Challenge, go to www.trowelchallenge.com.