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100 Conventions and Counting

10/1/2013

We recently found out that George Hoff, ACI Honorary Member and Past President, will be attending his 100th ACI convention, reaching the century mark this month at the ACI Fall 2013 Convention in Phoenix, AZ. Since the fall of 1962, he has missed only two conventions—once due to the birth of a son and another time because his employer wouldn’t cover international travel to Canada.

While there is no easy way to verify if this is a convention-attendance record or not, at the very least, it's certainly an impressive, ongoing count. Actually, the chances are good that he may not be the first who has logged 100 ACI conventions during a career, given the inspiration that being a part of ACI instills in its members. Because of the volunteer efforts and commitment of many active members like George Hoff, the mission of ACI advances.

In a President's Memo during his term in 1993-1994, George reminisced about the first convention he attended and how pleased he was to find a “gathering of individuals of all ages who spent most of the convention time working, learning, and networking," instead of the cliché scene of conventioneers who end up jumping into the pool fully clothed. Assessing his first meeting, he said, "I came away from the convention with much more than I brought to it." I think that is a common experience of many first-time ACI convention attendees—but it doesn't take long before the newcomers start to make contributions.

He wrote further: "During conventions that followed, in addition to listening to the technical presentations, I began to sit in on committee meetings on subjects that were of interest to me. I quickly discovered that these committees welcomed my participation and, if I desired, I could become an active member of the committees. This process hasn't changed over the years.”

And that consensus process is essential to moving the work of ACI ahead. Typically, some 1200 to 1500 attendees will gather during an ACI convention for an intensive week of technical committee meetings, presentations, and networking. At the ACI Spring 2013 Convention in Minneapolis, a total of 336 committee meetings and 32 technical sessions took place, and 35 exhibitors displayed their products and capabilities. Every ACI convention offers an ample opportunity to contribute to our collective body of concrete knowledge—and also to learn more at the same time.

I know I return from each ACI convention inspired by what I've just seen and heard. ACI is where you can collaborate with people who are on the cutting edge of technology—and who are willing to share that information to improve concrete practice.

If you haven't been to an ACI convention yet, please make plans to do so and consider participating in the technical, education, and certification activities of the Institute. I know the veteran ACI convention attendees will make every effort to help you feel welcome and invite your contributions. The ACI Spring 2014 Convention, "Concrete Endures," will be held March 23-27, at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, NV. I hope you'll join us.

Be sure to say "hello" to George when you see him.

Anne M. Ellis (@AnneEllis12)
American Concrete Institute

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