PLCA Meets in Arizona
The Pipe Line Contractors Association held its 65th national convention Feb. 12-16 in Scottsdale Ariz., at the Hyatt Regency Resort. Attendance was very strong, with more than 600 conventioneers sharing in numerous business and social events. There were numerous meetings with the Board of Directors, plus a meeting with the Board of Trustees – Pipe Line Industry Advancement Fund, PLCA Scholarship Foundation, and World Federation of Pipeline Industry Associations.
Outgoing PLCA president Dan Murphy, Precision, chaired the overall meeting. At the opening business session, Murphy introduces a wonderful inspiration speaker Louie Zamperini (for more information about Louie Zamperini, see this issue’s Publisher’s Message). Dr. Lowell Catlett was the guest speaker in the second general business session. Catlett, with the Mexico State University, is a futurist and an economics professor.
Robert Jones, TransCanada Pipeline, also addressed the convention regarding the status of the Keystone XL Pipeline. Jones was non-committal on the start of the construction of the pipeline because it is still being tied up for approval by the Obama Administration.
The highlight of the convention is always the education auction. This year’s auction raised more than $ 435,000. Butch Graham, Ritchie Bros., once again served as the auctioneer.
As is customary, the convention closed out with the annual banquet and floor show. John Allen, Pipe Line Constructors LLC, was introduced was the 2013 President. The 2014 convention will be held Feb. 18-22 at the Hyatt Resort in Bonita Springs, Fla.
