EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR UPDATE DFI “Gets” Innovation “Innovation has nothing to do with how many R&D dollars you have. When Apple came up with the Mac, IBM was spending at least 100 times more on R&D. It’s not about money. It’s about the people you have, how you’re led, and how much you get it.” – Steve Jobs T hose words from the past CEO of Apple hit home as I thought about the theme of this issue and of DFI and its growth over the years. DFI didn’t always have a lot of money, but it did always have great people — our members. And great leaders — our trustees and committee chairs. They definitely all GET IT! They became members because they believed in the DFI mission and wanted to support it. By joining and participating they could affect change in their industry while, at the same time, increase the exposure of their own companies and introduce their own inno- vations to other DFI and industry members. Past presidents come to mind as innovators. Our first president, Jack Dougherty, had the vision to start the DFI with fellow charter members. They recog- nized the value of bringing all the players — contractors, suppliers/manufacturers, engineers and academicians — to the same table to cooperate and learn from each other. Bill Loftus, twice a president, led DFI into areas outside North America where member practice was focused. That allowed different disciplines to learn from each other, and those with new ideas in other regions to relay their innovations to colleagues on the other side of the world. Manny Fine, who served not only as president but as executive director and later magazine editor and now Journal publisher, brought this publication from a newsletter to a full- fledged magazine under his direction, and now Virginia Fairweather’s. Then there’s David Coleman, who served at the start of this century when DFI really took off and grew in membership by leaps and bounds. He recognized the power of our technical committees and challenged them to hold a seminar each year on their specific technology and to develop technical publications that would be useful to the industry at large. Following soon thereafter was Dick Short — a true idea DFI’s Bill Bermingham Innovation Award New Deadline The deadline for nominations for DFI’s Bill Bermingham Innovation Award has been extended to May 31, 2012. The new award is named for C. William Bermingham, DFI’s president 1986-87. The first winner will be announced at DFI’s 37th Annual Conference, October 16-19, 2012 in Houston, and will receive $5,000. (The originally reported $10,000 award was a miscommunication between DFI and the award sponsors. We apologize for the error.) Nominees can be an individual, a team of individuals or a company who has contributed to the advancement of the deep foundations industry by introducing a new and unique practice including means and methods, design procedures, equipment or materials. The nominees should also exhibit sustainability and must have been used in the past three years. The initial commercial application of the innovation can be no more than 10 years prior to the date of the submission. For more information and submission forms, please contact [email protected] man. He put DFI in the great position of being a building owner, suggested a charitable arm which is now our Educational Trust, jump-started our Outstanding Project Award to become the prestigious award that it is today and traveled the globe spreading the word of Theresa Rappaport Executive Director [email protected] all the resources DFI and its expert mem- bers have to offer. The other presidents that led in between these and since are all to be commended for contributing to DFI’s suc- cess and growth. There are too many to mention here, but they all provided inno- vation, such as the awarding of committee research funds (see page 21). And have no doubt, innovative, creative ideas continue to flow at each board meeting and commit- tee meeting. This is evidenced by how often the Institute is sought out to assist in research and outreach and how respected the designation of “DFI member” is today. At DFI we can all find common ground in innovation. Check Out the Digital Edition of Deep Foundations If you haven’t checked out the digital edition of Deep Foundations, you can find this issue on the home page of the DFI website at dfi.org. The digital edition is a convenient way to read the magazine when you don’t have the print version on- hand. There are lots of interactive features. You can bookmark pages, add notes, and share the magazine with colleagues. All URLs and emails are live links. You can contact com- mittee chairs and colleagues, register for events, and visit the websites of the advertisers – in fact click on any ad to visit the com- pany’s website. DEEP FOUNDATIONS • MAY/JUNE 2012 • 7
