EDUCATIONAL TRUST Annual Gala Dinner The DFI Educational Trust 10 Annual th Gala Fundraising Dinner took place on November 5 at The Chart House in Weehawken, N.J. The net proceeds from the event support the Stanley Merjan Civil Engineering Scholarship at City College of New York (CCNY), the DFI Women in Deep Foundations Fund and the DFI Educational Trust General Fund. The 2015 CCNY student recipients of the Merjan Scholarships were Yehuda Holzer, Frank Poma, Linette Prasad and Lea Rivera. Three of the students were at the event to receive the scholarship awards from David Coleman, Gala chair and immediate past chair of the Trust. Storm Sandy, retaining wall failures on the Henry Hudson and Cannonsville Dam in Yonkers, as well as the post-9/11 slurry wall at the World Trade Center. More than 140 guests — and 25 students — attended this year’s event, which raised more than $40,000 in net proceeds. Trust Board Meeting On November 18, the Trust board met at Chateau Elan in Braselton, Ga. The board discussed various topics, including the Trust’s budget for 2016, new fundraising initiatives and possible new programs. Helen Robinson, chair of the Women in M. Byrl Williams, P.E., Chair [email protected] Thank you to the sponsors of the Gala Platinum Underwriters Lally Pipe & Tube Menard Moretrench Pipe & Piling Supplies Ltd Trinity Products, Inc Underpinning & Foundation Skanska Urkkada Technology, Ltd. Gold Underwriters Arup Bay Crane Service Inc. Silver Underwriters Atlas Copco - Mining, Rock Excavation & Construction LLC Ferrara Brothers Building Materials Corp. KB International, LLC Keystone Drill Services, Inc. Northeast Remsco Construction Steven M. Hain Co., Inc. The Laquila Group Inc. Bronze Underwriters APE Center Rock Inc. CZM Foundation Equipment Daugiala & Coleman Professor Julio F. Davalos accepting the founding donors plaque on behalf of CCNY The Trust also presented a plaque to CCNY commemorating the founding donors of the Stanley Merjan Civil Engineering Scholarship. The plaque will be displayed at the Grove School of Engineering CCNY. The keynote speaker, Michael M. McHugh, executive vice president of Moretrench, delivered a presentation titled “Geotechnical Emergency Responses,” which focused on Hurricane Irene, Super Deep Foundations Committee, presented a report on the committee’s 2015 activities. The board also elected officers for 2016: Byrl Williams, chair; Dan Dragone, vice chair; Matthew Janes, treasurer; and Tracy Brettmann, secretary. Condon Scholarship Fund The Trust is currently conducting a fundraising drive to develop the recently- established Michael L. Condon Scholarship Equipment Corporation of America Skyline Steel, LLC Donors Foundation Constructors Inc. Junttan Oy Peckar & Abramson, PC Pro Safety Services, LLC Robit Inc. Underpinning & Foundation Skanska DEEP FOUNDATIONS • JAN/FEB 2016 • 51
