PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Showing Respect for Our Mentors D uring and after the Legends Program at the DFI Annual Conference in Oakland, I was wondering how many young engineers had been mentored by the three gentlemen that we were cele- brating. It was obvious that the well- respected men that we honored that day, Davide Trevisani, George Tamaro and Charles Berkel, were great mentors. Each of them had a younger engineer on the stage with them! Davide had his son Stefano as translator. George, connected by Skype, had Rick Ellman to help with his presentation, and Alan Roach gave Mr. Berkel’s presentation posthumously. My Mentors Through the Years It made me consider who my mentors were. It was with pleasant recollection that I remembered many of the people who I had worked for and with during my lifetime. It started with a gentleman named Maurice Hickey, who managed a local Ramada Inn hotel in Springfield, Ill., while I was in high school (3 years). Mr. Hickey lived on the property and almost always wore a suit and tie. He was honest and personable. Each of his employees liked and respected the way he managed the hotel. Ten years later, my brother worked for Mr. Hickey at a dif- ferent hotel. I then went on to the University of Illinois and met Dr. Herb Ireland and Dr. Sam Carpenter (5 ½ years). Both were highly influential to me. Dr. Ireland got me interested in geotechnical engineer- ing. He was always excited about the topic, and it was infectious. Dr. Carpenter made sure I had a research assistantship and guided my master’s thesis in graduate school. Sam was a joy to work with. He loved engineering and truly cared for his students. The Real World On to Law Engineering Testing Company, where I worked for Ken Akins (6 years) . Ken recruited me while I was still in college. He worked very hard and expected the same from his staff. Ken had a great educational background and a wealth of experience that he shared openly. He is still mentoring young engineers today. At Nicholson Construction, I worked for Joe Nicholson and Dr. Donald Bruce — demanding taskmasters (9 ½ years). Joe worked harder than anyone else in the office — long hours and a perfectionist. Donald was always two steps ahead of me! I followed him all over the world, experiencing fantastic projects and fasci- nating places. And on to Hayward Baker, where I “Each of my mentors has a special slot in my brain that I refer to often.” worked for Jim Henry and Bob Rubright (19 years). Jim Henry was probably my most influential mentor. He taught all of us how to get the work done, do it right (the first time, hopefully), make a profit and still have time for a personal life. Bob was the magic man who knew the engineering, but under- stood the financial side of the business better than the accountants, which was invaluable in contracting. Invaluable Influence Each of these folks has a special slot in my brain that I refer to often. Their guidance through my career rounded out my experience to provide what I have to offer today at my job and how I live my life. I try to share what I John Wolosick, P.E., D.GE President [email protected] learned from them with the young engineers that I work with every day. I can’t thank each one of them enough. Who were and are your mentors? EGENDS Legendary Mentors DFI Legends Ceremony at the 40 Annual Conference in October, you can watch the video of the entire event featuring presentations and interviews with DFI Legends and their spokesmen — Contractor Legend Charles Berkel (represented by Alan Roach, president of Berkel & Company Contractors), Engi- neering Legend George Tamaro and Manufacturing Legend Davide Trevisani with his son Stefano Trevisani. If you were not able to attend the th Recognized as great mentors, the Legends have shown steadfast professionalism, character and integrity, and have made a broad impact on the industry with contributions that are pivotal today. Visit www.deepfoundations 2015.org or DFI’s YouTube channel to view the video. DEEP FOUNDATIONS • JAN/FEB 2016 • 7
