DFI Magazine November/December 2020 - 69

TECHNICAL ACTIVITIES

It has been a year of challenges and
uncertainty as the global pandemic changed
our lives. At the same time, DFI members'
enthusiasm and energy for projects and
events that advance the industry remained
the same. Thank you to all the participants
who have supported DFI, joined a
committee call, organized an event and
shared a laugh. You are what keeps the DFI
technical community connected.

New Chairs
Gerald Verbeek of Verbeek Management
Systems (VMS) and Allnamics Pile Testing
Experts has taken the helm of DFI's
Sustainability Committee. He was recently
the chair of the Testing and Evaluation
Committee.
Verbeek is very active
in promoting soil and
foundation testing philosophies and equipment.
He recently spearheaded
DFI's very successful ITS
(increased testing saves) Verbeek
Money Webinars Series.
He is also active in various organizations
beyond DFI, including TRB (as a member of
AKG20 and AKG70); PDCA (where he
serves on the technical and the education
committees); and ASTM (where he is a
member of D18, the committee on soil and
rock, and is the chair of D18.01, the
committee for surface and subsurface
characterization). He received his bachelor's
degree in civil engineering from Delft
University of Technology and his master's in
structural engineering there as well.
Anna Sellountou, Ph.D., P.E., of Pile
Dynamics (PDI), is the new
chair of DFI's Testing and
Evaluation Committee,
succeeding Verbeek.
Sellountou began her
career at Fugro and joined
Sellountou
PDI in 2012. Since
November 2016, she has been in charge of
business development and technical
operations in Europe, the Middle East and
Africa in collaboration with local PDI
representatives. She serves on various

committees in DFI, ACI, PDCA,
and ASTM, where she is highly
involved with specifications and
codes revision activities. She
received her civil engineering
degree from the National
Technical University of Athens,
and her Ph.D. from University of
Houston, under the supervision of
Professor M.W. O'Neill, one of the world's
leading experts in deep foundations.

President's Awards
DFI President Matthew Janes presented
President's Awards to four deserving DFI
members during the online annual
conference in October. These awards are
given at the discretion of the president to
recognize the efforts and service of members to advance the work of the institute.
DFI thanks and recognizes these members
for their contributions and enthusiasm in
supporting DFI projects and activities:

Mary Ellen Bruce Large, P.E., D.GE
Director of Technical Activities
melarge@dfi.org

Peggy Hagerty Duffy,
P.E., D.GE, president of
Hagerty Engineering and
technical director for
ADSC-IAFD, was the
driving force behind the
DFI Women in Deep Hagerty
Foundations Committee video, " What is
the Geotechnical Field? " She was the writer,
director and music producer for this
recruitment video, which has enjoyed over
7,700 views. Duffy brought her signature
style to this video, which is both uplifting
and grounded, highlighting to students the
many different aspects of the geotechnical

DEEP FOUNDATIONS * NOV/DEC 2020 * 69
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DFI Magazine November/December 2020

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