Underground Infrastructure - September 2023 - 17

DIRECTIONALDRILLING
HDD Hall of Fame
Class of '24 Announced
Underground Infrastructure magazine
and the Horizontal Directional Drilling
Association, in conjunction with the
HDD Reunion Organization, are proud
to announce the HDD Hall of Fame
Class of 2024. Included in this class are
legendary names in the HDD industry,
including HDD heroes that unfortunately
will be honored posthumously.
The HDD Hall of Fame nominating
committee named a record six people
to the Class of 2024, including its first
woman selectee. The formal recognition
and awarding of the coveted HDD Hall
of Fame granite obelisks will be held at a
special ceremony during the renowned
HDD Reunion celebration.
Inductees are Marcus Laney, Laney
Directional Drilling and MDS Drilling;
Ed Malzahn, Charles Machine Works
(Ditch Witch); Steve Akerman, C&S
Network and Akerman Construction;
Mary Andringa, Vermeer Manufacturing;
Jim Agnew, INROCK; and Curtis
Allen, Baroid Drilling Fluids.
The HDD Reunion and Hall of Fame
will be held in conjunction with the Underground
Infrastructure Conference
(formerly UCT), will begin at 4:45 p.m.
on March 20, 2024, at the Oklahoma City
Convention Center. During the morning
HDD educational program of UIC, there
will also be a special interactive session
with the Hall of Famers' or their representatives
who will engage in conversations
with the audience. History will be relived,
tall tales shared, and visionaries revered at
both the morning and evening events.
As HDD caught fire and exploded in
the '90s, UIC was the primary event that
embraced groundbreaking technology
and continues to do so today. Thus, it remains
the perfect place for the HDD celebration
and the HDD Hall of Fame induction
ceremonies. Contractors and related
personnel still flock to UCT to learn from
the industry's most extensive HDD educational
program, " kick the tires " on new
equipment and network with their peers.
As the underground infrastructure
industry enters 2024, it's a challenging
time for HDD. Large rig operators that
have historically focused on energy are
successfully transitioning to different
markets since the slowdown in pipeline
construction work. Small rig operators,
on the other hand, are backlogged with
sometimes too much work, thanks to
the fiber/5G boom. All are experiencing
critical workforce shortages and parts/
equipment distribution issues.
Despite those issues, the HDD market
remains a highly popular, effective
and amazingly efficient method to install
everything from steel pipe to fiber
conduit. HDD continues to experience
geometric growth, as virtually every
market segment for underground utility
and pipeline infrastructure construction
heavily utilizes the technology.
Though HDD's early history only dates
back to the 1960s, its participants quickly
became a fraternity of trend-setters. The
HDD Reunion allows established, older
or retired drillers to converse with current
operators. Attendees, young and old,
swap stories, compare and contrast early
equipment with modern tools, share experiences,
and renew and sustain old friendships.
Those new to the industry will find
the information and knowledge gained
extremely useful in their current jobs.
The event is for all those who have
participated in the industry throughout
the years, including contractors, owners,
engineers and manufacturers, no matter
the rig size, from jumbo to mini units.
In short, the purpose of the reunion and
the HDD Hall of Fame is to celebrate the
comradery that is HDD.
2024 HALL OF FAME
MEMBERS
J. Marcus Laney (deceased)
J. Marcus " Mark " Laney,
former partner and president
of Laney Inc., was
known
for
work in boring highways
and drilling rivers for
pipeline contractors. He passed away
June 26, 2023, at age 81.
Mark was introduced to road boring
when he was only 16 years old, working
for Docs Road Boring. Building on the
knowledge he gained, he joined brothers
Dickey and Steve to start a boring business,
Laney Inc., in 1979.
In 1989, when Laney Directional Drilling
opened for business, HDD was still an
unproved option for underground utility
construction, not seriously considered by
most project owners. For large pipeline
UndergroundInfrastructure.com | SEPTEMBER 2023 17
exemplary
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Underground Infrastructure - September 2023

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