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DCA 60th Anniversary
bers during the year, a sign that it had weathered the recession.
The 1983 convention was held in Coronado, Calif. Officers
elected were Jim Miller, president; Jim Donaldson, first vice
president; and Ray Worthy, Worthy Bros. Pipeline Corp., treasurer.
The Association renegotiated its agreements with all three crafts
in 1983, which resulted in a general lowering of wage rates. This
helped protect certain members from non-union competition.
Attendees at the 23rd annual convention in Scottsdale, Az.,
were classified as " survivors, " since 1983 had been a dismal year
for distribution construction. The first annual Arthur T. Everham
Safety award was presented to the Snelson Companies.
New association officers for 1984 were Jim Donaldson,
president; Jerry Stubbs, first vice president; Ray Worthy, second
vice president; and Charles H. Joyce, Otis Eastern Service Inc.
Contractors reported having a mixed year at the 1985
convention in San Antonio. Factors influencing this included
geographic location, local economic conditions and the number
of crews used by gas utility companies. Contractors who had
expanded their market area to get additional work sometimes
found themselves in competition with other contractors that had
done the same, leading to depressed prices.
The 1985 slate of officers included Jerry Stubbs, president;
Larry Smith, Carl E. Smith Inc., first vice president; Darold
Falldorf, Aconite Corp., second vice president; Reuben T. Leines,
Minnesota Limited Inc., treasurer.
Rebound
Over 300 delegates attended the 1987 convention in Palm Springs,
where Bob Cooley of Distribution Construction Co., was elected
president. Other officers were Larry D. Smith, Carl E. Smith, Inc.;
J.F. 'Joe' VanGundy, Jr., Waterman Construction Co., and J.H.
'Scotty' McGlothin, Distribution Pipeline Maintenance Inc.
Most contractors had a good year in 1986. A problem on the
horizon was dealing with jurisdictional disputes among unions
over the laying of plastic pipe.
Executive Director Jim Upton mused on the factors for success
in the distribution business. He listed luck, energy, raw intelligence,
honesty and integrity - and a gambling spirit.
James Dolan, AGA chairman and CEO of New Jersey
Resources Corporation, was the keynote speaker at the meeting
and told delegates the gas bubble was gone, and the price of
natural gas would start tracking inflation. His company had
added 16,000 customers in the past year and expected to add
another 80,000 over the next five years. NJR used contractors
for all its construction and maintenance work.
In 1988, Larry Smith of Carl E. Smith Inc. was elected president
and the meeting was again held in Palm Springs. J.F. VanGundy,
Jr., J. H. McGlothin and Charles H. Joyce were also elected officers.
" Natural Gas is rapidly becoming the energy medium to solve
the problems of air pollution, acid rain, the greenhouse effect,
security risks, nuclear power, and the need to a rapid increase in
electrical generation. " With these words, DCA president Larry
Smith, expressed his hope that the current demand for natural gas
would continue well into the future.
Smith added that gas is the fuel of choice and that future legislation
might limit the use of competing fuels. Prices were still low,
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and Smith felt they would have to rise to encourage more drilling.
There were 390 attendees at the 1989 meeting in Orlando,
making it the second-largest convention in DCA history. Joe
VanGundy, Jr. of Waterman Construction Co. Inc. was elected
27th president. Other officers elected to serve were J.S. " Scotty "
McGlothin, Jack Gabrielse and John F. 'Jack' Hayes.
Record in Maui
The Maui convention, in 2000, set a new attendance record,
with 400 delegates. The meeting marked the changing of the
guard with the retirement of Jim Upton and the hiring of
new executive director Dennis Kennedy. This was Kennedy's
first convention, and he gave a tribute to Jim Upton who was
inducted as an honorary member.
J.R. " Scotty " McGlothin, of Distribution Pipeline Maintenance
Inc., was elected president and Jack Gabrielse, Robert Meschi
and Royce Heebner were elected to serve with him. Equipment
innovation sessions were introduced at this meeting. Waterman
Construction and Intercon Construction received the safety awards.
Held in Tucson, the highlight of the 1991 convention was the
installation of honorary members Emerson H. Clark, Engineering
Construction Co., Tulsa, OK and Armon H. Bost, Midwestern
Equipment Co., Tulsa, OK. Both were instrumental in the founding
of DCA. The annual auction was also introduced at this meeting
and Butch Graham raised $33,000.
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