The topic of workforce development is front and center, where it needs to be. As students turn their thoughts away from college, training programs are taking their place. Along with these training programs, employer involvement is growing, as an increasing number of companies are seeing the value of providing resources to local programs with the specific goal of teaching future employees the skills they need to succeed in their company. Workforce training can essentially be divided into two tiers. For example, the PCI Foundation provides training and education to college-level students as well as internships and hands-on activities. Local trade schools, such as The Bridges Academy in Pascagoula, MS, provide hands-on training with classroom instruction to students at the high school level who do not plan to pursue further formal education. The recipe is different, but the results are the same… work-ready employees. When you are approached with an opportunity to support a workforce development initiative, please consider what resources you can offer to prepare the pipeline of future employees. The value speaks for itself.
Meet Our Associates:
Innovative Brick Systems
As the nation’s expert manufacturer of embedded thin brick systems for the precast concrete and tilt-wall industry, Innovative Brick provides top-level support for projects. They create efficiencies with design consultation and budgetary estimating. They follow up with full support, including all materials and on-site training.
Precast Content We Think You Might Like!
Free Webinar: Driving Real World Value from Model to Precast Concrete
This joint webinar between EDGE Software and The Progress Group highlights how both companies continue to align their technologies to deliver a seamless, intelligent workflow for the precast concrete industry. Attendees will gain insight into the integrated workflow and learn how this collaboration drives efficiency, accuracy, and value.
PCIGS Project Profile: Stack Deep Ellum Mixed Use
Precast concrete was selected for The Stack Deep Ellum mixed use structure to achieve the desired brick façade, meeting aesthetic, constructability, and budget goals while accommodating intricate design elements like ornate cornices, arched windows, and multiple brick colors. Despite challenges with oversized panels weighing over 31,000 lbs, the project successfully delivered a striking structure that honors its surroundings while offering state-of-the-art office and retail spaces.
PCGS Blog: Evaluating the Life Cycle of Precast Concrete
The architecture of the Gulf South is a dynamic fusion of styles with a long, rich history of various influences and environmental considerations. Because of the region's architectural diversity, robust and adaptable building materials are required to keep the buildings standing for decades. The perfect answer for meeting these various architectural needs is precast concrete, which allows architects and builders to alter designs to suit the unique requirements of the Gulf South.
Boost Your Expertise Over Lunch with PCI!
Take a break, grab your lunch, and power up your knowledge! PCI’s Learn at Lunch sessions offer architects and engineers a convenient, one-hour deep dive into key topics like precast concrete hollow-core floors and walls, architectural precast, parking structures, GFRC, high-performance precast, and more. Perfectly designed for a conference room or classroom setting, these sessions make it easy to stay current, sharpen your skills, and discover innovative solutions—all without missing a beat in your busy day.
2025 MS/AL Engineering Society Annual Meeting
In mid-June, I had the privilege of attending and presenting at the joint Mississippi Engineering Society and the Alabama Society of Professional Engineers Summer Meeting. This year, the meeting was held at The Lodge at Gulf States Park in Gulf Shores, Alabama. As part of this three-day event, I had the opportunity to present on the topic of Sustainability within the precast industry and share ways we are becoming more environmentally friendly. As always, many thanks are due to Malinda Battey, the Executive Director of the Mississippi Engineering Society, for all her hard work in putting this awesome event together.
McNeese State University
Alfred Miller Companies hosted a group of students from McNeese State University in Lake Charles. McNeese State was recently awarded four more years of funding for their PCI Foundation Studio program.
Congratulations to both Alfred Miller Companies and Dunham Price for their support of this worthwhile program. No textbook or classroom lecture can take the place of an up-close tour through a functioning precast plant.
2025 PCI Gulf South Summer Convention
On July 11th through the 12th, PCI Gulf South held its Annual Summer Meeting at the Island Resort in Fort Walton Beach. Thursday evening kicked off the multi-day event with a reception atop the resort that included an eye-catching view of the beach and the Gulf. Friday and Saturday’s meetings were well attended with 80 percent producer participation. Presentations by ALDOT and MDOT were very informative, and the presentation by Bob Risser, PCI President, was one not to miss!
On Friday, the group participated in a golf tournament. Congratulations to all the winners and a special thanks to Steve Kegley and Endicott Brick for providing the awards for Closest to the Pin (Chad Dews winner) and Longest Drive (Johnnie Hayes winner).
Saturday afternoon, the cornhole tournament was held with 17 teams participating. It’s a little harder than it looks! Congratulations to Justin Yard and his son Braydon for winning the tournament. During Saturday evening's President's Dinner, we recognized three projects as the PCI Gulf South Design Award 2025 winners. Congratulations to Tindall Corp for winning the Honorable Mention and second-place finishes, and Gate Precast for a first-place finish with the Ladder Day Saints project. Most importantly, during the dinner, it was an absolute honor to acknowledge a man who, with 55 years of industry involvement, helped shape the precast industry in the Gulf South region and led the charge in creating a strong PCI Gulf South Association. Congratulations, Mike Spruill Sr. of Gulf Coast Prestress Partners, on your much-deserved retirement!
On Sunday, we bid farewell to colleagues and friends as the 2025 PCI Gulf South Summer meeting came to a close. We had a chance to see some old friends and made more than a couple of new ones! I would like to thank all the sponsors who made this possible. If you have never attended a PCI Gulf South event, we encourage you to carve out the time to join us. We’d love to have you!
PCI Gulf South Design Award Winner: Honorable Mention
Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge
Ascent - Summer 2025
Discover the latest issue of Ascent and explore how precast is being used across the country for a variety of structures in any city, town, or village. Read how precast concrete builds resilient and durable communities.
Highlights from the Spring 2025 issue includes:
PCI Gulf South Events
PCI Committee Days
September 16-20, 2025
Chicago, IL
PCI Gulf South Winter Meeting
November 18-19, 2025
Biloxi, MS