MT. VERNON, IA-- The Concrete Foundation Association (CFA) – an organization dedicated to improving the quality and acceptance of cast-in-place concrete foundations – has completed its first qualification exam for the Foundation Contractor Company Certification Program. Exams were administered on Wednesday, August 2, 2008 and Saturday, August 5, 2008. They were preceded by a review seminar.
Interested companies sent 21 persons to sit for the 2-hour exam.
“The response to this initial offering was staggering,” states Ed Sauter, (middle right photo) CFA Executive Director. “As we prepared for the Convention, we had just a handful registered to attend the certification component but that quickly swelled to twenty one examinees, several companies sending two representatives.”
According to Sauter, the exam is a two-hour, open book effort that challenges more than the knowledge
base of the examinee.
“This exam was designed to demonstrate that companies have the ability to use the resources at their disposal,” states Sauter. “We did not feel that testing their specific ability to recall a fact or a process was as much of value as developing a solid understanding that they could use codes, standards and construction guides to answer the broader questions in the industry.
“The response to this initial offering was staggering,” states Ed Sauter, (middle right photo) CFA Executive Director. “As we prepared for the Convention, we had just a handful registered to attend the certification component but that quickly swelled to twenty one examinees, several companies sending two representatives.”
According to Sauter, the exam is a two-hour, open book effort that challenges more than the knowledge
base of the examinee.“This exam was designed to demonstrate that companies have the ability to use the resources at their disposal,” states Sauter. “We did not feel that testing their specific ability to recall a fact or a process was as much of value as developing a solid understanding that they could use codes, standards and construction guides to answer the broader questions in the industry.
" Examinees found it was a much bigger challenge than some had estimated, but most felt it demonstrated the true value of knowing and understanding building code and safety standard publications.”
This exam was the first, or the pre-qualification step for companies to become certified by the CFA as a Certified Foundation Contractor Company.
This exam was the first, or the pre-qualification step for companies to become certified by the CFA as a Certified Foundation Contractor Company.
The program seeks to establish a nationwide benchmark for contracting companies involved in the construction of residential concrete foundations.
Following the exam, companies must then submit business records dealing with safety, operations, training programs, etc. They must then adhere to a continuing education requirement and periodic audits.
The CFA sees this as the next big issue affecting construction across the country and is applying their expertise and status in the industry to create the most appropriate benchmark.
“The issue of certification is one that several of our members are currently trying to handle in their local jurisdictions,” states Dan Bromley, (top left photo) CFA’s current President and the initiator of the certification program for the Association. “This program grew from critical business components identified b
y the committee to a program that is intended to strengthen the industry and the Association’s impact to its members.”
The companies and individuals that demonstrated the baseline knowledge and familiarity with the primary industry references assembled for this certification exam include the following:
“The issue of certification is one that several of our members are currently trying to handle in their local jurisdictions,” states Dan Bromley, (top left photo) CFA’s current President and the initiator of the certification program for the Association. “This program grew from critical business components identified b
y the committee to a program that is intended to strengthen the industry and the Association’s impact to its members.”The companies and individuals that demonstrated the baseline knowledge and familiarity with the primary industry references assembled for this certification exam include the following:
Dan Bromley, ABI Corporation, Blue Springs, Missouri
Jim Bartley, Bartley Coproration, Laurel, Maryland
Tom Brown, TJ Construction Unlimited, Inc., Ely, Iowa
Rick Eller, Eller Construction, Eldridge, Iowa
Jason Ells, Custom Concrete Company, Westfield, Indiana
Bill Esker, J.B. Esker & Sons, Inc., Teutopolis, Illinois
Randy Groome, Balmer Brothers Concrete Works, Inc., Akron, Pennyslvania
Aaron Long, ProCon, Inc., Rocky Mount, Virginia
Tim Parrish, Cornerstone Foundations, Inc., Harrisonburg, Virginia
Dustin Pelletier, Action Concrete Contractors, Inc., Charleston, South Carolina
Dennis Purinton, Purinton Builders, Inc., Granby, Connecticut
Brad Schrock, Custom Concrete Company, Westfield, Indiana
Arie Van Wyk, Van Wyks, Inc., Waldo, Wisconsin
Mike Hancock, Basement Systems, Inc., Edmond, Oklahoma
Ken Beran, Beran Concrete Work, Wichita, Kansas
“We’ve seen the interest the industry has in certification,” states Sauter, “and now we are publicizing why the industry will benefit from this certification. We will also expand certification opportunities. We anticipate holding a minimum of four certification events each year to broaden the opportunities for foundation contracting companies.”
Certification pre-qualification exams are scheduled for Columbus, Ohio (October 18, 2008) and Las Vegas, Nevada during the World of Concrete (February 2, 2009).
“We’ve seen the interest the industry has in certification,” states Sauter, “and now we are publicizing why the industry will benefit from this certification. We will also expand certification opportunities. We anticipate holding a minimum of four certification events each year to broaden the opportunities for foundation contracting companies.”
Certification pre-qualification exams are scheduled for Columbus, Ohio (October 18, 2008) and Las Vegas, Nevada during the World of Concrete (February 2, 2009).
To learn more about the CFA Foundation Contractor Certification Program or to find out how your company can begin the steps towards becoming certified, visit the CFA website at http://www.cfawalls.org/ or contact CFA’s headquarters at 
113 First Street West, Mt. Vernon, Iowa 52314. 319-895-6940, voice -- 319-895-8830, fax.
113 First Street West, Mt. Vernon, Iowa 52314. 319-895-6940, voice -- 319-895-8830, fax.CONTACTS:
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