A Return to the Rockies for ADSC - The International Association of Foundation Drilling

A Return to the Rockies for ADSC
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A Return to the Rockies for ADSC’s Management Training Personnel Institute
by Cindy Colao
ADSC’s Education and Training Administrator

ADSC returned once again to the lovely Colorado Rockies to conduct their prestigious Management Personnel Training Institute (MPTI) this past September 2005. This course, much like its junior counterpart, Supervisory Personnel Training Institute (SPTI), is a way company owners and senior level management can take the opportunity to insure their company’s future growth by investing in their employees who show great potential to grow within their own ranks. This year MPTI entertained eleven attendees. Even though the attendance was not as large as usual, the best of the best were present.

Not only were attendees from Contractor Member companies present, but also several Associate Member companies were represented. MPTI at times may be viewed as a Contractor Management School but Associate Member, Wolfgang Herzog, General Manager, Liebherr Nenzing Crane Company, Houston, Texas, contributed the following:

"At first I was skeptical about attending the Management Personnel Training Institute, not being certain how the program would benefit a machinery manufacturer’s representative. After completion, I can truly say it was both fun and a great learning experience. The MPTI instructors helped us discover fresh ways to look at problems, and find solutions.

The interaction with other participants was a real benefit, as we could draw on each other’s knowledge and expertise to meet challenges of the course. This shared insight allowed us to see how people from other successful companies operate – what is important, and what is not.

We were promised the MPTI course would challenge us, both psychologically and physically – and it did. Two of the mental exercises were creating a personal mission statement and a team competition to build the highest tower to support a water-balloon using only spaghetti and scotch tape. Our physical challenge was to find as many small flags as possible, which were hidden on Copper Mountain. Teams each devised a workable plan and were equipped with only a GPS receiver and a map. The thin air at 9,700-foot elevation made the exercise tougher than expected.

To sum it up, the MPTI courses were creatively designed and clearly presented. The Copper Mountain Resort provided wonderful hospitality, and an opportunity to relax or to "talk business" when classes were finished. I found the experience enlightening."

In turn Contractor Member, Christie Rowan, Director of Contracts, Anderson Drilling, Lakeside, California commented:

"Attending MPTI was an exceptional opportunity to come together with other managers in the drilling industry to learn from each other and discuss the issues that affect us all. It isn’t often that we are encouraged to just think about ourselves, let alone given the time to do so, but we had that chance at MPTI. We spent a day working on personal mission statements that really forced me to think about why I do what I do, both in business and in my personal life. It will definitely be useful for me to keep in mind when making decisions. I also really enjoyed the roundtable discussion about the challenges we all face in the drilling industry. Everyone in the room was dealing with similar issues, and it was helpful to hear how different companies across North America are handling them. Thanks to all of the instructors and their companies for their time and efforts to make this a great course."

Other attendees had many appreciative words not only to their employers for sending them, but to all the instructors that participated in sharing their knowledge in this industry.

Leading the first session MPTI was David Sinodis, Consultant, FMI Corporation, Raleigh, North Carolina who covered Personnel and Project Management including Team Building (by the way, no one attending MPTI will ever see spaghetti in the same light again.) S. Scot Litke, Executive Director, ADSC, Dallas, Texas was tasked with the topic of Communication Skills – Verbal and Written. Carlos Maese, Consultant, Human Dynamics, Inc., Dallas, Texas, addressed Setting Personal & Corporate Goals. The following day was spent with Carlos Maese who also presented a phenomenal three-part session on Emerging Leaders.

Continuing onward, Friday sessions dealt with topics such as Construction Finance, once again taught by Kerry Casey, CFO, Anderson Drilling, Lakeside, California. Developing a Corporate Safety Plan was brought to us by our veteran ADSC instructor, Rick Marshall, Safety Director, Richard Goettle, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio. Ben Dutton, Vice President, Equipment Corporation of America, Aldan, Pennsylvania, lent his expertise to Equipment Financing. Once again Ben held the celebrated title of ADSC’s MPTI Volunteer Coordinator. Bringing Friday to an end was the tag team of David T. Peitsch, Corporate Council, Hayward Baker Inc., Odenton, Maryland and MPTI Copper Mountain newcomer John Roe, P.E., V.P., Malcolm Drilling, San Francisco, California. These gentlemen taught Contract Review, "Get Out the Red Pencil" & Contract Administration and Claims and Negotiation.

Not neglecting the phrase "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." MPTI attendees participated in a team building exercise combining mental and physical abilities all in one fun chilly morning. Each attendee was teamed with a partner and headed out to the mountains to "Capture a Flag" armed mainly with wit, charm and good ol’ boy (and girl) gumption and a few additional items, one being a map. Although seemingly a simple task, at first, each person was challenged and returned with a new appreciation of effective communication skills and good old fashion team work.

Our exhaustive agenda concluded on Saturday with our final two courses, Estimating I & II, conducted by returning instructor William F. Powers III (aka Bill), P.E., V.P., Hayes Drilling, Inc., Olathe, Kansas and Emerging Trends – Capturing a Market taught by Allen Cadden, P.E., Director of Geotechnical Engineering, Schnabel Engineering, West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Once again, as this session of MPTI came to a close, we found new business relationships were molded and lifetime friendships were seeded.

Thanks again to all whom made this course happen. ADSC could not have done this without you, our valued members.

For further information on upcoming training courses available, please contact ADSC's office at 214/343-2091 or adsc@adsc-iafd.com and keep an eye on our website at adsc-iafd.com. ■

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ADSC/WSDOT Joint Training Constructibility Workshop April 8, 2010 Bothwell, WA link to come soon....

ADSC/WSDOT Joint Training
Constructibility Workshop
April 8, 2010
Bothwell, WA
link to come soon....