Jack Kareckas (“Construction Inspector” with CMA Engineers, Inc. headquartered in Portsmouth, NH)

“Regarding the 2/05/2020 seminar at Shea Concrete’s Amesbury facility, Shea did a great job facilitating and generously providing the room, food and beverages throughout the day. It’s not easy to open the doors of a working manufacturing business for 85 or so guests. The speakers were all knowledgeable in their fields, and thanks to them for taking time from their work. Jim Gove is highly qualified as a soil scientist and wetland delineator. Jim covered lots of ground for USDA-SCS based soil description and keys for estimation of soil water content. Given the time allowed, this is a good overview of topics usually requiring at least a college semester supplemented by many years field experience. The presentation on FOG was engaging and informative. Mr. Lombardi’s experience is geared to large, city/regional scale wastewater collection and treatment systems, but there was enough crossover information about grease accumulation downstream of traps to readily apply intervention principles for smaller scale, onsite wastewater systems. Brian Barry is obviously a well qualified speaker on concrete manufacturing. His presentation is informative, but he stopped short, perhaps by time constraints, by truncating admixture comments at pozzolans (silica fume, fly ash, etc.) and air entrainment. I suggest giving some time for discussion of mid and high range water reducers which increase workability and still provide for low w/c ratios and reduced added job site water. Brian brings comprehensive knowledge of concrete related topics. The facility tour is quite impressive. It is fun and informative to look at on-going work and the obvious acquired efficiency of delivering high quality concrete products. Thanks again to you, Greg and other staff at Shea Precast for hosting the event.”