19 DECEMBER 2025 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Industry Announcements Bit Brokers International proudly announced a significant leadership transition as Chester Thomas has been appointed Vice President and Cliff Thomas has been named President of the company. Chester Thomas, who has been with the company for 25 years, began his career with Bit Brokers as a part-time employee continuing until graduating from the Southern Illinois University School of Law. After earning his degree, he transitioned to Sales Manager and In-House Counsel for the company. Throughout his tenure, Chester has played a pivotal role in driving sales growth, strengthening client relationships, and advancing Bit Brokers’ reputation in the drilling industry. Cliff Thomas has been with the company full-time for 20 years. He started as a Sales Representative and worked his way up to Vice President, where he helped guide the company through a period of significant growth and innovation. A proud U.S. Army Veteran, Cliff brings his strong work ethic, leadership skills, and a wealth of industry knowledge to his new position. Over the years, he has developed an extensive understanding of the bit industry - from hands-on experience in the shop to in-depth involvement in sales, management, and operations. His well-rounded expertise allows him to connect with both the production team and customers, ensuring Bit Brokers continues to deliver superior products and service from start to finish. Tim Thomas will continue his role as CEO of the company. Under the new leadership team, Bit Brokers International remains committed to its longstanding mission of providing customers worldwide the highest quality drilling bits, exceptional service, and dependable delivery. “We’re proud to continue our family legacy of leadership and dedication to excellence,” said Chester. “Our focus has always been - and will continue to be - supporting our customers and ensuring their drilling success from start to finish.” The WWDR Team would like to congratulate Cliff and Chester. WWDR photo. Working with Many Challenges Adapted from Information by Keller Amidst a construction boom in downtown Denver, Colorado, a new seven-story mixed-use building was erected on one of the final available lots adjacent to the Platte River. The project necessitated a 30-foot-deep excavation to accommodate two levels of planned underground parking. The subsurface conditions revealed a mix of fill and alluvium underlaid by claystone bedrock, with groundwater located 15 feet beneath the surface. The claystone bedrock demonstrated expansion and contraction properties similar to expansive clay when subjected to wet and dry cycles. Since the parking levels were situated below the water table, the Denver Building Code mandated the consideration of buoyancy effects in the design, necessitating a strategy to mitigate buoyancy challenges. Compounding these issues, the site was riddled with a complex network of underground utilities, which required adjustments to the design to navigate these constraints. Following a consultation on the geotechnical aspects, Keller was engaged to provide solutions for excavation support and deep foundations. Prior to the commencement of construction and excavation, temporary dewatering wells were installed to ensure a dry environment for the excavation support system and foundation work. To support the 30-foot excavation, 27,000 square feet of soldier piles and lagging were installed around the perimeter of the site. This shoring system was reinforced with two rows of tieback anchors, some extending up to 50 feet in length. Micropiles were selected as the optimal foundation solution to handle vertical compression loads from the structure, as well as tensile buoyancy forces. Utilizing 3D modeling, Keller was able to identify and avoid potential conflicts with existing utilities during the installation process. A total of 479 micropiles were installed, reaching 50 feet below the working grade and extending beneath the expansive bedrock layer. CONST GEOTECH
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