25 SEPTEMBER 2026 WorldWide Drilling Resource® www.starironworks.com 257 Caroline Street Punxsutawney, PA 15767 800-927-0560 • 814-427-2555 Fax: 814-427-5164 Serving the Construction Industry An Idea Turned Into Reality Adapted from Information by the Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) What started as an idea by Jack Dougherty and Hal Hunt became a reality in 1976. DFI was incorporated as a 501(c)6 during the Pile Talk seminars held in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, which became a multidisciplinary worldwide membership organization. For all concerned with deep foundations, this organization was represented as bringing together contractors, specification writers, soils design and construction engineers, material suppliers, along with equipment developers to provide a common forum. Here is a timeline highlighting some of the organization’s journey j 1977 - Hired an association management company instead of being ran by volunteers. Their first employee was Fern McNerney. j 1989 - The first international conference, held in Beijing, was the catalyst for local chapters. j 1997 - Was the first launch of their website. j 2009 - The first student chapter was established at the University of CaliforniaBerkley. This was followed by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, City College of New York, University of Missouri, and American University Dubai. j 2019 - DFI held its first-of-a-kind event which was the Helical Piles-Tiebacks-Anchors Tradeshow and Educational Seminar held in Cincinnati, Ohio, it will continue every three years. With a rapidly evolving landscape, DFI stands at a pivotal moment, where strategic foresight and innovative action are crucial to driving success and sustainability. The strategic plan is anchored in three key initiatives designed to propel and enhance their impact: industry awareness and advancement, corporate membership growth, and themed conference vision and planning. These initiatives form the bedrock of their plan, guiding efforts to strengthen industry leadership, expand membership, and deliver outstanding conferences. On their 50-year journey, DFI has been fostering growth, driving innovation, and achieving excellence to provide greater value to their growing membership. Fern McNerney (R). DFI Steering Committee planning the first conference. C&G
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