Besser Co. Establishes $2,500 College Scholarship

In recognition of the American Concrete Pipe Assn.’s (ACPA) annual National Concrete Pipe Week Aug. 14 to 20, 2016, the employee-owners of Besser Co. established a scholarship with the ACPA Foundation. The $2,500 college scholarship will be awarded to a student whose course of study is related to concrete pipe production, application/installation, or research.

“We’re excited to be taking the lead in addressing the ongoing need for providing a steady stream of young talent to our industry by offering this scholarship,” said Kevin Curtis, Besser Co. president and CEO.

Ryan Suszek, director of pipe and precast for Besser, added: “The Besser Scholarship also serves as a tribute to our predecessors, Jesse Besser, Jon Dannenberg, Joe Pelchat, and countless others who embraced training and education as pillars of our business. Through their foresight, ingenuity, dedication, and leadership, we’ve earned an industry-wide reputation for providing impactful training during Pipe Schools held in Sioux City, Iowa, onsite courses in producers’ facilities, and as part of ACPA’s annual short course.”

Annually, Besser staff train and educate hundreds of industry members about the production of concrete pipe, including mix design, machine operation, and maintenance and curing.

“The newly created Besser Scholarship is another demonstration of our long-term commitment to the concrete pipe industry,” said Gary Ericson, director of sales – pipe and precast and ACPA board member.

Applications will be available on both the ACPA and Besser websites on Oct. 1, 2016. The deadline for submission of applications is Feb. 1, 2017. The committee will review applications in March and award the scholarship in April 2017. ACPA members interested in creating a scholarship or posting a link to the Besser scholarship on their website can contact ACPA for assistance.

Source: American Concrete Pipe Assn.