Award Eligibility
DFI is an international association of contractors, engineers, manufacturers, suppliers, academics and owners in the deep foundations industry. We bring together members to find common ground through networking, education, communication and collaboration. Our multidisciplinary membership creates a consensus voice and a common vision for continual improvement in the planning, design and construction of deep foundations and excavations.
DFI annually showcases and celebrates the achievements and contributions of individuals, teams and companies in the deep foundations industry.
Submission Deadlines
April 15, 2023
Ben C. Gerwick Award
Outstanding Project Award
Distinguished Service Award
Bermingham Innovation Award
Ben C. Gerwick Award for Innovation in the Design and Construction of Marine Foundations
The Ben C. Gerwick Award for Innovation in the Design and Construction of Marine Foundations was established in 2008 to recognize the innovative spirit of Ben C. Gerwick and his phenomenal contribution to the marine foundation industry over his 62-year career as a contractor, educator and construction engineer. The award recognizes innovation in the marine foundation industry such as the 2020-2021 winner Underwater Tie-back Anchoring System.
Eligibility
- The award is for a specific innovation or lifetime achievement of innovation by an individual.
- Nominees can be an individual, team or company who is the primary source of a specific marine industry innovation.
- The nominee can be in an active job position or retired.
- Nominations can be posthumous.
- Nominees do not have to be DFI members.
- Anyone can nominate a candidate.
Nomination Package
- A statement of reasons for nomination (500 words or less) including the name of the innovation, the individual or company primarily responsible for the innovation, and the nature and significance of the innovation to the marine foundation industry.
- Completed online nomination form.
Selection Criteria
Consideration is given to impact and value, level of innovative nature, and relevance beyond the marine foundations industry.
Committee
The Ben C. Gerwick Award Judging Committee is an anonymous panel of 8 to 10 members appointed by the DFI Driven Piles Committee Chair. Members of the committee do not have to be DFI members.
Award Information
- A selection each year is not mandatory
- The award is sponsored by the DFI Educational Trust, University of California at Berkeley Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Ben C. Gerwick Company.
- The annual award is presented at SuperPile or IFCEE.
Deadline: April 15
C. William Bermingham Innovation Award
The C. William Bermingham Innovation Award was founded in 2012 to recognize the innovative spirit of Bill Bermingham, DFI past president, and his contributions to DFI and the deep foundations industry. The award encourages and recognizes innovative contributions to deep foundation technology, such as past winner SoilNail Launcher by GeoStabilization International.
Eligibility
- Nominees can be an individual, team or company who have contributed to the advancement of the deep foundations industry by introducing a new and unique practice including means and methods, design procedures, equipment or materials.
- Contribution must be novel – a brand new invention or technique (possibly patentable), and not an incremental improvement or modification to an existing technique or invention.
- Initial commercial application of the innovation must have been within 10 years prior to the nomination deadline; the innovation must have been used in the deep foundations industry in the past three years.
- The nominee can be in an active job position or retired.
- Nominations can be posthumous.
- Nominees do not have to be DFI members.
- Anyone can nominate a candidate.
Nomination Package
- One-page summary of the innovation’s development and use.
- If applicable, up to 10 high-resolution digital images of the innovation being utilized.
- Completed online nomination form.
Selection Criteria
Consideration is given to originality and timeliness of innovation, impact and value of innovation, and sustainability of innovation.
Committee
The C. William Bermingham Award Judging Committee is an anonymous judging committee selected by the DFI President. A representative of Berminghammer Foundation Equipment serves on the judging committee. Members who have had direct involvement with nominated innovations are removed from the judging/voting process.
Award Information
- A selection each year is not mandatory.
- The winner receives a monetary prize ($5,000 CAN) provided annually by Bermingham Investments and a plaque, both presented during the Annual Conference on Deep Foundations. The prize is shared by all recipients or they may opt to provide all or a portion of winnings to the DFI Educational Trust. Posthumous awards are donated to the DFI Educational Trust in the winner’s name.
- The winner’s name is inscribed on a permanent plaque of all recipients, which is displayed at each Annual Conference.
- In the case of multiple recipients, each will receive the award with their name/company name.
Deadline: April 15
Distinguished Service Award
The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) was started in 1981 to recognize individuals who have made exceptionally valuable contributions to the advancement of the deep foundations industry.
Eligibility
- An individual in the deep foundations industry.
- The nominee can be in an active job position or retired.
- Nominations can be posthumous.
- Nominees do not have to be DFI members.
- Nominees will be considered for three years then they must be renominated.
- Any DFI member can nominate a candidate.
Nomination Package
- A statement of reasons for nomination (500 words or less).
- A brief one-page curriculum vitae of the nominee.
- Completed online nomination form.
Selection Criteria
Consideration given to duration of career in industry, industry leadership, technological leadership, technological innovation, strength of curriculum vitae, character, DFI contributions and accomplishments, and contributions to the advancement of the deep foundations industry.
Committee
The DSA Committee is an anonymous judging committee selected by the DFI President. The DSA Committee then submits its nominee to the DFI Board of Trustees for a vote. Members being considered for the current year’s DSA are not eligible to serve on the DSA Committee in the year they are considered for award.
Award Information
- The award may not be made to more than one individual each year. A selection each year is not mandatory.
- The award is presented at the Awards Banquet held during the Annual Conference on Deep Foundations.
- The winner receives a bronze replica of a Leonardo da Vinci pile driver mounted on a marble base.
- The winner’s name is inscribed on a permanent plaque of all recipients, which is displayed at each Annual Conference.
Deadline: April 15
Legends Award
The inaugural Legends Awards were presented in 2015 to honor practitioners that have made significant contributions and advancements to the research, design, construction, manufacturing and use of deep foundations. The next DFI Legends Awards will be presented in 2023.
Eligibility
- An individual Engineer, Contractor or Manufacturer/Supplier in the deep foundations industry.
- The nominee can be in an active job position or retired.
- Nominations can be posthumous.
- Nominees do not have to be DFI members.
- Nominees will be considered continuously for future awards.
- Any DFI member can nominate a candidate.
Nomination Package
- A statement of reasons for nomination (500 words or less).
- A brief one-page curriculum vitae of the nominee.
- Completed online nomination form.
Selection Criteria
- Impact, value and sustainability (contributions they made are still pivotal to the technological advancements we have today) of achievements.
- Legacy.
- Pioneering contributions.
- Exceptional industry leader; visionary, mentor.
- Technological ingenuity, innovation and/or application of advancements of design, construction or equipment.
- Steadfast professionalism, character and integrity.
- Ingenuity of design and construction techniques.
- Broad impact on industry.
Committee
The DFI President selects a committee chair who consults with the boards of both DFI and the Trust to select a judging committee of industry leaders as well as an organizing committee for the Awards Ceremony at the DFI Annual Conference. Members being considered as a recipient are not eligible to serve on the Legends Committee in the year they are considered for the award.
Award Information
- The award is made to three practitioners, an Engineer, a Contractor and a Manufacturer/Supplier, every four years.
- The awards are presented at a DFI Annual Conference in a dedicated awards ceremony.
- The winners receive a bronze medal depicting Leonardo da Vinci mounted in a display case.
- Recipients are perpetually recognized on the DFI website.
Deadline: February 1
Outstanding Project Award
The Outstanding Project Award (OPA) was established in 1997 to recognize the superior work of DFI members. Each year, a project is chosen from several geotechnical projects submitted for consideration by DFI members.
Eligibility
- Any deep foundation or deep excavation project that has been completed within three years of the deadline and nominated by a DFI member.
Nomination Package
- One-page project summary including completion date and project team (owner, engineer, GC, foundation contractor, material/equipment suppliers).
- Up to 10 high-resolution digital photos.
- Completed online nomination form.
Selection Criteria
Consideration is given to ingenuity of design and construction techniques, how the design met the owner’s needs and solved geotechnical conditions.
Committee
The OPA Committee is an anonymous judging committee appointed by the DFI President. Please note, judges can select more than one winner per year.
Award Information
- The OPA is presented during the DFI Annual Conference on Deep Foundations.
- The company nominating the project will be the recipient of the award unless they determine differently and notify DFI of the company to be recognized.
- Additional copies of the award are available at cost at the winner’s request for other companies involved in the project.
- A project presentation at the DFI Annual Conference is required.
- The winning project is the cover story for the Sept/Oct issue of Deep Foundations magazine. Support for the article is required from the recipient project applicant, including article and photos.
- Special Recognition Awards for projects nominated that year are awarded at the discretion of the committee and may be featured in Deep Foundations magazine.
Deadline: April 15
