February 4, 2022
2022 Besser Pipe Scholarship Recipients Announced

Scott Kennedy, Vice President of Pipe and Precast, and Kim Spahn, President of ACPA’s Research and Education Foundation, teamed up to announce the 2022 recipients of the $2,500 Besser Pipe Scholarship during the opening session of the ACPA Pipe School and Trade Show on 31 January 2022.
This year, the selection committee felt two students were equally deserving, so two scholarships were awarded. One scholarship was funded by Besser Company and the other by the ACPA Foundation. The first recipient was Joseph McDaniel, who is studying Concrete Industry Management at Middle Tennessee State University. Joseph began his relationship with concrete as a 9-year-old working alongside his grandpa and dad, placing and finishing concrete.
[caption id="attachment_11815" align="alignleft" width="1200"]
Coincidentally Connor Davidson’s father Eric was attending Pipe School and was honored to accept the award on Connor’s behalf. Eric works at Thompson Pipe Group with the ACPA Chairman of the Board, Branimir Kovac.[/caption]
The second recipient was Connor Davidson, who is studying Civil Engineering at Texas Tech. In Connor’s application, he stated that whatever role he’s in, he commits 110% of himself in every aspect of it. We’re looking forward to seeing this play out as he reaches his goal of becoming a Civil Engineer who has a fondness for concrete pipe.
Besser Company’s commitment to education and training spans the majority of the 118 years that we’ve been in business. The importance of such a commitment was ingrained into our culture by our founder, Jesse Besser. Jon Dannenberg, Joe Pelchat, and countless others that followed embraced the pursuit of education and training as a critical foundation to the support we provide to producers around the globe. Through their foresight, ingenuity, dedication, and leadership, Besser has earned a reputation as the industry’s leading provider of impactful training. This training is skillfully delivered during Pipe Schools held in Sioux City, Iowa, at onsite courses in producers’ facilities, and as part of ACPA’s annual Pipe School education.
[caption id="attachment_11816" align="alignleft" width="1200"]
Pipe School attendees heard from the two scholarship recipients via video during the opening session. [/caption]
The creation of the Besser Pipe Scholarship was the next logical step. In 2016, the employee-owners of Besser Company created the scholarship in recognition of ACPA’s National Concrete Pipe Week. It’s established with the ACPA Foundation and is awarded annually to a student or students whose course of study is related to concrete pipe production, application, installation, or research. The scholarship is one way that we’re celebrating the legacy of our predecessors and investing in the future of the concrete pipe industry.
Kim Spahn, ACPA Foundation President shared, “A big thank you to Besser for establishing the scholarship. It certainly helped to increase the awareness about opportunities in the concrete pipe industry on college campuses. We’re grateful for this and for your continuing support of the ACPA and our industry.”
Students interested in applying for the 2023 scholarship can apply at Concretepipe.org under education and then scholarships.

