CAREER PROFILE
“The thing is that people work
with people they like. If they
get to know you and get to like
you, they’ll want to work with
you and give you business.”
– Melvin Williams
To learn more, visit
www.trimble.com/marine
or contact your Trimble
Advanced Marine
Partner today.
www.piledrivers.org PILEDRIVER | 65
organizations, including The Citadel Military Engineering and
Charleston South University, where he offers advice and guidance
to the next generation of engineers.
“I tell them to stay patient, to really learn their craft and
become proficient in their craft. And treat people fairly. People
will see that and reward you for it.”
Williams has received numerous accolades over the years
for his service and community involvement, including induction
into the National Society of American Military Engineers
(SAME), membership in the American Council of Engineering
Companies (ACEC), the Furman Diversity Leadership Program’s
Riley Fellowship and the ACEC’s Community Service Award.
For Williams, it all comes down to helping make the community
around him a better place to live and work. It’s a lesson he
learned early in life from his mom, Delores.
“She’s a very caring person who does a lot for her community
through the church and other organizations. I’ve seen that in her
over the years and really tried to emulate that and learn from
that,” he said.
Williams has been involved in numerous driven pile projects
over the years. His first pile driving experience was an interesting
small bridge replacement project in Aiken, S.C. where a cofferdam
had to be constructed to install the piles within the waterway.
During installation, water infiltration had to be controlled
while piles were being installed.
He says it’s important for companies in the driven pile industry
to be involved in the Pile Driving Contractors Association
(PDCA) to not only network with members of the profession, but
to also gain a better understanding of pile installation methods
and technologies.
“Their motto is ‘A driven pile is a tested pile.’ That really says
it all for me.”
Williams has seen first-hand the many changes that have
occurred in the construction and pile driving industries over the
past three decades. In his mind, none has been more significant
than the increased attention now being paid to safety on job sites.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “I think everybody and every firm
should want their employees to go back to their family at the end
of the day in the same state they came to work to start the day.”
And Williams expects there will be more changes to come.
One he is eagerly looking forward to is new methods of installing
piles with little or no vibration.
“One thing about Charleston is it’s a very historic place and
there’s always a building we’re trying to protect. That means we’re
going to need to look more and more at how to install piles
without vibration.” t
/marine
/www.piledrivers.org
/
