The Portland Cement Association's board of directors elected Charlie Sunderland as chairman recently during the association's board meeting in Sea Island, Ga. Sunderland will serve a two-year term, succeeding James Repman of California Portland Cement Co. Sunderland is the current chairman of the board of Ash Grove Cement Co., Overland Park, Kan.

Sunderland previously served as Ash Grove's vice president of administration, vice president of corporate development, and as secretary and risk manager. In addition to service as PCA's vice chairman for the past two years, he chaired its Public Works Committee and served on the Market Promotion Council, the Paving Committee, the Regional Promotion Committee, and the Residential Committee. (An exclusive Cement Americas interview with Charlie Sunderland can be found on Page 8.)

Enrique Escalante of GCC of America was elected vice chair. The director of GCC's U.S. division, Escalante was elected to PCA's board in 2001 and serves as chairman of the Research and Technical Council and Product Standards and Technology Committee.

PCA President John (Jay) Gleason announced that he will retire effective July 1, 2007. The PCA board has retained the executive recruitment firm Korn/Ferry to find candidates for the position. Gleason has served as PCA president since 1986.

Also, the CTLGroup board announced that Tony Fiorato will retire from his position as president/CEO of the company effective June 1, 2007. He will serve as chairman of the board of CTLGroup and remain active in the firm. The group is beginning the search for Fiorato's replacement.