The Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association (CSDA) will kick off its 32nd annual convention in Orlando, FL, as the World of Concrete (WOC) comes to a close. The WOC, Orlando, will be held Feb. 17-20, 2004, at the Orange County Convention Center. The 2004 CSDA Convention will be held Feb. 20-23 at the Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando, just minutes away from the WOC site. .

"The CSDA convention has been scheduled to immediately follow the WOC so participants can attend both events in one trip," said Patrick O’Brien, CSDA Executive Director. "This set-up is ideal for those who see the importance of attending both events and want an affordable, time-saving way to do it. The schedule is especially convenient for CSDA’s international guests, as 20 percent of the membership is outside the U.S.”

CSDA guests will benefit from an extensive convention program that features meetings, workshops, roundtables and seminars. Bill Palmer, editor in chief of Hanley-Wood LLC Commercial Group, will open the session with a presentation on the state of the construction industry. Other topics addressed throughout the convention will include how to secure a line of credit, human resources issues, the legal aspects of hiring and firing and how to value your business. Two roundtable sessions will address the value of safety and the value of training.

The CSDA Insurance Program Annual Meeting and the Annual Business Meeting are also set to take place during the convention. The results of the election to designate new members for the Board of Trustees will be announced at the Annual Business Meeting.

The convention program allows plenty of room for social and networking activities. CSDA guests can look forward to the President’s Reception, Golf Tournament, Cocktail Reception and Gala Dinner. Nearby CityWalk and other exciting Orlando attractions will await the guests as they venture off the convention site.

Orlando’s popularity and the convenience of attending the convention and WOC together will be two big draws for the 2004 convention. “Attendance is likely to be higher than in previous years,” said Jim McGrady, convention chairman. “We are looking forward to a well-attended and memorable event.”

Shortly before the WOC and the convention begin, CSDA will hold its spring training session in Clearwater, FL. The courses will be held Feb. 5-14 at St. Petersburg College’s Clearwater Campus. “The opportunity to attend training, WOC and the convention in one trip will be very attractive to all our guests, and especially to our international visitors,” said O’Brien.

For more information, call 727/577-5004 or visit www.csda.org.

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