Andrew Pihaly Joins DIPRA as New Western States Regional Engineer

April 28, 2015 | By Business Wire News

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.

The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) is proud to announce the appointment of Andrew J. Pihaly, P.E., as Regional Engineer for the Western States.

Pihaly’s years of experience in business management and service in the water and wastewater industry will be an important asset for the engineers, utilities and others who depend on DIPRA, which has been providing expert guidance and engineering knowledge for a century.

“For 100 years and counting, DIPRA and its member companies have been committed to providing clean, safe water for millions of Americans. As the country prepares to spend close to $1 trillion in upgrading its water infrastructure, we must have the right people on the job to provide the expert assistance and guidance DIPRA has always been known for – and Andrew certainly meets that criteria,” said Jon Runge, President of DIPRA. “Because DIPRA’s Regional Engineer Program is the leading source of information in the sustainable water and wastewater industry, Andrew’s addition will only strengthen our ability to serve engineers and utilities.”

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree from the University of Illinois, Pihaly joined Clark Dietz, Inc., as a design engineer, working closely with government leaders and residents to build major roadway construction projects in the Chicago metro area. Pihaly became a Project Engineer at Alfred Benesch & Company, where he managed a diverse team of engineers through resurfacing and rehabilitating major interstates and bridge projects. While working full time, he earned a Masters of Business Administration degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

“From the beginning of my career in Illinois, I’ve learned a lot about various pipe materials and best practices in the water and wastewater industry – and clearly Ductile Iron Pipe is in a league of its own,” said Pihaly. “I am delighted to join DIPRA and assist this incredible team in carrying out its mission of providing accurate and essential information about Ductile Iron Pipe to engineers, utilities, and the public.”

Pihaly is also a Licensed Professional Engineer, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional, and a Certified Associate Value Specialist through SAVE International. His position as Western States Regional Engineer will bring renewed awareness to the strength and durability of Ductile Iron Pipe within this region, particularly during this time of extensive infrastructure development.

About DIPRA: From its inception nearly 100 years ago, the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) has provided accurate, reliable and essential engineering information about cast iron—and now ductile iron—pipe to a wide variety of utilities and consulting engineers.

Founded in 1915, initially the organization’s role was to promote the superior qualities of iron pipe through advertising programs, but it evolved into a technically based, research-oriented organization providing a variety of technical brochures and publications, representation on standards-making committees, technical research on a variety of applications-based topics such as corrosion control and design of ductile iron pipe, and personal technical service through our regional engineer program.

While DIPRA member companies have different names and locations, they share a common commitment to produce and deliver the finest quality water and wastewater pipe material in the world, ductile iron pipe, at the greatest possible value to its purchasers.