DIPRA Appoints Josh Blount as Staff Engineer and Project Manager

May 11, 2015 | By Business Wire News

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.

The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) is pleased to announce that Josh Blount, E.I., will be joining the organization as Staff Engineer and Project Manager.

A Raleigh, North Carolina native, Blount brings several years of experience working with the North Carolina Department of Transportation on water infrastructure issues. He will serve as an important ally for DIPRA as it embarks on another century of serving engineers, utilities and policy makers with expert guidance and engineering knowledge.

“I am proud to welcome Josh to DIPRA. Our Regional Engineer Program remains the leading source of information in the sustainable water and wastewater industry, and Josh’s public sector experience fortifies our ability to advise and aid engineers and utilities on the projects ahead of them,” said Jon Runge, President of DIPRA.

With a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree from North Carolina State University, Blount began work at the North Carolina Department of Transportation on the engineering training program inspecting and recording work performed by contractors on projects, and working with government officials on both state and private road applications and specifications. As an assistant resident engineer, Blount was responsible for the construction of $100 million worth of projects, and ensured all projects were in compliance with environmental permitting agencies and NCDOT Standard and Specifications. As the nation prepares to make $1 trillion worth of upgrades to our water infrastructure, Josh’s expertise will allow DIPRA to guide these projects deftly and efficiently.

“I am excited to join DIPRA and carry on its storied tradition of providing accurate and essential information about Ductile Iron Pipe to engineers, utilities, and the public we ultimately serve,” said Blount. “Working as a staff engineer and project manager affords me a natural transition from my time with the North Carolina DOT to an organization where I can continue to grow and offer solutions to our country’s growing list of water infrastructure issues.”

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.