Advanced technology will enable the New Hampshire Department of Transportation (DOT) to monitor roadway temperatures.
NATE announced the election of three board members to the association’s executive committee on the first day of NATE UNITE 2023 Conference and Trade Show in Orlando, Florida in February. Green Mountain president and co-founder Victor Drouin is the new Chairman of the Board. He will be joined by Randy Scott as Vice Chairman and Kevin Dougherty as Secretary/Treasurer.
With over 30 years of experience in tower construction, Victor has long been an advocate for a safety-first culture in the industry. Green Mountain was one of NATE’s founding member organizations. The association has been setting new standards for safety in the communications tower construction industry since 1995.
Today, NATE has over 1,150 member organizations that work together to achieve the association’s mission of providing members with “uniform safety standards, improved communications, and a unified voice to help shape the future of the tower industry,” according to the NATE website.
Speaking about the association’s early days on the On Radio podcast, Victor recalls being surprised by how competing tower construction companies were able to set aside their differences in order to unite for the common cause of keeping climbers safe. Today, says Drouin, “There’s a tremendous amount of camaraderie amongst people who 15-20 years ago, you wouldn’t talk to. Now we share stories, and we both share the same pain, so let’s fix it together.”
On the podcast, Victor also announced the foundation of a new college scholarship committee to support families of climbers affected by safety events that impact their earning potential.
Looking ahead to the future of NATE, Victor is focused on continuing to attract new people to the field through workforce development. NATE is helping spread the word about opportunities for career growth through a robust social media presence and the 2022 documentary, Vertical Freedom. NATE is also excited to be bringing back Climber Connection, NATE’s video series about tower climbing safety.
NATE UNITE 2024 will be held in February in Memphis, Tennessee. For more information, visit the NATE website.
