Speakers

Dr. Don Bell

Dr. Don L. Bell received a Bachelors of Arts degree in Education from Glenville State teachers college, Master’s degree in Administration from Shippensburg University, and Doctoral degree from the University of Pittsburgh.

He currently serves as a Superintendent of Schools in Central Pennsylvania. He has been employed for nearly 25 years as a teacher and administrator in three different Pennsylvania public school systems. The school districts varied in size and enrollment between 8,000 and 2,500 students. Over the last 12 years he has been involved with more than ten separate building projects while serving in three different administrative positions and as a consultant. The projects consisted of elementary schools, high schools, junior high schools and middle schools.

Over the last four years, Dr. Bell has been invited on numerous occasions to be the keynote speaker and featured presenter on construction methodology across the country. Additionally, his construction approach and design methods are featured on an international video produced by the NCMA. His unique method to building school facilities was also recognized by more than 25,000 school system leaders from across the country as a model for success.

During his career, Dr. Bell has been recognized by Governor Edward Rendell as one of Pennsylvania’s most innovative superintendents and was personally recognized by the Governor and the Secretary of Education for creating an educational academy that now serves as the “lighthouse” program for the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was the first educational professional to have been recognized by the Central Pennsylvania Business Organization as one of the areas top 40 professional leaders. The Shippensburg University Study Council and the Pennsylvania Secondary Schools Curriculum Association has also recognized Dr. Bell as a leader of best educational practices and innovative concepts for academic excellence.

Dr. Bell has also been selected numerous times as a peer reviewer for state and federal construction grants, requested to present at the inaugural Pennsylvania School Boards Association school construction summit, requested to present before the Pennsylvania House of Representatives concerning school construction, and served on the Pennsylvania Governor’s School Construction Task Force.

Robert D. Thomas

Vice President of Engineering
National Concrete Masonry Association

Bob Thomas represents the National Concrete Masonry Association as its Vice President of Engineering. In this capacity, he oversees all of the technical activities of the Association including development of codes and standards, development of technical publications and software, technical inquiry response programs, and engineering seminars. Mr. Thomas has been with NCMA since 1990, beginning in their Research and Development Laboratory where he was responsible for coordinating industry research programs, developing material quality control programs, consulting and testing for new masonry products.

Mr. Thomas has published and presented technical papers in various industry and professional forums. In 1995, he received the ASTM Alan H. Yorkdale award for the best technical paper in the field of masonry research published that year in the English language.

Mr. Thomas is an active member of many technical and professional organizations. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for The Masonry Society (TMS) and the Building Seismic Safety Council. Within the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), he currently chairs the subcommittee on concrete masonry units and the subcommittee on research and methods of testing for mortars and grout for unit masonry.

Mr. Thomas holds a Master of Science Degree in Structural Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and received his B.S. Degree in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University.

About NCMA

The National Concrete Masonry Association is a non-profit organization representing the producers and suppliers in the concrete masonry industry. The association focuses its efforts on research, production, and marketing of concrete masonry building systems. In addition, the association carries out government relations and a host of other activities on behalf of its members.

Lindsay Ellingson

  • Sioux City Brick Since 1988 (architectural sales and national sales representative)
  • Bricklayer and mason contractor 1972 to 1988
  • Bricklayer 1967 to 1972