NDA confirms speaker line-up for 2013 convention

The National Demolition Association has announced the line-up of speakers for its 40^th Annual Convention in San Diego, California, on 23-26 March 2013. Given the city’s status as a major US navy base, it is fitting that the keynote speaker will be former Navy Commander Mike Abrashoff, who will talk about his experiences turning around the performance of the destroyer USS Benfold from one of the poorest to a top performer in the US Navy.

According to NDA executive director Mike Taylor: “His experience is a metaphor for the problems and opportunities facing many organizations today, His talk will help arm our members and guests with the strategies, tactics and tools needed to encourage innovation and improve operations.”

Another speaker at the event will be New Zealander Diana Stil of Nikau Contractors, who will reprise her presentation covering the demolition task facing the New Zealand industry following the Christchurch earthquake, which she made at the 2012 World Demolition Summit in Amsterdam at the beginning of November.

The event will have another connection to the US Navy, since an Opening Night Celebration will be held aboard one of the USA’s longest-serving aircraft carriers, USS Midway, moored in San Diego harbour.