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WASHINGTON – The National Demolition Association (NDA) is proud to announce the appointment of Ben Hayden of Hayden Wrecking in East Saint Louis, Ill. as its new President for the 2025-2027 term.
The following members were elected to the Executive Committee:
Vice President – Dennis McGarel, Brandenburg Industrial Service Company (Chicago)
Secretary – Ed Vernier, Charah Solutions (Charlotte, N.C.)
Treasurer – David Dickson, Dickson Company (Tacoma, Wash.)
Past-President – James Milburn, Milburn Demolition (Bellwood, Ill.)
The following members were elected to the Board of Directors:
David Evans, Target Contractors LLC (Ladson, S.C.)
Doug Hampton, Eslich Wrecking Company (Louisville, Ohio)
Adam Robles, Robles1, LLC (Cibolo, Texas)
NDA connects a community of trusted and certified professionals to ensure demolition projects are completed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with all regulations. Training and resources offered through NDA help demolition professionals reduce the risk of accidents, mitigate equipment malfunctions, and avoid operational delays and increased costs.
"I am honoured to lead the National Demolition Association at this pivotal time for our industry, said Ben. “We will continue to empower our members to set industry standards in workplace safety and environmental stewardship. I look forward to continuing to grow our local chapter presence and the number of certified demolition supervisors – two initiatives launched by NDA Past President James Milburn, Milburn Demolition.”
Ben added, “I would also like to thank outgoing board members Past President Scott Homrich, Homrich, (Carleton, Mich.), Steven Schwartz, Haines & Kibblehouse, Inc. (Marlton, N.J.) and Karsten Pawlik, Alpine Demolition Services, LLC (Saint Charles, Ill.) for their service to the board. Scott served the association as a board officer for over 18 years, most recently as 2021-2023 President, guiding the association through the impact of COVID. Over the last six years, both Steve and Karsten served with distinction and contributed greatly to the success of the association. Steve served as chair of the NDA Education Committee and led the committee in the launch of the Foundations of Demolition Training Series, surpassing 120 certificate holders and Karsten was instrumental in the development of the Pre-Apprenticeship Guidelines for New Demolition Industry Employees and Considerations for Demolition of Power Plants guidance documents with the OSHA Alliance.”
Under new leadership, NDA will continue to lead the demolition industry by focusing on workforce, safety, and membership. The organisation aims to attract a younger, more diverse workforce by showcasing demolition as an attractive career choice through career mapping, job descriptions, and recruitment resources. NDA's OSHA alliance will emphasise education and training in workforce development and management. This spring, NDA will launch the Certified Demolition Technician program and a company accreditation program to uphold the highest safety standards.
