September 2025 Vol. 80 No. 9
Features
HDD Hall of Fame Class of ’26 Announced
The Horizontal Directional Drilling Association, in conjunction with Underground Infrastructure magazine, are pleased to announce the HDD Class of ’26.
A special industry selection committee reviewed a large contingent of nominees, narrowing the candidates down to 16 finalists and finally, to the eight awardees for 2026. The honorees will be formally inducted into the HDD Hall of Fame during the HDD Reunion on Wednesday, Jan. 28, as part of the HDD activities at the Underground Infrastructure Conference at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.
The 2026 class represents contractors, a consulting engineer, and manufacturers: Don Riggs, Future Infrastructure; Frank McKinney, Sharewell and InRock; Russell Baker, Berco; Eric Skonberg, consulting engineer/former contractor; and John Teer, Sharewell.
Unfortunately, as the business of HDD continues to grow and evolve, key members of the community have been lost. Posthumous honors in this class go to: Mark Van Houwelingen, Vermeer; Robert Hamil, Laney Directional Drilling; and Thomas “Tom” Allen, Tom Allen Construction/American Fiber Comm.
There will be a series of in-depth HDD-specific educational sessions, conceived and produced by the HDD industry, on both Jan. 27 and 28. In addition to these sessions, on Jan. 28 there will be a special, interactive panel held at Center Stage on the floor of the UIC exhibit hall with the HDD Hall of Fame honorees from 1 – 2:30 p.m.
The formal recognition and awarding of the coveted HDD Hall of Fame awards will be included in a special ceremony during the renowned HDD Reunion celebration, held immediately after the exhibit hall closes Jan. 28, at the convention center. The HDD Reunion will begin at 5:15 p.m.
For all participants in the HDD industry, old and new, the Reunion and Hall of Fame ceremony will be a time where history will be re-lived, tall tales shared and visionaries revered throughout the day and evening activities.
To register for the HDD Hall of Fame/Reunion activities and/or UIC, go to ui-conference.com. or contact Karen Francis for more information, Karen@undergroundinfrastructure.com, (713) 487-5676. For sponsorship details, contact either Josh Allen, josh@undergroundinfrastructure.com, (832) 922-9018, or Peter Royall, peter.royall@gulfenergyinfo.com.
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