The recent South Atlantic Well Drillers Jubilee proved to be a pretty accurate barometer of our times.
The
recent South Atlantic Well Drillers Jubilee proved to be a pretty accurate
barometer of our times. Things are on the upswing – albeit slooowly – but it’s
a disservice to compare anything anymore to pre-2008 conditions. The show’s
attendance was up from last year, but the economy continues to be an issue.
“It’s still not where I’d like it to be,” notes Jubilee executive director Jane
Cain, “but it certainly is working its way back up there.”
“Our goals for the show were pretty practical. We wanted to make it as
affordable as we could possibly make it. We also wanted to offer some things
that we hadn’t offered before in the way of training and education,” Cain
explains. An example of that was the IGSHPA training for those interested in
the geothermal market. “We had twice as many people take the IGSHPA course as
we expected. And at $500-plus for registration, that’s very good,” she beams.
Interest in geothermal continues to soar.
Jubilee’s educational programming was again top-notch, offering practical
insight into topics such as rig mechanics, water treatment, business
management, environmental concerns and pump fundamentals, among
others.
Always a highlight, the National Ground Water Association-sponsored McEllhiney
Lecture was presented by Johnson Screen’s Mike Mehmert. He led a discussion on
well efficiency and the vital role well development plays in achieving maximum
effectiveness, and how contractors can improve their
practices.
“And Don Akers, the sales and motivational speaker brought some really fresh
ideas to people in terms of sales and communications,” says Cain. “He was very
well received, and we’re talking with him about the possibility of him coming
in and doing some advanced training next year. In the past, most of those types
of seminars were put on by people who are in the industry; this year, we got an
outside-the-industry perspective, which is one we need to hear these days. Our
target market is a different breed than it has been in the past. Akers was very
pleased at how open our audience was to him and to thinking about
communications in a new way.”
A total of nine-and-one-half hours of exhibit hall action allowed visitors
ample opportunity to check out the latest industry innovations in products,
equipment and other resources. The number of exhibiting companies was about the
same as last year, but there were eight new exhibitors, so that’s a good sign
moving forward.
Jubilee’s highest individual honor, the much-coveted George McCall Award, was
presented to Bob Frank (Frank’s Well Drilling Inc., La Plata, Md.) in
recognition of his tireless commitment to our industry.
“For this year, the main goals we set definitely were accomplished,” Cain says.
“And it also gave me things to think about for next year. We’ve been having
success by diversifying our agenda, and that gives us a good indication that
we’re going in the right direction with that.” Moving forward, Cain sees
changes in the continuing education programs. “We’ll have a water treatment and
water-quality track, a hands-on, mechanical-type track, and we’ll have a track
that will tackle some of the political issues that we need people to get focused
on. I want to take where we are now and build on that as much as
possible.”
Next year’s show is July 30-Aug. 1, and then in 2012, it moves to Virginia Beach, Va.,
July 21-23. Talking about the once and future site, Cain says, “I think people
are really going to enjoy the atmosphere there. The boardwalk is gorgeous, and
there’s free entertainment for adults and kids all up and down the boardwalk.
The hotels are competitive with Myrtle
Beach that time of year, and it’s a more upscale
atmosphere.”
ND