The NPCA Foundation honors a longtime member whose leadership helped expand programs that support the next generation of precast professionals
Richard Isaacson has spent years encouraging others in the precast industry to get involved — to volunteer, support students and invest in the next generation. So when the National Precast Concrete Association Foundation set out to create an award recognizing that kind of service, its leaders already knew who it should honor. Isaacson may not have expected the recognition, but for those who had worked alongside him, the choice felt obvious.
At the NPCA’s 60th Annual Convention in Grand Rapids, Mich., the Foundation announced the Richard Isaacson Award, honoring individuals whose leadership and commitment strengthen the organization and its mission. For Isaacson, one of two principal owners of iwi Concrete Equipment Group in Commerce, Ga., the recognition was less about personal achievement and more about the people who helped build the Foundation alongside him.
“This is everybody who has come before me on the Foundation. It’s the team,” he said. “I may have been driving the bus, but there were a lot of people on that bus. I’m truly humbled.”
Service that Built Momentum
Isaacson served on the NPCAF board from 2012 to 2018, including two years as chair. During that time, he became one of the Foundation’s strongest advocates, particularly in fundraising efforts.
He helped lead the annual Silent Auction, an event that has raised money for scholarships and workforce development programs. The initiative supports the Foundation’s goal of introducing students and young professionals to careers in precast concrete manufacturing.
His involvement also extended to education. Isaacson played a role in developing the annual Student Competition, where college teams tackle real-world precast challenges — often gaining their first exposure to the industry in the process.
Leadership Through Participation
According to the Foundation’s current Board Chair, Greg Stratis, Isaacson’s impact came from consistent participation and encouragement of others.
“Richard’s passion, commitment and leadership embody the very best of what it means to serve the Foundation,” Stratis said. “We would not be where we are today without the dedication of volunteers like him. It is in his honor and with great gratitude that this award will carry his name.”
The award reflects the Foundation’s recognition that its programs depend on volunteers willing to invest time and energy beyond their own businesses.
A Lasting Influence
Isaacson sees the recognition not as a personal achievement but as a sign of the organization’s growth.
He credits the many volunteers who built the Foundation before him and those continuing the work today. The programs he helped support — scholarships, fundraising and student engagement — are designed to ensure the next generation enters the industry prepared and connected.
“They are driving it way beyond what we even envisioned,” Isaacson said.
The award bearing his name now honors others who carry that same mindset: strengthening the Foundation by helping the people who will shape the industry’s future.