July/August 2024 - 51

Captain Phillips: Hal Hunt Lecturer
Captain Richard Phillips, a national
hero, is presenting the Hal Hunt Lecture
on Communications at DFI's 49th
Annual Conference on Deep Foundations.
The international conference is
being held October 7-10, at Gaylord
Rockies Resort & Convention Center in
Aurora, Colorado.
For five days in April 2009, Phillips
became the center of an extraordinary
international drama when he was
captured by Somali pirates who hijacked
his ship, the Maersk Alabama. It
was the first hijacking of a U.S. ship in
more than 200 years. Amid the standoff,
he offered himself as a hostage in
exchange for the safety of his crew.
Thus began the tense standoff, which
ended in a daring highseas rescue by
U.S. Navy SEALs.
Phillips authored A Captain's Duty:
Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous
Days at Sea detailing his experience.
This dramatic story was also transformed
into an Academy Award and
Golden Globe nominated film, Captain
Phillips.
Recognized as a national hero,
Phillips now gives inspiring speeches
on stepping up, finding courage within
yourself and putting your community
first. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts
Maritime Academy; a member
of the International Organization of
Masters, Mates & Pilots Union; and a
licensed American merchant mariner.
The Hal Hunt Lecture was established
in 1989 to recognize notable
communicators in the Deep Foundations
Industry. The lecture was named in
honor of Hal W. Hunt, one of the initial
2023 WiDF reception
DEEP FOUNDATIONS * JULY/AUG 2024 * 51
organizers of DFI. If you are interested in
being a sponsor for the lecture, contact
events@dfi.org. Proceeds benefit the DFI
Educational Trust General Fund.
Register for Special Events
On Monday, October 7, DFI's Women in
Deep Foundations (WiDF) Committee is
hosting its 8th Annual Networking
Reception. The reception is a great way
to kick off the conference and celebrate
the committee's 10th anniversary while
recognizing the recipients of WiDF professional
development grants. Add this
festive event to your registration!
All runners and walkers are encouraged
to register for the DFI Educational
Trust 5K Fun Run/Walk taking
place early on the morning of Tuesday,
October 8. The racecourse is on the
grounds of the Gaylord with stunning
mountain views. Proceeds from the
race provide scholarships to students
pursuing careers in the deep foundations
engineering and construction
industry. If you can't participate,
consider being a sponsor.
There's More...
In addition to a robust technical program,
the conference includes the
Outstanding Project Award presentation;
paper competition presentations;
the Manufacturers, Suppliers and Service
Providers Committee's tradeshow
expo sessions; a welcome reception;
student activities program; and more
than 150 exhibitors featuring new and
innovative products and services. Get
more information and register at
www.dfi-events.org/dfi49.
http://www.dfi-events.org/dfi49
July/August 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July/August 2024
