Keynote Speaker: Jim Abbott
Jim Abbott was born September 19, 1967, in Flint, Michigan without a right hand. He was an All-America hurler at Michigan; won the Sullivan Award in 1987; was the pitcher for the Gold Medal Olympic Team in 1988; and threw a 4-0 no-hitter for the New York Yankees versus Cleveland (September 4, 1993). Jim played for 10 seasons on 4 different teams and ended his big league playing career in 1999.
Abbott has worked with The Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) on several initiatives encouraging businesses to hire people with disabilities.
Today, in addition to often being a Guest Pitching Instructor during Spring Training for the Los Angeles Angels, Jim Abbott is a motivational speaker.
On A Personal Note
Jim lives in California with his wife, two children and their dog. His parents still live in Michigan. Jim and his family take the summer off each year to stay at the lake and visit with family and friends. Jim has a younger brother.
Keynote Speaker: Rob McCaffrey
After training as a geologist, Rob McCaffrey co-created Global Cement Magazine back in 1996, and is now the journal’s Editorial Director. Global Cement is now the world’s most widely-read audited cement industry magazine, being digitally distributed to over 30,000 readers each month. He has visited cement plants in over 30 countries, on five continents. Rob has also organized a number of specialized cement industry conferences over the years, including CemFuels on alternative fuels and the forthcoming CemCCUS Conference in Oslo on cement industry carbon capture and sequestration. Dr McCaffrey has been analyzing and commentating on the global cement industry for over 30 years, has attended around 20 IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Industry Conferences and this year marks his fourth presentation at the event. He’s married with two grown-up daughters, and enjoys running, sailing and singing, in that order.
PCA General Session Keynote Speaker: Dr. Avi Shultz
Dr. Avi Shultz is the director of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office (IEDO). Dr. Shultz leads IEDO's strategy to accelerate the innovation and adoption of cost-effective technologies that eliminate industrial greenhouse gas emissions. Dr. Shultz also works with DOE leadership and interagency partners to position IEDO and the department for the greatest impact across America’s industrial sector.
Previously, Dr. Shultz was the deputy director of IEDO. Prior to his tenure in IEDO, Dr. Shultz was the program manager for concentrating solar-thermal power for the DOE's Solar Energy Technologies Office. Dr. Shultz has been with DOE since 2013, where he started as a science and technology policy fellow, supporting the concentrating solar-thermal power program on a wide variety of topics.
