DCA History: The 70s – Thriving in a Turbulent Decade

In the early 1960s, four contractors and a small group of representatives from other small contractors got together and formed an organizational committee that was the precursor to the DCA.  During the ‘60s, the group grew rapidly, going from 26 contractor members in 1962 to 44 in 1969. 
Then came the 1970s. 

DCA was poised to continue that rapid growth, even if it couldn’t have predicted the oil-to-gas conversions that the world would begin to undertake in reaction to the oil crises of the decade.  
And speaking of the world: the 1970s started with a lot of turbulence.  It saw spaceship launches and failures — “Houston, we have a problem” — continued war in Vietnam and war with Cambodia. Widespread college campus protests and a tragedy at Kent State University were in the news, the voting age was lowered to 18, and the Beatles hit song “Let It Be” remained in the number one position for a full month.

The Start of a New Decade
But in Freeport, Grand Bahama, in January 1970, things were progressing smoothly as DCA held its yearly convention following the PLCA annual meeting.  

One event that helped ease the way for DCA members was the formation of the Distribution Pipeline Committee. It would work as a liaison with the federal government’s Office of Pipeline Safety.  DCA’s in-the-field experience provided valuable feedback to the government office, so it could create regulations that would make it safer for contractors.  About the same time, President Richard Nixon signed the National Environmental Policy Act into law and the Boeing 747-100 made its first commercial transatlantic flight from New York to London, foreshadowing the 1970s take-off of the DCA.  Not to be outdone, Evel Knievel used his motorcycle to jump over parked cars in the parking lot of the Cow Palace in Daly City, California.

The convention saw newly elected officers, including Edwin Gabrielse as president, Warren Muncie of Universal Pipeline Constructors as first vice president, Bob Lyons of Michigan Trenching Service, Inc. as second vice president, and Murry Loftis as treasurer.

DCA Helps Members Pivot
With distribution construction down for the third consecutive year, members began to look for other areas where they could use their expertise and fill in the gaps.  During the 1971 annual convention, which returned to the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, California, representatives from American Telephone and Telegraph Co. (now AT&T) and the San Diego Gas & Electric Company gave presentations about how the underground installation of both telephone lines and electrical lines was increasing.
During that convention, Murry Loftis moved from treasurer to president, and L.R. Young of L.R. Young Construction Company was elected first vice president.  Other official appointments were Allan Coolsaet from R.L. Coolsaet Construction Company as second vice president, and Bob Brogan from GET Construction Company as treasurer.

Safety Comes Into Focus
In 1972, shortly after Elvis Presley met with President Nixon to ask for help in getting the credentials of a federal agent so he could do his part in fighting the drug problem, DCA members met together in beautiful Honolulu after the PLCA convention in California.  The prior year, new health and safety regulations had taken effect and the convention focused mainly on those areas.

In addition to the DCA safety committee releasing a new employee safety manual for members, the director of the PHMSA’s Office of Pipeline Safety assured the members that, in general, pipeline construction work was being performed safely.  To ensure that everyone was up to speed on the new OSHA regulations, the organization’s area director discussed the ramifications of the newly enacted Occupational Safety Act.

Allan Coolsaet, the former second vice president was elected DCA president.  M.H. Cook from M.H. Cook Pipeline was elected first vice president, Stewart Kniff from the Van Ess Company took Coolsaet’s place as second vice president, and Dick Comstock from Tarnow Pipeline Company was elected treasurer.  Meanwhile, the U.S. entered its second decade of the Vietnam War, Charles Manson and three of his female followers were convicted of murder in Los Angeles, and Alan Shepard hit a golf ball on the moon as part of the Apollo 14 mission.

Despite the emerging emphasis on oil and gas industry safety, an empty liquefied natural gas tank exploded on Staten Island, New York, killing 40 workers, shortly before members met in Las Vegas for the February 1973 annual convention. With safety still on their minds, their focus turned to new labor agreements.  Part of those agreements was a provision for plastic pipe along with negotiations for new wage rates with the Laborer’s International Union.

Around the same time, the U.S. Supreme Court gave us Roe vs. Wade and President Nixon announced a peace accord with Vietnam had been reached in Paris.  He told the nation that the POWs would arrive home in 60 days.  Subsequently, the Selective Service announced an end to draft calls.
The members chose M.H. (Bill) Cook as president, Stewart Kniff as first vice president, Dick Comstock as second vice president, and Bob Bricker from Henkels & McCoy, Inc. as treasurer. Not long after the convention, OPEC announced its oil embargo, and soon after, 20% of the nation’s gas stations had no fuel.

The Oil Crisis and DCA
Not surprisingly, the 1974 convention in Key Biscayne, Florida, centered around fuel availability.  While each region of the country experienced varying levels of shortages, the state and federal governments ultimately stepped in by allocating fuel for energy-related construction activities and relieved some of the pressure. President Nixon signed a law limiting highway speeds to 55 mph to conserve that fuel  Other discussions centered around a trend where utility and pipeline firms were being included in negligence damage claims.  Also, the industry was experiencing tightness in the supply chain for new construction equipment.

That same year, “Happy Days” premiered on ABC — turning the 1950s into nostalgia — gold hit a record high of $158.76, newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst was kidnapped in Berkeley, California, and President Nixon resigned due to the Watergate scandal.
DCA members elected Stewart Kniff as president, Dick Comstock became the first vice president, Bob Bricker assumed the role of second vice president, and Gerald Snyder from Pace Pipe Line Company was elected the new treasurer.

The next year, in 1975, the convention was once again held in Key Biscayne — this time before the PLCA convention — and the members were presented with better news regarding the oil and gas industry.  C.J. Gauthier, chairman of the American Gas Association, told the members that he thought the nation’s distribution system would continue to grow, and he talked about prospects for new gas supplies.

That year, Margaret Thatcher was elected the leader of the Tory Party in England and Jacqueline Kennedy once again became a widow after the death of Aristotle Onassis. At the convention, Pipeline Inspection Company held its first gin rummy tournament, which would become an annual event.  Also around the time of the convention, the first pipe of the Alaska oil pipeline was laid at the Tonsina River. “Gunsmoke” would air its final episode, Spielberg’s “Jaws” would terrorize the nation, and the U.S. forces finally pulled out of Vietnam.

Before the members adjourned, they elected Dick Comstock as president, Dale Michels from Michels Pipe Line Construction, Inc, as the first vice president, Bob Bricker as second vice president, and William Snelson from Snelson, Inc. as treasurer.

The 15th Annual Convention Focuses on Its Members
DCA celebrated its 15th annual convention at the Marco Island Hotel and Club in Marco Island, Florida, in 1976.  Just a few months later, Apple Computer would be founded and an entire Picasso exhibit in France would be stolen.

The convention focused on teaching contractors how to increase business.  First, the delegates were told that once the older distribution systems were upgraded, distribution contractors would experience more business.  Next, representatives from the Caterpillar Tractor Company gave them some practical suggestions that would allow them to use equipment maintenance as a way of increasing productivity.
Women dominated the news that year: Agatha Christie died in England, Lindsay Wagner debuted on ABC in “The Bionic Woman,” and Patricia Hearst was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to seven years in prison.

At the convention, Dale Michels was elected president, Bob Bricker took on the role of first vice president, Rolland B. Lyons from Michigan Trenching Service, Inc. became the second vice president, and Noel Coon from Northern Pipeline Construction Company became the treasurer.

Optimism Rules
In 1977, the convention was once again held in Key Biscayne, and just as previous conventions there, it offered sunshine for the attendees in more ways than one.  Officials from the American Gas Association and the Midwest Gas Association made presentations that held optimistic views about the nation’s gas industry.  In the presentations, they talked about real-world incentives to increase gas production and said the increases could be maintained.

Bob Bricker became the president, Rolland B. Lyons the first vice president, Gene R. Spencer from G.R. Spencer Construction Company was elected the second vice president, and Thomas B. Poole from The Hallen Construction Company became treasurer.  That same year, Jimmy Carter was sworn in as President and after the ceremony, he walked from the U.S. Capitol to the White House. Later, he addressed the nation in his now-iconic cardigan urging everyone to conserve energy. In the middle of the year, Star Wars debuted and Elvis Presley succumbed to heart failure at the age of 42. 

DCA Members Find Their Voices
In 1978, the DCA rolled the dice and returned the annual convention to Las Vegas for the second time.  The meetings took on a different tone as Fred Culpepper of Ford, Bacon, & Davis, Inc. urged contractors to get involved in politics, join political action committees, and make their voices heard.  He believed that businessmen could influence legislation if they were involved in the process.  Also, the convention featured a panel of insurance agents.

Newly elected officers were Rolland B. Lyons, president; Gene Spencer, first vice president; Thomas B. Poole, second vice president; and Robert Cooley of Distribution Construction Company as treasurer.

The Optimism Continues
The world was just as optimistic as DCA in 1978.  The U.S. saw the first female and the first Black astronaut join NASA.  The Bee Gees released “Saturday Night Fever,” which stayed at the number one position for 24 straight weeks.  The U.S. post office put the first Black woman on a postage stamp — Harriet Tubman — and the film “Grease” was released to much fanfare in New York.

The 1979 convention, held in Newport Beach, California, was filled with more optimism and clarity about new safety regulations despite a burgeoning second oil crisis.  A representative from the Office of Pipeline Safety Regulations went over the new regulatory procedures from the Department of Transportation and spoke about the upcoming frequent and easily understandable publications of new regulations.

One of the reasons for the optimism was that work was increasing for DCA members.  In residential, commercial, and industrial markets, including many oil-to-gas conversions, gas was in demand.  At the same time, however, their operating costs had increased as well. Coincidentally, OPEC raised oil prices in June of that year twice, resulting in a 50% increase per barrel year-over-year.

Toward the end of the convention, Gene Spencer was elected president, Tom Poole first vice president, Book Cooley second vice president, and Dale Miller of Miller Pipeline Company was elected as treasurer.

Lasting Success in a Tumultuous Decade 
What a decade.  The 1970s saw growth and maturation as the DCA worked with government agencies to improve safety for the industry.  It also kept its members informed about opportunities to increase production and productivity — all during the two great oil crises of 1973 and 1979.