PCI Foundation Chairman Tom H. Kelley, passed away on October 15, 2020. Tom served on the PCI Foundation Board of Trustees for 10 years and as chairman for the last year. He was instrumental in growing the number of programs sponsored by the Foundation and the overall growth of the group. He started one of the first Precast Studios at South Dakota State University where he enjoyed working with the students and sharing his vast knowledge of the precast industry. He invited students into the plant at Gage Brothers, where he president, to work on real projects, and helped them work on several projects that have been built in rural communities around South Dakota.
Tom was active in numerous PCI committees for many years and was a PCI leader. He was a member of the PCI Architectural Committee from 1989-2011. Tom chaired the International Committee until 2016, helping to lead multiple overseas trips to learn how precast concrete is made in other parts of the world. He served on the PCI Board of Directors from 2008-14 and was the Chair in 2013. He received two of PCI's most prestigious awards: PCI Fellow in 2015 and Mario J. Bertolini Leadership and Innovation Award in 2019. Tom was also a long-standing AtlusGroup member and was very active in helping to build the success of the PCI Education Foundation, serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees in 2020.
His career was devoted to Gage Brothers Concrete Products, where he started as a civil engineer and became the CEO in 2001. He earned accolades for his work at Gage Brothers locally and nationally. In 1987, Tom was honored as the National Society of Professional Engineers South Dakota Outstanding Young Engineer.
Tom had a passion for the precast concrete industry. He gave guest lectures to colleges and traveled to many other firms advising about manufacturing processes. He spent over 40 years in the industry, and spent many years providing ongoing strategic planning, service, and dedication to Gage Brothers and PCI.
Tom received a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in May 1990.
Tom's family will greet friends from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Friday, October 23, at Miller Funeral Home-Downtown, 507 S. Main Ave., Sioux Falls, SD 57104.
A funeral service will be held at Gage Brothers on Saturday, October 24, at 1:00 p.m. The service will be streamed live to those unable to attend. Memorials may be directed to Spirit of Joy Church Building Fund, SD Voices for Peace, SD Voices for Justice, and PCI Foundation.