Tom Miller has long been a leader in the field of civil engineering with a specialty in parks and recreational facility development and management.
By KAHRA BUSS
Recently at the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association 42nd Annual Conference, long time Moorestown resident Tom Miller received the one of the highest awards the association gives: the NJRPA Design in Excellence Award. The NJRPA is a not for profit organization that is dedicated to enhancing the lives of all NJ residents by supporting outstanding park, recreation and natural resources management programs.
Tom Miller has long been a leader in the field of civil engineering with a specialty in parks and recreational facility development and management. With more than 30 years of experience in development, planning, design, construction oversight and value engineering, Miller has emerged as an innovative leader in the area of recreation facility management. Following a successful 20-year career as a civil engineer and principal, Miller became an independent businessman and created ppd, a firm that specializes in successful and innovative spaces for recreation activities. Since becoming an independent businessman, he has been selected repeatedly for attention to detail and start to finish considerations.
Miller has completed more than 200 unique and innovative parks and recreation projects for both municipal and athletic facilities. He has overseen site planning for school expansions, development of athletic facilities and been an independent consultant for specialized municipal and athletic projects. Miller has represented both municipal and county clientele in New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. He has been instrumental in the development of new business areas for parks and recreation, school and public sectors. As a highly respected consultant, he has been retained to conduct specialized analysis for projects to include ball field analysis, sports field soil analysis, running tracks and lighting systems.
The Design in Excellence Award was bestowed upon Miller as the result of a ground-breaking new project in Summit at the Tatlock Tennis Courts. These four new, state-of-the-art tennis courts were constructed using the breakthrough technology of post-tensioned concrete. They were constructed with a stress concrete technique that creates a slab that floats above the surface and eliminates any type of subsurface changes that could cause cracking.
The Tatlock Park Project was a particularly important project as the courts were funded through the City of Summit’s Capital Improvement Fund along with a grant from the Union County Kids Recreation Trust and the Summit Tennis Association. The total cost of the project including design was $635,200. The Union County Kids Recreation Trust Grant contributed $85,000, while the Summit Tennis Association contributed $100,000 to the costs. The Summit Tennis Association hosts the Summit Middle School Tennis Club at the Tatlock site along with special clinics and a Senior Citizen Tennis Program. Their contribution helped to make these courts exceptional.
Recognized for his professional accomplishments, noted for his speaking engagements and acknowledged for his long-standing achievements, Miller was proud to accept this year’s award for the Tatlock Courts Project. The New Jersey Recreation and Park Association honored Tom Miller at its 42nd Annual Conference at Harrah’s Resort March 5–8. For more information about the NJRPA visit www.njrpa.org/page/awards-program-2016-2017-115.html. For more information about the Tatlock Park Courts project, visit www.summitcommunityprograms.com.
