June 7, 2006

• Welcome to the New and Improved Section Informant
  
  Geographic Services Department Updates
  

  Section to Section
  
  Membership
  
  ASCE Call for Disaster Assistance Volunteers
  
  ASCE Disaster 
  Management  Training Survey
  
  2006-2007 Conferences
  
  Continuing Education Webinars
  
  Mark Your Calendar
  
  Region Board of Governors

  
  Comments?
  
  Section Informant archives
  
  
  Region Boards of Governors
  
  Committee on Geographic Units
  
  Executives
  
  Geographic Services Department
  
  Contact Information
  
• ASCE

In response to your requests, Geographic Services has completely reformatted the Section Informant.  It is now in a much more user-friendly format, allowing easier accessibilty.  As always, we appreciate your comments and suggestions.  If you have any feedback, please send it to Sectioninformant@asce.org or click on the "comments" link on the bottom left hand column.

Region Web Sites

As the Society continues to transition from Districts to Regions, new Web sites have been designed specifically for the Region entities. The Geographic Services staff and Information Technology staff created Web site templates for each new Region. Each template has been pre-loaded with information specific to the Region, including biographical information on the Region Chair, email links to the Region's Governors and Section and Branch officers, links to the Region’s Section and Branch Web sites, Region maps, leadership contact information, structural breakdown of each Region, awards, and links to relevant Civil Engineering sites.

The Web site templates have been distributed to Region webmasters for future updates and maintenance of the site. Each webmaster was given content management software which minimizes the technological skills and time required.  Region webmasters will participate in an ASCE hosted training session on the use of the software and will continue to receive support from ASCE staff.

Nine of our Regions currently have Web sites, housed on the Section and Branch page of the ASCE National web site.

The Region Web sites will enhance communications between the Region government and the membership.

 

Annual Reports

 

The Geographic Services staff has compiled all Section Annual Report data into an Excel spreadsheet.  The spreadsheet includes Section receipts and disbursements, balance sheet information, committee listings, and membership statistics. This data will be published this month allowing Sections to measure and compare their statistics to other Sections of comparable size.

eRooms

Geographic Services wants to remind you that eRooms are available to facilitate the communications of your Section and Branch leadership.

Just recently, District 4 made excellent use of eRoom in creating the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Report Card. The group showed how effective eRoom can be in collecting data, communicating with each other and sharing data as demonstrated in the following testimony by District 4 Director and Region 2 Governor Peter Terry. “The eRoom provided a valuable tool for collaboration amongst our group of 20 to 30 who were involved in preparing the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Report Card. It took a leap for some of us to use the tool because of fear that it would be difficult to use.  The learning curve for the eRoom is very short and it saves so much time once you get a core group to use the tool. Being able to post file revisions, have discussions, and post a calendar are just a few of the strengths of an eRoom. It now serves as a great place to store information for our future activities.”

Unlike a regular Web site, the alert feature in eRoom notified members when new data was added to the site by sending them an alert email.

eRoom is a free service and as many as 50 individuals can participate. Members can share documents, hold discussion groups, take polls, add and edit documents, even send emails from eRooms. Several Sections, Branches Younger Member Groups and Committees are utilizing eRooms. Please contact Phillip Mariscal at: pmariscal@asce.org or Jennifer Lawrence at jlawrence@asce.org to have an eRoom set up for you.

The Younger Member Newsletter

 

In April, the spring edition of the Younger Member Newsletter was emailed to Section and Branch Presidents, Newsletter Editors, Younger Member Group Chairs, and ASCE members 35 years of age and younger. The Newsletter, published three times a year by the Committee on Younger Members, includes articles on Younger Member activities, awards, Council meetings, action calendars, contact information, just to name a few. Student Members also receive the Younger Member Newsletter so they may anticipate the opportunities and benefits of membership after graduation. The Younger Member Newsletter may be accessed at: www.asce.org/inside/cym_pubs.cfm. For additional information on the Younger Member Newsletter and other Younger Member activities, contact Nancy Berson at nberson@asce.org or 1-800-548-2723, ext. 6010.

Second Section Option

Geographic Services would like to remind you that Section and Branch members may now add a second Section or Branch to their data profile by calling 1-800-548-2723.  By selecting a second Section or Branch, you can expand your network by interacting with a new group of peers, receiving wide-spread access to ASCE information, programs and events, and seeing ASCE at work in a different market.

Update your Membership Information

Please make sure ASCE has your latest contact information by calling 800-548-ASCE (2723) or visiting www.asce.myprofile.org to update your record. Updated mailing addresses (email address, name), membership information, and professional information to will ensure that correspondence reach you quickly and accurately. Updating this information also ensures that you are assigned to the proper Section or Branch.

Georgia Section Provides Hurricane Emergency Response Support to the Gulf Coast

On August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast with heavy winds, devastating storm surge, extensive flooding, and multiple tornados.  Major hurricane damage resulted primarily along the Gulf Coast from Biloxi, Gulfport, Bay St. Louis, and Waveland, Mississippi and further West to New Orleans, Louisiana.  To gain a better understanding of the endless storm damage, imagine 80% of the homes in Atlanta flooded inside the I-285 Perimeter.  This gives you a better picture of the widespread devastation that impacted New Orleans, where flood waters reached levels anywhere from one foot up to as much as twenty-one feet high.

On October 31, 2005, I deployed to New Orleans to support the Hurricane Emergency Response.  I worked as a Civil Engineer with Camp, Dresser & McKee in support of Fluor in support of FEMA.  While in New Orleans, I conducted damage assessments, developed scopes of work, and completed R.S. Means cost estimates for extensive damage caused by Hurricane Katrina to the New Orleans International Airport.  I also worked with my company to develop several iterations of bid proposals and presentations to provide project management services for the A/E Design and Construction repair of the New Orleans Superdome.

The Georgia Section ASCE has also provided earlier Emergency Response Support to other states throughout the country..  Melissa Wheeler, Georgia Section Vice President, deployed to Florida in the Fall of 2004 with Georgia Power to conduct emergency repairs of high-tension electrical transmission lines damaged by four hurricanes that crisscrossed Florida’s mid-section.  Joe Carris, Chairman of the Public Relations Committee, deployed to Ohio with Camp, Dresser & McKee to support FEMA with rain and flood damage.  Later he deployed to Florida with CDM to support  Florida Power & Light with hurricane damage.  Soon after, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast and in Fall 2005, Commander Mat Martinson, Chairman of the History & Heritage Committee, deployed to Waveland, Gulfport, Biloxi, and Pascagoula, Mississippi with the U.S. Public Health Service to conduct damage assessments of major hospital facilities.  Only days later, Jerimiah Easley, Chairman of the Legislative Committee, deployed to both Jackson and Meridian, Mississippi with the Federal Aviation Agency to conduct damage assessments of air traffic control towers.

These frequent deployments of Civil Engineers to other states validates our current initiative in the Georgia Section ASCE to be prepared to provide future Emergency Response Support to hot spots anywhere throughout the state of Georgia. 

 

JAMES E. MEREDITH, Ph.D.CE, M.S.CE

President of the Georgia Section

American Society of Civil Engineers       

 

ASCE Northeast Texas Branch Annual Golf Tournament

On May 4, 2006 golfers of all skill levels gathered at Oak Hurst Golf Course in Bullard, Texas for the Northeast Texas Branch annual golf tournament. The Northeast Texas Branch works hand and hand with the local Texas Society of Professional Engineers every year to host the golf tournament and raise money for local college scholarships.

This year’s tournament proved very successful. With record number of sponsors and participants, the group was able to raise over $3,500 for scholarships. On top of raising a substantial amount for local students, all enjoyed a fun filled round of golf after the morning’s rain clouds cleared.

At lunch the participants and organizers can gather together and enjoy a hamburger picnic catered by Oak Hurst. Several door prizes were awarded including gift certificates to local restaurants and sporting goods stores as well as golf balls and tees. As for the tournament winners, the third place team consisted of Steve Robinson, Ricky Burkett, Gregg Potter, and Homer Davis. They took home $100. The second place team laid claim to a $200 prize. Team members included Brian Ballard, Kevin Braughton, Mark Priestner and Lewis Rippy. Finally the team of Ron Anderson, Tim McDaniel, David Wright, and Andrew Green conquered first place bragging rights. They took home $400.

The Northeast Texas Branch is very thankful and proud of the hard work everyone contributed. We hope to make next year’s tournament another record breaking event.

Download the Latest Member Value Ad and ASCE Power Point

ASCE’s Online Advertisement Library has the materials you need to spruce up your newsletters and marketing efforts.  The library features brand new member value ads as well as articles targeting both development and retention.  Download the latest ad, in quarter or half page sizes, featuring government engineers Or download our revamped Power Point presentation to deliver to potential members. or Visit http://www.ascedrive.org/SectionsBranches.cfm to download your materials.

Encourage Students in Your Area to Upgrade

Remind graduating seniors at your local schools that dues for students earning their baccalaureate degree are only $50 for the first year of membership.  By upgrading to Associate or Affiliate grade, ASCE will contribute $10 to their Chapter or Club, and they will not owe dues again until January 1, 2008.

Students and faculty advisors received a postcard announcing the promotion – consider inviting students to your next Section or Branch meeting and convey your own ASCE experiences, and help them find a home at ASCE.

Nominate an Outstanding Membership Chair

Your Section/Branch Membership Chair can be key in the success of the Membership Drive, as well as membership growth and retention.  Now is the time to recognize your Membership Chair for his/her hard work by submitting a nomination for the 2006 Outstanding Membership Chair Award.

The winner and the Section/Branch, selected by the ASCE Membership Committee will each receive $250.  In addition, the winner will be honored at the 2007 Leadership Conferences..

Nomination forms are due July 15 and are available online at www.asce.org/inside/files/doc/2004OutsMemChairNomForm1.doc or by contacting Susan Blodgett at (703) 295-6008 or sblodgett@asce.org.

Do you know a Membership Champion?

ASCE needs your help to launch its newest program to grow our membership and increase the prestige of our Society.  The ASCE Membership Division is implementing a new program called “ASCE Champions.”  This program targets exceptional members at government agencies and corporations to promote ASCE within their companies by engaging potential members and facilitating the participation of existing ones.  Champions represent the personal “face” of ASCE within an organization.  They will act as a company liaison to ASCE, increasing the Society’s visibility at the grassroots level.  They will also work closely with membership chairs.

Tasks a Champion may perform are:

• Asking prospective members to join ASCE
• Reminding current members to renew on time
• Inviting members to join an ASCE Institute, Section/Branch or Younger Member Group
• Notifying current/prospective members of upcoming events such as the Annual Conference, the next Section/Branch meeting or a workshop in their area
• Distributing information about key services and programs ASCE offers and how members can participate
• Informing current members about opportunities to participate on committees

 

Do you or your members know any champions?  Please send their name, e-mail and company to Doris Lewis at dlewis@asce.org before July 15.  The program will begin in fall 2006.

Use FTP Data to Welcome New Members

In many cases, the first local communication a new member receives, if they are contacted at all, is the Section or Branch newsletter, 8-14 weeks after joining. Extend a welcoming hand to new members of your Section or Branch after identifying them with your FTP database by their election date. For example, choose all members who were elected between January 1 and 31, 2006, for January new members. New members are also identified by an "N" in the transaction code field. Welcome new members to ASCE and your Section, Branch, Younger Member Forum or Technical/Professional Committee by:

• Sending a "welcome" e-mail, letter or postcard or calling to explain the benefits of membership in your Section or Branch
• Inviting them to your next meeting, program or activity
• Introducing new members who attend meetings, programs or activities
• Finding small ways to initially get them involved

Recognizing Excellence

It is not too early to submit nominations for the 2007 selection cycle!  August 15 is the deadline to receive nominations for the Casagrande, Construction Management Award, Kapp, Middlebrooks, Peck Award, Seed Medal, and Terzaghi Award.   For complete information on this and all Society awards, please visit www.asce.org/awards on the Web. Help ASCE reward great achievements and technical merit! 

Protect Your Business and Your Hard Earned Money Against Lawsuits

As civil engineers, you and your members run the risk of being sued every time you work on a project, regardless of how well the job’s been done.  However, many insurance companies do not offer coverage for engineering practice areas.  Tell your members that Marsh Affinity Group Services, working together with ASCE, has developed the ASCE Professional Liability Program to counter risks and offer protection from negligent acts, errors and omissions.  Send your members to www.asceinsurance.com for more information.

Each time a natural disaster occurs, such as Hurricane Katrina, or a man-made event, such as the terrorist attacks of 9/11, ASCE members generously volunteer their time and talents to assist in response and recovery initiatives, and look to ASCE to provide an avenue to do so.  The ASCE Committee on Critical Infrastructure (CCI), in response to our members’ desire to lend support to such efforts, is developing a directory of members who express their interest and availability to assist.  CCI is currently seeking volunteers to participate in disaster management activities (planning, preparedness, response, and recovery) on an as-needed basis.  The information provided will be included in a directory for the ASCE Disaster Assistance Volunteer Program to use in the event of natural and man-made disasters requiring engineers for planning, damage assessment, and rebuilding efforts. 

The ultimate goal of the directory is to be prepared to respond to future disasters by employing the expertise of qualified members. Data provided may be made available upon request to qualified parties including local, state, and federal agencies, as well as, private consulting firms seeking professional engineering expertise. Beginning June 1, 2006, members will be able to update their ASCE member profiles by providing additional disaster assistance related information for inclusion in the directory.  To ensure the accuracy of the directory, members may be asked to confirm the information provided on an ongoing basis.

For additional information about the ASCE Disaster Assistance Volunteer Program, visit http://ciasce.asce.org/.

ASCE’s Committee on Critical Infrastructure (CCI) would like your input as it develops future training programs on disaster management topics, including preparedness, response and recovery activities.  Each time a natural disaster or a man-made event occurs, ASCE members seek volunteer opportunities to assist in response and recovery initiatives.  CCI’s goal is to offer training programs to prepare ASCE members to assist before, during, and after these events strike.  Your input via the online CCI disaster management training needs survey  will help provide the feedback needed to develop valuable training programs.  For additional information about ASCE disaster management activities visit http://ciasce.asce.org.

Georgia Tech President Clough Addresses UPADI 2006

G. Wayne Clough, Georgia Institute of Technology president, will discuss global engineering education at UPADI 2006, the Pan American Convention of Engineers, on Sept. 19-22, in Atlanta. The four-day conference, hosted by Georgia Tech, will address “Building a Sustainable Infrastructure: Education, Technology, Innovation, and Economic Development.” www.upadi2006.com

 

 

2007 Ports™ “30 Years of Sharing Ideas…1977-2007”:  Join us March 25-28, 2007 in San Diego, CA.  This will be the eleventh in a series of international port and harbor development specialty conferences held on a tri-annual basis.  The conference will feature technical short courses, plenary session, concurrent technical sessions, exhibition and technical field tours to sites of interest in San Diego Harbor.  For additional information visit us at:  http://www.portsconference.org

 

Coastal Sediments 07: The Intercontinental Hotel is open and ready for our business! Call For Papers now open; abstracts are due by May 16, 2006.  Be sure to join us in New Orleans, May 13-17, 2007 for an international exchange of information among coastal engineers, geologists, marine scientists, shallow water oceanographers and others interested in the physical processes of coastal sediments transport and morphology change.  For additional information visit us at:  http://www.asce.org/conferences/cs07

 

The 9th International Conference on Applications of Advanced Technology in Transportation (AATT) 2006:  Registration Now Open! All Paper Deposits Are Due Now!  Transportation professionals from around the world and from public and private sectors— engineering firms, automotive and aerospace companies, transportation agencies, consultants, researchers, and educators—will find this conference an excellent learning forum to examine an array of innovative technologies to solve various transportation problems in the areas of infrastructure, operations and planning, and information systems.  As well as to discover innovative strategies to address such problems as congestion, safety, security, data collection and management, asset deterioration and management, planning and modeling, and effective implementation of advanced information technologies in the lifecycle of transportation systems.  For additional information visit us at: http://www.asce.org/conferences/AATT06/welcome.cfm

Mark your calendar!  Join General Barry R. McCaffrey, USA (Ret.) to explore "Surviving the Future" as he delivers his keynote address at the 2006 Annual Civil Engineering Conference.  This years conference will take place at the Westin Chicago River North Hotel October 19-21, 2006.  Technical sessions addressing the issues of surviving future natural disasters and planning for adequate security to maintain public safety have been planned.  A student program as well as several technical tours will be offered.  Please visit us at: http://content.asce.org/conferences/asce2006/.

• Thursday, July 6, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  Road Crossing Structure Improvements to Accommodate Wildlife Passage New Webinar
  
  
• Tuesday, July 11, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  On-Site Circulation and Access Design for Commercial Developments ~Part I
  
  
• Wednesday, July 12, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  Personal Time Management: Work Smarter, Not Harder
  
  
• Tuesday, July 18, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  On-Site Circulation and Access Design for Commercial Developments ~Part II
  
  
• Wednesday, July 19, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  Ethics: The Road Engineers Must Follow
  
  
• Tuesday, July 25, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  Renovation of Steel-Framed Buildings
  
  
• Wednesday, July 26, 2006 ~ 12 Noon - 1:00pm Eastern Time
  From Project Engineer to Project Manager: Look Before You Leap

For more information on ASCE’s webinars, go to
http://www.asce.org/conted/distancelearning/online_webseminars.cfm

2006

July 15 – Outstanding Membership Chair Deadline

August 1: Younger Member Employer Recognition Nominations are due.

August 4: Deadline for submittal of State Public Affairs Grant Activity Report to ASCE Washington Office.

August 15 – Nomination deadline for Casagrande, Construction Management, Kapp, Middlebrooks, Peck, Seed and Terzaghi Awards

October 30: Nominations for the Workshops for Section and Branch Leaders and the Younger Member Council Meetings are due.

Nominations for the National Outstanding Section/Branch Award are due.

November 1: Submission deadline for the Outstanding Section and Branch Newsletter Award.

November 3: SPAG applications due

November 30: Section Annual Reports are due at ASCE World Headquarters.

2007

January 1: National ASCE dues are overdue.

February 1: Nominations for National ASCE Edmund Friedman Young Engineer Award for Professional Achievement, Younger Member Group Awards, and the Daniel Mead Prize for Younger Members are due.

Nominations for Zonal Government Civil Engineer Award and Young Government Civil Engineer Award are due.

February 15: Nominations for National ASCE Student Chapter Scholarships are due

March 1: Nomination deadlines for Civil Government Award, Friedman Professional Recognition Award, Mead Prize for Students and Parcel-Sverdrup Award

May 5: Response due for national collection of Section dues.

June 1: Submission deadline for the Outstanding Section and Branch Web Award Competition to Geographic Services Department.

(click on map to access Region/Section/Branch Web sites)

Anni H. Autio, P.E., M.ASCE	Zone I Vice President	autioah@cdm.com
Randall S. Over, P.E., F.ASCE	Zone II Vice President	randall.over@dot.state.oh.us
G. Nicholas Textor, P.E., F.ASCE	Zone III Vice President	Nick.Textor@cte.aecom.com
Blaine D. Leonard, P.E., F.ASCE	Zone IV Vice President	bleonard@utah.gov

Chuck W. Kopplin, P.E., M.ASCE	Chair	chuck.kopplin@gasai.com
Leonard A. Cilli, AM.ASCE	Zone I	lengeotek@aol.com
Chris Garlick, P.E., M.ASCE	Zone II	crgarlick@pbsj.com
Michael J. Barton, P.E., M.ASCE	Zone IV	michael.barton@hdrinc.com

Patrick J. Natale, P.E., F.ASCE	Executive Director	pnatale@asce.org
Lawrence H. Roth, P.E., F.ASCE	Deputy Executive Director	lroth@asce.org
Thomas W. Smith, Esq., M.ASCE	Assistant Executive Director, General Counsel	tsmith@asce.org
Stefan Jaeger, CAE	Managing Director, Strategic & International Initiatives and Geographic Services	sjaeger@asce.org

Nancy E. Berson, Aff.ASCE	Director	nberson@asce.org x6010
Michael W. Cook	Senior Manager	mcook@asce.org x6121
Jennifer S. Lawrence	Administrator	jlawrence@asce.org x6255
Phillip F. Mariscal	Administrator	pmariscal@asce.org x6042
Marilyn A. Mahieu	Administrative Assistant	mmahieu@asce.org x6287

The Geographic Services Department (GSD) is charged with providing support to the local units of the Society and ensuring effective coordination and cooperation among the Regions, Sections, Branches, Younger Member Groups and Staff. This newsletter is produced to help meet this charge. Questions, comments and suggestions regarding this newsletter are welcomed and should be directed to Jennifer Lawrence at: jlawrence@asce.org.

Region 10—Sections Outside the United States