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Volume XXIII,
Number 12
April 5, 2002
1015 15th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
202-347-7474
Fax
202-898-0068
www.acec.org
E-mail acec@acec.org
Ellen
Mullally, Editor
Francis George, Production Manager
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ACEC Means
Business
ACEC of Wisconsin, ACEC of Greater Pittsburgh Latest To Adopt New Name This week Wisconsin and Greater Pittsburgh become the 25th and 26th MOs to adopt the new name and national standard, joining Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Washington, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. Eight other MOs are in the active process of changing their names. "Our member firms felt that changing our name to be consistent with ACEC nationally also provides consistency for them," said Carol Godiksen, executive director of ACEC/Wisconsin. "State and federal agencies will now easily recognize that we represent Wisconsin's interests in the national organization." First Market Forecast Series Praised By Virtual Audience; The inaugural event of ACEC's Market Forecast Series-featuring David Eakin, chief engineer in the General Services Administration's (GSA) Office of the Chief Architect-debuted this week to a full house at the Council's headquarters in Washington, D.C., and with a virtual audience from all over the country. Eakin, who directs GSA's design and construction programs, offered useful information for those interested in doing business with the agency. Attendees present in Washington, D.C., as well as those who participated via teleconference and the Internet, benefited from the advice and guidance he provided. "We are a small 40-person firm, which obviously limits our marketing budget," said Warren Mesloh of The Engineering Company in Fort Collins, Colo. "This new format will help us enormously as we continue to learn more about the federal marketplace." The next Market Forecast Series event will take place on May 2 at 12 p.m. EDT. The featured speaker will be Thomas Anglim, director of project management services of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Anglim's office is currently responsible for managing design and construction of more than 60 projects valued at approximately $1 billion. He will present information regarding the VA's projects for:
Join us at ACEC Headquarters in Washington, D.C., or log on as a teleconference participant to find out more about opportunities for your firm. For more information on the Market Forecast Series, visit www.acec.org. NACECE Seminar In Las Vegas Offers Self-Audit Advice Robert Harris, a long-time association management consultant and chairman of Harris Management Group, will discuss association self-audits with MO executive directors and guide them through this process during a NACECE seminar Saturday, May 11, from 2-5 p.m. at the Rio All-Suites Hotel in Las Vegas. Harris' Association Self-Auditing is used by nonprofit organizations around the world to increase organizational productivity, effectively train staff and reduce risks. For more information, contact Andrea Keeney (akeeney@acec.org or 202-347-7474). Sponsored in part by CNA/Victor O. Shinnerer. Federal Markets Conference Opportunities If you are not one of the 200 people who attended ACEC's recent Federal Markets Conference, you now have the opportunity to listen to the audio recordings and to review the conference presentations that are available for purchase through ACEC's Publications Department. Conference attendees heard officials from federal agencies (such as GSA, FEMA, NIH, and the World Bank) present their latest programs, including domestic infrastructure security and Afghanistan reconstruction. As one attendee noted, "If you do, or even want to do, federal government work, this [was] a must attend conference for long-term planning." Contact Rina Lee (publications@ Health And Safety Guidelines: An Important Resource ACEC's new Risk Management Safety Guidelines contain all of the information necessary to help a firm immediately implement a health and safety plan. "Having a health and safety program sends a strong message about your firm's commitment to the well-being of each employee," said James Suttle, executive vice president of HDR Engineering and vice-chair of ACEC's Risk Management Committee. To order this important resource, contact Rina Lee (publications@acec.org, 202-682-4332). A Blueprint For Winning Proposals Do you know how to write a successful proposal? If
not, the 2002 edition of Proposals: On Target, On Time is your blueprint
for preparing winning proposals that make the best and smartest use of
your resources. To order this publication, go to www.acec.org/publications (publication W-415-01) or contact Rina Lee (publications@acec.org or
202-682-4332).
VA Official To Headline Next Month's Session
acec.org or 202-347-7474) for more information.
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TISP Steering Committee Meeting Held At ACEC ACEC hosted the first monthly steering committee meeting of The Infrastructure Security Partnership (TISP) since the March 11 signing ceremony (see March 15 Last Word) this week. During the meeting, ACEC staff outlined an effort they are spearheading to hold educational seminars on a variety of security issues for congressional staffers in June. Representatives from a number of federal agencies, including the Army Corps of Engineers and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, were in attendance. ACEC is a founding member of TISP, an organization that was created following the events of Sept. 11 to offer technical support and comment on public policy related to the security of the nation's built environment. For more information on TISP, contact Camille Fleenor (cfleenor@acec.org or 202-347-7474). ACEC Meets With White House Staff To Advocate Tort Reform ACEC representatives recently met with White House staff to discuss the administration's tort reform agenda. Specifically, ACEC asked if the president would support "Good Samaritan" legislation - liability protections for engineers and other contractors responding to emergency events. In the days following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, many engineering firms rushed forward to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts, where they remain to the present day. Unfortunately, in providing their services, engineering firms open themselves to the possibility of substantial liability exposure. The White House responded favorably to ACEC's request. The Council is presently developing draft legislation to submit to the President and his staff for review. New ACEC Brochures Get Rave Reviews For Membership Recruitment
Most of the MOs ordering brochures are getting quantities to use in upcoming membership campaigns. Don Mader, executive director of ACEC/Ohio says, "These new publications look great! Super job! Please ship ASAP so we can use them in our membership drive." The brochures consist of a general brochure providing basic information about ACEC and its programs, plus several smaller "companion" brochures that address specific needs.
The new brochures are:
• ACEC: The Voice of America's Engineering Industry (main brochure);
• Why Mechanical/Electrical Firms Belong to ACEC; Additional brochures are in development.
For more information about the brochures, contact Stephanie Stewart (sstewart@acec.org or 202-347-7474). ACEC's Human Resources Seminar: Coming To A City Near You ACEC is taking employee retention and succession planning on a road trip. Share experiences and ideas, network with colleagues on issues affecting HR directors in design firms and gain new insight from the Coxe Group, one of the oldest and largest multi-discipline management consulting firms serving the design profession, at ACEC's Human Resources Seminar. There are eight dates and locations from which to choose:
For more information contact Anna Johnson (ajohnson@acec.org or 202-682-4349). Shape Your Firm's Future With OPR! Organizational Peer Review (OPR) provides a confidential review of your firm's processes and procedures. Administered by trained professional engineers with at least 15 years of design experience, OPR can help you shape your firm's future. "It was a pleasant surprise to hear that the majority of our current procedures are effective, but the suggestions made for improvement were invaluable," said David E. Hobza, III, of QuadTech Engineering. "It was a very rewarding experience for all of our employees and provided a tremendous boost to company morale." For more information on this program contact Emily Guerrero (peerreview@acec.org or 202-682-4320).
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