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Volume XXIII,
Number 13
April 12, 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
Important Annual Convention Reminder! Today is your last chance to take advantage of discounted registration
rates and secure hotel reservations for ACEC’s Annual Convention, May
12-15 in Las Vegas. Go to www.acec.org for complete details. Registration
questions can be directed to ACEC’s Meetings Department at 202-347-7474.
For hotel reservations, call the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino directly
at 1-888-746-6955. ACEC’s Market Forecast Series gives ACEC members important business
development information in a timely manner. The series’ inaugural guest
speaker—David Eakin, chief engineer in the General Services
Administration’s (GSA) Office of the Chief Architect—provided attendees
with the latest information on next year’s building program, which
includes a 20 percent increase for repairs and alterations to $986
million.
Thomas Anglim, director of project management services for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), will headline the next Market Forecast Series event on May 2 at 12 p.m. EDT. 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:
- hospitals and medical facilities
- national cemeteries
- administrative facilities
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 during this monthly market series. Visit www.acec.org to download a registration form.
In addition to the Market Forecast Series, ACEC is digging deep inside private, federal and international markets to find the information that will most impact design firms. The next printed copy of Last Word will include the premier issue of Market Watch, a monthly newsletter available on a subscription basis that provides the latest on trends in private, federal and international markets.
NACECE Seminar 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 an NACECE Association Management Seminar Saturday, May 11, from 2-5 p.m. at the Rio All-Suite Hotel in Las Vegas. Harris’ Association Self-Auditing Process is used by nonprofit organizations around the world to increase organizational productivity, effectively train staff and reduce risks. The seminar is sponsored in part by CNA Insurance Companies and Victor O. Schinnerer & Company, Inc. For more information, contact Andrea Keeney (akeeney@acec.org or 202-347-7474).
Private Sector Markets Conference
Representatives from the energy, food processing and real estate industries will explore current and emerging trends during ACEC’s Private Sector Markets Conference held on Monday, May 13, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas in conjunction with the Annual Convention. Panelists include Ray Pasteris, Strategic Energy; Douglas Wojcik, The Carlyle Group; John Hazard, Southwest Gas Company; Garry Koettel, Tyson Food; and Tom Davis, Marriott Vacations.
The Private Sector Markets Conference is open to all Annual Convention attendees and is included in the general registration fee. The fee to attend just the conference is $325.
For more information, visit www.acec.org or contact the ACEC Meetings and Convention Department at 202-347-7474.
Health And Safety Guidelines Spotlight Office Ergonomics
ACEC’s Health and Safety Guidelines contain valuable information on office ergonomics, including an appendix on office safety procedures that details workstation design concerns and steps a firm can take to reconfigure computer workstations to minimize ergonomic issues.
"This information, if followed by firms, would most probably meet the anticipated voluntary guidelines that OSHA will issue, and constitute good faith regarding ergonomics," noted Jim Woolcott, director of safety for HDR, Inc.
Available on CD, order this important resource online at www.acec.org/publications or contact Rina Lee (publications@acec.org, 202-682-4332).
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South Dakota, Hawaii Join Growing Majority To Adopt New Name Hawaii and South Dakota are the latest MOs to adopt the new ACEC name and national standard, leaving only 15 MOs that have not yet adopted the new name or are not in transition to voting on this issue. "South Dakota firmly believes in the ‘brand’ ACEC has created and allies itself visually as well as philosophically with ACEC," said Raye Jeanne Blundell, executive director of
ACEC/South Dakota. "Although a federation does permit a certain amount of autonomy at the MO level, South Dakota believes that it is only good business for each member, large or small, to enrich the whole by adding its strength to the ACEC image. Each MO, in turn, is greatly enhanced by its identification with the ACEC national-level organization." New 2002 Brochures Promote Membership For MOs that have adopted the new name and national standard, ACEC’s 2002 family of brochures are a "perfect fit" for membership recruitment and retention efforts, according to ACEC/Ohio Executive Director Don Mader. They attractively display the new name and look, as if they came from the MO. The new brochures are: • ACEC: The Voice of America’s Engineering Industry (main brochure) • How to Join • ACEC’s Hall of Savings • Why Mechanical/Electrical Firms Belong to ACEC • Addressing the Needs of Private Market Firms • ACEC/PAC Elects Pro-Business Members of Congress • The Minuteman Fund for State Legal and Legislative Actions For more information about the brochures, contact Stephanie Stewart (sstewart@acec.org or 202-347-7474). ACEC Member Selected For Top Virginia Transportation Post Philip Shucet, an executive vice president with ACEC member firm Michael Baker Corp., has been chosen by Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D) to lead the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Shucet, who will start his new job on Monday, was chosen over 125 other candidates in a nationwide search. Warner called Shucet the "clear choice" to lead the agency, noting that he brings the "best of public- and private-sector experience" to VDOT, which has 10,000 employees and an annual budget of $3.2 billion. Warner promised during last year’s campaign to revamp the department and improve its management, and he is confident that Shucet will make good on that promise. ACEC/PAC Essential To Achieving ’02 Legislative Goals ACEC/PAC will play a crucial role in advancing the Council’s priorities this year, helping to elect House and Senate members who will pass water infrastructure legislation and reauthorize TEA-21. Recognizing this fact, many ACEC members are taking the lead in raising money from principals within their firms to help build the PAC. For example, ACEC Chairman Steve Goddard worked with the principals at HNTB to raise more than $4,000 for the PAC so far this year with significant future contributions expected. "An investment in ACEC/PAC is really an investment in the bottom line of your company", stated Goddard. "If every principal of ACEC member firms contributed to the PAC, we would have the political muscle we need to elect candidates that support our agenda, such as more investment in infrastructure and common-sense tax and regulatory reforms to improve the business environment." Last Word will highlight the efforts of ACEC members who take a leadership role in building ACEC/PAC. For more information on ACEC/PAC, contact ACEC’s Director of Government Affairs, Steve Hall, at 202-347-7474 or shall@acec.org. Next month’s ACEC Annual Convention in Las Vegas presents many opportunities to support ACEC/PAC, giving members the opportunity to have fun and support ACEC’s advocacy effort at the same time. The ACEC/PAC golf tournament will be held on Saturday, May 11, at Badlands Golf Club. The tournament includes lunch, a gift bag, and prizes for the best foursome and the longest drive. Hole sponsors will have their company name featured on the course. The convention will also feature live and silent auctions, an off-road adventure through the majestic Red Rock Canyons, a 5K Walk/Run, a special performance of the Cirque du Soleil’s "O," and a sweepstakes drawing for a fantastic Bahamas vacation. Sponsors and auction donations are needed. For event and sponsorship information, visit ACEC’s website at www.acec.org or contact Susan Doyle (202-347-7474 or sdoyle@acec.org). ACEC Kicks Off Two Human Resources Seminars ACEC is kicking off two human resources (HR) seminars designed to turn a company’s HR function into a valuable strategic partner. Unlocking the Potential of Human Resources: An Interactive Seminar for Principals and CEOs gives firm leaders insight into the benefits and methods used to energize the HR function. The seminar—led by David Wahby, president of Wahby and Associates, a leading management consulting group for design firms—is being held on May 31 in Chicago and June 3 in Philadelphia. The registration fee is $355 ($300 for multiple registrants from the same firm) and includes a luncheon with a speaker. Download a registration form at www.acec.org. Human Resources: The Art of Compensation and Transition, designed for HR directors and administrators, is being led by the Coxe Group, one of the oldest and largest multi-discipline management consulting firms serving the design profession. There are eight dates and locations to choose from:
Early bird registration (through May 20) is $179 for ACEC members and $250 for non-members. Visit www.acec.org to download a registration form. For more information on either seminar, contact Anna Johnson (ajohnson@acec.org or 202-682-4349).
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