State Leaders Value Orientation Sessions In D.C. Jeff Beard, vice president and director of ACEC's Institute for Business Management, briefs state leaders on ACEC's "Peer Review" program. Forty-four ACEC leaders representing 27 State Organizations participated in intensive orientation sessions November 5 and 12 at ACEC's headquarters in Washington, hosted by ACEC Chairman Bill Howard and President Dave Raymond. (See list of attendees below.)

From left to right: ACEC/DE Executive Director Mike Karia, ACEC/MD President Fred Wagner and ACEC/MD Executive Director Jim Otradovec during a break at the Leadership Orientation. National directors, presidents, presidents-elect and executive directors heard from ACEC national leadership and staff on the Council's agenda, educational programs, legislative initiatives, and member services. "I was extremely impressed with ACEC's staff, especially their knowledge," said Robert Vokes, ACEC/Massachusetts national director, "What a great group of people representing a valuable resource to our organization." "I was greatly impressed with all they do for our engineering companies," said Bob Eley, president-elect, ACEC/Mississippi. "The staff's dedication and no-nonsense way of doing things came across clearly," said Stephen Weintraut, president, ACEC/Indiana. "We have a plan and everyone is working hard to carry it out." "It definitely makes us feel good that we're getting value for our dues. We need to find a way to communicate this to our members," said David Pond, ACEC/North Carolina president-elect. These leadership sessions, to which all state leaders are invited, will be held again November of 2005.

Tennessee, Kentucky Latest To Meet '04 ACEC/PAC Goals ACEC/PAC Trustee in Kentucky Craig Avery ACEC of Tennessee and ACEC of Kentucky became the latest State Organizations to meet and exceed their respective ACEC/PAC fundraising goals for 2004. They join Nebraska and Alaska as states that have crossed the finish line on their fundraising goals for the year. "There are so many important issues at the federal level, issues which affect many Tennessee firms, that make it absolutely essential that we get involved politically through ACEC/PAC," said incoming ExCom Vice Chairman Jerry Stump of Wilbur Smith Associates. Stump also chairs ACEC's Transportation Committee.

Incoming ExCom Vice Chairman Jerry Stump leads Tennessee fundraising efforts. Added ACEC/PAC Trustee and Chairman's Club member Craig Avery of Fuller, Mossbarger, Scott and May Engineers in Kentucky: "We'll realize the full potential of our industry's political power when we pool our collective resources and influence." Several states, including Connecticut, Indiana, Michigan, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming are close to reaching their goals, as ACEC/PAC trustees and state leaders are working hard to meet assigned goals before the end of the year. For the latest update on the progress of each state in meeting their respective fundraising goals for 2004, click here.

Numerous State Transportation Funding Initiatives Approved By Voters 2005-2006 ACEC Chairman Elect Ed Mulcahy says "public frustrated." Many states feeling the financial squeeze as a result of Congress' inability to pass a long-term TEA-21 reauthorization bill voted in favor of ballot initiatives during the November election to boost infrastructure funding by approximately $28 billion. Of 55 transportation related ballot initiatives across the nation, 44 passed, most notably a Missouri initiative that would prevent the state from diverting highway user fees away from transportation projects. Counties in Arizona, California, Colorado, and South Carolina voted in favor of increasing or extending sales taxes that would create billions of dollars for road and transit projects. Arkansas, Rhode Island, and ten local regions voted in favor of bond initiatives that would be used for rail and transportation improvements, while citizens in Austin, Texas endorsed the building of a commuter rail line in their city that wouldn't require a tax increase. "I believe the broad success of these ballot initiatives underscores the public's frustration with the lack of funding for much needed projects," said ACEC's Chairman Elect Ed Mulcahy of TransSystems in Missouri. "Congress will pass a major highway bill in the near future, so it's important that the states take action to ensure that they have the matching funds necessary to move ahead with needed projects."

CASE/RMP Convocation Addresses Structural Engineer Cost Concerns Attending the CASE-sponsored Convocation for structural engineers were (Left to right, Ronald White, White Engineering, Oklahoma City, OK; Dave Ruby and Tricia Huneke from Ruby & Associates, Farmington Hills, Mich. One hundred and fifty structural engineering principals from across the nation came together to address high insurance premiums, risk management and loss prevention techniques at the recently held CASE/Risk Management Program (RMP) Convocation in Reston, VA. The problem of "rogue expert witnesses" was another major topic of discussion. "The Convocation is the first major effort of the new CASE/RMP to reduce the cost and frequency of claims against structural engineers," said CASE Executive Director Ed Bajer. "The healthy turnout proves that many structural engineers see this as our profession's number one problem." Part of the overall effort of RMP will be to join the tort reform movement on the national level.

Nov. 5 & 12 Leadership Orientation Attendees ACEC Chairman William S. Howard CDM Cambridge, MA ACEC President David A. Raymond ACEC Washington, DC ACEC/Alabama President Rebecca B. Crane Gadsden, AL ACEC/Arkansas President-Elect Dennis E. Ford Little Rock, AR ACEC/Colorado President-Elect Mr. David Adams Lakewood, CO ACEC/Connecticut President John D. Jolls Glastonbury, CT ACEC/Delaware President R. David Charles Dover, DE National Director Ted C. Williams New Castle, DE Executive Director Mike Karia Dover, DE ACEC/Florida President R. Bruce Taylor Jacksonville, FL President-Elect Ernest A. Cox, III Orlando, FL National Director Robert H. Miller Pembroke Pines, FL Executive Director Frank H. Rudd Tallahassee, FL Membership Director Kate Robinson Tallahassee, FL ACEC/Georgia President Scott D. Smelter Norcross, GA President-Elect Bruce A. Moulds Atlanta, GA Assist. Exec. Director Gwen Brandon Atlanta, GA ACEC/Hawaii President-Elect Dr. Janice C. Marsters Aiea, HI Executive Director Ginny Wright Honolulu, HI ACEC/Illinois President-Elect Mr. Don Rutledge Bloomington, IL ACEC/Indiana President Stephen Weintraut Indianapolis, IN ACEC/Iowa National Director Neal R. Kuehl Storm Lake, IA ACEC/Kentucky President Ron D. Gilkerson Lexington, KY President-Elect Mr. Norman J. Barker, Jr. Louisville, KY Executive Director George Binder Frankfort, KY ACEC/Louisiana President P. Charles Taylor, Jr. Monroe, LA President-Elect John W. Holtgreve Metairie, LA ACEC/Massachusetts National Director Robert Vokes Watertown, MA ACEC/Maryland President Fred Wagner Baltimore, MD Executive Director Jim Otradovec, III Baltimore, MD ACEC/Michigan President-Elect Daniel G. Fredendall Livonia, MI ACEC/Mississippi President Slade F. Exley Jackson, MS President-Elect Robert B. Eley Cleveland, MS ACEC/Missouri President-Elect Michael Priest Kansas City, MO ACEC/New York Executive Director Jay J. Simson Albany, NY ACEC/North Carolina President David L. Pond Charlotte, NC Executive Director Kathryn Sawyer Raleigh, NC ACEC/Pennsylvania President-Elect Russell N. MacNair Lancaster, PA ACEC/South Carolina President Miller L. Love, Jr. Charleston, SC ACEC/South Dakota Executive Director Wayne R. Peterson Grand Forks, ND ACEC/Tennessee President-Elect Randall A. Neuhaus Louisville, TN Executive Director Candy Toler Nashville, TN ACEC/Virginia Executive Director Nancy Israel Richmond, VA President-Elect Samuel H. Kirby, Jr. Richmond, VA CELSOC Deputy Exec. Director Richard Markuson Sacramento, CA Texas/CEC National Director Raymond F. Messer Houston, TX

Copyright © 2004 by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). All rights reserved. No part of this newsletter may be reproduced, stored in any form of retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, photographic, or other means without the prior written permission of ACEC.

Click here to review past editions of the Last Word.

Click here to subscribe to the Last Word.