ACEC Hosts Senior House Appropriations Leader Congressman Joe Knollenberg (left) and ACEC President Dave Raymond at the industry reception at ACEC headquarters. ACEC hosted an engineering industry reception this week for Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) at the Council's headquarters in Washington, D.C. Knollenberg is an eight-term House member, and the senior Republican on the Appropriations Committee's Transportation Subcommittee. The panel is charged with funding key highway, transit, aviation and other transportation programs each year, and also has jurisdiction over construction and other programs under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Knollenberg is a strong proponent of the private sector, and has taken a lead role in opposing amendments during the appropriations process that seek to prevent federal agencies from contracting with engineering firms and other private entities. "Joe is a big supporter of the engineering industry in Michigan and throughout the country," said ACEC/PAC Champion Dan Fredendall of Orchard, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc. "He's facing potentially a tough re-election race in 2008, so we're pleased to see ACEC stepping up early to support him."

ACEC/Virginia Coordinating Contributions For Education Fund In Memory Of Va. Tech Victims A message from ACEC/Virginia President Michael W. Matthews: The members of ACEC/Virginia were especially affected by the tragic events that took place on the campus of Virginia Tech. In recognition of the hardships faced by the students, alumni, family and friends, ACEC/Virginia is raising funds from ACEC member firms and individuals to provide help through these trying times, and beyond. If you or your firm would like to contribute, ACEC/Virginia is collecting contributions for the Virginia Tech Civil and Environmental Engineering Memorial Education Fund. These checks will be collected by ACEC/Virginia and delivered to Virginia Tech to assure that our generous members receive the recognition they deserve for helping out in this time of crisis. Please make your checks payable to: The VA Tech Foundation, Inc., and designate to the Civil and Environmental Engineering Memorial Fund. c/o ACEC/Virginia 5206 Markel Road, Suite 300 Richmond, VA 23230

New Pamphlet On ACEC Website Offers Basics On Arbitration And Mediation A new pamphlet analyzing the basics of arbitration and mediation is now available on the Risk Management page of the ACEC website. Mediation and Arbitration in Construction . . . for the people who write the checks was written by Darrel V. Holmquist, senior principal consultant and past president of CTL/Thompson, Inc., in Dallas, TX. Holmquist is an authority in the field of alternative dispute resolution and a long-serving member of the ACEC Risk Management Committee. In his introduction to the pamphlet, he states that "There are hundreds of texts, handbooks and articles written by and for the arbitrator/mediator and the legal professional, but virtually none for the person involved in mediation or arbitration for the first time. Hopefully, this pamphlet will help fill the void." To view the pamphlet click here. To see the other educational resources available on the Risk Management webpage, click here.

Don't Get Left Out: 2007 ACEC Annual Convention Just Around The Corner There is still time to register for the upcoming Annual Convention, May 6-9, in Washington, D.C. Convention highlights include exceptional speakers such as Chris Matthews, host of the nightly talk show Hardball with Chris Matthews, and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and TV political analyst George Will, plus exciting social events as well as timely education sessions on business management. Matthews will present his "in your face" viewpoint on the nation's political landscape during the Convention's Opening General Session on Monday, May 7. Later that day, Will offers his outlook on the direction of the nation during the Convention's Keynote Luncheon. Other Convention highlights include a special "State Dinner" developed by former White House Chef Walter Scheib, on Sunday May 6, and the 41st Annual Engineering Excellence Awards Gala on Tuesday May 8. Easy Convention registration is available by clicking here. Register online and receive an additional five percent off the published price*. Bring two people from your firm and receive an even deeper registration discount! Further information is available by contacting meetings@acec.org or call 202-347-7474.

Go For The Green With Green Infrastructure And Sustainable Communities Course Green Infrastructure and Sustainable Communities July 16-19                   Denver, CO Presented in partnership with Colorado State University, Green Infrastructure and Sustainable Communities is a four-day certificate course that concentrates on civil infrastructure projects and town/regional planning approaches to sustainable design and construction. Curriculum is divided into subject areas including: The Case for Sustainable Planning and Engineering, Key Tools for Sustainable Practice, Techniques for Implementing Sustainability, Neighborhood-Wide and Citywide Sustainability, Overview of Hard Science Concepts for Sustainability, Present and Future of Sustainable Practice, and Building a Practice in Sustainable Engineering/Planning. Team workshop assignments and a guided field trip to nearby sustainability projects broaden the real-world perspective of this timely course. Click here for more information and to register. Project Management for Project Leaders June 11-12                   Evanston, IL This joint ACEC/Northwestern University McCormick School of Engineering immersion course in state-of-the-art project leadership introduces new management skills and techniques. Click here to register. The Business of Design Consulting (BDC): A Best Practices Educational Event for the Engineering Firm of the 21st Century June 20-23                   Boston, MA The leadership course previous participants have called "outstanding," "well worth the time," and "a great learning experience." Click here to register.

Upcoming Online Seminars The Seven Hidden Reasons Employees Leave… and Stay May 16, 1:30-3 p.m.                   1.5 PDHs Leigh Branham, Advanced Management Institute, reviews the real reasons employees leave, noting that almost 90 percent of exiting employees say they left because of "push factors" related to management practices. Click here to register. The Critical Case for Defending Qualifications-Based Selection May 22, 1:30-3 p.m.                   1.5 PDHs Jeff Beard, Vice President, Institute for Business Management, ACEC; Roger Jordan, Director of State Legislative Programs, ACEC; and Kurt Corey, Director of Public Works, City of Eugene, OR, examine the benefits of using Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS): Hear firsthand from a public owner about the merits of using QBS; Learn why QBS benefits owners and dramatically improves the delivery of a successful project compared to projects that are low-bid; Gain a better understanding of the QBS process, from the solicitation through contract negotiations; Learn to recognize the pros and cons of various alternative delivery systems and best practices for infusing QBS into alternative delivery procurements; Gain insights about a new ACEC study on QBS; Discover resources to guide owners through the QBS process. Click here to register.

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