Senate Committee Puts Highway Trust Fund Fix In 2009 Spending Bill The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved legislation that would correct the shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund. The ACEC-supported provision was inserted in the FY'09 appropriations bill that funds transportation, housing and urban development programs. The fix involves a transfer of $8 billion from the General Fund to avert a threatened 34 percent cut to state highway programs. The credit essentially returns revenues to the Trust Fund that were transferred to the General Fund in TEA-21 in 1998. While it is unlikely that Congress will complete work on the 2009 spending bills this year, the Senate action will aid the efforts of ACEC and its industry allies to insert the trust fund fix into an end-of-year "continuing resolution" that will keep government programs running into 2009.

Member Firm Historical Photos Needed For 100-Year Anniversary Publication ACEC will produce a special publication to celebrate the Council's 100-year anniversary in 2009. The publication will depict how ACEC Member Firms have been responsible for America's major engineering achievements over the past century—and how the Council protected and advanced the industry's business interests during the same time. If your firm has any historical photo that you believe would enhance the anniversary book, please contact Alan D. Crockett, director of communications at acrockett@acec.org or 202-682-4301. All submitted materials will be returned to the firm once the project is completed.

CAMEE To Partner With ASHRAE On Business And Risk Management Issues ACEC's Council of Mechanical and Electrical Engineers (CAMEE) will join forces with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) to address the business and risk management concerns of both organizations. The Coalition will be part of an ASHRAE Technical Committee to improve coordination between the two groups on specific business and risk management activities, and "expose CAMEE's business and risk management educational programs to more M/E/P firms," said CAMEE Chair-elect Robin Greenleaf of Architectural Engineers, Inc. in Boston. CAMEE and ASHRAE have a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly share efforts of common interest. ASHRAE focuses on technical issues, while CAMEE helps Member Firms improve the business of engineering. During the recent ASHRAE annual meeting in Salt Lake City, CAMEE presented an educational program on Building Information Modeling (BIM) and hosted a roundtable and a seminar on business and risk management issues impacting M/E/P firms. To find out more about CAMEE visit their website at www.acec.org/CAMEE.

Sharpen A/E Management Skills With Business Of Design Consulting Course The Business of Design Consulting September 24-27, San Antonio, Texas The Business of Design Consulting (BDC) course helps design professionals sharpen their business practice knowledge and management skills. Custom-tailored for COOs, CFOs, business administrators, HR managers, owners, principals and project managers of A/E firms, the course covers leadership, human resources, contracts, risk management, information technology, finance, business management and marketing. Register now for the upcoming session, September 24-27, in San Antonio, Texas. Leading practitioners will teach the four-day course: Peggy Pound, The Pound Group; Paul Doherty, Satellier LLC; Colvin Matheson, Matheson Financial Advisors; Thomas Porterfield, Victor O. Schinnerer & Co., Inc; and David Stone, Stone and Company. Click here for details and to register.

Open IT Forum Invites Industry Specialists To Network, Share Experiences IT Forum October 6-7, Chicago Industry IT professionals will meet in Chicago on October 6-7 to share best practices, discuss problems and solutions, and gain valuable insights into industry trends at ACEC’s popular IT Forum. The one-and-a-half-day workshop promotes peer networking in an interactive roundtable format. Facilitators guide participant discussions on emerging technology trends and problem-solving in the A/E/C workplace. Agenda items in the past have included IT budgeting and planning, system security, telecommunications and staffing, IT best practices, and role of the IT manager. The event is open to ACEC members and non-members. Click here for details and to register.

The American Council of Engineering Companies 1015 15th St., NW, 8th Floor, Washington, DC 20005-2605 Phone: 202-347-7474 - Fax: 202-898-0068 www.acec.org - E-mail:acec@acec.org Alan D. Crockett, Director, PR • Ann Brandstadter, Editor/Designer