1,000-Plus at ACEC Convention Bring Legislative Activism, Business Insights ACEC Chairman Tim Psomas greets members at the Annual Convention. Rallying to the theme of “engineering the nation’s economic recovery” more than 1,000 members converged on Washington, D.C., for the ACEC 2010 Annual Convention. Convention attendees also included delegations from China, India, Canada, Australia, Korea and Nigeria; 70 first-time attendees; and representatives of colleague associations including ASCE, ARTBA, FIDIC and NCEES. Participants heard from CEOs, CFOs, CIOs, and other business leaders concerned with bottom-line strategies. Officials from more than a dozen federal agencies outlined market opportunities in the public sector. The CEO Roundtables focused on industry challenges and solutions. A special General Session panel of three leading CEOs carried the dialogue further. (See story below.) ACEC and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed a partnering agreement at the ACEC Convention. Left to right are USACE Chief of Engineering and Construction James Dalton, ACEC President Dave Raymond, U.S. Army Chief of Engineers Lt. Gen. Robert Van Antwerp, and ACEC Chairman Tim Psomas. “The business focus of the Convention is outstanding,” said James Stewart of PSA Consulting Engineers, Oklahoma City. “There is a tremendous pool of resources and I always find important items to take back to my firm.” ACEC’s “citizen lobbyists” urged their elected representatives to boost the national economy through new multi-year bills for water, aviation, and surface transportation. They also raised concerns over pending initiatives that threaten contracting out and advocated repeal of the 3 percent withholding mandate.

Buchanan and Clift Debate National Political Issues; Ip Analyzes Economy Newsweek Columnist Eleanor Clift MSNBC Commentator Patrick Buchanan The Economist’s Greg Ip Eleanor Clift and Patrick Buchanan conducted a spirited debate across the political spectrum—differing on almost every issue they discussed, from the success of the stimulus package to the likely results of the 2010 mid-term election. Greg Ip, U.S. economics editor for The Economist magazine, told attendees that despite a slow economic recovery, opportunities for the engineering industry abound. “The U.S. is the world’s largest exporter of services,” he said. “There is a need for the expertise that you folks have, which still far exceeds what other countries can do.”

CEO Panel Provides High-Level Perspective on Industry Issues Participating in the CEO Panel at the ACEC Convention were (left to right) Robert Uhler, chairman and CEO of MWH Global; George Pierson, CEO of Parsons Brinckerhoff; and Len Rodman, chairman, president & CEO of Black and Veatch. Leaders of three of the nation’s largest engineering firms addressed challenges and opportunities facing the industry. Robert Uhler, chairman and CEO of MWH Global, said three “megatrends”—commoditization of engineering services, consolidation of mid-sized engineering firms, and growth among firms offering both engineering and construction services—have led him to guide his firm toward being an intellectual property provider. “We are creating a repeatable platform business, packaging solutions on a global scale,” he said. George Pierson, CEO of Parsons Brinckerhoff, addressed the lack of infrastructure investment in the United States. “We spend one of the lowest percentages of GDP on infrastructure among all the nations on earth,” he said. “Failing to invest in infrastructure can create a self-propelling spiral downward.” Len Rodman, chairman, president, and CEO of Black and Veatch, said, “Focusing short-term makes it difficult to build a good national infrastructure. We need to convince policymakers about the value of long-term infrastructure planning.” Rodman shared his firm’s just-completed annual survey of CEOs of 400 major utilities, in which most respondents forecast a slow economic recovery. Three out of four also said that coal-based power generation will continue to play a critical role in the U.S. energy picture.

Stump Succeeds Psomas; New ExCom; Board Holds Line on Annual Dues New ACEC Chairman Gerald Stump (right) met with Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee during the Convention’s Capitol Hill visits. At the spring meeting of the ACEC Board of Directors, Gerald Stump, CEO and EVP of Wilbur Smith Associates, succeeded Tim Psomas, chairman of Psomas, as ACEC Chairman for 2010-2011. New members on the 2010-2011 Executive Committee are: Sergio “Satch” Pecori, president/CEO of Hanson Professional Services; Paul Grosser, president/CEO of P.W. Grosser; Miller “M.L.” Love, vice president of Collins Engineers and Robert Paulsen, chairman of The PBSJ Corporation. ACEC/South Carolina Executive Director Joe Jones III is the new NAECE Representative.

2010-2011 Chairman-elect Terry Neimeyer led discussions on the Council’s new three-year budget. Returning ExCom members are Chairman-elect Terry Neimeyer, chairman and CEO of KCI Technologies; Bart Patton, senior vice president of Kleinfelder; Ken Wightman, CEO of David Evans & Associates; and Robin Greenleaf, president of Architectural Engineers. The Board approved a new three-year Council budget that does not include a dues increase in 2011. The Board also consolidated existing classes on non-regular ACEC membership into one Affiliate Member Firm class.

Closing the Deal With A/E/C Contracts: Recognize Pitfalls, Negotiate Winners May 20-21, San Francisco As a recent California appellate court decision demonstrates, A/E/C contracts are continuously being challenged in the courts. In the California case—UDC v CH2M Hill—the court ruled that it was a design consultant’s duty to defend its developer client against a negligence action brought by a homeowners’ association—even though there was no underlying direct claim of negligence against that consultant. In the decision, though the consultant was found not negligent, the Court still imposed an obligation upon the firm to pay under the indemnity clause contained within the parties’ contract. Protect your firm’s interests and bottom line and learn about this case and indemnity clauses in general in ACEC’s upcoming course, Closing the Deal With A/E/C Contracts: Recognize Pitfalls, Negotiate Winners, May 20-21, San Francisco. Faculty presenter Justin Weisberg, attorney and EJCDC member, will address the A/E firm liability implications of the California case and examine other important changes to industry model contracts. This fast-paced course examines today’s “red-flag” industry contract provisions—the ones you need to understand and watch for if you negotiate and/or sign contracts for your firm’s services. Attendees will acquire the skills and principles of toe-to-toe contract negotiation to maintain professional standards and protect your business, from presenters James C. Brown II, Malcolm Pirnie, Inc.; David Stone, Stone and Company, and Justin Weisberg, Arnstein & Lehr LLP. For details on the course including faculty and agenda, click here. To register, click here.

Applying Expertise as an Engineering Expert Witness June 10-11, Denver, CO Adding new services that capitalize on your firm’s existing expertise is a solid business strategy, and though your key staff may well be qualified, only the court-savvy engineer should take on potentially lucrative assignments as an expert witness in legal proceedings. Applying Expertise as an Engineering Expert Witness, ACEC’s unique 1½-day course, will be presented June 10-11 in Denver, CO, to prepare participants for legal service with recognition and a certificate of course completion. The course is designed for professional engineers, architects and surveyors interested in earning credentials for legal service engagements professionally or as an added client service. Discussion will include deposition behavior, permissible out-of-court statements, ethics, pre-courtroom testimony preparation, courtroom demeanor, how to maintain credibility, the differences between a fact witness and an expert witness, plus the agreement and compensation for taking on an assignment. Attendees completing this course who wish to further enhance their professional credentials will have taken important first steps towards applying for the professional designation of Engineer Expert Witness (EXWSM). The deadline to register at the early bird best price has been extended to May 14. To register, click here.

Realizing BIM Potential for A/E Firms: Leveraging the Building Information Modeling Process for Increased ROI June 21-22, Orlando, FL ACEC’s new 2010 BIM course—Realizing BIM Potential for A/E Firms: Leveraging the Building Information Modeling Process for Increased ROI—is a focused, next-level exploration of the BIM process, presented by experienced practitioners, software experts, and A/E industry innovators. A/E company principals, project managers, COOs, IT managers and business development professionals of firms already using or familiar with BIM will get an inside look at where and how to maximize bottom-line benefits incorporating BIM into firm culture and services. Attendees of the June 21-22 course in Orlando, will hear from industry innovators who are successfully transforming BIM projects into bottom-line success and marketplace advantage. Key perspectives and sample topics include: Design engineer: A more efficient procurement process, plus reduced RFIs means fee savings Engineering firm technology leader: Assessing your investment and moving forward; adding value without breaking budgets Software developer: Interoperability and streamlining Owner: Expectations and possibilities M/E/P technology strategist: Taking a BIM model from design to construction to maintenance; software M/E/P ‘tips and tricks’ A/E risk management, legal expert: Contracts and data licensing agreements; short history for legal ‘lessons learned’ For full course agenda highlights, faculty and to register, click here.

Make-or-Break Indemnification Provisions: Managing the Risk May 11, 1:30-3 p.m. Indemnification provisions in engineering services contracts may create contractual liabilities beyond those reasonably contemplated by the engineer, and beyond those that are insurable under a professional liability policy. Kent Holland, ConstructionRisk.com LLC, examines the lessons to be taken from recent industry court decisions, including those with A/E industry implications, and offers practical ideas for managing the risk of indemnification. For details and to register, click here.

The Fundamentals of Implementing the Integrated Project Delivery Process May 12, 1:30-3 p.m. Integrated project delivery (IPD) is a collaborative effort designed to eliminate waste, cut costs and improve productivity—results much sought after by the industry. The seminar outlines how delivery team members share decision-making, risks and rewards, and the impact of how IPD differs in public and private sectors. Few firms in the A/E/C industry have mastered the IPD process to produce a construction project that is completed on-time, on-budget, and with a satisfied owner. Kenneth W. Cobleigh and Markku Allison of The American Institute of Architects present a defining online seminar, starting with the all-important basis for achieving successful IPD projects: the right contract framework. They’ll describe possible IPD models, the value of IPD from various stakeholders’ perspectives, advocating for use of IPD, and pitfalls to avoid. For details and to register, click here.

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 Gerry Donohue, Editor/Designer