The Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, D.C. will host the ACEC 2010 Annual Convention and Legislative Summit. One of the leading hotels in the nation's capital, the Grand Hyatt offers easy access to the city's many attractions.

ACEC Annual Convention To Address Critical Business Concerns

Business opportunities for engineering firms in both public and private markets will dominate the agenda at the upcoming ACEC 2010 Annual Convention and Legislative Summit, April 25-28 in Washington, D.C.

Engineering America's Recovery: New Opportunities features presentations from NASA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, General Services Administration, State Department, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Energy, and other agencies.

In addition, more than two-dozen business practice sessions will address pressing management concerns as firms transition from survival to growth in the highly competitive marketplace.

CEO Roundtables—for firms of all sizes—provide a forum for leaders to discuss issues and concerns specific to their firms.

Political commenatator Pat Buchanan of MSNBC, and Eleanor Clift, contributing editor of Newsweek, will debate political issues. Greg Ip, economics editor for The Economist, will forecast the economic recovery. A distinguished panel of CEOs from top Member Firms will address major challenges facing the industry.

Other Convention highlights include the Opening Dinner featuring the world-renowned Capitol Steps comedy troupe; and the 44th Annual Engineering Excellence Awards Gala—the "Academy Awards" of engineering.

Click here for complete Convention registration information. Remember, Washington D.C. is a popular destination in the spring so make your hotel reservations early at ACEC's specially negotiated discount rates. Contact the Grand Hyatt Hotel directly at 202-582-1234 and reference ACEC.

For information, contact meetings@acec.org or call 202-347-7474.

Highway Funding Crisis Temporarily Averted as Congress Extends Program

ACEC Director of Transportation Programs Matt Reiffer (third from left) briefed more than 120 members of ACEC/Oregon and ACEC/Washington on the impact of the temporary shut-down of the federal highway and transit program at a series of meetings earlier this week. ACEC/Oregon officers pictured (left-to-right) are: President Gayle Harley; Executive Director Alison Davis; Reiffer; ACEC Vice Chairman Ken Wightman; Secretary/Treasurer Kay Van Sickel; ACEC/PAC Champion Jack Beemer; and President-Elect Troy Bowers.

The Senate overcame the objections of a lone Senator this week and cleared legislation that temporarily restores funding to the states through the Highway Trust Fund.

ACEC lobbied intensely over the past week to avert a long-term shutdown of the nation's surface transportation program.

House and Senate leaders had negotiated a short-term 30-day extension of the program. It was adopted in the House, but Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) objected to the measure due to the lack of budget offsets.

Because the most recent extension of federal surface transportation programs expired last Sunday, Bunning's actions shut down disbursements from the Highway Trust Fund to the states, forced the furlough of nearly 2,000 U.S. DOT employees, and held up projects throughout the country. Senate Democratic and Republican leaders negotiated a compromise with Bunning on Wednesday of this week, clearing the way for passage of the 30-day extension measure.

The House and Senate are working to finalize a long-term extension of the program through the end of the year, coupled with a $19.5 billion restoration of interest earned by the Highway Trust Fund, which ACEC supports.

U.S. Senator Bob Menendez Champions Infrastructure Funding at ACEC Event

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) (left) and ACEC President Dave Raymond (center) share a conversation with Mary Peters, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation now with HDR, during a fundraiser this week at ACEC headquarters.

Jacobs Engineering Group Vice President Kevin McMahon (left) and Paul Yarossi, president of HNTB (right), chat with U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ).

ACEC/PAC, Jacobs Engineering, CDM and HDR co-hosted a fundraising event for Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) at ACEC's headquarters in Washington, D.C. Three dozen industry leaders attended the event.

Menendez, who is also chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, spoke at length about the importance of infrastructure investment and specifically emphasized his support for boosting the federal gas tax to finance a more robust six-year surface transportation program.

The New Jersey lawmaker also updated firm executives on the status of negotiations over health care reform bill. ACEC President Dave Raymond urged the Senator to consider key ACEC-backed reforms, including limits on medical malpractice liability and increased insurer competition across state lines.

So far this year, ACEC/PAC has also hosted fundraising events for Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME). ACEC/PAC plans to host 55 events during the year, up from 51 in 2009.

ACEC/Michigan Petitions for Increased State Transportation Funding

ACEC/Michigan Executive Director Ron Brenke

ACEC/Michigan launched an aggressive petition drive to urge the state legislature to increase investment in infrastructure.

Michigan stands to lose $450 million in federal transportation funds in F.Y. 2011, because its state legislature has not approved sufficient state matching funds, said ACEC/Michigan Executive Director Ron Brenke.

The Member Organization plans to gather 5,000 signatures by the March 15 deadline. "We're looking for support from firms' employees, family members, suppliers, clients…anyone who supports greater investment in our transportation infrastructure," said Brenke. "The signed petitions will be forwarded to members of the legislature to demonstrate public support for increasing funding."

ACEC/Michigan sent paper petitions to all Member Firms and created an online form to generate support from Michigan residents. Other transportation-focused organizations in the state, including the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and the County Road Association of Michigan have joined the effort.

PAE's Scott Bevan Named One of the "New Faces of Engineering"

Scott Bevan, PAE Consulting

Scott Bevan, an associate at PAE Consulting Engineers in Portland, Ore., is one of 15 young engineers from across the nation recognized in a February 16 USA Today advertisement as one of the "New Faces of Engineering" during the annual National Engineer's Week.

Bevan is also one of five young Member Firm employees chosen by the ACEC Committee of Fellows to receive ACEC's "Young Professional of the Year" award, to be presented at the Fall Conference in Puerto Rico.

Other honorees for the Fellows award are: John Peronto, Thornton Tomasetti, Inc., Chicago, Ill.; Yurintzy Estrada, AECOM, New York City; Yvana Kuhn, AECOM, San Diego, Calif.; and Craig Reinsch, Olsson Associates, Lincoln, Neb.

Bevan became an associate after only 15 months at PAE Consulting and was soon managing MEP teams for projects worth more than $100 million in construction costs, while helping PAE navigate the economic downturn and maintain its employee-focused culture. His often complex projects have included six LEED-targeted buildings and a 50,000-square-foot Net Zero Energy building featuring a 250 kW photovoltaic system.

For more information about the Young Professional of the Year award, click here.

Sign Up Now For ACEC's 2010-2011 National Committees

ACEC members are encouraged to sign up for service on ACEC National committees. Participation on ACEC committees brings vitality to the Council and ensures that the issues and interests of members are brought into Council operations and public policy.

ACEC committee membership is open to all employees of ACEC member firms.

Most of ACEC's committees are "open" (i.e., sign up and you're on!). A few require appointment by the incoming ACEC chairman, and the terms of appointed committee members begin during the 2010 Annual Convention, April 25-28. If you are interested in one of the appointed committees, register your request below.

Open Committees

Contract Documents Committee
Environment & Energy Committee
Federal Agencies & Procurement Advocacy Committee
Institute for Business Management Committee
International Committee
Management Practices Committee
Membership Committee
Public Relations Committee
Risk Management Committee
Tax and Regulatory Affairs Committee
Transportation Committee