ACEC Board Meets Virtually: No CPI Dues Increase in 2021, Charles Gozdziewski Takes Gavel

ACEC News / Governance

April 27, 2020

ACEC Board Meets Virtually: No CPI Dues Increase in 2021, Charles Gozdziewski Takes Gavel

At its first-ever virtual meeting on Saturday, April 25, the ACEC Board of Directors unanimously voted to forego the planned 1.6 percent Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase to 2021 member firm dues, welcomed a new chairman and members of the Executive Committee, and got an introduction to the ACEC Research Institute. Almost 300 members participated in the virtual event

Not implementing the CPI increase “translates to about $180,000 in lost revenue,” said ACEC President & CEO Linda Bauer Darr. “We will offset this by continuing to review where we can cut our operational costs, examining our outside consulting and membership expenses, and working to keep revenue growing by bringing in new members.

“Even as we move forward in this crisis, our priorities remain close to fully funded at levels before the crisis” Darr stressed. “Our Business Resources and Education, Communications, and Advocacy departments are in overdrive to do more with less.”

Charles Gozdziewski, chairman emeritus of Hardesty & Hanover in New York City accepted the Chairman’s gavel from Mitch Simpler, managing partner of Jaros Baum & Bolles in New York City.

“We are going through the most challenging times of our careers,” Gozdziewski said. “The good news is that we have a strong and active organization to help us through these times. ACEC is a national leader, especially now, in advocating for our interests. ACEC played a significant role in getting engineering services designated as essential during the shutdown; helped to develop federal assistance programs; and has developed webinars, surveys, roundtables, and the new Resource Center to help firms through this crisis.”

The Board installed new Executive Committee members: Chair-Elect Robin Greenleaf of Architectural Engineers, Inc. in Boston; Vice Chair Ed Alizadeh of Geotechnology, Inc. in St. Louis; Vice Chair Michael Cooper of Harley Ellis Devereaux in Southfield, Mich.; Treasurer and Vice Chair Matt Hirst of CRS Consulting Engineers, Inc. in Salt Lake City; and Vice Chair Gary Raba of Raba Kistner, Inc. in San Antonio. ACEC North Carolina Executive Director Jim Smith will serve as the NAECE representative.

ACEC Research Institute Chairman John Carrato of Benesch in Chicago introduced the rebranded ACEC Research Institute, with the vision of being “the leading source of knowledge and thought leadership for creating a more sustainable, safe, secure, and technically advanced built environment.” Click here to visit the Institute website and view a short video.

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