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Kansas Professional Engineer eNews

August 2006, Issue 3

In this Issue:

• 7th Annual Engineers' Foundation of Kansas Fundraiser Golf Tournament

• Engineers' Foundation of Kansas Fund-raising Gets a Jump Start

• KSPE Annual Conference Sponsor and Vendor Recognition

• 2006 KSPE Award Winners

• State and Chapter Leadership Development Conference

• President's Message

• KSPE Annual Conference PEI Plant Tour

• 2006 NSPE Annual Meeting Highlights

• Executive Director's Message

• Small Sam Owner Seminar

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Engineers' Foundation of Kansas Fund-raising Gets a Jump Start

During the Recognition Luncheon at the KSPE Annual Conference, The Engineers' Foundation of Kansas was surprised not once, but twice. First, Chris Bohm presented a check for $2,500 from Ruggles & Bohm PA with a challenge to the ACEC members that if 70 percent of the member companies give $500 to the EFK, then Ruggles & Bohm will contribute an additional $2,500. Next, the KSPE Women's Auxiliary announced that after a long period of support of the society, that they were disbanding and donating all of their treasury to the EFK, approximately $650.

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KSPE Annual Conference Sponsor and Vendor Recognition

The Kansas Society of Professional Engineers would like to thank the following sponsors and vendors for their support of the 2006 Annual Conference held June 28-30th at the Overland Park Doubletree.

Ice Breaker Sponsor

Lockton Companies

Platinum Sponsor

HNTB Corporation

Gold Sponsors

Bartlett & West Engineers

Bucher, Willis & Ratliff Corporation

George Butler Associates

Kirkham Michael & Associates, Inc.

Missouri/Kansas Concrete Pipe Association

MKEC Engineering Consultants, Inc.

Ruggles & Bohm, P.A.

Terracon Consultants, Inc.

Silver Sponsors

American Concrete Pavement Association, MO/KS Chapter

Baughman Co., P.A.

Bibb and Associates, Inc.

Kansas Asphalt Pavement Association

Kaw Valley Engineering Inc.

Payne & Brockway, P.A.

Poe & Associates, Inc.

Professional Engineering Consultants, P.A.

Shafer Kline & Warren Inc.

TranSystems

URS Corporation

Wilson & Company, Inc.

Bronze Sponsors

Affinis Corp.

Ash Grove Cement Company

AXA Advisors

BG Consultants, Inc.

Cretex Concrete Products Midwest

GE Geospatial Solutions

Geotechnical Services Inc.

Heavy Constructors Association of Kansas City

HDR Engineering

Kansas State University College of Engineering

Larkin Group

LC Engineers, P.A.

Level 4 Engineering

Nowak Construction Co. Inc.

Parsons Brinckerhoff

Phelps Engineering, Inc.

RTE Technologies, Inc.

Schwab-Eaton, P.A.

SK Design Group Inc.

University of Kansas, School of Engineering

Vanguard Precast

Vendors

ACEC Life/Health Insurance Trust

AXA Advisors

GE Geospatial Solutions

HDR

Hunt Martin Materials

Insituform Technologies

Kansas Asphalt Pavement Association

Kansas State University

MKEC Engineering Consultants

MO/KS Concrete Pipe Association

Pavestone

University of Kansas School of Engineering

Utility Maintenance Contractors

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2006 KSPE Award Winners

Congratulations to the following Kansas Society of Professional Engineers Award winners who were recognized at this years Annual Conference on Thursday, June 29th at the Doubletree Hotel in Overland Park.

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State and Chapter Leadership Development Conference

Friday, August 18^th, 2006

Noon: Lunch

1:00 p.m. Meeting

Maner Conference Center, Capitol Plaza Hotel

Topeka, Kansas

What is it?

• Instruction on planning and managing effective chapter and committee meetings

• Practical lessons on effective leadership of volunteers 

• Detailed assistance in attracting and retaining new members; demonstrations of current membership tools and resources.

• Description of KSPE and NSPE priority activities for the upcoming activity year.

• Instructions on how to use the new NSPE association management system to keep track of your chapter members. 

• Review of key KSPE meeting dates, deadlines and committee activities. 

• Tips on growing your political capital and becoming an effective grassroots advocate.

• An opportunity to meet your KSPE staff (Vicki, Brandy, Dale, Christi and Ron). 

Who should attend?        

• Chapter Board Members

• Chapter Committee Chairs and Committee Members

• State Board Members

• State Committee Chairs and Committee Members

• Future State and Chapter Leaders

• Former State and Chapter Officers and Leaders

If you want to become more involved in KSPE or NSPE at the chapter, state or national level, this is the meeting for you!

Cost?     

FREE – KSPE is picking up the cost of this important program.

Register

Please register online by clicking here.

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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

by Christopher Bohm, P.E.

It is with pleasure that I write this first message as president of KSPE, a term that began in fine fashion at last month’s annual conference in Overland Park!  Those of you who attended will agree with me on the fine organization and the professional and social atmosphere provided.  Thank you Eastern Chapter for hosting, and for the efforts of your planning committee in organizing the event.

Two distinguished guests attending the conference were Bob Miller, P.E., president of NSPE, and Marc Selvitelli, the new Senior Director of Strategic Planning and Component Relations at the conference.  Bob provided valuable insight on his vision of NSPE, and Marc had the unenviable task of explaining the problems national has experienced with their new association management system.  Many of you know that several of the state societies (Kansas included) have had issues with NSPE regarding their commitment at the state level.  After visiting with Bob and Marc I feel that our national society is evolving with a focus on providing services to the states – where engineering licensing issues are decided.  More on this issue to follow.

The first week in July found me in Boston for the NSPE Annual Convention.  The conference was enjoyable and informative, but frankly, our state conference really shined in comparison.  Also in attendance were Ron Gaches, Shawn O’Leary (past president), and Chris Price (president elect).  Ron and Shawn attended the governance sessions and will be providing their thoughts on these issues elsewhere in this newsletter.

Several issues carry forward into my new term, including licensure recognition, a discussion of chapter configurations, and efforts to keep a high standard in our awards program.

During the previous year, Shawn O’Leary, Stacey Lamer (your membership chair), and your KSPE staff have pursued the idea of a licensing recognition ceremony for our newly licensed engineers.  This ceremony would precede the current practice of mailing the certificate, although engineers not attending would still receive their license by mail.  Several states operate very successful recognition events and our desire is to join them in honoring our new licensees at the state capital.  As you might imagine, there are numerous details to sort out.  Our goal is to host this event in February of 2007, and continue every six months following the testing dates.  It is fitting that we should celebrate the achievements of these young men and women, welcoming them into our profession as the true professionals they have become.

Efficiency is the hallmark of any organization, and Ron and his staff continually strive to find methods to achieve this goal with KSPE.  To this end, there has been discussion among the KSPE board relative to the geographical boundaries of KSPE relative to our actual operational practices.  During this year, KSPE staff and the board will be discussing the pros and cons of a chapter boundary re-organization.  We have no agenda in this regard, only the desire to consider options that may strengthen our operational efficiency.  Your input is not only welcomed, but requested as we consider this issue.

Larry Stoss, our state awards chair has kindly offered to review our KSPE awards criteria.  This has come about because of questions raised by the awards committee during their deliberations for the 2006 state awards.  The awards program allows us not only the chance to honor those who have distinguished themselves among our ranks, but to reach beyond our profession to recognize those who foster our youth, the future practitioners of engineering – our legacy.  In an effort to keep our program relevant, we will review the criteria of each award category to insure that the character of the program remains at the highest level.  Thanks Larry, for offering to spearhead this important task.

An indulgence offered to the president of KSPE is to forward an initiative close to his or hers heart.  During my term as president, I would like to challenge each of the chapters to select and participate with a local charity, offering your collective time and talents to your communities.  Part of the oath taken by KSPE officers includes a statement that challenges each of us to make the world a better place by our existence here.  In a small but meaningful way, I think this initiative fulfils this charge. Please help me by offering to participate with your chapter in a charity event.

Bob Miller spoke very eloquently at Overland Park about protecting the integrity of our engineering profession, and taking efforts to create a legacy for our youth.  This idea was further promulgated in Boston at a general session with the topic of attracting and retaining quality students for the engineering professions.  In Kansas, KSPE oversees the activities of the Engineering Foundation of Kansas (EFK), a non-profit entity dedicated to engineering education and scholarship of our youth. This has been a year of transition for the EFK as they contend with a newly formed board of directors, but I believe the time is ripe to begin a concentrated fundraising effort.  I have forwarded a challenge to all of the firms in our society belonging to ACEC of Kansas (our private practice division) to donate $500 to the EFK this year.  Our firm, Ruggles & Bohm, has pledged $2500 to kick off this fund drive, and we will add an additional $2500 if 70% of the ACEC member firms each contribute $500.  Should this challenge be successful, it would raise over $30,000 for the EFK.  I challenge the EFK Board members to find additional funds to match the contributions made by our member firms - hopefully the first step in establishing a legacy for our wonderful profession.  Please be a part of this legacy.

Chris can be reached at cbohm@rbkansas.com.

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KSPE Annual Conference PEI Plant Tour

by Don Taylor, P.E., PEI Chair

On Friday afternoon of the KSPE Annual Conference, a number of KSPE members took a tour of the GM Fairfax Assembly Plant in Kansas City, Kansas.  The last time the KSPE Annual Conference was in Topeka, Paul Sykes, Central Engineering Manager of GM Fairfax, gave a presentation on the redesign and retooling of the plant as the home of the all-new Chevy Malibu.  The plant assembles the Malibu and Malibu Max (5 door version).  And now it is the assembly plant for the new Saturn Aura mid-sized sedan.  Our guides through the plant were Michel LaCroix, Saturn Body Shop Launch Manager, Terry Boschert, Joe Wright, and summer intern Wade Aitken-Palmer (a UMR ME student).

After a thorough safety introduction and an overview presentation of the plant we all walked through the facility (wearing the proper personal protective equipment) to see just how all of the parts come together to build new vehicles.  The level of automation in this plant is something to see!  A new car is moving on the production line every 42 seconds.  Computers keep track of everything that is ordered so it all comes together smoothly.  Lasers check tolerances so the overall dimensions of any one car are within ¼ inch total variance.

With an annual payroll of over $230 million, this plant is really the newest, safest, and most efficient plant in the GM North America fleet.  Just another reason why you should plan on attending the KSPE Annual Conference… you get to see some of the economic engines of Kansas.

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2006 NSPE Annual Meeting Highlights

The implementation of the new NSPE governance structure made the recent NSPE Annual Meeting in Boston a special event.  Each year the Annual Meeting offers members outstanding PDH opportunities, networking, sightseeing, family-oriented fun and a chance to see new and old friends.  Bob Miller, PE, a recent speaker at our own KSPE Annual Conference, was installed as the new NSPE President and pledged to continue implementation of the Strategic Plan developed by the New Directions Task Force.  Next year’s NSPE Annual Meeting will follow a new, more compact, four-day format and is scheduled for Denver, July 26-29.  It is a great meeting of Professional Engineers from all over the country and you should plan to attend. 

• The inaugural NSPE House of Delegates meeting convened on July 11, 2006 in Boston, Massachusetts.  Under the new governance structure, NSPE state and territorial societies, the NSPE Board of Directors and NSPE interest groups have representation within the NSPE House of Delegates.  The NSPE House of Delegates has the authority to adopt NSPE's vision, mission and goals, establish NSPE's Strategic Plan, Code of Ethics, Professional Policies, elect the NSPE Officers and the NSPE Board of Directors, and amend the NSPE Bylaws.

• The NSPE House of Delegates elected Ken Rigsbee, P.E., F. NSPE as NSPE President 2008-2009.  The House also elected Ed Racila, P.E., F.NSPE to the office of NSPE Director at Large as well as a NSPE Board of Directors slate.  A complete list of the NSPE 2006-2007 Board of Directors may be found at: http://www.nspe.org/aboutnspe/ab1-off.asp

• NSPE's leaders met with representative of the National Academy of Building Inspection Engineers (NABIE) and discussed various issues including joint efforts to improve professional standards of practice, ethics, licensure, continuing education, specialty certification and the image of professional engineers.

• NSPE leaders met with Claudio Dall'Acqua, (Eng.), President of the Pan American Association of Engineering Societies (UPADI), and representatives from ASCE and ASME to discuss plans for the 2006 UPADI Conference scheduled for September 19-22, 2006 in Atlanta, Georgia.  NSPE, ASCE and ASME are working with Georgia Technological University in hosting and promoting the conference.

• The NSPE Board of Directors agreed to an implementation schedule presented by NSPE staff at the NSPE Board of Directors meeting.  Regular dues invoicing including a more efficient and redesigned NSPE invoice, improved data cleansing and netForum upgrades are scheduled to be completed by September 1, 2006.

• State societies and NSPE agreed to send letters to state engineering licensure boards encouraging NSPE members on those boards to support the additional education for professional practice initiative that will be discussed and debated at the upcoming NCEES Meeting on September 13-16 in Anchorage, Alaska.

• NSPE Licensure and Qualifications for Practice Committee urged the NSPE President to make greater uniformity of state mandatory continuing education requirements a major initiative during his 2006-2007 administrative year.

• NSPE approved a comprehensive report analyzing various engineering-related educational programs to encourage pre-college students to consider careers in engineering.

• NSPE approved signing a "Combating Corruption in Engineering and Construction Charter", an industry document to address international corruption within the design and construction industry.

• NSPE approved a plan to increase state society participation in the NSPE Fellows Program nominations process.

• NSPE asked the NSPE Board of Ethical Review to review the NSPE Code of Ethics and consider categorizing the provisions of the Code into "mandatory practices" and "recommended practices."

• The NSPE Board of Directors and NSPE House of Delegates received updated reports from the NSPE Implementation Task Force and the NSPE Metrics Oversight Task Force on NSPE's progress toward tracking, achieving and measuring the goals and objectives outlined in the 2005 NSPE Future Directions Task Force Report.

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Executive Director's Message

by Ron Gaches

As a kid growing up in Manhattan (The Little Apple) summers were about playing baseball, riding my bike and hanging out with my friends.  We relaxed and enjoyed ourselves.  Forty years later, as an association executive, lobbyist and principal in a small business I understand summers are about meetings, meetings and more meetings.

Nearly 250 people, almost all of them Professional Engineers or young professionals on licensure track, enjoyed themselves at our recent KSPE Annual Conference in Overland Park.  With the theme “Professionals Engineers: Making America Safe” there was something here for any interest.  In fact, there was a lot here for every interest.  Collating the results of participants’ surveys following the conference it was obvious the Conference Planning Committee had hit a home run.  Our speakers were outstanding and covered topics as diverse as Katrina, challenges of the new Sprint Arena, effects of Oklahoma City and 9/11 on federal building design, infrastructure to support the Afghanistan war, improvements to I-35 and leadership (with General Ray Barrett).

Right on the heels of our conference was the NSPE Annual Meeting in Boston.  This meeting has changed dramatically in recent years and is now one of the very best conferences I attend each year.  Attendees have opportunities to improve their leadership skills, delve into technical issues, discuss ethical considerations with national experts and meet and mingle with leaders of the largest engineering professional society in the world.  And, the fastest growing program is for young engineers, modeled in part off of our own Young Engineers Roundtable.

If the KSPE Annual Conference and NSPE Annual Meeting bring the 2005-2006 activity year to a close, the KSPE State and Chapter Leadership Development Conference is about beginning the 2006-2007 activity year.  Scheduled for Friday, August 18 at the Manor Center in Topeka, this year’s Leadership Conference will build on the tools and learning from last year’s successful conference.  It’s FREE and YOU ARE INVITED.  The Conference is for everyone, not just current KSPE leaders.  If you are, ever were or ever want to be more involved in your professional society this conference is for you.  Did I mention it is FREE!  For details go to www.kansasengineer.org.

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SMALL DAM OWNER SEMINAR

This free non-technical seminar will provide dam owners with information about the care of their dam, causes of failures, permitting and emergency action planning. Sponsored by the Kansas Department of Agriculture, Division of Water Resources, the event is in Chanute, Kansas on August 23 from 1-5:00 pm at the Memorial Auditorium. Register online or phone Beth Cooper for information (785) 296-0573.

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