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Kansas Professional Engineer eNews

July 2009, Issue 5

In this Issue:

• Summer is Time for Growth

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

by Douglas Danaher, P.E.

We are literally in the heat of the summer season.  Little league baseball, summer vacations, camping, swimming, barbeques, family gatherings, sunburns, etc., summertime in America is hard to beat, we’re truly blessed.  I hope everyone is having a fun and safe summer.

Great job goes out to our Annual Conference Committee (Adam Stodola, Chair), Young Engineers Roundtable Committee (Simon Sun, Chair) and KSPE Staff for planning and executing a wonderful Annual Conference in Overland Park a few weeks ago.  The theme “Engineering – Responding to Change - Shaping the Future” was a very timely topic and the program was packed with valuable and fun sessions.  The success of our Annual Conference is a shining example of what can be accomplished by Committees with enthusiastic leadership, guidance from previous committee members and strong grass-roots support.  Great job and thank you for your efforts!

I’m excited and humbled to have the opportunity to serve as KSPE President for this upcoming 2009 – 2010 year.  A big reason I’m excited is because your KSPE Board has worked diligently with our membership to update our Strategic Plan, Mission and Bylaws in a manner that will enable us to respond to change and shape the future of our organization.  Now that the heavy lifting of planning is complete, we can focus on the fun part of executing the plan.

We all know change is the only constant, so why are we focused on change more now than in the past?  As part of planning effort we studied the age demographics of our membership and the results tell an alarming story.  Nearly 40% of our membership is 60 years of age or older, the Baby Boomers.  They are retired or are planning to retire within the next few years.  The adverse impact is being felt throughout Kansas.  Key Professional Engineer decision makers are stepping down in state and local agencies, industries, universities and private consulting practices.  I’m talking about people like Larry Emig, Dave Comstock, Mike Lackey, Dennis Clennan, Tom Mulinazzi, Don Rathbone, Bill Wilhelm, Ron Chandler, Jim Scherzberg, and Steve Carr to name just a few off the top of my head.  There are dozens more. 

The Baby Boomer generation of Professional Engineers has been bird-dogging public infrastructure, and public welfare and safety issues in Kansas for a long time.  Kansas is a great place to live and raise a family because of our high quality of life and outstanding public infrastructure, largely due to the contributions of this generation of Professional Engineers. Their record is pretty incredible if you stop and think about it.  Soon the Boomers will be retired and it will be up to us to continue their legacy and build on the great Kansas they have left us.  Working together, the next generations of KSPE membership can do our part to ensure Kansas continues to offer an excellent quality of life.

I look forward to visiting each chapter this fall with our Executive Director, Ron Gaches.  Thank you to Tri-Valley for getting our first visit scheduled.  Other Chapter Presidents, please let me or Ron Gaches know ASAP when you’d like us to visit your chapter.

All members - especially Young Engineers - please get involved in a local chapter or state committee!  With enough help, our local and state activities can move mountains without putting too much burden on any one member.  It’s an excellent opportunity to network with peers across the state, learn, have some fun and enjoy the satisfaction of your accomplishments.  Please coordinate with your Chapter President to find a local or state committee that interests you and let someone know you are available.  Enthusiasm is the only pre-requisite.

Employers, please encourage involvement with your employees; and employees, please thank your employers if you’re allowed to participate during these tight economic times.

KSPE is blessed with a star-studded line up of Committee Chairs this year.  Our Chairs are currently busy filling their Committees, so please let your Chapter President know if you’re interested in serving on one of the State Committees.

KSPE MATHCOUNTS Committee – Amy Houghton, Chair

KSPE Annual Conference Committee – Jason Duncan, Chair

KSPE Young Engineers Roundtable – Simon Sun, Chair

KSPE Awards Committee – Larry Stoss, Chair

KSPE Budget Committee – Ed Sexe and Mark Williams, Co-Chairs

KSPE Legislative Committee – Mike Crow, Chair

KSPE Membership Committee – Stacey Lamer, Chair

These folks have stepped to the plate along with our Chapter Committee Chairs, so let’s overwhelm them with offerings of support so we can have a fun and successful year.

There are approximately 4,000 licensed PE’s that currently reside in Kansas.  KSPE has approximately 600 members (only 15% of the potential membership pool).  Considering all the services and programs that KSPE and NSPE offer to PE’s in Kansas, I believe we can significantly grow our membership this year.  Becoming a larger and stronger State Society is important to protecting the value of PE licensure and providing a unified sounding board for all issues impacting PE’s that arise throughout our great State.

We know that peer-to-peer recruitment is the most impactful and effective membership too.  Most of us work with non-member PE’s. Invite them to a meeting, let them know what KSPE and NSPE are all about and encourage them to join and get involved.  The KSPE membership committee and staff have prepared resources to assist the chapters in membership recruitment, such as a listing of all PE’s residing in the Chapter, new membership recruitment brochure, KSPE Strategic Plan and Mission Statement handout, Engineers Creed, etc.  These materials are useful, but we all know the biggest benefit of being a KSPE member is the camaraderie and networking at the Chapter and Committee meetings, working with and getting to know your peers and senior mentors.

KSPE will be well represented at the upcoming NSPE Annual Meeting in St. Louis July 15 – 19.  Currently, six KSPE members and staff are signed up to attend.  We look forward to discussing issues important to PE’s across the nation at this meeting, including the status of various state-only membership programs like ours.  Please let Executive Director Ron Gaches know if you are planning to attend the St. Louis meeting.

Thanks again for the opportunity to serve as your President.  I hope you’re all having a safe and enjoyable summer and are looking forward to a great year.

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE:

Summertime Update

by Ron Gaches, J.D.

When George Gershwin wrote “Summertime and the living is easy …”, he couldn’t have imagined the Summer of 2009.  The economy is sputtering, private developers and public institutions are extraordinarily cautious with their capital, and employers of all stripes are trimming jobs.  There’s no easy living here.  When the living gets hard is when you most need the resources and support of your professional society.

Nearly 200 Professional Engineers gathered together for the 2009 KSPE Annual Conference in Overland Park for two and a half days of networking, professional development and deal making.  Vendors were distributing product brochures and business cards, and senior level consultants were looking for work and partners.  Attendance at this year’s conference was off slightly compared to the past couple of years – but only slightly; much better than the turnout many of our peers in other state societies have been experiencing.  No less of an authority than Mike Lackey declared it one of the best conferences ever, and Mike’s been to several conferences, he reminded me.

Our Vendor Showcase was full again this year with a variety of technical, financial and other resources available to conference attendees.  This part of our program is intentionally kept small so participants have a chance to visit with each vendor and vendors aren’t competing with a hundred other booths for your attention.  More than one vendor told me they were taking home orders or new work from the conference.

In the weeks ahead, chapter leaders will be developing their 2009-2010 meeting planning and booking programs.  New KSPE President Doug Danaher, PE and I look forward to being part of many of those meetings.  During his comments following the installation of officers, Doug described two priorities for his term – growing KSPE membership and increasing the involvement of our members in KSPE and Chapter activities.

A meeting of the new KSPE Board and Chapters Presidents with our Membership Committee has been set for August 21^st in Topeka to discuss our membership development and retention programs.  KSPE leaders will leave the meeting with clear expectations for membership growth and the tools to make it happen.  The creation of the Associate Member program gives all Professional Engineers an affordable way to become involved in the professional society.  Just a couple of weeks ago the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers created its own state-only membership program very much like Kansas’ program, and the North Carolina Society of Professional Engineers has put a resolution on the agenda at the upcoming NSPE Board of Directors meeting to formally authorize State Societies the power to create their own unique membership programs.  Membership activity will be front and center at the upcoming NSPE meeting in St. Louis.

Three years ago, KSPE President Chris Bohm encouraged each chapter to take on a community project as a special investment in their hometown and many chapters responded.  KSPE wants to continue to promote unique chapter activities and the support KSPE members have shown for MATHCOUNTS, Future Cities, Project Lead the Way, and numerous other local and state programs.  Please forward to Amy Schlink (amy@gachesbraden.com) details about your chapter programs and we’ll help you promote your activities and work to attract local media to your efforts.

Partnering with ACEC of Kansas is something we do all the time at KSPE, and the recent Annual Conference would not have been a success without the ongoing support of ACEC firms.  We partner on key policy issues also.  A recent example is defending the current Qualifications Based Selection policy of the City of Lawrence.  New city commissioners have questioned the QBS policy and urged city staff to investigate what other Kansas communities are doing to contract with professional design services.  While there hasn’t been any final outcome of this discussion, we’ve been successful in using our personal contacts with city commissioners to work the issue, allowing local consulting firms to take a step back from the immediate discussion.

On a personal and final note, KSPE staff member Brandy Johnson and her husband Tyler are the proud parents of a new baby daughter, Brooke Michelle Johnson.  Brandy missed her first KSPE conference in nine years, but was with us in spirit.  Brandy and Brooke are doing great and Brandy will be back in the office in the next few weeks.

Please don’t hesitate to contact KSPE staff with your questions, comments and suggests.  We’re here to serve you.

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Installation of officers at KSPE annual conference
Congratulations to our new Officers! The Officer installation ceremony was held Thursday, June 11th at KSPE's Annual Conference in Overland Park.

Newly Elected KSPE Officers 2009-2010

President – Douglas Danaher, P.E. (Eastern, PEPP)

President Elect – Brian Armstrong, P.E. (Topeka, PEPP)

1st Vice President – Glenn Knak, P.E. (Smoky Valley, PEPP)

2nd Vice President – Edward Sexe, P.E. (Topeka, PEC)
Secretary – Keith D. Beatty, P.E. (Tri-Valley, PEPP)

Treasurer – Mark Williams, P.E. (Eastern)

Past President – Tom Roberts, P.E., CMC (Tri-Valley, PEHE)

KSPE Officers Take Oath

Left to right (Brian Armstrong, Glenn Knak, Ed Sexe, Tom Roberts, Doug Danaher, Keith Beatty, and Mark Williams)

Outgoing KSPE President Tom Roberts (center), accepts an
honorary Past President's plaque from KSPE Past President Chris Price (left).

Thank you to our current and newly elected Officers! We appreciate your dedication and hard work to promote the engineering profession.

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Highlights of the 2009 KSPE Annual conference

The 2009 KSPE Annual Conference was a great success! The event, held June 10-12, 2009 in Overland Park, had nearly 200 in attendance. KSPE members enjoyed an exciting round of golf, had a blast at evening receptions, explored the Royals Stadium, and even learned a thing-or-two at the educational sessions. Check out the pictures below for highlights from the 2009 KSPE Annual Conference.

GOLF TOURNAMENT, DEER CREEK GOLF CLUB
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10TH

(Left to right) Larry Frevert, Keith Beatty, Simon Sun, and Gordon Smith pose
for a photo after the tournament.

Below: From driving golf carts to photo opportunities and practicing their game,
KSPE members enjoyed their time on the course with friends. 

ICEBREAKER AND GOLF AWARDS, DEER CREEK GOLF CLUB
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10TH
 

KSPE Board Member Ed Sexe makes an enthusiastic
donation to the KSPE PAC at the Icebreaker.

Clarence Munsch announces the prize winners from the golf tournament.

Below: Icebreaker attendees enjoy a barbeque dinner and the chance to mingle with fellow KSPE members.

KSPE ANNUAL CONFERENCE

MARRIOTT HOTEL, OVERLAND PARK
THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, JUNE 11TH-12TH

Tim Austin (right) has a good laugh with Terracon vendor, Kent Dvorak.

Adam Stodola, Annual Conference Planning Committee Chair,

addresses the audience at an educational session.

Chad Lawson (left) and Larry Stoss, chat during break.

Conference attendees pose for a picture as they enjoy the vendor showcases.

PRESIDENT'S RECEPTION

MARRIOTT HOTEL, OVERLAND PARK
THURSDAY, JUNE 11TH

(Left to right): Bill Anthony, Mike Hess, Tom Roberts,

Chris Price, and Stephanie Hale enjoy drinks during the President's Reception.

(Left to right): Jason Duncan, Mark Chinery, and Mike Morrissey
take time to network and socialize at the reception.

Troy Eisenbraun (ACEC KS President, left) and Doug Danaher (KSPE President, right),
both of Wilson & Company, mingle and discuss the exciting year ahead of them.

Below: KSPE memebers have an night full of food, fun, and laughter at KSPE President's Reception.

ROYAL'S STADIUM TOUR

FRIDAY, JUNE 12TH

Below: After a very interesting and educational presentation of the
Royal's Stadium Renovations, attendees of the Kauffman Stadium Tour were given a
box lunch to eat in the outfield and a grand tour of the facilities.

Thank you to all of those that attended the conference and made it such a memorable success! We hope to see you all at next year's conference

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Congratulations to the KSPE Award Winners

KSPE would like to congratulate the following award recipients who were recognized at the KSPE Awards Luncheon at the Annual Conference on Thursday, June 11th in Overland Park.

Larry Emig (left) presents Tim Austin (with Poe & Associates) with the NSPE Fellow award.
Tim has demonstrated professional service at the chapter, state, and
national levels, and has also showed exemplary service to the engineering
profession, the Society, and the community.

Amy Houghton (Bucher, Willis & Ratliff Corp., left) accepts the Outstanding Young
Engineer Award from Doug Danaher. The Outstanding Young Engineer Award is
given to a KSPE member who is a registered professional engineer
35 years of age or younger as of the award year. Criteria considered in the selection
are: engineering achievements, professional society activities, technical
society/activities, professional experience and educational and collegiate achievements.

Clint Robinson (Black & Veatch, left) accepts the Outstanding Citizen
Award from Doug Danaher. The Outstanding Citizen Award is based upon
a person's community involvement and significant accomplishments.

Brian Armstrong (of Bartlett & West in Topeka), accepts the Professional Development
Award from Doug Danaher on behalf of Bartlett & West, Topeka Chapter.

Bartlett & West won the award because of the firm's strong promotion and continued support
of continuing education and development for licensed engineers.

Bill Anthony (Project Developer for KBS Constructors, left) accepts the Outstanding
Engineer of the Year Award from Doug Danaher. The award is given to a registered professional
engineer, who is recognized by his or her peers to be a highly qualified engineer with
a high level of integrity.

Michael Jacobs (left) accepts the Government Engineer of the Year Award from Doug Danaher.
Criteria considered for the Government Engineer of the Year Award in the selection process are: KSPE
membership, education, professional registration, awards and honors, civic and humanitarian activities,
continuing education and engineering acheivements.
 

The City of Wichita was awarded the Outstanding Engineering Award for the Minisa

Bridge. The preservation of this Carthalite (man-made stone) bridge was completed with outstanding

restoration work by the design engineers with the City of Wichita.
 

John Ourada (left) accepts the KSPE Award from Doug Danaher. The award is given to those members
of the Society that demonstrate exemplary service to the profession, service to the community for the benefit
of humankind, as well as many other standards of excellence.

Not pictured is Clifton Speegle of Affinis Corp. Clifton was awarded the Outstanding
Intern Engineer Award. This award is given to an engineer that has passed the Fundamentals
of Engineering exam, but is not yet a registered professional engineer.

Congratulations to all of our award winners!

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Welcome New Order of the engineer members

The Order of the Engineer is a solemn obligation to oneself to uphold devotion to the standards and the dignity of the engineering profession. It is an obligation to turn to practical use principles of science and the means of technology...to serve humanity by making the best use of the earth's precious wealth. The following recieved their rings at the KSPE Annual Conference on June 11th, 2009.

Tom Roberts (far left) welcomes KSPE Members, (left to right) 
Sheryl Gallagher, Adam Stodola, and Bill Miller to the Order of the Engineer.

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annual conference sponsor and vendor recognition

Our 2009 KSPE Annual Conference was a wonderful success, due in large part to the significant financial contributions of our conference sponsors and vendors. We appreciate the commitment that was demonstrated to our Society, and anticipate another great conference next year in Topeka, June 16-18, 2010. Thank you for your support!

2009 KSPE ANNUAL CONFERENCE Sponsors

 Icebreaker Reception Sponsor

Lockton Companies, LLC

President’s Reception Sponsor

Wilson & Company

Platinum Sponsor

HNTB Corporation

Gold Sponsors

Bartlett & West, Inc.

BWR Corporation

Eastern Chapter of KSPE

George Butler Associates, Inc.

Ruggles & Bohm

Terracon

Silver Sponsors

Aquaterra Environmental Solutions, Inc.

Baughman Company P.A.

Kirkham Michael & Associates, Inc.

MKEC Engineering Consultants, Inc.

Parsons Brinckerhoff

Poe & Associates, Inc.

Professional Engineering Consultants, P.A.

Wildcat Construction

Bronze Sponsors

Affinis Corp

Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS)

AXA Equitable/AXA Advisors, LLC

Cretex Midwest

HDR Engineering, Inc.

Heavy Constructors Association

Kansas State University

Larkin Group, Inc.

LC Engineers, P.A.

Level-4 Engineering LLC

MJ Harden, a GeoEye Company

TranSystems

University of Kansas School of Engineering

2009 KSPE ANNUAL CONFERENCE VENDORS

Aerometric

Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS)

AXA Equitable/AXA Advisors, LLC

Contech Construction Products

Kansas State University

KSPE PAC

Mayer Specialty Services, LLC

MJ Harden, a GeoEye Company

MO/KS Concrete Pipe Association

Ozarks Vanguard ADA Solutions

Pioneer Marketing

Terracon

University of Kansas School of Engineering

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Kansas Professional Engineers & Surveyors Licensure Recognition Ceremony

Mark your calendar! All KSPE members are invited to attend the Kansas Professional Engineers and Surveyors Licensure Recognition Ceremony on Friday, July 10, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. in the 2nd floor Rotunda of the Kansas Statehouse.

In conjunction with the Kansas State Board of Technical Professions, KSPE will congratulate the Professional Engineers as they receive their Kansas Certificate of Licensure. Secretary of Transportation Deb Miller, will be our keynote speaker for the event.

We want to make this a very special event for the newly licensed engineers and hope you will be able to attend!

Please RSVP your attendance to Judy Swanson at 785.233.2121 or judy@kansasengineer.org.

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2009-2010 Future City Competition Challenge

CREATING GREEN LIVING SPACES TO HOUSE THE NEEDIEST;

 THAT’S NATIONAL ENGINEERS WEEK FOUNDATION’S

2009-10 FUTURE CITY® COMPETITION CHALLENGE FOR

AMERICA’S MIDDLE SCHOOLERS

WASHINGTON DC, May 26 2009 - Designing affordable housing for those most in need is enormously complicated.  But how to do it while adhering to LEED recognized green building standards, with an emphasis on energy efficiency and a low carbon footprint?

That’s the challenge for America’s middle schoolers as they prepare for National Engineers Week Foundation’s 2009-10 Future City® Competition. Now entering its 18^th year, Future City Competition invites seventh and eighth graders nationwide to create the cities of tomorrow and encourages interest in science, technology, engineering and math through hands-on applications.

“Future City motivates students to learn more about the possibilities and opportunities for careers in engineering,” said Leslie Collins, Executive Director, National Engineers Week Foundation. “As they participate in the competition, they realize that engineering is exciting and creative and that they can use what they know to make a difference in the world.  Helping young people discover what the field has to offer is a critical step in insuring that the engineering profession continues to grow in the years ahead.”

Themed Providing An Affordable Living Space For People Who Have Lost Their Home Due to a Disaster or Financial Emergency, this year’s Future City Competition will attract more than 33,000 students from 1,100 middle schools in regions located across the country.  Participating students will be asked to design a model of their city using SimCity 4 Deluxe software, provided by Electronic Arts, and then build a physical model of the city using recycled materials.  They will also write a research essay describing their design and a second narrative outlining the key features of their city.
 

The regional competition gets underway with the new school year in September and culminates with the regional finals in January.  One winning team from each region qualifies for a trip to the national finals in Washington DC, which take place during Engineer’s Week, February 15-17, 2010.  The National Finals Grand Prize winners receive a trip to U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, provided by National Finals host Bentley Systems, Incorporated. The second and third prize winners receive $5,000 and $2,000 scholarships for their schools’ technology programs.
 

“We learned that engineering is more than just making sure that buildings work the way they are supposed to,” commented Tom Krajnak, 14, a member of the 2009 Grand Prize winning team from Bexley Middle School in Bexley, Ohio.  “Engineers are involved in every aspect of building a city.  We discovered how necessary they are and now we know the reasons why.”

Registration deadline for schools nationwide is October 31, 2009 but, to help students get an early start before the close of the current school year, Future City is offering early registration to interested students.  Future City is also looking for professional engineers who may be interested in serving as mentors. For information, school registration, or to volunteer in the Future City Competition, visit www.futurecity.org or call Kansas Regional Coordinator, Howard Lubliner at 785-296-4139.

About Future City Competition

The 18^th Annual Future City Competition, for seventh and eighth grade students, is held from September, 2009 through February, 2010. The National Future City Competition is sponsored in part by the National Engineers Week Foundation, a consortium of professional and technical societies and major U.S. corporations. Major funding comes from Bentley Systems, Incorporated, Ford Motor Company and Shell.  

About Engineers Week

The National Engineers Week Foundation, a formal coalition of more than 100 professional societies, major corporations and government agencies, is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers among young students and by promoting pre-college literacy in math and science.  Engineers Week also raises public understanding and appreciation of engineers' contributions to society.  Founded in 1951, it is among the oldest of America's professional outreach efforts.  Co-chairs for 2010 are ExxonMobil Corporation and the American Society of Civil Engineers.

 For more information, visit www.eweek.org.

CONTACT:

Kansas Regional Coordinator:

Howard Lubliner

785-296-4139

HowardL@ksdot.org

Sayles & Winnikoff Communications:

Jennifer Buglione

(212) 725-5200 ex. 112

jennifer@sayleswinnikoff.com

Rick Gomes

(212) 725-5200 ex. 114

rick@sayleswinnikoff.com

Jamie Goldman

(212) 725-5200 ex. 122

jamie@sayleswinnikoff.com

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NSPE Offers Unique Opportunities in St. Louis

KSPE members looking for unique professional development opportunities should consider attending the NSPE Annual Meeting in St. Louis, July 15-20.  Special emphasis is being given to Professionalism in Practice and development programs for state society leaders.  Recent years have seen dramatic improvements in the NSPE Annual Conference, and this year’s meeting looks to be an outstanding opportunity to continue your personal and professional development, and to network with Professional Engineering leaders from across the nation.  Come and celebrate NSPE's 75th anniversary with your peers. For more information on NSPE's Annual Conference, please visit: http://www.nspe.org/AnnualMeeting/index.html.

You'll find countless opportunities to network with engineering leaders, make important business connections, earn professional development hours, and be brought up-to-date on issues impacting our profession and our Society.
 
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NSPE Workshop: Professionalism in Practice

Register today to attend NSPE's workshop: Professionalism in Practice. This workshop will be held at the 2009 NSPE Annual Meeting in St. Louis, July 19th. The workshop will feature great topics to help you gain the professional development credits you need. The workshop is value priced at only $99! This registration fee covers a networking lunch and 7.0 PDHs! Click Here for more information.

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Welcome new members!

KSPE would like to welcome the following new members who have joined since our last issue.

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Mark your calendar!

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