Another year of ASCE activities is coming to a close with the approach of June. We take our official hiatus from participation in the Section’s activities from mid-June through our meeting date in September. I hope, however, that each of you will continue to stay active this summer in relation to your involvement and membership in ASCE and the Seattle Section.

Your activities can be social - see Bob Boudinot’s comments on the North Branch’s upcoming picnic. They can be through involvement in the Section’s leadership - each committee will be looking to identify candidates for nomination to be chair of the committee for the upcoming year. Or, your involvement can be less active, but just as meaningful, - thinking of ideas you can suggest to improve the Section’s services and products to better serve you, and then communicating those ideas to any of the Section officers.

I think the Section has something to offer each of our members, but I know we can improve our offering to you as we go along. Your help is needed in that effort.

I hope to see a number of you at the June meeting. The programs this year have been very interesting and worthwhile. I’m sure June’s meeting will prove to fall in line with others. Arthur Fleming has done a wonderful job of lining up these quality programs for our enjoyment and benefit, and I want to thank him for his efforts.

Another person who deserves a tremendous amount of credit in keeping the Seattle Section going is Cathy Smith. She has been very active on a number of fronts in the Section (as well as in her national involvement with Student Chapter Activities). Cathy has announced her "retirement" from the position of Seattle Section Newsletter Editor. I know her successor will do a wonderful job as well. But I must tell each of you just how much I have enjoyed working with Cathy on this monthly endeavor to produce the Newsletter, and how pleased the Section Board is with the results she has achieved.

Cathy assumed the position of Editor when the Newsletter was in good condition, well regarded, and meeting the needs of the Section. Cathy has been able to answer some very tough questions the Board asked when we were considering what to do about the expense side of the Newsletter (Believe it or not, the Newsletter consumes over 50% of our Section budget every year, so this position is very important in terms of financial impact upon the Section.) Cathy’s response has included going out and bringing in more advertisement to help offset rising costs.

One of the major improvements Cathy has made is timeliness of delivery. There are still snags beyond her control at times, but she has corrected a long standing problem of the past. She has been ever patient and helpful in pulling things together after each contributor has used up all of the "float" in the schedule. I’m sure that, even though she was on the other end of the phone line, the smile was still there. Maybe it was a bit strained at times, having to prod me for my articles, but it was always a cheerful voice that makes you know she is smiling. All the while pressing to make her deadline.

Thank you, Cathy, from the Board, and from me personally, for your tremendous efforts on behalf of the Section. You’ve made our jobs much easier.

Have a great summer, everybody, both personally and professionally. I look forward to seeing you in the fall, if not before.

John

Ask not what your engineering profession can do for you, but what you can do for your engineering profession. I feel that the Seattle Section of ASCE does have good participation from its membership in its many committees--especially the technical committees. However, some of our standing committees are languishing and need champions to spearhead their resurrection. I suspect that many of you are unaware of these dormant committees and would be more than willing to take on a leadership role as a chair or participant if only you knew they existed. They include: 1) University Advisory, 2) Minority Program, and 3) Public Information. If you have an interest in chairing or participating in one or more of the above committees or know someone who might be interested, please call or e-mail me at 206-695-4720 and shart@rwbeck.com .

The University Advisory Committee is responsible for working with the Faculty, Department Chairs and Deans of Engineering of the University of Washington and Seattle University in order to assist in establishment of a curricula that meets the needs of future civil engineers. The committee may also assist in matters pertaining to accreditation, continuing education, and student chapter and committee professional entry guidance. The committee further acts on behalf of the Section to exchange views between educators and practitioners.

The Committee on Minority Programs is responsible for making the general membership aware of policies of the National society with respect to minorities, as well as legislation and local regulations that may affect the minority engineer. The committee distributes information on ASCE programs that are available to assist minority students at all levels of education and employment practices.

The Public Information Committee is responsible for providing information to the news media with respect to the Section’s activities including information on the monthly Section meetings. The Committee prepares articles for publication in the local newspapers including the Journal of Commerce with respect to new officers of the Section, continuing education courses, special awards given by the society, appointments of the Section’s members to national committees and local commissions, and any other matters that may be of interest to the public relating to the works or accomplishments of civil engineers.

Each of these committees are important to the Section and I would like to see all of them active during the coming year commencing in October. Previously, the University Advisory Committee had been making progress in starting a Section mentoring program, which would have been very beneficial to both students and younger members. But the program never went further than the planning stages. I am hoping that this committee could be started up again and initiate a mentorship program as one of its activities. The Committee on Minority Programs has not been active for many years. My sense is that "diversity in the workplace" has been losing interest by local employers. The committee would be very helpful in introducing educational programs and awards to local engineering firms and governmental engineering organizations and by working with outreach programs such as the University of Washington’s Minority Science and Engineering Program. Another committee that has been dormant for the past year is the Public Information Committee. Obviously, this committee is important to our society in keeping the public informed on the importance of civil engineering and on our Section’s activities.

All incoming committee chairs will receive leadership training during a workshop sometime in late August. For the Public Information Committee, the Chair will receive specialized training during a 3-hour workshop to learn how to prepare a press release and news media press kit. The terms of the different chairs generally commence in September.

If you are interested in chairing or participating in one of the above committees or any other standing and technical committees your involvement will be appreciated; in fact, nominations and elections for new committee chairs and other committee officers will be held in the next few months. Other committees include Legislative, Student, History & Heritage, Professional Practices, Management in Engineering, Structural, Water Resources & Environmental, Transportation & Infrastructure, Geotechnical, Waterways, and Lifeline-Earthquake. Please call or e-mail the current committee chairs or me.

Ms. Patricia D. Galloway, P.E., F.ASCE is seeking the office of National President-elect 1998-1999. The following is her vision for ASCE if she is elected ASCE’s National President in the year 2000.

ASCE’s vision is to be the worldwide leader for excellence in civil engineering. This will require changes within our Society including changes in its governance, the roles and responsibilities of the Board and officers, and programs in order to meet the Strategic Plan goals. Another major change is the formation of Institutes. The Institutes embrace the team concept, which will foster a Society for civil engineering. Technical excellence, business leadership and global competitiveness are my agenda items which will ensure these changes are accomplished. ASCE’s vision can only be fulfilled with the involvement of our Sections and Branches in partnership with National. ASCE does not start in Washington, but rather at our local level. Since 1975, I have been active in both local and national activities. My record proves the assurance and confidence that I, in partnership with the Sections and Branches, can implement these changes.

The National Capital Section Board of Direction and the District 5 Council urges support of Delon Hampton as our 1998-1999 ASCE President-Elect.

He’s the right candidate - Delon’s unique career experience and success in education, consulting, politics and policy, business, management, and volunteerism give him exceptional perspectives across the profession. He has strong management and coalition-building skills, the eminence to be heard, and commitment to our profession.

-in the right place - Delon resides and works close to ASCE World Headquarters in Reston, VA, ASCE Washington office, the halls of government, and the headquarters of many allied organizations. More importantly, he’s known and respected in Washington, D.C., and, thus offers a very special opportunity for the Society to make exceptional progress on its goal to be more influential in the public policy arena.

-at the right time . Our society has never been more dynamic. The Strategic Planning process has redefined ASCE. The next Strategic Planning exercise will be launched in the year 2000 under the supervision of the candidate we are about to select. Delon Hampton is exactly the right candidate, with the right combination of skills and experience, to lead the Society at this time. He has demonstrated the ability to manage change in a complex environment.

Election ballots should be contained in the July 1998 issue of ASCE News. We strongly recommend that you give your vote to Delon.

This dynamic event for the design and construction industry and the civil engineering profession will center around industry meetings, interactive professional development seminars, and briefings with the finalists for the 1998 CERF Charles Pankow Award for Innovation. The day culminates with the gala Awards Dinner, honoring the 1998 CERF Charles Pankow Award winners, and celebrating the latest innovative, market-ready technologies for the industry. Sunbeam Corporation Chairman, Al Dunlap, will speak at the Awards Dinner and sign copies of his book, Mean Business, following the dinner. For further information, please contact TJ Rainsford of CERF at 202 842-0555 or corporate@cerf.org .