Local Member Receives “Young Engineer Award" At Maui Convention
Outstanding professional, committed leader and eager volunteer. These are just a few phrases to describe Lyndsey Alm, environmental engineer with Environmental Resource Management (ERM).
Lyndsey received the 2008 ACEC Young Professional of the Year Award at the national convention last month in Maui. These awards recognize the accomplishments of young engineers by highlighting their interesting and unique work, and the resulting impact on society.
Although she’s still early in her career, Lyndsey’s accomplishments are impressive. She’s a regular presenter at technical conferences throughout Minnesota, she served on the ACEC/MN board of directors and is active on the scholarship committee. She’s also been instrumental in initiating monthly journal round tables at her firm to promote continuing education.
The young engineer award winners will be featured in a full-page ad in USA TODAY during Engineers Week, February 17-23, 2008.
2007-08 Membership Directory Hot Off The Presses
The 2007-08 ACEC/MN membership directory is at the printer and will be mailed to members and key principals next week. The directory is free to members and clients, however there is a $25 fee for vendors and a $6 fee for individuals looking for employment. If you would like extra copies of the directory, send an e-mail to Lynae Peterson at lpeterson@acecmn.org. In addition to the printed version of the directory, there is also a downloadable version at www.acecmn.org.
Will You Have 24 Hours of Continuing Education By June 30?
By June 30, 2008, engineers and other design professionals will be required to renew their professional licenses and show proof of completing 24 hours of continuing education or professional development hours (PDH) to the Board of Registration. PDHs can be accrued from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2008. A maximum of 12 PDHs are allowed for carry-over and you cannot carry over from an exempt period. If you were exempt from reporting continuing education with your 2006 renewal, ALL 24 hours must have been obtained on or after July 1, 2006.
Renewal Forms and continuing education reporting forms will NOT be mailed to licensees and certificate holders. Instead, a postcard directing individuals to the Board’s website www.aelslagid.state.mn.us will be sent. Statuary requirements regarding continuing education are also posted on the site.
You have the option of either printing your forms and mailing them to the board’s office with the proper fee or renewing online using a Visa or MasterCard.
If you are looking for continuing education hours, check out the ACEC/MN web site www.acecmn.org to review classes, seminars and conferences available. In addition to ACEC/MN sponsored events, other educational opportunities provided by outside groups are listed with registration and contact information.
Here's a brief recap of ACEC/MN sponsored events coming up:
10/19: ACEC/MN Brown Bag: Green Products for Storm Water Management - New Permeable Pavers @ Marriott Minneapolis West Sponsored by: Anchor Block Company
10/25: ACEC/MN Educational Seminar: Finance for Engineers @ Marriott Minneapolis West 8am
11/5: ACE/MN Monthly Meeting: Regulatory Changes in Minnesota from Exempt Table Rules to Enforcement Marriott Minneapolis West 11:30am
11/9: The Newly Introduced VAST Paver and Other EPIC™ System Feedback @ Marriott Minneapolis West Sponsored by: Glenn Rehbein Companies
11/15: ACEC/MN Educational Seminar: Full or 1/2 day seminar on “Scope Screen & Liability at the Sound of Light - Presenter: Michael Ingardia @ Marriott Minneapolis West 8am Please Note: All seminars, monthly meetings and brown bags will be held at the Marriott Minneapolis West.
Construction Codes Advisory Council Seeks Engineering Representative
Legislation passed earlier this year reestablished the Construction Codes Advisory Council, which was sunsetted a few years back. The council is made up of representatives from a variety of agencies, professions and trades. One of the positions on the council is an engineer. If you or someone you know is interested in serving on the council, an application can be found at www.sos.state.mn.us
The purpose of the council is to review laws, codes, rules, standards, and licensing requirements relating to building construction and may:
- Recommend ways to eliminate inconsistencies, to streamline construction regulation and construction processes, and to improve procedures within and among jurisdictions;
- Review and comment on current and proposed laws and rules to promote coordination and consistency;
- Advise agencies on possible changes in rules to make them easier to understand and apply; and
- Promote the coordination, within each jurisdiction, of the administration and enforcement of construction codes.
The council shall report its findings and recommendations to the commissioner of administration and the head of any other affected agency by the end of each calendar year. The council may recommend changes in laws or rules governing building construction.
Twenty-Two Firms Submit Projects In Awards Competition
ACEC/MN member firms have submitted 29 projects in the Engineering Excellence Awards competition. Final entries for the competition are due to the ACEC/MN office by 12 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 31. The winners in this year’s competition will be decided on Thursday, November 29, 2007, where a distinguished panel of judges will review the submitted entries.
The winners in this year's competition will be honored at a special banquet on Friday, January 25, 2008 at International Market Square in Minneapolis. If you have any questions about the awards competition please call Lynae Peterson at the ACEC/MN office at 952-593-5533.
- Final State Entries Due: October 31, 2007 (12 p.m.)
- State Judging: November 29, 2007
- Notice of state grand/honor winners: November 30, 2007
- Final National Entries Due to ACEC National in Washington, DC: January 11, 2008 (12 p.m.)
- State Awards Banquet: January 25, 2008
- National Judging: February 8-10, 2008
- National Awards Gala: April 29, 2008 in Washington, D.C.
Emerging Professionals Committee Hosts Kick-off Oct. 24
ACEC/MN has formed a new Emerging Professionals committee created to increase involvement by younger members in the organization’s activities. Please join us at our first event to socialize, network, and discuss: “Benefits of Participating in a Professional Organization"?
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
5-6 pm Social Hour
6 pm Program
Stub & Herbs
227 Oak Street SE, Minneapolis
For more information about this committee or the event, contact Committee Director Tina Wyffels at twyffels@bkbm.com or (763) 843-0436.
Committee Chatter
Scholarship Committee (Chairperson – Lance Newman – Progressive Consulting Engineers) The scholarship program is off and running and the committee would like to thank firms that have donated to the fund this year (see below). There is still time to donate and contributions are voluntary. If your firm would like to help ACEC/MN meet its goals, please send your firm's contribution, or notice of intent to contribute, to Melissa Langowski at the ACEC/MN office by November 16, 2007.
Century (Gift of $100 per index or greater)
BKBM Engineers, Inc.
Dag Knudsen, Inc.
David Conkey (Glenn Gausman Memorial)
H. Robert Anderson & Associates, Inc.
Michaud Cooley Erickson
TKDA
Patron (Gift of $50 - $99 per index)
Clark Engineering Corporation
Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, Inc.
Mattson Macdonald Young
SEH, Inc.
SRF Consulting Group Contributor (Gift of $1 - $49 per index)
McConkey Johnson Soltermann, Inc.
Walker Parking Consultants/Engineers
WSB & Associates Don Stormoe Scholarship
American Engineering Testing, Inc.
The scholarship program has been very successful in steering students toward careers in consulting engineering. ACEC/MN has partners and principals in member firms, some very active in the association, that were past scholarship recipients. In the next few issues of Parameters, we’ll be highlighting some of those individuals.
Previous Scholarship Recipient
David Knaeble, Olsson Associates, Assistant Engineer
College Background
I graduated from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities with a degree in Civil Engineering in May, 2006. I spent the summer traveling in southern Europe and southeast Asia before I started work for Olsson Associates in September of 2006.
ACEC/MN Involvement
I was awarded an ACEC/MN scholarship during the 2005-06 school year. I have not been as active in ACEC/MN as I would like to be. I attended the first monthly meeting of the year on Oct. 1, and I also played in the ACEC softball tournament. Outside of ACEC, I have been helping mentor a group of students at the University of Minnesota with their senior design project.
Something fun, noteworthy about receiving scholarship
At the awards banquet, I remember being impressed with a lot of the projects that won engineering excellence awards, and hoping that one day I would be on a team that wins an award.
News From Around the Membership
Stanley Consultants announced that Gayle Roberts, PE, was elected president and chief operating officer.
Barr Engineering Company announced its acquisition of Service Engineering Group, an environmental engineering firm with offices in St. Paul and Duluth, Minnesota.
Sebesta Blomberg announced Robert A. Barker, CFM is now director of airport services.
Damon Chmela, PE, joined Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc. (SEH) as the company's mechanical and electrical (M/E) engineering group leader.
MBJ Consulting Structural Engineers promoted Brion Szwed, PE, LEED, AP to associate principal.
Welcome New Member Firms
Burns & McDonnell Engineers-Consultants is a multidisciplinary engineering, construction and environmental professional services firm. The firm is located at 8201 Norman Center Drive, Suite 150, Bloomington, MN 55437, P: 952-288-4740. The principal is Gene Seive, PE.
Blanski Peter Kronlage & Zoch (KPK&Z) is an accounting firm that offers traditional audit, accounting, and tax compliance services. The firm is located at 7500 Olson Memorial Hwy, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55427, P: 763-546-6211. The firm principals are John Csargo, Jay Trumbower and Laura Gust.
Do Your Clients Read the Framework Newsletter?
The fall issue of Framework, ACEC’s client newsletter, hit the stands earlier this month and is receiving rave reviews. The issue features:
- A brief history of engineering including significant developmental milestones
- Early engineering pioneers
- Advancements made within the profession over the years
- Did You Know section including “History in the Making: A Time-Traveler’s Guide to Some of Our Local Landmarks
We encourage you to share this publication with your clients and remind them to complete the two-minute online readership survey at www.acecmn.org, which will help determine future topics. Survey respondents will be entered into a drawing to win a $50 Barnes & Noble gift certificate!
New Publications Added to the Resource Library
Several Zweig White Publications were recently added to the ACEC/MN Library and are available for checkout. If you are interested in reviewing these publications, contact Melissa Langowski at Melissa@acecmn.org
2007 Training & Development Survey: guide available on employee training and development programs in architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting firms.
2007 Recruiting & Retention Survey: data available on recruiting and retention practices in the architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental consulting industry
2007 Financial Performance Survey: financial performance statistics and finance & accounting data for A/E and environmental firms. Find out exactly where your firm stands among your peers!
2007-2008 Management Compensation Survey: report on salaries, bonuses, overtime pay, and total compensation for design and environmental firm leaders.
Educate Employees About ACEC/MN
Does your firm have an intranet site for employees? ACEC/MN is encouraging all firms to add the association logo with a link to www.acecmn.org on your intranet site so employees can access the latest ACEC/MN news, legislative updates, events and continuing education opportunities. It’s an easy way to let your employees know your firm supports their involvement with the association and it’s a great way to get them connected with the latest engineering news and provide them with resources dedicated solely to the profession. If you’re interested in adding this link, contact Lynae Peterson lpeterson@acecmn.org and she will send you an electronic logo to post on your site.
Quote Of the Day
"If your success is not on your own terms, if it looks good to the world but does not feel good in your heart, it is not success at all." - Anna QuindlenIf you have an announcement you’d like to see included in the next Parameters newsletter, please contact: Lynae Peterson, lpeterson@acecmn.org.
