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Hello ASCE Dallas Branch Members: 

It’s June and summer is upon us! And it has arrived in a flurry of severe weather. My thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by these recent storms. 

Thank you to our Younger Members for organizing and leading our meeting for Younger Member Month in May. I appreciate our ASCE Dallas Branch Director Amanda Koif, P.E., C.F.M, our Younger Member Chair Clint Owens, and the rest of the YM Committee for the great job organizing our Branch meeting and hosting the Younger Member event that included participation in the “White Rock Lake Saturday Shoreline Cleanup” on May 11^th. 

Branch Meeting News! On Monday, June 10^th, the keynote presentation of our June Branch Meeting, sponsored by BGE, Inc., will feature Mr. Clayton Zacha, P.E., Area Engineer for TxDOT and Mr. Blake Axen, P.E., Senior Project Manager for BGE, Inc. presenting on TxDOT’s Interstate Highway (IH) 35 4B project; the presentation is titled, “Rebuilding Main Street in the ‘Heart of Texas.’” The IH 35 4B project was a 7-mile, $341 million, complete ROW-to-ROW reconstruction of IH 35 in Waco, Texas. 

Immediately prior to our keynote presentation, beginning at 11:00 AM, Mr. Marcus Galvan, P.E., Geotechnical Engineering Services Manager at Foresight Planning & Engineering Services, LLC, will present on the, “Challenges of Constructing Soil Nailed Walls in Flowing Sand Conditions, and MSE Wall External Stability.” 

Check out our website and social media accounts for more details; you can find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram.

Centennial Celebration News! We continue to celebrate our Centennial. This month, at our June Branch meeting, our esteemed colleague, Mr. Robert (Bob) Patton, P.E., BC.GE, will share some interesting, historical information about civil engineering projects, and how civil engineers delivered those projects, during the fifth decade of our Branch’s existence (1964-1973.) 

Save the Date! Make plans now to attend the 2024 Dallas and Fort Worth Branch’s Joint Meeting schedule for Friday, July 19^th. Like years past, the program will include numerous technical sessions, a keynote presentation during a plated lunch, an ethics presentation, a “bridge event” for our younger members, and plenty of networking opportunities. More information can be found on our website located here. We will not be gathering on the 2^nd Monday of July.

Also, mark your calendars now. On Wednesday, July 24^th, we’ll be hosting a watch party for ASCE’s Cities of the Future film, which is narrated by John Krasinski. Imagine stepping 50 years into the future and finding smart cities designed to be totally sustainable. Invite your friends and family, and those aspiring students looking to make an impact on their world as civil engineers. More information will be shared soon; however, if you’re interested in learning more about “Cities of the Future,” please visit its website at citiesofthefuturefilm.com.

Texas Section News! Lastly, I’m excited to share that the 2024-2025 ASCE Texas Section Officer Election is now open. All Texas Section members in good standing at the grade of distinguished member, fellow, member, associate, or affiliate member are eligible to vote. Learn all about the nominees at TexASCE.org/election.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me with your ideas, questions, and feedback. I am here to serve you and the Dallas Branch to the best of my abilities. If you are looking for ways to get involved, I’d love to speak with you. Together, we are “Honoring our Past, Celebrating our Present and Engineering our Future.”

My best!

Reece E. Taylor, P.E.

ASCE Dallas Branch | President ’23-‘24