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Greetings ASCE Dallas Branch Members:

Happy New Year! Well, at least for the ASCE Dallas Branch; the Branch’s fiscal and operating year is October through September. And with our new operating year comes many new and exciting changes and events!

First – The Officer Election Results are in! The polls for the election of our 2024-2025 officers closed on Thursday, September 19^th at 6:00 pm. Thank you for participating in this election, and congratulations to the following individuals for their election into the following officer positions. 

·        Vice President: Surya Bhandari, P.E.

·        Technical Director: Amanda Koif, P.E.

·        Branch Director: Brayden Hoffman, E.I.T.

·        Secretary: Farwa Sultan, P.E.

·        Treasurer: Nalah Williams, E.I.T.

 These newly elected officers will be joining our incoming 2024-2025 Board of Directors, which includes:

·        President: Fadi Faraj, P.E.

·        President Elect: Patrick Williams, P.E.

·        Immediate Past President: Reece Taylor, P.E.

·        Texas Section Director: Carlos Balderrama, P.E.

·        Chairs of Standing Branch Committees

·        Chairs of Subsidiary Organizations

Our incoming 2024-2025 Branch Officers, to be led by Mr. Fadi Faraj, P.E., will be installed during our Annual Meeting by 2024 ASCE President Marsia Geldert-Murphey, P.E., F.ASCE.

Second – The Annual Meeting + Centennial Celebration is Here! If you haven’t already, please register today to attend and participate in our Annual Meeting and long-awaited Centennial Celebration, scheduled for the evening of Friday, October 18^th, 2024, at the Stonebriar Country Club in Frisco, Texas. This will be a special event honoring deserving individuals within our Branch, including our 2024 Engineer of the Year and Young Engineer of the Year, Ms. Julie Jones, P.E. and Ms. Amanda Koif, P.E., respectively, installing our newly elected Branch Officers, and celebrating our Centennial (i.e. 100 years of existence!)

 This event will include numerous special guests, guests of honor and VIPs, including, but not limited to:

·        2024 ASCE President: Marsia Geldert-Murphey, P.E., F.ASCE

·        ASCE Region 6 Director: Sean P. Merrell, P.E., PTOE, F.ASCE

·        ASCE Region 6 Governor: Tiffany Reed-Villarreal, P.E., M.ASCE

·        2024 ASCE Texas Section President: Mark Boyd, Ph.D., P.E. D.WRE

·        2024 ASCE Distinguished Member: Joann P. Browning, Ph.D., P.E., Dist.M.ASCE

·        2024 ASCE Dallas Branch Engineer of the Year: Julie Jones, P.E.

·        2024 ASCE Dallas Branch Young Engineer of the Year: Amanda Koif, P.E.

Because we’re celebrating our Centennial, the theme of the event will be “honoring our collective history and heritage.” Our program includes a panel discussion focused on the history and heritage of civil engineering in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Panelists include:

·        Alberta Blair, P.E. | Dallas County

·        Bob Brown, P.E. | WSP

·        Jessica Baker Daily, P.E. | Halff

·        Michael Morris, P.E. | North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)

Please consider sponsoring this event; there are still many sponsorship opportunities available for purchase. Many of the sponsorship opportunities include opportunities to highlight you or your firm’s own history and heritage. You can find these sponsorship opportunities on our website.

Seeking Volunteers!  If you are interested in getting involved in our Branch, please contact us. We have many volunteer opportunities available, including Chair positions within our Standing Committees and Subsidiary organizations; these Chair positions also serve on our Board of Directors. Now is the time as we embark on our new operating year.

Save the Date! On November 11, 2024, we will continue our tradition of meeting jointly with the Dallas Post of SAME. Please make plans to join us back at the Vouv in Dallas, Texas.

As a reminder, you can find all this information, and more, on our website and social media accounts; we’re on LinkedIn, Facebook, X and Instagram. If you are not already following us on social media, I invite you to do so. 

Lastly, as I am writing this letter, I am filled with a profound sense of gratitude and reflection. Serving as your president has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Together, we have spent the last twelve months “Honoring our Past, Celebrating our Present and Engineering our Future.” The Dallas Branch is truly exceptional.

I want to take this moment to acknowledge each and every one of our Branch Officers, Board of Directors and volunteers. Your dedication, passion, and hard work have been the driving force behind our successes. You have inspired me over and over again, watching the impact we have made together.

As I step away from this role, I am excited for the future that lies ahead for this organization under the leadership of our 2024-2025 Branch President Mr. Fadi Faraj, P.E. I have full confidence that we will continue to advance the science and profession of civil engineering in a manner consistent with the purpose of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Thank you for your trust, your support, your collaboration, and your friendship. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

Thank you.

Reece E. Taylor, P.E., M. ASCE

ASCE Dallas Branch | President ’23-‘24