Articles

ASCE Texas Section Report

By Angela Matthews, P.E., Texas Section Director

1. “Roping the Wind & Water in the Wide, Wide, West” Fall Meeting in Amarillo (September 28-October 1, 2011) was held at the Ambassador Hotel and had 130 registrants, over 30 technical papers, exhibitors and a tour of an operational wind farm. Topics from the Continuing Professional Development Seminars and CE Sessions explored alternative energy, sustainability and many other areas of interest. The Mayor of Amarillo joined us for our Business Luncheon and shared with us the latest on new development in Amarillo including the brand new Rick Husband International Airport. National President-Elect Andrew Herrmann spent time with our members throughout the meeting and installed the 2011-2012 Board of Directors for the Texas Section.

2. The Texas Section Board of Directors approved the Dallas Branch Bylaws in the consent agenda. Contact any of the Branch Board officers for the latest changes.

3. Section Officers Voted in this year’s election for the 2011-2012 year:
President-Elect: Jack Furlong (of Dallas Branch)

VP-Educational-Elect: LeAnne Napolillo (of Houston Branch)

VP-Professional-Elect: Stephen Crawford (of Fort Worth Branch)

VP-Technical-Elect: Keith Rutherford (of El Paso Branch)

1st Year Director-At-Large: Travis Attanasio (of Fort Worth Branch)

1st Year Director-At-Large: Regina Lemons (of Houston Branch)

4. Current 2011-2012 Officers continuing terms carried over from last year’s election:
President: Ralph O’ Quinn (of Rio Grande Valley Branch)

Past President: Amy Spicer-Smith (of Austin Branch)

VP Educational: Martin Pflanz (of Central Texas Branch)

VP Professional: Vikas Verma (of Northeast Texas Branch)

VP Technical: Bob Pierry (of Dallas Branch)

Treasurer: David Matocha (of Austin Branch)

Assistant Treasurer: Curtis Steger (not an elected position; of Austin Branch)

Sr. Director-At-Large: Shannon Smith (of Houston Branch)

2nd Year Director-At-Large: Paul Voiles (of Houston Branch)

5. The ASCE Multi Region Leadership Conference is February 10-11, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri. National ASCE will reimburse some expenses for two representatives from the Branch. The Dallas Branch will typically send the Branch Director and President-Elect to this conference. However, all members of ASCE are welcome to participate.

6. National’s Infrastructure Report Card (IRC) will be completely updated by next fall for presentation to state legislative committees. Portions of the Report Card have been publicized already and others will become finalized in the early part of 2012. It is important to get to know our legislative representatives and remind them how critical our infrastructure has become using the ASCE Infrastructure Report Card. Become a Key Contact for ASCE (instructions are provided on the National ASCE websitehttp://www.asce.org/PPLContent.aspx?id=18068)!

7. Texas Section Strategic Plan Committee is well into the phase of defining the 5-year Management Plan. The plan is to be completed and approved by January 2012 at the Executive Committee meeting.

8. The Fall 2012 Meeting will be in November at the Renaissance Worthington Hotel in Downtown Fort Worth. ASCE’s Public Relations (PR) University (full day workshop) will be made available for this meeting.

9. The Texas Section Board increased its support for Student Activities by nearly tripling the budget for Fiscal Year 2011-2012 from $3,500 to $9,500.

10. Give us (contact Angela Matthews) your input on local (within Texas, preferably Dallas area) projects that could be eligible for recognition in 2013: Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement by September 15, 2012.
(OCEA – new projects) or Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks
(HCEL – completed at least 50 years prior to nomination)
(see http://www.texasce.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=28 for more info)

Contact Angela Matthews, P.E., Texas Section Director [email protected] for comments or questions about the latest with the Texas Section