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President's Message - February 2011

2011 Changes Have Been Well Received…Keep the Momentum throughout the New Year

January ASCE Dallas Branch Meeting a Success - Despite the threat of inclement weather, freezing temperatures, and bit of snow and ice, the first Branch Meeting of the year went off without a hitch!  There were over 290 members and guests in attendance at the new venue, the Dallas/Addison Marriot Quorum Hotel, on the second Monday of the month, January 10, per recent changes instituted by the Dallas Branch Board of Directors.  I heard very few complaints about the quality of food, service, A/V setups, parking, speaker, or technical group meeting at the Marriott.  If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to pass them on to our Branch Secretary, Doug Chastain, so he can inform the hotel staff.

Dallas Branch Business and Board of Directors – The Dallas Branch Board of Directors meets once a month to conduct business, just prior to the Branch Meeting. For our “State of the Union Address”, some of the topics and items we have been discussing and implementing are as follows:

• The 2010 – 2011 Dallas Branch Budget has been approved and is summarized on the Branch Website.  Board goals for the year have also been posted.
  
  
• The Branch Treasurer, Lena Peter, has been working hard to convert all of our financial records over to the QuickBooks accounting software, and has been working with our CPA to complete tax forms required by the IRS.
  
  
• The January Meeting was designated as “ASCE Membership Day”, and many members brought guests. Please do what you can to increase membership in the Society and Dallas Branch.
• Our Programs Chair, Edra Brashear, has lined up a great slate of speakers for 2011.  This will be supplemented throughout the year with seminars following the Branch meetings, organized by each of our Technical Groups.  These efforts are coordinated by Technical Director Kristin Green.
  
  
• The Fort Worth Branch hosted the 2011 Regions 3, 6 & 7 Workshop for Sections and Branches & Younger Member Conference this year on January 28 and 29. Several members of the Dallas Branch were in attendance for the conference and the Honors Lunch, where the Texas Section and Dallas Branch received several awards.
  
  
• The Future Cities Competition was very successful this year, and we ended up with a good turnout of volunteers from the Dallas Branch.
  
  
• Engineers Week is coming up from February 19 – 25.  The Dallas Branch will have an exhibit set up at the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science from Saturday through Friday of that week, and we really need volunteers to make this week a success. We will have interactive games to teach the kids what civil engineers do. You may obtain more information and sign up through the Dallas Branch Website.
  
  
• The Dallas Branch will be hosting the Annual Dallas/Fort Worth Joint Golf Tournament on April 1^st (this is NO April Fool’s Joke). Mark your calendars and get your team organized so you can support our Scholarship Program and compete for fabulous prizes!
  
  
• The Communications Committee has been hard at work keeping the Dallas Branch Website and our Newsletter up to date and chocked full of information. Please browse it to find out more about ASCE and Dallas Branch events.

February Branch Meeting – Our next Branch Meeting will be at Noon on February 14 at the Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum Hotel.  Our guest speaker will be Mr. Gary Thomas, P.E., President/Executive Director of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Agency (DART), who will provide an update on current and upcoming DART projects.  At this meeting, the Branch will also recognize those Dallas Branch Members who have achieved Life Member status this year! COME ONE…COME ALL!

Jeff Hawkins, P.E.
President
ASCE Dallas Branch, 2010 - 2011