Although it is the summer months and the chapter meetings do not start until September, it has been a very busy summer for our committees.  I have recently visited the website and am pleased to inform you that recent committee meeting minutes are either already posted or will be posted shortly for the Awards Committee, the Business Practices Committee, the CFO Roundtable, the Environmental Committee, the Government Affairs Committee, the Public Relations Committee, the Municipal Services Committee and certain subcommittees under the Transportation Committee.  I would encourage you to review the minutes for the committee where you have an interest and ask to participate in the next meeting, if you do not belong to a committee.  Please feel free to contact the committee chair and request that you be added to his/her committee.

I also want to thank all of you who participated in a very successful golf tournament on July 14, 2008 for our scholarship fund.  Although I could not be present for the event since I was out of the country, I understand everything went very well and more than  $10,000 was raised for scholarships.  I want to thank every firm who sponsored, who sent golfers, and who assisted at the event, with a special thanks to Mike Bougher for leading the efforts again this year.

As you read this, many of you and/or your companies have been contacted regarding our PAC fund raising for both ACEC National and ACEC/PA.  I trust you will seriously consider giving something to both these PACs as these monies are used to sponsor events and support candidates who support our industry.  I am pleased with the credibility we are gaining with the legislature in Harrisburg; this comes as a direct result of member’s visits and telephone or emails to your legislators, PAC events where these folks are invited to attend, and monies in support of their reelection.  We treat monies given very seriously and have a committee review and decide where monies are to be distributed.  If you have not already done so, please consider giving now – it is not too late.

We excitedly welcome the new member firms, affiliate member firms, associate member firms and life members to our organization.  Please see the listing of these firms and the short synopsis of services provided at the bottom of the ACEC/PA home page.  We are grateful to have each of them on board and trust they will find our organization very beneficial to them in the many services and benefits that we provide.  I also want to thank both Bud Loy and Ron Drnevich (new life members) for the many years of support to ACEC/PA, both personally and from the companies they represented. 

A number of us are in the midst of planning next year’s annual meeting in Bonita Springs, FL, at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort during April 15-18, 2009.  We promise to have a variety of speakers with a  ”broad range of topics” that will interest numerous members during the business session portion of our annual meeting.  But, rest assured, we have set aside ample time for networking among those present with several additional events.  Please plan to attend for your company as it will be beneficial both to you and for your company’s opportunities for teaming on projects.

I will close this and will be visiting all the chapters during September.  I look forward to meeting you.  If you have any suggestions for me that you believe would help our organization, please give me a call at 717-763-7211 or email me at callen@gfnet.com.

Thanks again for your involvement in ACEC/PA.

 

Chester L. Allen, P.E.

President

---

 
Many thanks to all those member firms whose sponsorships and participation helped make the 7th Annual ACEC/PA Scholarship Golf Outing a successful and enjoyable event. This year’s tournament was held on July 14 at Eagles Crossing Golf Club in Carlisle, with 144 players on the course, enjoying the great weather and a day of socializing and networking with colleagues and clients.
 
Through the generosity of our member firms, the ACEC/PA Golf Outing helps to make possible the substantial scholarships that ACEC/PA awards each year to deserving engineering students. This year, the event raised nearly $11,000 to benefit scholarship winners. Watch for a complete list of this year’s 23 sponsoring firms on the ACEC/PA Website.
 
Each year, the ACEC/PA Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to the most worthy applicants. When students return to classes this fall, they can obtain scholarship applications in their school’s engineering department and financial aid offices.
 
To qualify for scholarship consideration, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, a full-time student working toward a Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited engineering program, and must meet one or more of these criteria:

1. Attending college in Pennsylvania;
2. Is a Pennsylvania resident; or
3. Serves or has served as an intern with the Pennsylvania office of an ACEC/PA member firm.

 
Scholarship applications are due by December 1, 2008, in the ACEC/PA offices. Judging will take place at the January 2009 meeting of the Public Relations Committee.

---

Pa. Turnpike Commission Sets Informational Meeting for Private Firms Interested in Expressway Partnerships

 
Sept. 17 session allows companies to learn more about opportunities to complete two unfinished toll roads.

 
HARRISBURG, PA (08/15/2008; 1308)(readMedia)-- The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission will host a Sept. 17 informational meeting for companies interested in learning more about a possible Public-Private Partnership, or "P3" to finance, design, construct, operate and/or maintain three remaining sections of the Mon-Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway toll highways near Pittsburgh. The meeting will take place Wednesday, Sept. 17 at the Holiday Inn Harrisburg East, 4757 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, Pa. from 1 to 4 p.m.

 
Turnpike CEO Joe Brimmeier said the commission remains fully committed to advancing the Mon-Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway projects to completion. "In order to do that, we need to look at all options, including alternatives like P3s," he said. "Timely completion of these projects is important to the region's economy, and we believe private involvement could accelerate construction, particularly since there's very limited funding available for new transportation projects at the state and federal levels."

 
The Turnpike Commission began considering possible applications of a P3 on the Mon-Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway in January, 2007 when it became clear that existing revenue streams were inadequate to finish the projects in a practical timetable. "We've long recognized the need for private-sector involvement in transportation funding," Brimmeier pointed out. "We believe the best use for a P3 is as initially intended:

To help build new facilities, so-called 'greenfield' projects. However, we still assert that P3s relating to 'brownfield,' projects - or existing infrastructure - offer less opportunity for the private sector to add value."

 
Informational meeting participants are encouraged to pre-register by Sept. 12 via the Turnpike website at www.paturnpike.com by selecting the

"P3 Project" item on the left of the main page. For other information on the Mon-Fayette and Southern Beltway projects, visit www.paturnpike.com/MonFaySB/.

 
The 50 miles of limited-access tolled expressway not yet under construction include the 24-mile Mon-Fayette Expressway project in Allegheny County north from Pa. Route 51 in Jefferson Hills to Interstate 376 in Pittsburgh and Monroeville and two Southern Beltway projects that would extend the beltway 26 miles to the existing Mon-Fayette Expressway in Union Township, Washington County.

Environmental clearance has been obtained for the Mon-Fayette Expressway project and is expected to be obtained for one of the Southern Beltway projects within the next month. Environmental clearance for the other Southern Beltway project is expected in late 2008 or early 2009. These sections are contiguous with other sections of the Mon-Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway that are open to traffic and currently being operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

 
The General Assembly tasked the Turnpike Commission to complete the Mon-Fayette Expressway and Southern Beltway projects with passage of Act 61 of 1985. The Turnpike has the authority to enter into P3 agreements that are necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties.

---

---

Register online now. The registration/ payment deadline is Friday, September 19. Topics and agenda details are below.   You may download and print the Event Brochure here.

What are the hot firms in the Architectural, Engineering and Construction industry doing to stay on top? This ballpark seminar will build your confidence and provide you time to step back and focus on how to:

 

• LEAD YOUR TEAM WITH CONFIDENCE: Understand the best practices of successful firms and how they can work for your company
• BE THE BEST MANAGER: Motivate and inspire your team by using their natural skills and abilities

• USE YOUR COACHES WISELY: Build leadership within your firm
• SCOUT YOUR COMPETITION: Recognize and thrive on challenges to sustainability
• PROVIDE YOUR PLAYERS THE BEST TOOLS: Take away strategies and ideas you can use immediately to build and grow a winning team