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IECA GREAT LAKES 2017 NEWSLETTER

August 12, 2017
President's Message -
Jonathan Koepke, CPESC

Hello Great Lakes Chapter! 
 
2017 has been off to a wet and wild start throughout the Great Lakes Region. Cool and wet weather to start the Spring has given way to hot and stormy conditions throughout the area. Damaging thunderstorms and flooding rains have affected the region from Minnesota to lower Wisconsin and northern Illinois. It has certainly kept everyone in our industry on their toes, and sometimes put them in their waders! Chapter leadership has been actively working to develop and plan programming events for the fall and into 2018 including finalizing our plans for our premier event in partnership with the Great Rivers Chapter and City of Dubuque, Great Connections 2018! The event will be in Dubuque, Iowa on April 24-26, 2018. Be sure to be there!
 
 
Cheers!
Jonathan Koepke, CPESC
 
In This Issue
SAVE THE DATE!
Great Connections 2018
April 24 - 26, 2018






MEMBER HIGHLIGHT - AARON MLYNEK

 
AARON MLYNEK, CPESC, CESSWI, CISEC, QSD/P Technical Director, Construction Stormwater Compliance.

Aaron has more than 15 years of experience as a construction stormwater compliance specialist. As Westwood's technical director for construction stormwater compliance, he is responsible for the development, updating, and coordination of NPDES/SWPPP compliance services including narratives, erosion and sediment control plans, typical details, inspections, and other construction stormwater compliance services. Aaron focuses on corporate quality control and implementing service and product industry standards for Westwood clients nationwide. While coordinating and managing a national program, Aaron provides consistent products tailored to the regional demands and unique needs of the land, energy, and power delivery markets.
 
Vision Statement:
Aaron has joined the board to provide a Midwest / Great Lakes voice to the IECA and hopes to achieve better collaboration between industry leaders and associations in Minnesota with the greater IECA membership and events.   

 
GREAT CONNECTIONS 2018 - DUBUQUE, IA

As many of you know every two years the Great Rivers and Great Lakes Chapters collaborate with a local partner to host the Great Connections Conference. We are very excited to announce this year's conference will be hosted by the City of Dubuque, Iowa on April 24-26, 2018. Co-organized by the Great Lakes and Great Rivers Chapters of the International Erosion Control Association (IECA). The 3rd conference will be held in early 2018 at The Grand River Center in Dubuque, Iowa and will bring together contractors, stormwater professionals, designers and planners from the host chapters' 10 states (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI, IA, KS, MO, NE, MN) and the bordering IECA chapter regions. 

The multi-day workshop will feature high-quality training and information designed to prepare attendees for the spring construction season and certification review courses. It will set the tone for longer-range planning on topics such as MS4, active and post- construction stormwater management, construction general permit (CGP) compliance and much more. Stormwater, erosion & sediment control, locally-driven policy and education initiatives will be explored. Speakers and content will range from the core focus of the IECA to trends in science and research on surface water quality, stormwater management regulations, and locally-led watershed improvement efforts.

The Conference Committee is seeking abstracts from industry professionals who can contribute their knowledge, share their expertise and research, and provide innovative solutions. Be sure to submit your abstract early. Abstracts can be submitted at:
https://www.iecagreatconnections.com/copy-of-submit-abstract 

GREAT LAKES BOARD OF DIRECTORS UPDATE

The chapter is excited to welcome Adam Dibble of Profile Products to our Board of Directors. Adam was nominated to fill our Vice President position to help increase our chatper engagement with our members and help push our Chapter forward. Adam currently is the Vice President of Marketing for the IECA Region One Board of Directors and brings more than 15 years of marketing and membership experience. In his role with Profile Products Adam is the Senior Marketing and Erosion Control Brand Manager and is responsible for the Erosion Control Division's overall operation. Dibble was honored in February at the Environmental Connection as IECA's Most Outstanding Member. We look forward to Adam's contribution to our 2018 conference and his immediate support in chapter operations. 

Call for Board Nominations

Keep an eye out for a call for nominations to Board of Director positions with the Great Lakes Chapter. If you have ever considered getting engaged with the chapter and helping to shape its outreach, professional development, and activities; Now is your chance!! The call for nominations will go out in October with elections in November. Stay tuned!

IECA Annual Conferences
EC17 in Atlanta, GA
Here is just a brief update from our time at EC17 in Atlanta:
An awesome time was had by all. Full day courses, technical sessions, closing bash and networking opportunities made for a memorable time. Some of my highlights included a newly revamped and engaging awards luncheon, walking the exhibitor hall (several times), and catching up with the many professionals that bring their experiences in their regions to the conference. Especially engaging, was the IECA Keynote speaker, Jim Cantore of the Weather Channel. Those of us who live and die by the weather know his passion for extreme weather, (especially Thundersnow) and his presentation on the weather science surrounding climate change and its effect on extreme weather patterns was definitely valuable for all the attendees.

See you at IECA Annual Conference and Expo 2018
Long Beach, California
February 11-14, 2018
Re-branded as the IECA Annual Conference and Expo, this is IECA's premier educational event for the erosion, sediment control, and stormwater industry. The Annual Conference combines intense, full and half day training courses with topic-focused technical sessions and the largest expo of its kind. There are expected to be a lot of new innovations at this year's conference as well as a ton of great networking and social opportunities. As always, our chapter will meet to discuss event planning, upcoming conferences, and share a few refreshments. If you have been there in the past, you know, this is the not to be missed event of the off-season!


Storm Water Solutions Conference and Expo
This two-and-a-half-day live national networking and education event will feature more than 70 exhibits of storm water and erosion control products and services, plus solutions-focused educational sessions. Attendees will participate in workshops, prize drawings and networking receptions.

Hosted by Storm Water Solutions (SWS), Water & Wastes Digest (W&WD) and Roads & Bridges magazines, in partnership with industry leader Harry Stark, the Storm Water Solutions Conference & Exhibition will be located just 30 minutes south of downtown Chicago.




The Great Lakes Chapter of The International Erosion Control Association (GLIECA) | (970) 846-9015 | Send us an email  | http://www.greatlakesieca.org