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Issue: 4 

July 2015   
2015 Michigan Infrastructure Conference 
Innovative Solutions and Case Studies Highlighted at Annual Event
More than 200 attended the 2015 conference, jointly hosted by the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Michigan, the Michigan Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Urban Land Institute (ULI), which focused on ways the state can improve its infrastructure through innovative and unique solutions in light of a lack of proper funding.

Held at the beautiful Inn at St. Johns in Plymouth on June 4, attendees heard from Kirk Steudle, PE, Director of the Michigan Department of Transportation, and Mark Hackel, Macomb County Executive. Director Steudle spent the majority of his time fielding questions from the audience via text messages on transportation-related issues. Mr. Hackel shared his vision on the challenging water issues in the Region. Attendees also participated in a panel discussion led by Tom Murphy, former mayor of Pittsburgh. Six unique educational breakout sessions on various topics also took place. Exhibit booths provided information and networking opportunities.
Legislative Update
Public still waiting for road funding solution from legislature

On June 10, the House passed a 12-bill package that would generate approximately $1.05 billion annually for transportation. The plan would dedicate $700 million in General Fund dollars (not sure from where) and re-prioritize restricted funds ($185 million total) from tobacco settlement funds ($75 million) and the tribal gaming compact ($60 million), and by eliminating film subsidies ($50 million). The plan would also eliminate the Earned Income Tax Credit ($117 million), add registration fees on electric/hybrid vehicles and raise the diesel fuel tax to match the gasoline tax ($45 million).

 

On July 1, the Senate passed a 9-bill package that would generate approximately $1.5 billion annually in new revenue for Michigan's deteriorating transportation system. According to the fixingmiroads.com website, this would only cost motorists $82.68 per driver per year, which is much lower than the current cost of $868 per driver per year for doing nothing. The package of bills included an increase in the gasoline tax (15 cents) and diesel fuel tax ($800 million), new registration fees on hybrid and electric vehicles (1.7 million), and re-prioritizing current revenues ($700 million).

After a two week break, the House Democrats have now come out with their own plan:



Meanwhile, Michigan loses another construction season, our roads continue to deteriorate and motorists continue to make costly vehicle repairs. Safety is also compromised as motorists dodge increasing potholes and bridges continue to be propped up with temporary supports.

A long-term, sustainable funding solution is not only necessary but is the fiscally responsible thing to do as the cost to repair our crumbling roads continues to skyrocket due to the lack of proper funding for maintenance. There seem to be many excuses as to why the legislature has failed to pass a solution, but most people no longer care to hear them and just want to see action. As the warm summer days pass and the winter draws closer, the driving public continues to wait for the legislature to earn their salaries and show leadership on this important issue. Michigan has experienced many positives in the last few years and the legislature must take action now to preserve the backbone of our state - our infrastructure.
2016 ACEC Engineering & Surveying Excellence Awards Competition 
Entry Details Available Now! 
2015 Eminent Conceptor Award Winner - NTH Consultants
ACEC/Michigan recognizes special engineering and surveying accomplishments through its annual Engineering & Surveying Excellence Awards. The statewide competition recognizes engineering achievements that demonstrate a high degree of client satisfaction through innovative, cost-effective solutions. 


ACEC/M is now accepting "intents to enter" for the 2016 ACEC/Michigan Engineering and Surveying Excellence competition. Intents are due to the ACEC/M office by Friday, August 28, 2015. Completed project submittals are due by 12:00 noon on Friday, October 9, 2015. The winning projects will be announced on February 27, 2016 during our Awards Gala at Firekeepers Casino in Battle Creek. Complete entry information, including the Intent to Enter form, is now available on the ACEC website.

Eminent Conceptor and Honorable Conceptor Award winners are eligible to compete in the National ACEC competition. Project submittals are due to ACEC National by January 8, 2016. The national winners will be named and recognized at the ACEC Engineering Excellence Awards Gala in Washington DC, April 19, 2016.  Visit the ACEC National website for more details.
ACEC and ASCE Awards Presented June 4
During the Michigan Infrastructure Conference on June 4, several awards were presented.  
 
ACEC presented Amy Trahey, PE (Great Lakes Engineering Group, LLC) an award in recogniton of her service as 2014-2015 president.
ACEC Executive Director, Ron Brenke, PE, M.ASCE
with outgoing ACEC MI President, Amy Trahey, PE
 
ACEC also recognized the following outgoing committee chairs: 
  1. Roger Marks, PE (C2AE) - ACEC Transportation Committee
  2. Rhiannon Finkler (FTCH) - ACEC Engineering & Surveying Excellence Committee
  3. Jayson Nault, PE (Tetra Tech) - ACEC-MDOT  Procedures & Practices Committee
  4. Jason Rickard, PE (Great Lakes Engineering Group, LLC) - ACEC-MDOT Finance & Contracts Committee
  5. Donald Scherzer (Spicer Group) - ACEC Rural Development Committee

ASCE Michigan Section 2015 Award Recipients included: 

 

  • Franklin D. Meyers Outstanding Civil Engineer of the Year Award: David L. Potter, P.E.
  • Young Civil Engineer of the Year Award: Daniel G. Lewis, P.E.
  • Quality of Life Award: State Street Reconstruction: City of Hart & Prein&Newhof
  • Quality of Life Award: Watervliet Water System Improvements Project: City of Watervliet & Wightman & Associates, Inc.
  • Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award: I-96 Reconstruction Project: MDOT & G2 Consulting Group
  •  

    ASCE MI Section President Carey Suhan presents Daniel Lewis, PE with
    the Young Civil Engineer of the Year Award
    ACEC Announces 2015-2016 President and Board of Dir ectors

    Mark Kramer, PE
    ACEC of Michigan is pleased to announce that Mark Kramer, PE,  of SME  ( Plymouth) has been elected 2015-2016 President.

    Mark is  the Chief Executive Officer of SME, a leading engineering consulting firm headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan. SME specializes in the geosciences, building materials and the environment. A licensed professional engineer in Michigan, Ohio and Virginia, Mark has led SME's over 200 professional and technical staff since 2001. The firm is continuously ranked among the top 500 design firms within the United States by the Engineering News Record (ENR).


    2015-2016 ACEC/Michigan Officers:
    President: Mark Kramer, PE, SME, Plymouth
    President-Elect: Michael Cooper, PE, Harley Ellis Devereaux, Southfield
    Treasurer: Sean Kelley, PE, The Mannik & Smith Group, Inc., Detroit
    National Director: Wally Alix, PE, Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc., Bloomfield Hills
    Past-President: Amy Trahey, PE, Great Lakes Engineering Group, LLC, Lansing

    2015-2016 ACEC/Michigan Board of Directors:
    Chris Cook, PE, Abonmarche, Benton Harbor
    Thomas Deneau, PE, Wightman & Associates, Inc., Benton Harbor
    Steve Gravlin, PE, Wade Trim, Taylor
    Tricia Huneke, Ruby+Associates, Bingham Farms
    Jayson Nault, PE, Tetra Tech, Brighton
    Steve Nichols, PE, Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Grand Rapids
    Stephen Pangori, PE, Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick, Inc., Shelby Township
    Theresa Petko, AICP, AECOM, Grand Rapids
    Robert Rayl, PE, RS Engineering, LLC, Lansing
    Jack Wheatley, PE, ROWE Professional Services Company, Flint
     
    ASCE Michigan Section Centennial Celebration

     
    The ASCE Michigan Section will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2016. The planning committee is looking for suggestions for making this milestone anniversary special. To share your ideas, please contact the leadership of your branch or the Michigan Section office.
    Look for more details on scheduled events coming soon. 

    ACEC Emerging Leaders Program Update
    ACEC of Michigan is  pleased to report that the 2015 Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) is full! 

    The program imparts specific skills and competencies identified by top ACEC of Michigan principals as critical for leadership success. Highly interactive sessions are taught by experts in the field of business administration and people management in professional services firms. 

    A  waiting list has been started for next year's program. Visit the ACEC website to register for the waiting list
    ASCE Holds Annual Scholarship Golf Outing 

    This year's golf outing to raise money for both ACEC Michigan and ASCE's sholarship programs was held at the Inn at St. Johns on June 5, 2015. 

    36 golfers (9 teams) participated. The first place team was Bradley Shepler (HRC), Mark Smolinski (G2), Jason Stoops (G2) and Miguel Vargas with a score of -15.  The second place team was Jeff Wood (Spicer), Steve Nichols, Kamran Qadeer  and David Potter (all FTCH) with a score of -10.  Closest to the pin winners were Sean Mooney (Give 'Em A Brake Safety) on Hole 7 and Steve Maranowski (Spartan Specialties) on Hole 16. Longest drive winners were Jared Maxwell (Ames & Gough) on Hole 1 and Bradley Shepler (HRC) on Hole 17. Special thanks to our hole sponsors:  SME, FTCH, Give 'Em A Brake Safety, G2 and Spicer Group.
    ACEC Announces Upcoming Bridge Class
    Mark your calendar for October 2015
    Scheduled for October 19 - 30, 2015, ACEC/Michigan is sponsoring the NHI 10-Day Training Course #130055 entitled, "Safety Inspection of In-Service Bridges." Due to recent changes in Federal Regulations, this training is becoming a must in order to be qualified to inspect local and state bridges. Class size is limited to 30 attendees. 

    Special Prerequisites: Registrants MUST have completed and passed (70%) one of the following prerequisites within two years of the course start date - and present a course completion certificate - bearing their name - on day one of the course: 
    • 130054 Engineering Concepts for Bridge Inspectors
    • 130101 Introduction to Safety Inspection of In-Service Bridges
    • 130101a Prerequisite Assessment for Safety Inspection of In-Service Bridges
    The cost for the 10 day course is $2,000 for ACEC members and $2,150 for non-members. Contact Cindy Schmitz for registration information (cschmitz@acecmi.org).
    ACEC Welcomes New Members
    ACEC is excited to announce the following new member firms:
    Engineering, Inc. Recognizes 100-Year-Old Firms
    6 ACEC/Michigan Member Firms Included
    Several ACEC member firms were recognized in the cover feature of the July/August 2015 issue of Engineering, Inc. magazine titled "Secrets of Success of the Centenarians." Three firms, including HTNB, Hubbell, Roth & Clark, Inc., and Parsons Brinckerhoff were featured with photos, historical information and their secrets of success.

    Other ACEC member firms mentioned included:
    • Hardesty & Hanover
    • Mead & Hunt
    • Greeley and Hansen
    QBS Seeking Facilitator

    The Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) Coalition is seeking a person with a public administration background to be a spokesperson and facilitator for the QBS Program. Interested candidates should have a passion for value-based decisions and the desire to travel throughout Michigan.

    The QBS Coalition is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to providing public agencies/private entities with information about how to develop procurement policies and procedures for selecting design professionals, which lead to quality, cost-effective projects. A key element of the QBS educational program is the "facilitator."

    The facilitator will be working part-time, will have a flexible schedule (averaging 10-20 hours/month), and can work from a home office. Experience as a city manager, purchasing director, community development director or public works director is preferred.

    Facilitator activities and responsibilities include: 

    • Presenting QBS principles to representatives from cities, counties, road commissions, townships, school systems and other public & private entities.
    • Speaking at professional association conferences.
    • Assisting in creation of draft Requests for Qualifications (RFQ's).
    • Preparing a plan of activity and maintaining a database of QBS contacts.
    • Communicating with and preparing monthly activity reports for QBS directors and supporting organizations.
    • Making proactive contacts with governmental units & private entities.

    Facilitator will work as an independent consultant and will be compensated at $40/hour for hours worked. Facilitator expenses will be paid by QBS. This position will remain open until filled.

    For immediate consideration, please submit a letter of interest and resume to: QBS Coalition, 215 N. Walnut, Lansing, MI 48933 or send via e-mail to the QBS office at ksmith@acecmi.org. For questions, please call 517.332.2066. 

    ASCE Offers Continuing Education
    Get up to 5 free PDHs a year
    ASCE members have access to resources and learning opportunities to continually advance their careers - from the latest technical innovations to leadership training and career coaching.

    Did you know that you can:
    • Get up to 5 free PDHs a year? Select and participate in up to five ASCE On-Demand Webinars yearly and earn PDHs for each one you complete - a free, member-only exclusive! Choose from a growing list of archived Webinars for a customized education program. www.asce.org/freepdh
    • Expand your knowledge, hone your skills and earn PDHs with ASCE's live and on-demand seminars and webinars? Create, update, view and print a transcript of your PDHs at myLearning - ASCE's hub for continuing education and your PDH Tracker. www.asce.org/conted
    • Stay at the forefront of your field, with industry-leading conferences and events? www.asce.org/conferences
    • Demonstrate your expertise to clients, employers, and the public with ASCE post-licensure certification in your specialty? www.asce.org/certification
    • Get involved and take on a leadership role through ASCE's volunteer opportunities? www.asce.org/commservice
    • Utilize ASCE's Career Connections resources to plan your future and make it happen? www.asce.org/careers
    ACEC Social Media
    Follow Us!

    Did you know that ACEC is active on social media sites? Please like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and connect with us on LinkedIn to stay informed! 

     


     


     

    2015-2016 SAVE THE DATES
    Mark Your Calendar!
    October 2, 2015: ACEC CEO Roundtable - Plymouth
    October 23, 2015: ACEC CEO Roundtable - Grand Rapids
    October 19-30, 2015: NHI 10-Day Bridge Course - Lansing
    February 4, 2016: MDOT-ACEC Partnering Workshop - Lansing 
    February 27, 2016: ACEC Engineering & Surveying Excellence Gala - Battle Creek
    May/June 2016: Michigan Infrastructure Conference - TBD

      
      
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    In This Issue
    Michigan Infrastructure Conference A Success
    Legislative Update
    Engineering & Surveying Excellence Awards
    ACEC & ASCE Awards Presented
    ACEC Announces 2015-2016 President & Board
    ASCE to Celebrate 100 Years
    Emerging Leaders Program
    ASCE Scholarship Golf Outing
    ACEC Announces Upcoming Bridge Class
    ACEC Welcomes New Members
    100-year-old Firms Recognized
    QBS Seeking Facilitator
    ASCE Offers Continuing Education
    ACEC Social Media
    Save the Dates
    Engineering Center

     


    SPONSORS




    Michigan
     Engineering Center
    Questions about engineering?
    Please contact:

     

    Ron Brenke, PE 

    Executive Director

    ACEC & ASCE

     517-332-2066

    Nancy McClain, PE
    Executive Director  
    MSPE
    517-487-9388