PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
November, 2019
This is a perfect time to thank you, the members of ACECL, for welcoming me a year ago as the new President and CEO of ACECL. You have given generously of your time (and patience) in acclimating, educating and guiding me on the operational, political and technical aspects of the business of engineering. I'll offer more reflections next month on what we've achieved in 2019 and what lies ahead in 2020, but be assured that the ACECL staff and Board of Governors are gearing up to make 2020 a productive year that enhances the benefits of membership.

We wish you and your family a safe and joyful holiday season.


In this edition you'll find:

  • 2019 ACECL Fall Conference and EEA Gala Recap
  • New ACECL Councils
  • ACEC PAC Chapter Challenge
  • Chapter News
  • LaPELS Rule Change Update
  • MOVEBR Design Engineers Workshop Presentation
  • 2020-2024 Legislature
  • Upcoming Calendar Dates

It was an ambitious agenda: 21 speakers, moderators and panelists; 15 luncheon award presentations; 15 EEA awards. A full day of business education and a full night of celebrating engineering excellence. The 2019 ACECL Fall Conference and EEA Awards Gala which brought together 200+ member firm representatives and guests was a success. We sincerely thank you for supporting this annual event. We close the books on 2019 but we start planning for 2020. We appreciate all the feedback and we'll use it to improve and grow!


Several awards were presented during the conference luncheon:

Brad Graff of Cothern, Graff, Smoak Engineering, Inc in Shreveport was presented the 2019 A.E. Wilder Award for his continued extraordinary contributions of integrity and service to both ACEC of Louisiana and the engineering community. 


David G. LeBreton, Jr, Senior Project Manager with Digital Engineering & Imaging, Inc. was presented the Robby Cangelosi award for contributions by a young professional engineer to the engineering profession and for demonstrating the ability to positively impact the community through professional accomplishments and community involvement.

A 2019 QBS Champion Award was presented to the La. Office of Facility Planning and Control for adhering to the principles of selecting engineers on the basis of qualifications. Accepting the award on behalf of FP&C was Lisa Smeltzer and Steve Losavio.

A 2019 QBS Champion Award was also announced for the Calcasieu Parish Policy Jury. Unable to attend the event, Parish Engineer Tim Conner sent a letter that was read to the attendees. The award will be formally presented at the local chapter luncheon in January.

The Emerging Leaders Class of 2019 were recognized for completing the year long program .



LANYARD SPONSOR
TERRACON CONSULTANTS

BRONZE SPONSORS
BLUEWING CIVIL CONSULTING, LLC
N-Y ASSOCIATES, INC.
QUALITY SITEWORK MATERIALS, INC.


2019 FALL CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

2019 EEA GALA IN PICTURES
GRAND CONCEPTOR: Forte & Tablada and La. DOTD for Sunshine Bridge Emergency Repair.
GRAND AWARD: T. Baker Smith & N. Lafourche Levee District for Pump Station Monitoring System
GRAND CONCEPTOR AWARD

GRAND AWARD: Forte & Tablada and La. DOTD for Sunshine Bridge Emergency Repairs (Surveying and Mapping)
GRAND AWARD: TRC Companies & La. DOTD for I-49 North, Segment K.

GRAND AWARD: GeoEngineers, Coastal Engineering Consultants & CPRA for Caillou Lake Headlands Restoration.
GRAND AWARD: Digital Engineering & City of Covington for Bogue Falaya Shoreline Protection and Paddlers Launch.
GRAND AWARD: C.H. Fenstermaker & Associates and La. DOTD for U.S. 90/I-49 South Interchange.
GRAND AWARD: Meyer Engineers, LTD & La. FP&C for Northeast La. Veterans Cemetery
GRAND AWARD: C.H. Fenstermaker & Associates and SASOL USA for the SASOL USA Mega Project
HONOR AWARD: H. Davis Cole & Assoc and Town of St. Joseph for St. Joseph New Water Treatment Plant & Distribution System.
HONOR AWARD: T. Baker Smith and Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government for Bayou Gardens Boulevard Extension.

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD: C.H. Fenstermaker & Associates and La DOTD for U.S. 90/I-49 South Interchange.
HONOR AWARD: Stanley Consultants and Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans for Water Hammer Hazard Mitigation-Elevated Storage Tanks.
HONOR AWARD: T. Baker Smith & Terrebonne Parish Consolidated Government for the Falgout Freshwater Enhancement Project.
Gala Master of Ceremonies Robert Burton, ACECL President & CEO Doreen Brasseaux and ACECL Board Chairman Andy Craig

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NEW TO ACECL!

CFO, CIO, AND HR COUNCILS

Modeled after the national ACEC councils and in response to suggestions for opportunities to engage non-engineering professionals in ACECL programming, ACECL is launching three councils: CFO, CIO and Human Resources.

Through the ACECL Councils employees with specific functional responsibilities can network with peers from other member firms.

The Councils will interact through conference calls, ACECL Facebook community groups and roundtable discussions at the annual ACECL Fall Conference. Each Council will develop their own discussion topics and pace of interaction. The Facebook Community Groups established through the ACECL Facebook page or like platform will provide for timely feedback and shared experiences not just from professional peers but from those engaged in the same business line. This will be an invaluable tool for your leadership team or yourself as a principal.

Principals are encouraged to share this opportunity with their key leadership team members so they can sign up. The greater the participation, the greater the return on this time investment.

CFO Council
The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Council provides a framework for senior finance executives and financial thought leaders in the engineering industry to discuss their changing role — from financial management to company strategist. The CFO Council will provide opportunities to exchange best practices, network with peers from around the state, and get the insights and ideas to keep your firm successful in these challenging economic times. 
CIO Council
The ACECL CIO Council will be all about sharing best practices and innovations. The Council will provide a framework for the "thought leaders" in the engineering industry to discuss market trends and specific IT leadership challenges and solutions with their industry counterparts.
Human Resources Council
Through ACECL’s Human Resources Council, HR professionals will be connected to a network of their peers in the engineering business. Professionals share best practices, discuss problems and solutions, gain valuable insights into industry trends, and network with each other.

Return form to dbrasseaux@acecl.org.
CHAPTER NEWS
NOLA October 10: Dan Borne
Baton Rouge October 14: Rudy Simoneaux, CPRA
Lafayette October 15: Anita Begnaud, Lafayette Downtown Development District
Lake Charles October 30: Senator Ronnie Johns
HEY ACECL CHAPTERS !

YOU HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED!


Who can collect the most contributions for the ACEC Political Action Committee (PAC) by December 15th? 

Each contributor of the winning ACECL Chapter PAC competition will receive a free ACECL Chapter Luncheon voucher. Show your support of the ACEC PAC!

Your PAC donations support our congressional delegation and key congressional committee members with influence over federal issues important to our industry. The ACEC PAC is one of the most influential in the nation.

Join me in making a contribution. We cannot let Louisiana be bested by our colleagues in other states who have already met their goal!

Check out the email sent from your Chapter President to contribute today!

LAPELS RULE CHANGE

LaPELS held a meeting on November 18. LaPELS received 100 comments from architects and 80 comments from engineers relative to the incidental practice rule change. Doreen Brasseaux and Craig Campbell were present to explain how the language change was developed by a committee representing architects and engineers. LaPELS will now develop a response to the comments.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
MOVEBR Design Engineers Workshop
November 13, 2019
2020-2024 ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS
The elections are finally over. Governor John Bel Edwards was re-elected and we have a Republican super majority in the Senate and a near super majority in the House (68 of 70 needed) with 1 Independent and 1 No Party Rep. We move now to pushing for a Special Session for Infrastructure Funding. LCFOR will be sending each legislator a copy of the La. Road and Bridge Report and our case for a 2020 Special Session. Expect public dialogue about infrastructure to ramp up after the holidays once the 2020-2024 organizational session convenes January 13 and we know the Speaker of the House and Senate President as well as committee chairs. Governor Edwards supports a special session. Now we need legislative leadership. Foy Gadberry, P.E., a consulting engineer, was elected to District 15 (Monroe) and Patick McMath, contractor, was elected to Senate District 11 (Mandeville/Covington).
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
MOVEBR Contractors Workshop
  • December 2 at 1:30pm
Shreveport Chapter Luncheon
  • December 3, 2019
Good Roads Board of Directors Meeting
  • December 5, 2019
Baton Rouge Chapter Luncheon
  • December 9, 2019
ACECL Board of Directors Meeting
  • December 12, 2019
Thank You to our Sponsors!
Doreen Brasseaux
President & CEO
ACEC of Louisiana
ACEC of Louisiana | 225.927.7704 |  dbrasseaux@acecl.org  |  www.acecl.org