The Welcoming Committee is currently in the process of putting together the gift bags for the annual meeting for new members, first time attendants, visitors from other sections, outside candidates for office, etc.  This year we will be with Deep South, so we are anticipating preparing up to 60 bags.  If you would like to provide things for the bags (it can have your company logo on it or it can be something generic), please let me know by emailing me at julie@skipperinc.com or by calling me at 205-655-8855.  You can send it/bring it to me at 3644 Vann Road, Suite 100, Birmingham, AL  35235 or we can arrange to pick it up - if it's local :)

Thank you so much for your generosity!!  - Julie LeNoir

If you are interested in contributing to the door prizes that are given out at the end of each session, please bring them to the front of the room before the beginning of any session and coordinate with Richard Caudle.

And last but not least.....

Don't forget to bring items to put in the Scholarship Auction !!!

When

Sunday April 15, 2012 - Wednesday April 18, 2012

Where

Lexington, Kentucky

Total Attendees from SDITE and GLDITE

465

Total Attendees from Alabama Section

27  (including ABD, members, students, and spouses)

Lots of great meeting photos..........click here

The 2012 SDITE/GLDITE Annual Meeting:  A View from the Podium

Submitted by Becky White, SDITE President

I've now attended fourteen annual meetings of the SDITE, but this year I got a slightly different vantage point from which to observe the proceedings.  Presiding over an annual meeting is a bit daunting, but it affords a great view of things that make SDITE gatherings so special.  One of the great meeting traditions is the Opening Session, with presentation of the colors, national anthem, and the roll call of states.  This year we had a longer roll call that included the eight Southern District Sections plus three from the Great Lakes District.  The Great Lakes attendees came well prepared to make their presence known and have some fun.

The meeting included a good variety of technical sessions on Safety, Operations, and Transportation Planning topics.  A new feature in the program was an ITE Roundtable in which Section leaders could share ideas about educational, social, and fundraising activities in their respective Sections.  I was interested to learn that the Michigan Section fully funds their annual scholarship program through one golf tournament that typically includes 150 golfers.  That's impressive!

A hallmark of the SDITE annual meeting is the social program.  This year's Local Arrangements Committee and Associated Business Division did not disappoint.  On Sunday night we enjoyed making the rounds through the hospitality suites and chatting with old friends.  The ABD hosted a Monday evening social at the Red Mile Kentucky Harness Racing Track that included a great band, delicious dinner, and some impromptu human racing among students (and a few 'grown ups') on the horse track.

I think the most enjoyable part of the meeting for me was getting an up close view of some really special people accepting awards for their outstanding achievements.   The Alabama Section did very well on awards night.  ALSITE won the Best Section Award for Group 2 (Small Sections).   Md Shah Imran, a graduate student at UAB, won 1st place in the graduate student paper competition.  And last, but never least, Dan Turner took home the Herman J. Hoose Distinguished Service Award.  What a thrill is was to be on the podium to see such a dear man, champion of our profession, and trusted mentor receive SDITE's most prestigious award.  (See below for Alabama Section Award Winners)

I left Lexington with some great memories and budding excitement to attend my fifteenth annual meeting in 2013 in Charlotte.  I hope you'll consider joining me!

SDITE 2012 Traffic Bowl Team & Award Winners from Alabama Section

 

Alabama Section Traffic Bowl Team - University of Alabama

(L to R: Laura Beth Pockstaller, Frances Green, Daniel Dye)

 

 Md Shah Imran, Graduate Student, University of Alabama - Birmingham

First Place: Graduate Student Paper Competition

 

ALSITE wins Best Section Award for Group 2 (Small Sections)

(Shown accepting award for ALSITE - Richard Caudle)

 

Herman J. Hoose Distinguished Service Award