| AESLC Annual Legislative Day a Success
150+ attend and participate in over 100 appointments with state legislators
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On March 5th, licensed architects, engineers and surveyors converged on Lansing to meet with their respective legislators during this annual event. Attendees had a full day of meetings with both representatives and senators, along with a legislative luncheon at Troppo's in downtown Lansing. Transportation funding, tort reform, re-monumentation, and QBS were key issues discussed with legislators. The day concluded with a reception at the office of AESLC lobbyist Kelley Cawthorne.
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Engineering & Surveying Excellence Awards Gala recognizes top projects and honors individuals
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On February 22, 2014, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan (ACEC/M) honored firms for engineering and surveying excellence during the association's 49th annual Engineering and Surveying Excellence Awards ceremony at the JW Marriott in Grand Rapids. Outstanding Michigan engineering and surveying projects from the past year, as well as engineering professionals who have significantly contributed to the profession, were honored.
The ACEC/M Awards Program recognizes outstanding efforts of professional design firms to solve clients' needs through exceptional projects, and offers the opportunity to showcase the year's best engineering and surveying achievements to an audience of peers, clients and decision makers at all levels.
 | Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering - Eminent Conceptor Winner
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This year's engineering Eminent Conceptor Award winner was Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering, Inc., Grand Rapids, for the West Bay County Wastewater Treatment Facility upgrades. The firm also took home the surveying Eminent Conceptor award for the Kalamazoo River Bank Stabilization.
Four firms were honored with the Engineering Honorable Conceptor Award: Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. for the Mackinac Island Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements (Mackinac Island); HH Engineering LTD and G2 Consulting Group, LLC for the I-94/Sargent Road Interchange Road Realignment and Bridge Replacement (Jackson); Harley Ellis Devereaux for the CHASS Southwest Center (Detroit); and HNTB for the Blue Water Bridge Plaza CBP Primary Inspection Booth Expansion (Port Huron).
Engineering Merit Awards were presented to Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick, Inc. for the Ember Oaks Drain Drainage District (Ingham County); Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc. for the M-20 over Schrader Creek Design/Build project (Mecosta County); Parsons Brinckerhoff Michigan, Inc. for the East Stadium Ann Arbor Bridges Replacement project (Ann Arbor); OHM Advisors for the DTW Deicing Runoff Pumping Station and Force Main project (Detroit); HNTB for the Blue Water Bridge Freeway Corridor Reconstruction (Port Huron); and Byce & Associates for the Bell's Brewery, Inc., Brewhouse Expansion and Renovation project (Galesburg).
Surveying Merit Awards were presented to Abonmarche Consultants, Inc. for the South Haven Maintenance Dredging Project (South Haven) and Surveying Solutions, Inc. for the M-1 Rail Data Fusion Project (Detroit).
The Judges' Choice Award for Board Design was given to Spalding DeDecker Associates, Inc., for the project board designed to "tell the story" of the Veterans Memorial Pointe Enhancement project (Rochester Hills).
 | | Melvin "Ernie" Orchard, PE |
This year's ACEC/M Vernon B. Spalding Leadership
Award was presented to Melvin "Ernie" Orchard, PE, founder and past president of OHM Advisors, to honor his outstanding leadership roles in ACEC and several community organizations.
When Ernie Orchard became president of the consulting firm Orchard, Papke, Hiltz & McCliment, Inc. in 1972, he immediately engaged with ACEC/MI. Energetic in his support of ACEC, Ernie later held leadership roles at the state and national levels. In the mid-70's, he helped to organize the first Political Action Committee in Michigan's Chapter of ACEC and the first Legislative Day in Lansing to bring attention to issues impacting the design profession.
 | | Richard Anderson, PE |
The ACEC/M Felix A. Anderson Image Award was presented to Richard Anderson, PE, of Somat Engineering, Inc. for his actions and contributions to enhance the image of the profession.
Mr. Richard O. Anderson, a 1971 civil engineering graduate of Michigan Technological University (MTU), is a Principal Engineer and former President of Somat Engineering, Inc. in Detroit, Michigan.
As a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), he is a nationally known expert for his innovative and cost effective solutions to infrastructure projects and engineering education. During a distinguished career spanning over 42 years, he has worked on over 6,500 projects including airports, high-rise office structures, health care facilities, transportation facilities and many others.
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MSPE Oakland Chapter Honors Five
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Front row: Satyajeet Deshpande, Nancy McClain, Pranab Saha
Back row: Dave Hunter, Doug Thompson, Gene Cowie, Robert Curtis & Carey Suhan
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MSPE's former Oakland Chapter honored their last President, Dave Hunter, PE and four longtime MATHCOUNTS volunteers at the ESD Affliate Council's Gold Award Banquet on March 6th. Dave Hunter, PE was President of the Oakland Chapter from 2009 to 2013. MATHCOUNTS Recognition Awards were presented to Robert Curtis, PE, Gene Cowie, PE, Nancy McClain PE, and Herbert Dobbs, Ph.D., PE. The Oakland Chapter was merged with the Detroit Metro Chapter last summer.
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ASCE News
Jayvon Garth, S.M.ASCE
2014 New Face of Civil Engineering - College Edition
| Jayvon Garth is a fifth-year student at Wayne State University. Since 2012, he has interned with the City of Birmingham's civil engineering department while working towards completing his degree.
Additionally, he is the vice president of WSU's ASCE chapter and is involved in the American Institute of Steel Construction, the Chi Epsilon Engineering Honor Society, and was a member of the steel bridge and concrete canoe teams.
Jayvon volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, the YES! Expo (which engages youth in engineering and science), and has assisted with Hurricane Gustav relief efforts in Mississippi and New Orleans.
He is from Saginaw, and initially decided to pursue civil engineering after his 8th grade project involved searching for degrees that were applicable to his dream job of designing roller coasters. He began taking classes at a community college and career center during high school and began to see the different fields within civil engineering, which confirmed his interest in pursuing a career in civil engineering.
BRANCH News:
The Southwest Branch of ASCE will be holding its 19th Annual Golf Outing on June 6, 2014 at the Lake Dorster Golf Club in Plainwell, MI. Participation in the event helps fund the branch's $1,500 sponsorship of the WMU Civil Engineering Student Scholarship annual program. Contact Brian Boyer at bboyer@kieser-associates.com or Myndi Bacon (bacon@sme-usa.com) for more information.
The Lansing-Jackson Branch will host 2 upcoming seminars at the VanWagoner Building (425 W. Ottawa, Lansing) beginning at noon:
April 22, 2014 Driverless Cars (Collin Castle)
May 5, 2014 Portland River Trail (Matthew Bellogwan)
Preregister for any of the sessions through Mark Smith at mssmith@hntb.com or call 248.840.4026
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ACEC announces 2014 Large & Small Firms of the Year at ESE Awards Gala
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 | Hubbell, Roth & Clark - ACEC Large Firm of the Year
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Hubbell, Roth & Clark (HRC) was selected as the 2014 Large Firm of the Year and stands out as being a company that regularly gives back to the community. Employees are involved with many different organizations including: Adopt-A-Highway volunteers, planting trees as part of the Greening of Detroit and partnering with local schools to provide mentorship and learning opportunities to young people. The firm also engages in a variety of activities to positively impact the engineering profession and ACEC. Through leadership involvement with multiple chapters of the American Public Works Association (APWA) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), HRC has been instrumental in raising funds for student scholarships and creating programming for professional development. Firm Principal Wally Alix, PE, PS serves as the ACEC/Michigan National Director.
Hubbell, Roth & Clark is a multi-disciplined consulting engineering firm offering services to various clients in environmental and infrastructure improvements. Nearly 140 employees dedicate their time and talents to HRC in offices throughout Michigan. The firm celebrates 100 years of business this coming year.
 | Great Lakes Engineering Group - ACEC Small Firm of the Year
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Great Lakes Engineering Group (GLEG) is the 2014 Small Firm of the Year and specializes in bridge inspection - one of only three firms in the state to obtain MDOT prequalification for underwater bridge inspection. The firm's founder and principal, Amy Trahey PE, was instrumental in obtaining this prequalification. Mrs. Trahey has served on the ACEC/Michigan Board of Directors since 2009. She was Treasurer for two years and will become ACEC/Michigan's first female president in 2015.
GLEG employees hold memberships with ASCE, MSPE and MCA and actively participate in local schools and zoning boards, along with youth baseball teams. GLEG encourages students to pursue careers in engineering through mentoring, internship programs, and job shadowing. Employees serve on the Michigan Technological University Civil and Environmental Advisory Board and routinely support the ASCE steel bridge competition.
GLEG is a woman-owned civil and structural engineering firm dedicated to providing full engineering services to private and public clients primarily in Michigan. The company was founded upon the need for structural engineering services that specialize in the field of bridges.
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MDOT-ACEC Partnering Workshop draws record crowd
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A record crowd of 500 registrants attended the MDOT/ACEC Annual Partnering Workshop on January 30, 2014 . The workshop offered the newest and most relevant information to anyone involved in preserving and improving Michigan's transportation system.
 | | MDOT Director Kirk Steudle, PE - Opening Speaker |
MDOT Director Kirk Steudle kicked off the day which included 19 concurrent breakouts and round table sessions, general session speakers on the topics of the Zilwaukee Bridge and M-1 Rail (Detroit), along with time to network with peers. The workshop was an excellent opportunity for licensed engineers and surveyors to obtain continuing education hours.
 | | L to R: Kamran Qadeer (FTCH), Charlie Stein (MDOT), Greg Johnson (MDOT), Ron Brenke (ACEC) |
During the event, the 1st Annual MDOT ACEC Partnership Charter Award was presented for the partnering efforts on the M-20 over Shrader Creek Design Build project. The award was presented by MDOT's Chief Operations Officer Greg Johnson to ACEC member firm Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber and to the MDOT Grand Rapids TSC.
The award recognizes project managers and consultants for their commitment to excellence while promoting an enhanced business partnership based on the ideals set forth in the MDOT/ACEC Partnership Charter Agreement. These ideals include mutual trust, effective communication, continuous improvement, embracing innovation, and timely issues resolution. The award is judged equally on five important principles:
- Providing Cost-Effective, High-Quality Services
- Partnering in Streamlining Business Practices
- Engaging in Effective Communication
- Commitment to Transparency & Accountability
- Promoting Innovation and Sustainability
Mark your calendars for next year's Partnering Workshop to be held Thursday, February 5, 2015, at the Lansing Center.
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ACEC Awards $13,000 in Scholarships
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 | | Scholarship recipients L to R: Matthew Wilson, Stephanie Boileau, Logan Praay & Jonathan Wagekneckt |
Scholarship recipients were honored during the Engineering & Surveying Excellence banquet on February 22. ACEC of Michigan's Scholarship Program was created to promote the profession and to provide financial support to those pursuing careers in engineering and surveying. On an annual basis, the Council awards scholarships to deserving college students who are enrolled in an ABET accredited engineering or surveying program. Recipients of the awards are evaluated in the following areas: work experience, extra-curricular and community activity, references, grade point average, and a written essay. Applicants must also have worked for a private engineering, architectural, or surveying firm to be considered for a scholarship award. Congratulations to the 2014 ACEC Scholarship winners!
Scholarship recipients:
Matthew Wilson $4,000 and attends Michigan State University
Johnathon Wagenknect $3,500 and attends University of Michigan
Logan Praay $2,000 and attends Ferris State University
Anna Strong $1,500 and attends Michigan State University
Omar Bennouna $1,000 and attends University of Michigan
Stephanie Boileau received the PCIA Scholarship of $1,000 and attends Wayne State University.
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ACEC/ASCE/ULI to host Michigan Infrastructure Conference May 8, 2014, MSU Kellogg Center, East Lansing
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The American Council of Engineering Companies, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Urban Land Institute have partnered to create an informative conference focusing on how infrastructure can drive economic development through emerging or expanding markets, creative leadership, new technologies and unique solutions developed by practitioners, facility/infrastructure developers, and owners. These groups represent Michigan engineers, developers and other professionals who have a focus and passion to create thriving Michigan communities.
The Michigan Infrastructure Conference offers attendees ample opportunity to obtain continuing education credits while gaining knowledge and networking with peers. It will also offer exposure to new products and services from various vendors. Anyone in government, industry or education with duties related to economic development and infrastructure planning, design and construction is encouraged to attend.
Lt. Governor Calley and MDOT Director Kirk Steudle to address the group. For more information, pleased click the link below.
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MSPE News
MATHCOUNTS State Team Named
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Over 145 Mathletes competed on March 8th at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo to advance to the National MATHCOUNTS Competition in May. Seventh grader Freddie Zhao, from Troy's Boulan Park Middle School, scored highest in the written test and won the countdown round to lead the Michigan Team. Three eighth graders round out the Team that will compete at the Swan & Dolphin Resort in Orlando: Spencer Liu (Boulan Park MS), Raviraj Rege (Novi Middle School), and Venkatesh Bajji (Boulan Park MS). Boulan Park Middle School's Team took the top honors in the Team Competition, earning their Coach, Mark Martin, a third straight year as the Coach of the Michigan Team.
MATHCOUNTS is a national middle school coaching and competitive mathematics program that promotes mathematics achievement through a series of fun and engaging "bee" style contests.. Over 1150 students, representing more than 140 schools statewide, competed in the fifteen Chapter competitions hosted by MSPE Chapters.
MSPE Annual Conference
The 2014 MSPE Annual Conference will be held at the Garland Lodge and Resort from May 29th to June 1st. This year's theme is "Evolution of Engineering for Emergency Response". Continuing education hours and leader training will be part of the offerings at the conference. Registration materials will be available on the MSPE website (www.michiganspe.org) by March 31st. For additional information please contact the MSPE Office at 517-487-9388 or via email at conference@michiganspe.org.
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2014 SAVE THE DATES!
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May 8-9, 2014: Michigan Infrastructure Conference - East Lansing
May 20, 2014: Construction Science Expo - Detroit
May 29 - June 1, 2014: MSPE Annual Conference - Lewiston
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| 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 |
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