Resilience and SPIDERS

by Robert Crain

What is Resilience and how does it impact you? Resilience is defined as the ability to endure and recover from adverse conditions. Whether man made or natural, disasters can strike anywhere at any time. When disasters do strike, those impacted assume local and state emergency agencies will quickly mobilize to respond to their immediate and long-term needs. While this is somewhat accurate, successful response is a result of careful planning, and implementation through a collaborative effort from all levels of government and private sector agencies. Resilience begins at the local level through the development of partnerships with local, state, and national emergency response agencies with a focus on strengthening security and resiliency of your critical infrastructure.

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend The Critical Infrastructure Symposium hosted by The Infrastructure Security Partnership (TISP) and SAME. The theme of the Symposium was "Disasters are Personal. Resilience is Regional. Partnerships are Strategic." The Symposium focused on partnership as the critical path to integrate innovative ideas and methodologies regarding security and resilience from a broad range of stakeholders into preparedness programs and emergency management functions. Discussion topics included important issues such as cybersecurity, floods, wild fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, microgrids, and SPIDERS. SPIDERS is an acronym for Smart Power Infrastructure Demonstration for Energy Reliability and Security, and involves the de-centralization of larger power grids into smaller regional systems (microgrids).

You may wonder how all this benefits you as a member of the Greater KC SAME Post. The key component to the TISP acronym is partnership. "TISP's mission is to lead public- and private-sector collaboration to advance the preparation, practice, policy and after-effect of regional and infrastructure security and resilience. " TISP relies on the expertise and experience of engineering, architecture, and design firms to collaborate with government agencies to strengthen the nation's critical infrastructure. As members of SAME, we already participate in the public-private partnership. However, becoming actively involved with TISP allows you the opportunity to enhance your knowledge of current resiliency issues as well as foster relationships with relevant public agencies.

ACADEMY OF FELLOWS 2014 INVESTITURE CEREMONY

by Ann Ewy

 

Since 1972 the Society of American Military Engineers has bestowed the designation of Fellow on SAME Members who have rendered dedicated and outstanding service to SAME and to military engineering.  It's a true honor to announce that Immediate Past President, Matt Metcalf, was inducted into the Academy of Fellows at the Class of 2014 Investiture Ceremony on March 26 in Bethesda, Maryland.   

Matthew L. Metcalf, P.E., has been committed to SAME since becoming a member in 2002. He has brought leadership, mentorship and innovative approaches as a member of the National Board of Direction, Chair of the College Outreach Committee, President, Vice President and Director of the Greater Kansas City Post, and as Chair of numerous Post committees-including serving as the Post Liaison and Committee Chair for the University of Kansas Student Chapter. As National College Outreach Chair, Metcalf organized the first SAME Student Leaders Workshop and drove initiatives that doubled student memberships from 400 to 800. As Greater Kansas City Post President, he established a Wounded Warrior Committee, strengthened the connectivity between the Post and Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth, and helped grow membership to an all-time high. As Fundraising Committee Chair, he was instrumental in raising $75,000 that provided the initial investment into the Post's Education & Mentoring Fund. Metcalf served as a U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer from 1994-1999 on the USS Curts and USS Cleveland, respectively, as a Communications Officer and Main Propulsion Assistant. He currently is Director of Federal Programs for Tepa LLC. He has been involved in the planning for several large transportation projects and facilitated multiple planning charettes for the Corps of Engineers and Army National Guard.

by Chris Prinslow and Melissa Kelley

The Greater Kansas City Post returned to UMKC's beautiful Student Union on March 31st and April 1st for our sixth annual Industry Day.  The event was exceptionally well attended with over 330 registrations representing more than 160 companies, firms, and federal agencies.  With at least 15 students from K-State and UMKC in attendance, our two student posts were also well represented.  The event also included exhibit space for 32 firms. 

The event kicked off with an extremely well attended social event in the exhibit hall on Monday night.  We had a special guest for the evening social.  Mr. Troy Morgan from the Ft. Leonard Wood Army Engineer Museum conducted an 'engineer item identification' event that allowed attendees to bring unique military engineering keepsakes for identification and discussion.

Tuesday's program started with Mr. Bill Betera, Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure providing the keynote address.  The technical programs included a variety of interesting topics - many of the sessions were standing room only!

The afternoon sessions included Federal Program briefings from the following US Army Corps of Engineers districts: Little Rock, Kansas City, Omaha and Tulsa.   In the evening, attendees enjoyed delicious food, beverage and great conversation at Tomfooleries on the Country Club Plaza.

Following the event, the Kansas City District hosted their 'One-on-One' meetings on Wednesday, April 2, at the Bolling Federal Building. The meetings included the Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District Contracting Officers and Program Managers from each of the district's three program areas: Military, Civil Works, and Environmental, as well as representatives other Federal agencies.

The event was a financial success for the Post, which was able to provide a $7,500 donation for Dean Kevin Truman's UMKC engineering department from the proceeds. An after action survey revealed that attendees found great value in the event and plan on attending again. The new Student Union facility was widely praised.

CGSC Training/Industry Update

by Merrill Watt

 

by Jackie Hacker 

Warrior Transition Networking Forum Kansas State University

by Jackie Hacker, HDR

To kick off the 2014 support to Transitioning Warriors, the GKC Post Warrior in Transition Committee joined forces with the Kansas State University Office of Military Affairs, hosting a Warrior Transition Networking Forum at the Kansas State University Alumni Center in Manhattan, Kansas, on April 24, 2014. The purpose of the Forum was to provide information to Transitioning Warriors about the fields of architecture, engineering, and construction. The Forum involved a panel of veterans who have experienced and successfully navigated the transition process into the private/public sector. Specifically, this venue focused on assisting transitioning veterans from the Fort Riley, Kansas, military installation.

Mark Loes (Kleinfelder), Committee Chair, and Jackie Hacker (HDR), Committee Co-Chair, organized the event. Tony Hofmann (Colonel, USA, retired)(Stantec) and Committee member moderated the panel session. The panel members representing five Sustaining Member firms within the GKC Post were:   Matt Metcalf and Al Osborne (Commander, USN, retired) (TEPA), Forrest Joe Lykins (Major, USA, retired) (Tyco SimplexGrinnell), Scott Fehnel (Lieutenant Colonel, USA, retired) (HNTB), Victor Poland (Burns and McDonnell), and Reed Brown (US Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District). Art DeGroat (Lieutenant Colonel, USA, retired) (Kansas State University) played a key role in the process by participating in the panel, coordinating the facilities and interfacing with Fort Riley leadership to promote the event. The forum featured twenty-six (26) attendees and included ample opportunity for one-on-one interaction with panel members following the open discussion.  

Given the fact this event was not a job fair and attendees would not depart with a job offer in hand, how do we know the forum was successful? Defining a hard "metric" for this type of initiative is difficult. Therefore, direct feedback from the Transitioning Warriors in attendance is the greatest indicator for success.   The attendees provided numerous comments indicating that the information presented and subsequent discussion was indeed value-added, and not something they had previously received in any transition curriculum. Likewise, the consensus was that this type of forum did provide a solid base to begin and enhance their transition. Many also stated that they will now reach out to the SAME panel members in order to help them in their transition. In short, the forum reinforced that the GKC Post Warrior Transition Committee strategy is an innovative strategy that can truly help Transitioning Warriors as they tackle the transition process. Long-term, the true measure of success will be when a veteran makes the transition into a civilian career-while hopefully enjoying the camaraderie and benefits of SAME membership.

Topic:  "Doing Business with the U.S. General Services Administration"

Presenter: Zach Hawks, LEED AP, Branch Management Division Chief, GSA Public Building Services

Link to GSA Green Proving Ground Program:

 GSA Green Proving Ground

Attachment: IDIQ Contract R6 Holds

At the MW EME Board meeting on June 13, 2014, Greg Sherf was recognized for his 25 years of financial adviser services. Presenting him with a Post Coin was MW EME President and GKC Post President Ann Ewy. 

Thank you, Greg Sherf of Merril Lynch for 

your 25 years as the Post's financial advisor!   

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