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February 1, 2010

Table of Contents
Government Affairs Updates
     Legislation Updates
     Business Day in Madison
Education Programs
     Transportation Improvement Conference – Early Registration Deadline Feb 8
     Future Leaders Program Continues
     Annual Meeting
     Virtual Seminar – Social Media
Awards Banquet – Celebrating the 2010 Engineering Excellence Awards
Engineers Week
Eberle Named to PE Board
Providing Professional Services in Haiti
Member News
Committee News
State Agency News
ACEC National News
Conduit Fund & WisPAC
Other News
SMPS Events
Business News Wire
 

Government Affairs Updates

Legislation Updates
SB 442/AB 654 QBS Legislation - Hearing this Week: Our QBS legislation continues to move through the legislative process. When introduced in mid-January, the bill had strong bipartisan support, with 10 Senators and 9 Representatives cosponsoring this important industry legislation.

The Assembly bill (AB 654) has been referred to the Committee on Jobs, Economy & Small Business. That committee is chaired by the Assembly bill’s author, Louis Molepske, Jr (D, Stevens Point). A hearing is scheduled for this Wednesday, February 3.

The Senate bill (SB 442) was referred to the Committee on Ethics Reform & Government Operations. The committee is chaired by Senator Fred Risser (D, Madison), who, until January, had been a long time member of the State Building Commission, which approves capital projects including the procurement of AE services through a QBS process. It should be noted the Senate bill’s author, Senator Jeff Plale (D, Milwaukee), also serves on the building commission. No hearing date has been scheduled.

The government affairs committee has been active in contacting members of both committees thanking members who have already signed on as cosponsors of the bill and asking the remaining members to approve the bill when it comes time for a vote. This same message is being relayed through a grassroots lobbying effort of the membership. For additional details on our legislative alert, click here. A copy of the bill can be reviewed as part of the legislative alert. All members are encouraged to join the ranks of our grassroots lobbyists and continue to push this legislation forward. The committee is also putting together a group of presenters for both hearings so we can successfully address any legislator’s concerns.

AB288 PE Licensure: The bill is awaiting a public hearing, now scheduled for February 9, by the Senate Labor, Elections & Urban Affairs Committee, after passing the Assembly last October. The bill would require an engineering degree in order to become licensed along with changes in PE exam requirements.

SB298/AB427 Alternative Delivery: Both bills received a hearing in December. There has not been further action by the legislature on the proposal allowing the Division of State Facilities to utilize alternative delivery methods without requiring a waiver from the State Building Commission.

AB271/SB194 Land Surveying: The Senate Economic Development Committee held a hearing on the Assembly bill in January. AB271 passed the Assembly in October. The initial bill, almost 30 pages in length, redefines the practice of professional land surveying and requires a professional land surveyor to provide survey work, with some exceptions. There has been some opposition to the bill and it has received several lengthy amendments as it has moved through the legislative process.

SB447 State Contracts: This bill pertains to state contractual services. It includes language regarding false claims submitted to state and local governments, requiring the exercise of rule-making authority and providing penalties. It is a good piece of legislation on the surface, but the details are extremely troublesome for the business community.

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Business Day in Madison
February 23, 2010
Registration deadline February 12
Once again, ACEC WI is a sponsor of Business Day in Madison. This event is an excellent opportunity for you to meet with legislative leaders and hear about such important business topics as the economy and the upcoming election season. It will be held on Tuesday, February 23, at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison. This is ACEC WI’s ninth year as a sponsor, making our organization a founding sponsor.

Kick off the day with an ACEC WI members only legislative session with ACEC WI Lobbyist Susie Schooff, Essie Kammer Group, at 7:30 am. Attend the event to help show ACEC WI's support of Wisconsin’s premier legislative conference and continue our grassroots lobbying on the QBS Bill. ACEC WI has had one of the largest single contingents at Business Day. We should strive to continue to show strong representation of our industry.

Program update: Gubernatorial candidates Scott Walker and Tom Barrett will speak at Business Day in Madison. Mark Neumann declined the invitation due to another commitment.

Please register for Business Day in Madison through ACEC WI. Registration for the event is $195. This fee covers the ACEC WI members only legislative session, your lunch at a reserved table, and a small fee to help defray the fee to serve as a sponsor. The deadline for registration is February 12.

Won’t you help us continue to be a strong voice in Wisconsin politics? Join us at Business Day in Madison on February 23. Click here for meeting details and registration form.

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 Education Programs

2010 Transportation Improvement Conference Going Green in Green Bay March 8-9, Green Bay Early registration (reduced rate) & hotel reservation deadline is February 8

ACEC WI and WisDOT are partnering for the third consecutive year to present the 2010 Transportation Improvement Conference. The conference brings together the department and the consulting engineering industry for 2 days of transportation programming and networking opportunities.

Going Green in Green Bay features informative general sessions and specialized breakout sessions full of the latest information on transportation related issues in Wisconsin. The conference is a must attend for transportation design professionals. To allow for an optimal networking experience, consulting firms are limited to 3 attendees per firm.

Sessions are described in detail in the electronic brochure.

Dates to Remember:
February 8
- Early registration / reduced rate deadline – Click here to register online
- Hotel reservation deadline – Don't miss the special group rate of $70 plus tax. Download the brochure for details.

February 22
- Registration deadline - Click here to register online
- Cancellation deadline

This conference is generously sponsored by the following ACEC WI member firms. Thank you for your support of the 2010 Transportation Improvement Conference.
 

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Future Leaders Program Continues

The 2010 class of Future Leaders had an eye opening experience on the legislative process when the class met in Madison on January 20 and 21. The session, Government Affairs 101, included visits from legislators, a trip to the Capitol, viewing the Senate in session and meeting with their own senator, and discussions on QBS and ethics. The class was joined for dinner by Assembly Majority Leader Tom Nelson (Kaukauna) who discussed the importance of QBS legislation for the state. The following day, Representatives Mark Gottlieb (Port Washington), Gordon Hintz (Oshkosh), and Mark Honadel (South Milwaukee) and Senator Pat Kreitlow (Chippewa Falls) provided presentations on the legislative process, State Building Commission, running for office, and other legislative and political perspectives.

Assembly Majority Leader Tom Nelson addresses our Future Leaders.

Comments from class members included:

• Just learning about the government set-up and meeting some legislators was very eye-opening/encouraging about how people do still have a voice.
• Get involved! Contact with my senator and representative can really make a difference.
• Your representatives actually want to talk with you and hear from you. Remember to thank them for the job they do.

The session was packed with information to help these future leaders succeed in business. A special thank you to the Business Practices QBS Subcommittee Chair Jan Hansen (GRAEF) for organizing the evening’s presentation on this procurement process and how to overcome objections from potential clients. Presenter from the subcommittee included Mike Campbell (Ruekert/Mielke), Pete Harris (AECOM), Paul Boersma (Black & Veatch), and Jeff Kronser (Strand Associates) who also serves as the class advisor.

The morning ethics panel also provided insight for the class. Presenters included Matt Richards (Strand Associates), chairman of the business practices committee; Kim Lobdell (KL Engineering) as a member of the WSPE Board of Ethical Professional Responsibility; and Marty Hanson (Ayres Associates) as Past Chairman of the Joint Examining Board of Architects, Landscape Architects, Professional Engineers, Designers, and Land Surveyors. And a thank you also goes to the planning and presenting of the legislative session by Fred Halfen (Ayres Associates), Lobbyist Susie Schooff, and Executive Director Carol Godiksen.

Future Leaders tour the Capitol as part of the Government Affairs 101 program.

The future leaders will be meeting 2 times between February and early March. The December program on work/life balance was cancelled due to weather and has been rescheduled for February 18 and 19 and the 5th program, of this 6 program series, titled Running the Business, will be held March 4 and 5. Both sessions will be held at the Osthoff Resort, Elkhart Lake.

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Save the date and plan to attend this can't miss meeting. Meeting agenda and program details are now available online.

Thank You 2010 Annual Meeting Sponsors

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Virtual Seminars
Virtual seminars are the perfect solution for training on a budget. For one low registration fee, any number of employees can participate in the program at your firm’s office. Avoid additional expenses of multiple registrations and travel costs by participating in virtual seminars. Recognizing these difficult economic times, ACEC WI will be focusing on offering these cost-effective solutions for training rather than face-to-face meetings. These programs are perfect lunch and learn opportunities. In many cases, a program CD may be purchased if the program date and time are not convenient.

ACEC WI is proud to partner with KRM Virtual Podium to present the following virtual seminar:

The Balancing Act: Finding the Right Mix of Traditional and Social Media
April 14
11:00 – 12:30 pm, virtual seminar
Facebook ... Twitter ... YouTube ... television ... newspapers ... Determining the ideal media mix for your marketing campaign is a real challenge. In this webinar from International Association of Business Communicators, you will learn:

• ways to save time by reaching out across media platforms
• how to determine which media types are best for particular campaigns
• current trends in social media ... and how to apply them
• tips for creating compelling multimedia and shareable content

This virtual seminar is presented by Heidi Sullivan, vice president of media research for Cision. She has extensive experience as an editorial manager for a print publication, as an account executive at a PR agency and as an editor and media researcher for a major newswire service. Heidi is a host of the popular Cision Social Media Webinar Series and a blogger for Cision Blog.

Whether you have 2, 20, or 200 people gathered in an office or conference room, you pay one low price. Can't make the live event? Order a recording and get the same great information, at your convenience. Click here to register or order the event recording.

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ACEC WI Awards Banquet Friday, March 26 The American Club, Kohler Hotel guest room reservation deadline is February 23.

Celebrate with your colleagues and clients at the 39th Annual ACEC WI Awards Banquet. The gala event honors the 2010 Engineering Excellence Award-winning projects and ACEC WI volunteer leadership.

The evening begins with a reception at 5:30 pm, followed by dinner at 6:30 pm, and concludes with the presentation of the 2010 Engineering Excellence Awards. Comedian Mike Mercury will entertain us all with his original comedy and commentary on this year’s winning projects. We will also be joined by ACEC Chairman Tim Psomas.

Reservations are available on an individual basis or by table of 8. The reservation deadline is March 19. Sponsorship and premium seating is also available.

Enjoy world class accommodations at the Midwest’s only five diamond hotel, The American Club. Special group rates are available at The American Club for $157 plus tax and the Inn on Woodlake for $98 plus tax. Make your reservation by calling 800-344-2838 and identify yourself as part of the ACEC WI 2010 Awards Program room block. The reservation deadline is February 23.

Please visit https://m360.acecwi.org/event.aspx?eventID=13053 for reservation materials and additional information.

Thank you to Clark Dietz for sponsoring the event. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Please visit the event website for details. Back to top

Engineers Week
February 14-20
In celebration of Engineers Week, a special edition of ACEC WI’s e-newsletter, Update, will be sent on Monday, February 15. The highlight of this special edition will be the announcement of the 2010 Engineering Excellence Awards State Finalist and Best of State winners. The award winning projects will be featured in a special magazine edition inserted in the February 17 edition of The Daily Reporter. Copies of the magazine will be available by request. Watch your inboxes and check out the outstanding projects in this year’s awards competition.

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Joe Eberle Named to PE Board
On January 19, the Wisconsin State Senate approved the gubernatorial appointment of Joseph Eberle (Ruekert/Mielke) to the Examining Board of Architects, Landscape Architects, Professional Engineers, Designers & Land Surveyors. This followed a unanimous vote of support by the Senate Economic Development Committee earlier in the month.

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Providing Professional Services in Haiti
The recent earthquake in Haiti brought with it the call for design professionals. The Design Professional Group of XL Insurance would like to remind the professional men and women providing assistance to protect themselves as well. Click here for information.

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Member News
Bollinger, Lach & Associates – is welcomed to the ACEC WI membership. The key contact is Cindy Flower, PE; N1977 Schaitel Rd, Ste 300; Lake Geneva, WI 53147; 262-249-0900; fax 262-249-5670; www.bollingerlach.com.

RA Smith National – is pleased to announce the promotion of Paul Taivalkoski to survey operations manager at the firm’s Brookfield office. The firm welcomes Nicholas Fulton to its Brookfield office as a civil engineer in the transportation division.

Short Elliott Hendrickson – has recently named new stockholders: David A Carlson (Chippewa Falls); Jerry S Doriott, PE (Chippewa Falls); Randy J Sanford, PE (Chippewa Falls); and Jeff Saxby, PE (Appleton).

Vierbicher Associates - welcomes Jason Hansen to the Madison office’s building inspection team.

Yaggy Colby Associates – is pleased to announce its Delafield office is a participant in the Department of Natural Resources’ Green Tier program.

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Committee News
Business Practices – The committee’s January meeting was cancelled. The group will meet March 18 in Madison.

Commerce - The committee is currently reviewing the ACEC WI Government Affairs Agenda for revisions and updates to consider for the 2011-12 legislative session.

DNR Liaison - The committee’s January meeting included a presentation by the Bureau of Watershed Management Director Russ Rasmussen. Like the Commerce Committee, it is also reviewing the ACEC WI Government Affairs Agenda.

DOT Liaison - The full committee’s quarterly meeting is scheduled for February 9 at the Edgewater Hotel, Madison. WisDOT officials will join the meeting during the afternoon session.

DSF Liaison - A partnering meeting was held with DSF and AIA on January 25. The topics covered during the meeting will be the main focus of the full committee’s conference call on February 4. The other agenda item will be brainstorming for speakers and topics for the 2010 DSF Consultant Conference, scheduled for Tuesday, November 9 at the Alliant Energy Center.

Human Resources - The committee is scheduled to meet at RMT, in Madison, on February 11. This month’s topic is health care reform and the impact on private employers.

Government Affairs - The committee continues to meet on an as needed basis via conference call as QBS legislation moves forward. It has scheduled its next face to face meeting for February 11. In addition to monitoring other legislative issues, the committee expects to have a legislator address the group at that meeting.

Membership - The committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday, February 4 at AECE WI’s office.

Public Relations – The committee meets February 4. A top priority of the committee continues to be researching social media and how it can be utilized by ACEC WI.

Transportation Task Force - The task force will meet on February 4 and has scheduled its meeting with the WisDOT Administrator’s Office later in the month.

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State Agency News
Department of Commerce - Lynita Docken, the S&B plumbing program manager, has been appointed Temporary Program Development Bureau Director. Docken was the public swimming pools program manager; Roman Kaminski is taking over that responsibility. Click here for more information.

Department of Natural Resources – The RR Report from DNR's Remediation and Redevelopment Program are available at the following links:
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/rr/news/10/01-08-10.pdf
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/aw/rr/news/10/1-22-10.pdf

Department of Transportation - The WisDOT Research Program 2009 Annual Report is now available. Click here to view the report.

Natural Resources Conservation Service – Revisions have been made to section IV and V of the Wisconsin FOTG. Click here to view the Wisconsin e-FOTG.

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ACEC National News
Solicitation of Candidates for National Office
The ACEC 2010-11 Nominating Committee is soliciting applications for national office with terms commencing April 2011. The committee will be interviewing for the chair-elect and 3 vice chair positions.

To be eligible for chair-elect, a candidate must be a member or Fellow of the Council and shall have served as the president of a member organization, a member of the ACEC Executive Committee or an ACEC Director. To be eligible for vice chair, a member shall have been an officer or director of a member organization, a national director, a member of an ACEC national committee, or an officer of a special interest committee. See the Officers Guidance Manual for additional information.

If you are interested in applying, send your application form, a letter of support from your firm, and a photo to ACEC WI Executive Director Carol Godiksen.

Annual Convention & Legislative Summit
April 25-28, Washington, DC
Attend the advocacy and education event of the year, ACEC’s Annual Convention & Legislative Summit. This year’s theme is Engineering America’s Recovery: New Opportunities. Highlights include:

Click here for details. Register by April 2 to receive the early bird registration rates.

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Conduit Fund & WisPAC
This election year is extremely important to the industry. Using the conduit as a pass-through for your political contributions benefits not only you, but also your employer and ACEC WI. Resolve to exercise your right to be involved in the political process by contributing to the ACEC WI Conduit. Click here for more information on the conduit.

2010 Conduit Contributors (as of January 29)
Chairman Level - $1000 or more
John Boldt, Clark Dietz
Philip Budde, Strand Associates, Inc
Jeffrey Kronser, Strand Associates, Inc
John Rathke, Mead & Hunt
Theodore J Richards, Strand Associates, Inc
Rajan Sheth, Mead & Hunt
Richard Smith, RA Smith National, Inc
Paul Tarvin, AECOM*

President Level - $500 or more
David Brose, EMCS Inc*
Russell Chesmore, Mead & Hunt, Inc
John Kissinger, GRAEF
Amy Squiteri, Mead & Hunt, Inc*

Principal Level - $250 or more
Gilbert Hantzsch, MSA Professional Services
Charles Kopplin, GRAEF
Michael Mertens, Jewell Associates Engineers*
Steven Schultz, Ruekert/Mielke, Inc*

Professional Level - $100 or more
Ryan Amtmann, Ruekert/Mielke, Inc*
Michael Forslund, Strand Associates, Inc
Stanley Sugden, Ruekert/Mielke, Inc*
Sean Sullivan, Ruekert/Mielke, Inc*
Patrick Wohlers, Ruekert/Mielke, Inc*

* These individuals are participating in the automatic withdrawal program. Contact ACEC WI at 608-257-9223 to learn how you can participate in the automatic withdrawl program.

2010 WisPAC Contributors (as of January 29)
Contributions of $100 or more
Russell Chesmore, Mead & Hunt, Inc
Jeffrey Kronser, Strand Associates, Inc
Rajan Sheth, Mead & Hunt, Inc

In addition to the WisPAC contributions listed above, there were 2 contributions of less than $100 and contributions through ACEC WI raffles.

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Other News

SMPS Events

Voice, Verse & Volume: Creating Winning Proposals
February 18
Country Springs Hotel, Pewaukee
Does your proposal process feel more like a bumpy road than smooth sailing? Are you always in a panic to meet deadlines? Are your submittals bogged down with too much information or the wrong information? Does your firm respond to every RFP it receives, leaving you little time to focus your efforts productively?

This session will help you address the why and how of the proposal process, not just what. You will learn how to develop internal relationships to facilitate a smooth proposal process and be more selective about which projects you pursue. You will discover tips for writing and editing content, organizing your resources and tips on document layout that communicates visually and effectively.

Join SMPS Wisconsin for this interactive program that will infuse energy and enthusiasm into what you do every day! Click here for information.

Beyond Price Cutting: How to Maximize Value and Remain Competitive
March 18
Country Springs Hotel, Pewaukee
With mounting pressures of uncertain economic times and increasing competition for every opportunity, your firm may be tempted to cut prices and chase every lead to remain competitive. Slashing prices might seem to be a quick fix, but it can lead to negative long-term side effects. And pursuing opportunities with strategies to capture the project can waste valuable marketing dollars. Dr Janet Sanders, an expert in the field of client marketing, will identify opportunities and strategies that will allow you to focus your efforts and maintain prices.

Attendees will learn:

• Hot spots to invest your limited marketing dollars
• Relevant messages that appeal to today’s penny-pinching clients and prospects
• Tactics to win “more than your share” of whatever work that is available in your marketplace
• Ways other firms have changed their business models to get through the downturn
• Ideas to position your firm to survive in today’s economy and thrive in tomorrow’s changed marketplace.

Join SMPS Wisconsin & ACEC WI for this exciting half-day seminar. Click here for details.

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UW Business News Wire
Check out the latest edition of UW Business News Wire at http://buswire.ocr.wisc.edu/. The monthly online publication is intended to build and strengthen awareness of and appreciation for university resources and programs that assist the Wisconsin business community.

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© American Council of Engineering Companies of Wisconsin 2010