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Issue: 4 

July 2016   
ACEC Supports Congressman Upton 
Recently, Michigan's 6th district Congressman Fred Upton visited with ACEC members Chris Cook and Jim Escamilla at Byce & Associates in Kalamazoo. He was  presented with an ACEC National PAC contribution and has been a loyal supporter of the engineering industry for many years. He was also featured on ACEC National's monthly publication Engineering, Inc.  
 
Left to right:  Jim Escamilla (Byce), Congressman Upton, Chris Cook (Abonmarche) 
21st Century Infrastructure Commission 
Governor Snyder's 21st Century Infrastructure Commission (created March 10, 2016 by Executive Order No. 2016-5) has been very busy after appointees were announced March 31. The Commission has been meeting monthly, with subgroup meetings in between, and recently launched a website (http://miinfrastructurecommission.com/)  for public input on July 11. The Commission is also on the road with listening tours created to obtain regional specific input regarding the condition and future needs for Michigan's infrastructure. Several Commissioners traveled to Traverse City and most recently Grand Rapids to meet with local leaders and the general public. A listening session is scheduled August 19 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. in Marquette and another is planned in the Detroit area in September.

The Commission will be identifying strategic best practices to modernize the state's transportation, water and sewer, energy, and communications infrastructure over the next 30-50 years. A final report is due November 30, 2016.

Members of the engineering community are encouraged to attend listening sessions and to provide input through the Michigan Infrastructure Commission website. Please do not hesitate to contact Ron Brenke, ACEC-ASCE MI Executive Director, who is a member of the Commission, with any questions.
ACEC Emerging Leaders Program
The 2017 ACEC/Michigan Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) will be held over three sessions this fall. The class was filled in two weeks. 27 applications were received, 14 of which were from firms who did not participate last year.  The program imparts specific skills and competencies identified by top ACEC/M principals as critical for leadership success. Highly interactive sessions are taught by experts in the field of business administration and people management in professional services firms. 

The 2017 program will kick off in September in Lansing, with sessions focused on strategic planning and governmental affairs. 

2017 ACEC Engineering & Surveying Excellence Awards Competition
Entry Details Available Now!

96Fix - 2016 Eminent Conceptor
ACEC/Michigan recognizes special engineering and surveying accomplishments through its annual Engineering & Surveying Excellence Awards. The statewide competition recognizes engineering achievements that demonstrate a high degree of client satisfaction through innovative, cost-effective solutions.

 
 
ACEC/M is now accepting "Intents to Enter" for the 2017 ACEC/Michigan Engineering and Surveying Excellence competition. Intents are due to the ACEC/M office by Friday, August 26, 2016. Completed project submittals are due by 12:00 noon on Friday, October 7, 2016. The winning projects will be announced on March 11, 2017 during our Awards Gala at The Fillmore in Detroit. Complete entry information, including the Intent to Enter form, is now available on the ACEC website.

Eminent Conceptor and Honorable Conceptor Award winners are eligible to compete in the National ACEC competition. Project submittals are due to ACEC National by January 6, 2017. The national winners will be named and recognized at the ACEC Engineering Excellence Awards Gala in Washington DC, April 25, 2017. Visit the ACEC National website for more details
ACEC Hosting CEO Roundtables
September 23 in Southfield
October 4 in Grand Rapids
Firm principals, owners and senior managers  do not want to miss this opportunity to get together to discuss topics on the minds of industry leaders. Large or small, all firms can benefit from these discussions. ACEC will provide an update of association issues. Legislation, firm profitability, key business practices and other issues that are affecting engineering companies will be discussed. PE's will receive two continuing education credits. 
 
Roundtables start at 8:00 am, and the cost is $30/person. Non-ACEC firms can attend (at no cost) when invited by a current member firm.  Registration is open on the ACEC website .  
ACEC Announces 2016-2017 President and Board of Directors

Michael Cooper HED

2016-2017 President

ACEC of Michigan is pleased to announce that Michael Cooper, PE, of Harley Ellis Devereaux (Southfield)  has been elected as its 2016-2017 President.

Mike is President and Managing Principal of Harley Ellis Devereaux, a national architecture, engineering, planning and management firm. Mike has been involved in complex building projects for more than 25 years in both a design and management capacity. In his role, he is responsible for all aspects of business operations for the firm's Detroit office and for strategic planning for the firm on a national level. Mike is a member of several business and technical organizations, helping to set guidelines for improved business practices and high performance building design. He is a licensed professional engineer in 19 states and is a frequent author and speaker on progressive design and management. 

2016-2017 ACEC/Michigan Officers:
President:  Michael Cooper, PE, Harley Ellis Devereaux, Southfield
President-Elect:  Steve Nichols, PE, Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr & Huber, Inc., Grand Rapids
Treasurer:   Sean Kelley, PE, The Mannik & Smith Group, Inc., Detroit
National Director:  Robert Rayl, PE, RS Engineering, LLC, Lansing
Past-President:  Mark Kramer, PE, SME, Plymouth

2016-2017 ACEC/Michigan Board of Directors:
Chris Cook, PE, Abonmarche, Benton Harbor
Steve Gravlin, PE, PS, Wade Trim, Taylor
Tricia Huneke, Ruby+Associates, Bingham Farms
Jon Kramer, PE, OHM Advisors, Livonia
Eric Morris, PE, HNTB, Okemos
Jayson Nault, PE, Tetra Tech, Brighton
Stephen Pangori, PE, Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick, Inc., Shelby Township
G. Ramanujam (Ram), PE, Somat Engineering, Detroit
Michael Weingartz, PE, SmithGroupJJR, Detroit
Jack Wheatley, PE, ROWE Professional Services Company, Flint
MSPE Fall Education Seminar
MSPE will be hosting a Fall Education Seminar that will provide 6 PDHs for Professional Engineers. The morning will focus on Drone Technology and the afternoon session will focus on Autonomous Vehicles. Each session will be presented by three experts on the topic and will also include a discussion period.

The Drone Technology session will include information on the many applications of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV), including hyper-spectral remote sensing, work in the utility sector and infrastructure inspection. Additionally, this session will discuss current rules and regulations pertaining to the commercial use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and liabilities for, and penalties against companies that operate UAS improperly. We will also take a look at drone use from the aviation community perspective.

The second part of the day will be dedicated to Autonomous Vehicles (AV). This session will begin by discussing the technology behind AV and continuing with related infrastructure issues. From there, we will turn to current research and testing of autonomous vehicles and how Professional Engineers are part of this process.
 
When:    October 6, 2016
                8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Where:  The View at Lugnuts Stadium, Lansing, MI
Cost:      $120 for MSPE Members and $140 for non-members

Registration will be available starting August 1. www.michiganspe.org
ACEC Sponsoring NHI Bridge Class in October

ACEC/Michigan is sponsoring an updated NHI 3-Day Course entitled "Bridge Inspection Refresher Training" (FHWA-NHI-130053). 

This course is designed for those who have completed prior comprehensive bridge inspection training (NHI 130055 or similar) or meet the criteria for a bridge inspector under the State's procedures or requirements.  This course meets state and FHWA requirements for continued education for Bridge Inspectors. (Additional course information can be found on the  NHI website ). 

Class size is limited to 30 attendees.  The registration fee includes all educational materials and breaks. Lunch is on your own.

Registration is open on the ACEC/M website. Registration deadline is Tuesday, October 4, 2016. C ancellation policy: No refunds will be given after October 4, 2016. Registrations are transferable.
MDOT-ACEC Partnering Award Nominations Now Being Accepted
Application Deadline is October 7

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan (ACEC/M) are excited to announce the fourth annual "MDOT-ACEC Partnership Charter Award." This award recognizes project managers and consultants for their commitment to excellence and 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 will be 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

Projects accomplished by team effort between MDOT project managers and ACEC consultants are eligible to receive this award. Entries for the 2016 award will be received by the MDOT Performance Excellence Section through October 7, 2016. Projects must be substantially complete and ready for use between November 1, 2014 and October 31, 2016.

The 2016 award will be announced at the MDOT/ACEC Partnering Workshop on February 2, 2017 in Lansing.

Entry guidelines and the official entry form are available on the ACEC/M website

V ote for Grand Hotel in the USA Today Readers Choice Awards
Voting deadline is August 1st



Voting ends Monday, August 1st, 2016 at 11:59am EDT, you may vote once a day, and the winners will be announced on 10Best on Friday, August 5th, 2016 at 12:00pm EDT, then later on USA TODAY. You can read the official rules  here.
2016 - 2017 Save The Dates
Mark Your Calendar!

September 8-9, 2016: Emerging Leaders Program (First Session-Lansing)
September 23, 2016:   CEO Roundtable, Southfield
October 5, 2016: CEO Roundtable, Grand Rapids
October 18-20, 2016:   Bridge Refresher Training , Lansing
January 19- 20, 2017:  PSMJ Project Management Bootcamp, Lansing
February 2, 2017:   MDOT-ACEC Partnering Workshop
, Lansing
March 7, 2017: Legislative Day (TBA-Lansing) 
March 11, 2017:   Engineering & Surveying Excellence Awards Gala , Detroit
May 18, 2017:   Michigan Infrastructure Conference , Grand Rapids

  
  
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In This Issue
ACEC Supports Congressman Upton
21st Century Infrastructure Commission
ACEC Emerging Leaders Program
2017 ACEC ESE Intents to Enter
ACEC CEO Roundtables
ACEC/M 2016-17 Board of Directors
MSPE Fall Education Seminar
NHI Bridge Refresher Course
MDOT-ACEC Partership Award
Vote for the Grand Hotelnference
Save the Dates
Engineering Center

 


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 Engineering Center
Questions about engineering?
Please contact:

  

Ron Brenke, PE 

Executive Director

ACEC & ASCE

 517-332-2066

Shada Biabani-Kanine
Executive Director 
MSPE
517-487-9388