The First Word 11.30.2024

December 5th EEA Entries Due by 5pm CST-Details in the EEA Section below.

I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving without too much politics at the family table :). Speaking of politics the November election has brought in a new federal administration and Congress to learn more from our ACEC Federal Lobbying Team 2024 Election Cycle: What Does it Mean for the Engineering Industry | A Post-Election Briefing Very Timely and important information.

With the Trump Administration will transition to the White House in January US Senator Mark Wayne Mullin is a very close personal friend of President Trump and Senator Mullin was endorsed for the US Senate by Trump in the primary. While Senator Mullin's primary challenger TW Shannon (first African-American Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Rep and ODOT Commissioner) has been selected to serve on the Trump transition team. This is good for Oklahoma and Infrastructure! Congressman Cole was endorsed in his primary by Trump and our delegation is in the majority for the next 2 legislative years.

OK House of Rep & Senate were sworn in during November.

House: Oklahoma House of Representatives

Speaker Kyle Hilbert, Speaker Pro Tem Anthony Moore, Caucus Chair Stan May, Caucus Vice Chair Nick Archer and Caucus Secretary Josh Cantrell

Minority Leader Cyndi Munson

There are 84 returning and 17 new members in the House.

Newly-elected Republicans include Mark Chapman, House District 12; Tim Turner, House District 15; Jonathan Wilk, House District 20; Ryan Eaves, House District 22; Derrick Hildebrant, House District 23; Jim Shaw, House District 32; Molly Jenkins, House District 33; Stacy Jo Adams, House District 50; Jason Blair, House District 53; Mike Kelley, House District 60; Rob Hall, House District 67; Mike Lay, House District 68; Emily Gise, House District 90; and Gabe Woolley, House District 98.

Newly-elected Democrats include McCane, House District 72; Stewart, House District 73; and Pogemiller, House District 88.

Senate:

Pro-Tem Lonnie Paxton, Floor Leader Julie Daniels, Chuck Hall Chair of Appropriations and John Haste VC of Appropriations.

Minority Leader Julia Kurt

27 returning Senators, 14 freshman and 1 open seat (R. Thompson resigned)

Newly Elected Republicans include Avery Frix, R-Muskogee, Jonathan Wingard, R-Ada, Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, Randy Grellner, R-Stillwater, Brian Guthrie, R-Bixby, Spencer Kern, R-Duncan, Christi Gillespie, R-Broken Arrow, Aaron Reinhardt, R-Jenks, Kendal Sacchieri, R-Duncan and Kelly Hines, R-Edmond.

Newly Elected Democrats include: Nikki Nice-OKC, Mark Mann-OKC, Regina Goodwin-Tulsa

The only statewide election was for Corporation Commission-former Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman-R won to fill Comm. Bob Anthony's seat.



Membership Mondays: Maximize Your ACEC Member Benefits – ACEC

Many of our members do not realize all of the GREAT Benefits they receive as a member of ACEC OK and ACEC National. The link above is for a live online webinar for 1 hour providing information which is well worth your time even if you have been a long time member. Monday, December 9, 2024, 12:30-1:30PM CST Get Registered TODAY!

Important Items from ACEC National:

• The Coalitions Winter Meeting 2025 - ACEC will focus on resiliency and sustainability, key themes for engineering firms today. Feb. 25-26 in Pheonix AZ.

• Subscribe to the ACEC National YouTube Channel-ACEC National - YouTube New Videos on AI, transportation materials and the Workforce Consortium

• Annual Reports - ACEC--Released the Annual Report to learn more about how your firms dues are being spent

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Programs – Status of Legal Challenges, Potential Outcomes, and What A/E Firms Need to Know

December 11 | 1:30-2:30 PM Eastern

In September, a federal district court in Kentucky ruled that the race- and gender-based contracting preferences used in the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program violate the United States Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment. In this online program, participants will hear from experts in transportation and infrastructure procurement and federal regulatory compliance on the latest court decisions and how U.S. DOT and other public agencies may need to adjust their DBE programs. Learn More | Register Now

www.acec.org for other educational opportunities which include December's On Demand Classes

PAC Giving DEADLINE!

We are $4,500 short for our federal PAC Goal. Below is a link

acec - lastchancesweeps2024

Thank you for your generous support of our PAC's. Your contribution will be critical in electing legislators supportive of our agenda.

Thanks to you we raised over $500 toward our federal PAC goal and $3,350 to our state pac!

You can give securely and easily at the state level here.

You can donate at the federal level here.

State and National EEA Call for Entries!

From National: Deadlines for the 2025 Competition:

• National Deadline Submissions: Wednesday, January 8th
• The entrant’s company representative must be available by phone: Thursday, January 16th
• Judging Event: Friday thru Sunday, Feb. 21 – 23, 2025
• EEA Gala at the Grand Hyatt: Tuesday, May 20, 2025

For our ACEC OKLAHOMA EEA Awards--Save the Date and Get Started on your entries! You can access the call for entry form here.

The state EEA submission portal Submissions - acecoklahoma.org

We will still require a project poster board that must be submitted in-person (dropped off or mailed) 220 NE 28th St OKC OK 73105--Suite 135, and everything else can be processed online.

Member Entry Fee: $350 for members and $750 for non-members.

If your firm is planning to submit an entry please send us a quick note we are working on the venue and want to make sure we have space for the entries.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Oklahoma EEA Entries Due

December 5

2025 Board and General Membership Meeting / EEA Awards

Tulsa, OK

​​​​​​​Feb 6

Save the date

The Board has approved a new Water/Waiste Water Committee

The focus of the committee is to find out ways ACEC OK can engage on important issues and bring members together for collaboration. If you are interested in participating please email evanhandy@acecok.org

Upcoming Events



EEA Entries Due

December 5

2025 Board and General Membership Meeting / EEA Awards

Tulsa, OK

​​​​​​​Feb 6

Save the date

PSMJ

Project Management Bootcamp

Feb 11-12

Tulsa OK

more details to come

ACEC 2025 Annual convention & legislative summit

May 18–21, 2025 | Grand Hyatt | Washington, DC

ACEC Midwest States Conference on June 3-6, 2025. We’ll be at the Doubletree by Hilton in Durango, CO. 

2025 Fall Conference

October 5-9, 2025

Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina

San Diego, CA