 |
|
 |
 |
|
News | |
|
ACEC-SC has 24 ENR 500 Firms They are AECOM, BP Barber, Collins Engineers, Inc., Davis & Floyd, Dyer, Riddle, Mills & Precourt, Ensafe, Florence & Hutcherson, HDR, HNTB, HGBD, Kleinfelder Group, The LPA GROUP INCORPORATED, Parsons Brinkerhoff, PBSJ, PSI, RMT, S&ME, Stantec, STV, Terracon, TranSystems, URS, Wilbur Smith Associates and Woolpert. Conversely, ACEC-SC has 29 South Carolina firms with less than 40 employees. These firms have no out-of-state offices. The remainder of the firms either has more than 40 employees or are firms domiciled in other states and have branch offices in South Carolina. The economy has taken a toll on South Carolina engineering firms as many have downsized while others have dropped their ACEC-SC membership. Nevertheless, ACEC-SC remains strong and is working daily for its members. ACEC-SC and SCDOT Offer another Annual Meeting with Great Programs Oct. 27 at Seawell’s in Columbia The ACEC-SC / SCDOT Annual Meeting brings together engineers from the department, FHWA and the consulting firms where issues important to all are presented, discussed and often debated. Programs in three tracks have been secured. Programs are presented by SCDOT, FHWA and consultants. Mr. John Walsh, SCDOT Deputy Secretary – Engineering and Mr. Bob Lee, Federal Highway Administrator are featured speakers. The morning Keynote address is given by Mr. George Tapas with URS, and he discusses “Innovative Infrastructure Finance.” The luncheon speaker is Mr. Rob Turton, HDR Engineering; his topic is Hoover Dam Bypass Project. The Annual Meeting provides professional development hours for those who are registered engineers. Already six companies have signed as sponsors and seven companies have registered as exhibitors. Contact ACEC-SC now to be included as a sponsor or exhibitor in the marketing brochure. Sponsors: Exhibitors: States Join Together to Try to Push Bill for Federal Funding for Fixing State Roads
With nearly half of all bridges nationwide being structurally unsound and states economies scraping to get by Federal funding is needed to insure the safety of the American people. Aging and under capacity roads also cost Americans billions of dollars in fuel each year. Since the last transportation bill expired on September 30, 2009 congress has only passed a series of short-term, “patch” bills instead of major legislation that could fix our roads and bridges. ACEC-SC and SCSPE urge you to contact our state representatives and ask them to pass a new six-year surface transportation bill. Construction, engineering, and trucking associations are sponsoring this effort to move the transportation legislation in many states. This bill will help locally as well as nationally and could hopefully bring work to engineers in South Carolina. For more information go to www.FixAgingRoads.org. ACEC Meeting with FHWA on Industry Issues Take the first step towards LEED Green Associate Credential: ACEC Offers USGBC Course Online
If you have a question, please contact La’Creshea Makonnen, 202-682-4338 or lmakonnen@acec.org. Former SC Department of Transportation Official Joins Stantec For nearly 20 years, Werts managed all traffic engineering operations for more than 41,000 miles of South Carolina state roads, including traffic control standards, traffic operations, traffic signals and systems, freeway and incident management, intersection improvements, and highway safety programs. “Rick is a highly respected engineering professional who has played a key role in modernizing South Carolina’s transportation system during a period of rapid change. His leadership and experience will be very valuable to our growing practice,” says Troy Peoples, vice president, transportation.
He is widely recognized throughoutthe Southeast for his commitment to the transportation engineering profession and public safety, and has served in leadership positions with a number of state and national organizations. Among them are the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Traffic Engineering Subcommittee, where he chaired the Traffic Design, Regulation and Management Team; the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and; the South Carolina Section of the Institute of Transportation Engineers, where he served as section president and was recognized as South Carolina Transportation Engineer of the Year. Werts is a graduate of Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. Prior to his tenure as Director of Traffic Engineering, he was a district traffic engineer with SCDOT. Let Candidates Know Your Issues There will be a number of college football games played before you can cast your vote, but now is the time to let candidates know where you stand on issues important to you. On the state level qualification based selection, tort reform, infrastructure and transportation funds and workers’ compensation are issues you want candidates to know you care about. Engineers, surveyors and architects are design professionals whose services should not be bid for the lowest price. Qualification based selection is the proven method for acquiring the services from you. Federal government and South Carolina require this method; however, many political subdivisions want to bid for these professional services. Legislation was introduced last year to get promote QBS by public entities. If you are talking with a candidate for any public office, talk to him or her about QBS and why it is the best method for acquiring engineering services. In running marathon thinking, tort reform ran 25 miles but didn’t make it to the finish. It was held up by the trial lawyers and died awaiting the chance for a vote on the Senate floor. In all likelihood, legislation very similar to the tort reform bill that passed overwhelmingly by the SC House in 2009 will be introduced again in 2011. Talk to candidates and tell them how important tort reform is to you and to all small businesses in SC. The state’s operating budget was cut approximately $2 Billion which means there is little money for any extra projects and other projects have and will be cut. Nevertheless, the state’s roads and bridges and water and waste water plants are in a poor state. Most of these poor conditions are as clear as the noses on our faces; just ride on practically any of our roads, and if you dare, look at the bridges you ride over or go under. Cities, towns and special service districts are running water and waste water systems that are old, worn out and at capacity. With money scarce, the infrastructure and transportation systems may not get the needed funds, but for the health, safety and welfare of the public, these needs must stay in the forefront of our politicians’ minds. Remind them of these needs. Workers’ compensation remains a problem for South Carolina. Although good changes were made over the last two years, work remains. For instance, the Senate refused to allow a well qualified candidate for the Workers Compensation Commission to sit for a confirmation hearing. Workers compensation insurance that every company has to pay remains high and is therefore a burden on every company. As professionals you need to take the lead informing candidates of the needs you see and then supporting those who think like you, and finally voting in November.
The American Council of Engineering of South Carolina is a member of organization of the ACEC-SC Reports is published for members firms and friends by
|
|
|
|
"What we do is all around you."
The 13th Annual ACEC-SC/SCDOT Annual Meeting & Trade Show is scheduled for October 27, 2010 at Seawell's in Columbia. For the first time you can register online and have the option to pay by credit card. Click here to pre-register for this event, the registration deadline is October 15. So don't hesitate register now. If you are interested in becoming an sponsor or exhibitor download the registration packet below. The registration deadline for exhibitors and sponsors is August 31, so register now. ACEC-SC/SCDOT Annual Meeting & Trade Show Registration Packet<< We would like to thank our sponsors and exhibitors: Gold Sponsor Silver Sponsor Bronze Sponsors Exhibitors
August 13 October 7 October 10 October 19–22 October 27 October 29 & 30 November 4 November - TBA November 19 December 2 December 10 December 15 December 17 January 6 January 7 January 25 February 3 February 8 February 11 February 20-26 February 23
Many thanks to the companies that already have committed to supporting the engineering conference and to help make it the best engineering gathering in the state. Silver Sponsor Bronze Sponsors
Mid-Morning Break Sponsor Golf Lunch Sponsor Exhibitors
The mission of ACEC-SC is to promote and protect the business interests and professional standards of engineers in the state of South Carolina; and to improve member firms' ability to profitably provide quality services to their clients. ACEC-SC is an Organization of more than 80 Engineering firms employing more than 4,000 individuals. Membership Information
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
2010 ACEC-SC/SCDOT Annual Meeting & Trade Show 
|