PRESIDENT'S PERSPECTIVE

Connecting Over the Holidays

December 2013

Happy holidays everyone!

December Meeting Dinner at Giuseppe's in SLO on 12/13/2013

LA Section, ASCE Region 9

I love the holidays for the connections and kindness they inspire. It’s a perfect time to express gratitude to our communities and support systems.

With that said, I’m very grateful for our ASCE community. We have a strong sense of unity and support among us. And believe it or not, that support system is more complex and extensive than you might imagine. Our ASCE community starts here in San Luis Obispo and includes a diverse network of engineers from all arenas: public and private, application and institution, student and professional. But it also reaches out regionally, statewide and globally.

Over the past decade or so, our Branch Board has been trying to improve connectivity with our “parent” entity, the Los Angeles ASCE Section. The Section represents seven Branches: Desert Area (Mono and Inyo), San Bernardino/ Riverside, Orange County, Metropolitan Los Angeles, Southern San Joaquin, Santa Barbara/ Ventura and SLO. It’s the second largest ASCE Section with roughly 8,000 members (for comparison, SLO has 275+ professional and 300+ student members). The Board of Directors stands at the helm of the Section. This includes the elected Section Officers as well as Directors representing each Branch (held by the Branch President) and subsidiary groups, such as YMF. Historically, Section Board meetings have taken place in Los Angeles or Orange counties. Our remote location makes it difficult for our local Branch President to attend and creates a bit of disconnect with our regional community.

Last week we broke new ground. Our Branch hosted the Los Angeles Section Board’s December meeting. Section Directors traveled as far as 300 miles to SLO to discuss current issues and operations. To celebrate this monumental step, 20+ members representing the Society Board of Direction, Region 9, LA Section, SLO Branch, YMF, and Student Chapter (and of course, supportive spouses!) enjoyed dinner in downtown SLO. Yaz Emrani, Section President, like our Board, encourages institution of new practices that develop and strengthen our connections between all levels of ASCE. I hope to see future Branch Presidents, Boards, and members fostering a sense of community with our neighbors in southern California. There’s a great ocean of potential waiting as we begin to open doors to our ASCE neighbors, both locally and regionally. I encourage you to open your door and welcome in communities and support systems around you - old and new, near and far!

A special thanks to Kyle Anderson for posing the idea of hosting the Section meeting, and to our Branch Board (especially Steve Tanaka, Anthony Severy, and Wes Thomson!) for coordinating the meeting and travel accommodations. And of course, to all of the individuals who spent their Friday evening welcoming and celebrating with our wonderful guests. This event certainly will leave a lasting impression on our partners and will foster a stronger, growing community.

Enjoy your holidays everyone! I look forward to connecting with you in the new year!

Carolyn K. Berg, P.E.

2013/14 Branch President