ASCE - American Society of Civil Engineers

Life Member Forum

The Life Member Forum meets on the first Thursday of each month in the offices of the ASCE Administrator, Gayle Stewart Enterprises, 1405 Warner Avenue, Tustin, CA 92780. The phone number at the reception desk is 714-258-8306, if you need directions.

Meetings start at 10:00 A.M. and usually end by noon. Orders for sandwichs and cold drinks for those who wish to have lunch are placed early in the meeting, and lunchs are delivered around noon.

Links

History & Heritage Committee Home Page

Orange County Branch ASCE

History and Heritage Archives

(more to follow...)

Visit the 2013 Centennial Workshop
MEETING NOTICE

April 3, 2008
10:00AM to Noon
1405 WARNER AVE., TUSTIN, CA 92780
714-258-8306

AGENDA
  1. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - Ted McConville
  2. ASST. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - Charles Ruiz
  3. ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS - B.M. GHADIALI
  4. SUBCOMMITTEE REPORTS
    • DISASTER ASSISTANCE
    • HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
    • INFRASTRUCTURE ADVISORY
    • PUBLIC IMAGE
    • POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT
  5. OLD BUSINESS
  6. NEW BUSINESS

    7.             ULTRA-MODERN DUBAI - SINGH SAWHNEY

MEETING MINUTES OF April 3, 2008

ATTENDANCE: Ted McConville, Charlie Ruiz, Joe Buley, Lee Jauman, Walt Preston, B.M. Ghadiali, Larry Lewis, P. Singh Sawhney and Garvin Pederson

Guests: Transportation Corridor Agencies - Dave Lowe and Jeff Bott M4 Strategies - Todd Fairbanks and Chris St.Hilaire

CHAIRMAN'S REPORT: Ted McConville, started the discussion in regards to the extension of the 241 Toll Road in southern Orange County. Dave Lowe the Acting Chief Engineer of the "Transportation Corridor Agencies" brought us up to date on the planning and the various permitting requirements. Since the permit from the California Coastal Commission was denied, the agency is appealing to the U. S. Department of Commerce. The majority of the Cities in Southern Orange County are in favor of the extension. The alternative which would be the widening of Interstate 5 from the connection of the 405 at the El Toro interchange to south of San Clemente, would be more costly and much more disruptive to the public. The major point they make in the reasons for the extension is that the Toll Road provides a much need alternative exit route for the public in San Clemente and beach cities to the south in emergency situations. The widening of Interstate 5 would not provide an alternative emergency route.

M4 Strategies President, Chris St. Hilaire gave a presentation of their background and experience in dealing with problems faced by the Toll Road Authority, such as acceptance of projects such as this by the public and countering arguments by environmental groups. They have been successful in obtaining approvals, including the Coastal Commission, for the desalination facility in Huntington Beach. The City of Newport Beach has used them to devise public outreach strategies on several key issues facing the city. They state that effective communication efforts are advanced in four distinct phases. "Message-Messenger-Medium-Momentum". They have been very successful in using their methods to advance public projects.

ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS: B. M. Ghadiali attended the March general meeting of the Los Angeles Professional Chapter of "Engineers Without Borders". He stated this chapter is still in the process of organizing. They appeared to be interested in exploring associating with the Life Member Forum. He will try to have someone from the chapter come to one of our meetings. He also checked into the Orange County Chapter of EWB. This chapter is in the very early stages of organizing.

Sample letter to U. S Department of Commerce in support of 241 Toll Road extension 

NOAA Office of General Counsel for Ocean Services
1305 East-West Highway Room 6111
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Orange County California
Foothill South Toll Road Extension

Dear Secretary Gutierrez,

As an Southern California resident and a frequent commuter I believe completion of the 241 Toll
Road extension will go a long way in relieving traffic tie-ups in Southern California. It also
allows for an emergency way out in the case of a natural disaster. Currently Interstate 5 is
the only evacuation route for thousands of people and if that is tied up because of an accident
complete chaos will occur.


I believe completion of the 241 Toll Road offers the best solution.  The alternative, widening
Interstate 5 would result in the taking of many existing homes and businesses and would be much
more disruptive to the public. It would also not provide an alternate escape route.


My reading of the information available indicates the proposed alignment avoids the most
sensitive habitats and is the result of a six-year study with state and federal environmental
and transportation agencies. I urge you to override the California Coastal Commission's
objection to this badly needed transportation project.  


Sincerely,
MEMORANDUM

Date:         10/18/07
To:             Los Angeles Life Member Forum
From:         Norm Buehring
Subject:     Task Committee on Life Member Forums

After President-elect David Mongan attended the LA Section Life Member event he decided to form a Task Committee on Life Member Forums to

"review the existing model of the L. A. Life Member Forum, consider other potential models for similar functions throughout ASCE's organizational entities, and develop a guide for Life Member Forums in ASCE".

I was appointed chair and Carl Blum is on the committee. Other members are from New York, Arizona, Texas, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New Jersey. We have been asked to begin our task this month and provide a report to the ASCE Board of Direction in February of 2008.

Clearly one of the first tasks is to spend time with the members of the LA Forum to get as much information as we can on current activities and to learn more about the factors that have led to the Forum's great success. Carl and I are pleased that the Forum has agreed to give us time at the November 1, 2007 meeting. We have asked for about one and one-half hours, but would be pleased for any additional time if the discussions support the extra time.

We have also been asked to prepare a rough outline of some of the subjects that we would like to discuss. The outline should not limit discussion, but rather help Forum members organize their thoughts for the meeting.

  1. Current Activities
    • General Meetings/Committee
    • Events/Special Projects
    • Work with other organizations (inc. ASCE)
  2. History
    • The Formation
    • Growth over time
    • Critical Success Factors
  3. Potential for Life Member involvement throughout ASCE
    • Individual activities
    • Organizational (Forums, committees, joint efforts or ?)
    • Partnerships with other organizations

Following is the first draft of the Task Force's proposed guidelines:

GUIDELINES FOR LIFE MEMBER INVOLVEMENT IN ASCE

Table of Contents

  1. The Opportunity
  2. Getting Started
  3. Activities
  4. Critical Success Factors
  5. Organization Options
  6. Recruitment/Unique Considerations
  7. Final Thoughts

Appendices

             A. ASCE Life Member Data
             B. Section/Branch Life Member Survey Results
             C. Los Angeles Life Member Forum Information/Brochure
             D. Sample questionnaire for Sections/Branches
             E. Sample Invitation Letter for Sections/Branches

1. THE OPPORTUNITY

Life Member status is generally conferred by ASCE when a member reaches age 65 and fulfills a number of years of ASCE membership. Current data indicates that there about 18,000 Life Members, which is about 14% of ASCE membership, and the numbers will certainly grow in the future. A recent survey by ASCE shows that the membership group is underutilized and that few Sections/Branches have engaged in specific efforts or programs to recruit this specific group into their organization. There are many long-time members that maintain their Section/Branch involvement as they move to Life Member status. Studies show, however, that many Life Members are not involved with local geographic organizations because they relocated to a new area and do not have local contacts, they have had a long break in service and do not see an opportunity to re-engage with their local organization, or their career focus with ASCE has been only technical and they do not have contacts with their local organizations.

These Life members provide an outstanding opportunity to bring new, untapped resources to a local organization. Life Members have the energy, experience and the enthusiasm to be involved in a great variety of activities that serve their desire to contribute to their chosen profession, but also is of service to the local organization membership.

A number of Section/Branch leaders have expressed an interest in working towards more Life Member involvement and suggested that specific materials supporting start up activities would be very helpful. In response to this interest, the following Guideline was prepared to provide proven concise steps on how a local organization can engage Life Members. Large numbers are not needed to start the initiative. The Guideline shows how one person can get it started. Review the Guideline and see how all organizations can easily benefit from an increase in Life Member participation.

2. GETTING STARTED

The purpose of this Guideline is to facilitate the involvement of Life Members in local organizations. ASCE has found that this group is significantly underutilized and that there is great potential to serve their needs for participation and also the ability to generate benefits for the general membership of the local organization.

Two steps are essential in the beginning. First, an officer of the local organization must believe in the value of more Life Member participation and support the commitment of resources to the effort. Second, a motivated and enthusiastic Life Member champion must be selected that can contact and recruit other Life Members and foster their involvement in local organization activities. In some cases an organization may find it appropriate to create a start up team.

The initial task is to determine the specific activities in which Life Members will be invited to participate. Life Member surveys indicates that they value specific activities and interaction with other Life Members. The first opportunity is participation in local organization activities. Next, is an evaluation on how Life Member experiences can be utilized to staff new initiatives within the Section/Branch. Examples that were provided in the recent ASCE survey include infrastructure projects, disaster assistance, fund raising, and special events. And finally, Life Member only activities should be considered since peer relationships and face to face contact are a high priority for this group. There is a discussion of the very successful Los Section Life Member Forum in the Appendix. Few organizations can match their total effort, but every organization can select specific items from the list of successful activities that they currently conduct.

The most important Life Member activity is an annual or monthly recognition event. A formal presentation of the Life Member certificate at a specific meeting shows the member that their contributions to the Society are appreciated and it also provides an outstanding opportunity to invite their participation in local organization activities. In many cases this will be the only opportunity the local organization has to have a face to face discussion with the member and invite their participation in local activities.

Once the specific opportunities to participate are identified, an invitation letter and interest questionnaire can be transmitted to the Life Members within their geographic area. The specific number of Life Members for each Section and Branch is identified in the Appendix. Responses to the questionnaire provide the starting point for increasing Life Member participation in the local organization.

The information in the Guideline is designed to provide specific information to support the process that is described above. A list of activities is provided that are currently performed by Life Members in a Section or Branch. Critical success factors have been identified, that if utilized, will enhance the prospects for success. There are four organization models that can be used to establish the appropriate starting point based on activity level and organization size. As Life Member activities increase, the organization model can progress from individual to group to committee and for a few groups to the forum level. There is a discussion on recruitment and unique considerations. Responses to Life Member Survey Question #3 in the Appendix B show the many ways that Section and Branches currently recognize Life Members. A sample invitation letter and questionnaire are provided in Appendix D and E to help an organization get started with the first communication.

The opportunity to increase Life Member involvement is available to every Section and Branch in ASCE. This group values meaningful participation in ASCE and has proved to serve in ways that brings new services to all members. The information that follows in the Guideline will assist in bringing Life Member resource to the local organization.

3. ACTIVITIES

Because of the experience, knowledge, wisdom, and discretionary time available to many Life Members, there are a number of activities which they could undertake, either individually or collectively. In the process they could add great value to ASCE , to the community in which they live, and, at the same time get a sense of contribution and accomplishment on a personal level.

Following are some that have already been done by Life Members:

1. Recognize their peers through Awards Programs and/or on achieving levels of recognition, such as becoming a Life Member.
2. Recognize Life Members through articles in Section/Branch Newsletters
3. Volunteer for Section/Branch activities
4. Promote ASCE Initiatives at the Local/Regional or Society level.
5. Organize and/or provide speakers for a speakers bureau
6. Help improve communications through work on a web site or by providing hard copies for those who don't use computers.
7. Prepare a Life Members Newsletter
8. Lead and/or participate in Engineer Week activities.
9. Organize History and Heritage projects/activities
10. Assist Student Chapters with programs/activities *
11. Mentor students and Younger Members *
12. Involvement with engineering related public projects (speak at public hearings, etc)
13. Lead and/or assist with the preparation and dissemination of local Infrastructure Report Cards
14. Organize or assist in disaster preparedness programs
15. Offer transportation to other Life Members who want to participate but can no longer drive.
16. Help with fundraising such as golf tournaments and seminars
17. Assist other Life Member Groups get started
18. Digitize Section/Branch records and important historical information

* Life Members, engineering students and Younger Members seem to have an affinity for each other. Life Members have a wealth of experience at the end of their careers that they are willing to share and students and Younger Members are looking for advice and mentoring as they begin their careers.

4. CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS

From the experience of existing Life Member efforts, the following are a few factors that are critical to their success.

1. A key person, or Champion, must start the effort by identifying, communicating with, and developing interest and enthusiasm among other Life Members. This person must believe in the opportunity to involve Life Members and be able to generate interest from other Life Members.
2. Section/Branch support and follow-up is necessary to give the Champion/Group a reference place in ASCE.
3. There must be meaningful activities.
4. Need to develop a network that fosters peer relationships and communication. Life Members want to stay connected.
5. Activities that have an engineering focus are most successful.
6. Combinations of technical and social activities that allow for spouse/significant involvement are supported.
7. Need to have an active monthly or annual recognition program for new Life Members that allows them to feel good about their careers and provides an opportunity to invite local organization participation.
8. Person to person contacts work are most effective.

5. ORGANIZATION OPTIONS

Since there is a broad range of sizes, densities, and environments of the 240+ local organizations of ASCE, one size would not fit all. When undertaking a new effort it is also important to start small and grow as the opportunity presents itself. Therefore, there are four basic organizational options to consider when initiating a Life Member program.

The first, and most essential, is the Life Member Champion. This person must see the value of Life Member participation both to the member and to ASCE.. The Champion should have the ability to define opportunities for Life Members in that specific Section/Branch and to recruit and engage others. The Champion could initiate the invitation letter and questionnaire to define the numbers and areas of interest of Life Members in the organization. At this point it may be appropriate for the Section/Branch to coordinate their interest with the existing activities of the organization.

Interest levels may increase to a point that additional support is desired. A Life Member Group could be formed to facilitate Life Member involvement and also to consider initiatives or new efforts within the local organization that could be fully staffed by Life Members. This would be an informal group working together at their own time and pace.

If the experience of the Los Angeles Section Life Member Forum is an indicator, as Life Member participation grows there may in interest in Life Member activities. They will continue to support Section/Branch activities, but will also enjoy increasing peer relationships. This would probably drive the need to establish a Life Member Committee. This would involve selecting Committee leadership and more formal scheduling. The Committee might do some reporting to the Section/Branch Board and could involve funding from the Section/Branch to help carry out agreed upon responsibilities and activities.

If interest continues to grow a Life Member Forum should be considered. A Forum is an organization that, in addition to serving needs of the general organization, has Life Member Committees with specific tasks and Life Member programs and field trips. This level of organization would probably lead to a formal reporting relationship with their local organization. The Los Angeles Life Member Forum outlined in Appendix C is the model for the Forum organization.

6. RECRUITMENT/UNIQUE CONSIDERATIONS

The key to recruitment of Life Members is offering activities that respond to their interests and under conditions that they are able to participate. Life Members want to be involved in specific activities and favor those activities that have engineering aspects. Unique considerations for Life Members may include hard copies of communications, daytime meetings and transportation assistance.

Recruitment of existing Life Members can be initiated with the invitation letter and questionnaire that are provided in the Appendix. Responses to the questionnaire should be acknowledged with a personal telephone call or a face to face contact. Personal contact was a key to the growth and success of the Los Angeles Section Life Member Forum. New Life Members can best be recruited at an annual or monthly recognition event. Following are examples of current Section/Branch program elements:

1. Framed certificate
2. Paid meal, some include a guest
3. Name in program
4. Biographical information on Web Site
5. Biographical information reported at meeting
6. Biographical information provided in a book at annual recognition lunch

The keys to the recognition event are to make it clear to the Life member that their years of service are valued and that the Section/Branch is interested in their service in the future.

7. FINAL THOUGHTS

The number of Life Members in Sections and Branches is shown in Appendix A and ranges from about 40 to 1000. A 5-10% response from small organizations provides 2-4 motivated volunteers, which is a significant new resource with great potential for service. A one percent response from a large organization results in ten new volunteers, which is also a major new resource. The ASCE study on Life Members has shown that the program outlined in this Guideline will result in increased Life Member participation at the local level. The keys are Section/Branch support, a motivated champion, and a program that utilizes the elements of this Guideline that are appropriate for the specific Section or Branch.

APPENDIX C

DISCUSSION WITH THE LOS ANGELES LIFE MEMBER FORUM

Carl Blum and Norm Buehring met with nine members of the LA Life Member Forum on November 1, 2007. Following is a summary of the two hour discussion with the group and information from the written material that was provided:

Formation

The Los Angeles Life Member Forum came into being in the early 1990's as a result of the efforts of Bob Bein, P.E., past President of ASCE and the Los Angeles Section, and retired Caltrans District Director, Keith McKean, P.E., now deceased.

Recognizing that most civil engineers have plenty of life and spunk left in them upon retiring from full-time practice Bob and Keith embarked upon a venture to harness their excess energy in service to the Society, while providing them the opportunity to remain active for many years after retirement, and giving them something to do that would be interesting to them, but which could also be of great assistance to other members.

Activities

The Forum holds monthly meetings to listen to technical presentations, foster liaisons with the LA Section, Younger Members, and students, plan luncheon and social events, and receive progress reports from committees. Attendance ranges from ten to twenty. The Forum is closely aligned with the Younger Member Groups with activities that include community service projects and social events. A Forum representative attends LA Section Board of Direction meetings and is included in their Roster.

The most important activity is the annual Life Member Brunch. The Los Angeles Section hosts every new Life Member and a guest at the Brunch. There is a program that includes invitations to participate in the Life Member Forum, a presentation by the ASCE National President Elect, and an introduction, with biography, of all Life Members in attendance. There is also a Life Member program document that includes a list of new Life Members and all submitted photographs and biographies.

Committees were formed in the LA Life Member Forum with the intent of providing activities aligned with individual preferences. Currently these include the Infrastructure Advisory, Disaster Assistance Liaison, Mentorship, Public Image, Political Involvement, Field Trips, and Habitat for Humanity.

The Infrastructure Advisory community monitors development plans for public facilities such as highways, airports, rail corridors, flood control, air quality improvement and congestion management, among others, and to alert public officials to possible alternatives to consider when adopting such facilities. Life members can take advantage of the fact that they are no longer tied to the policies of their former organizations and can take an independent view of what may be best for the future of society. In many cases ASCE's Life Member was the original planner/designer of the infrastructure under consideration which lends special credibility to the input. Committee recommendations have included the following:

The Disaster Assistance Liaison Committee identifies engineers who have expertise in various disciplines who are, or wish to become, certified by the State of California to assist public entities in times of catastrophic disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, and fires. Assistance is provided, where necessary, in acquiring the training required by the State for certification. A roster of qualified individuals is updated annually and submitted to the ASCE Disaster Assistance Committee. Over 200 members of the Los Angeles Section have taken the State certification class.

The Mentoring Committee provides Life Member support to students enrolled in a civil engineering curriculum at Southern California colleges and universities. Support is also provided to pre-college students at the high school level. Recent activities included career experience presentations at the "Introduction to Engineering" class at Santa Ana College and a civil engineering career discussion at Cypress College. Life Members have been judges at concrete canoe events.

The Public Image Committee's job is to publicize the activities of the civil engineering profession which have a bearing on quality of life. This effort is linked to the Infrastructure Advisory Committee. The public and the media have difficulty fully understanding complex public works projects, particularly when confronted by opposing special interest groups. Life Members have a unique opportunity to combine their specific knowledge on projects or technical areas along with the ability to present independent views.

The Political Involvement Committee encourages ASCE members to serve on various community governmental boards, such as city councils and the commissions that can benefit from input from a civil engineer.

The Field Trip Committee provides opportunities for Life Members to visit regional civil engineering projects. The most recent activity was a visit to a local nuclear power plant which was preceded by a technical presentation.

The Habitat for Humanity Committee provides technical review and assistance to the Younger Member Forum on plans, specifications, and construction of Habitat for Humanity projects.

Individual members have also embarked on significant projects. For example, a member compiled the entire history of the Los Angeles Section in digital format. Another member pursued an engineering stamp on behalf of ASCE. It has not been successful, but is an example of the opportunities that are available

The following critical success factors were reported by Forum members:

The LA Life Member Forum makes significant and important contributions to the community and the Los Angeles Section and also provides an organization place for Life Members. It would appear that this model, and perhaps more modest forms of the model, could be successful in other Sections and Branches.

SUGGESTION BOX

From the Public Image Committee:

National should encourage each Section to establish a web page for its Life Member Forum, with a link on each LMF web page to the web pages of all other LMF's internationally, so as to foster communication between Life Members on a global basis.

New book on Southern California's water: Beyond Chinatown: The Metropolitan Water District, Growth, and the Environment in Southern California, Steven P. Erie, Stanford University Press
San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity
HISTORY AND SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES OF THE LIFE MEMBER FORUM
The Life Member Forum came into being in the early 1990’s as a result of the efforts of Bob Bein P.E., past President of both the LA Section and ASCE National, and retired Caltrans District Director, Keith McKean, P.E., now deceased.

Recognizing that most civil engineers have plenty of life and spunk left in them upon retiring from full-time practice, Bob and Keith embarked upon a venture to harness their excess energy in service to the Society, while providing them with the opportunity to remain active for many years after retirement, and probably extending the longevity of retirees in the process by giving them something to do that would not only be interesting to them, but which could also be of great assistance to younger members.

Life Member status is conferred by ASCE when the member reaches age 65, and has paid dues for at least 20 years, such that the number of years added to their age equals 95.

Life Member status exempts a member from further payment of memberships dues. Life Members are only required to pay to receive membership publications, currently Civil Engineering magazine and ASCE News, given three options: payment of a one-time lifetime service fee of $300; payment of an annual $30 service fee; or make a voluntary $30 annual contribution to any ASCE voluntary fund (public image, diversity, career guidance, Section Voluntary, or Civil Engineering Research Foundation (CERF)).

Committees were formed in the LA Life Member Forum with the intent of providing activities aligned with members’ individual preferences. Currently, these include the Executive Committee, Technical Outreach, Public Image, Mentoring, Habitat for Humanity, Political Involvement, Disaster Preparedness and Infrastructure Advisory, and Field Trip Committees.

The Technical Outreach Committee functions as a liaison between the other committees of the Life Member Forum, the various technical committees and Board of Directors of the LA Section, the various Branches of the LA Section, the National ASCE Headquarters, and other Sections and Branches of ASCE around the world.

The Politcal Involvement Committee encourages, assists, and mentors ASCE members to serve on various community governmental boards, such as city councils and the commissions having an influence in such matters as planning and community development, design and code review, traffic and transportation advisory, historic preservation, utility advisory, economic development, municipal services and public safety, to name a few.

The Field Trip Committee provides opportunities for Life Members to visit regional civil engineering projects, such as water treatment, storage and reclamation, power generation, and transportation facilities, as well as structural projects of all kinds.

The Public Image Committee’s job is to publicize the activities of the civil engineering profession which have a direct bearing on factors affecting the quality of human life. Such activities include the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of every type of facility that provides the services required to sustain the human race in the manner to which it has become, or would like to become, accustomed. These facilities include, but are not limited to, structures for housing, commerce, education, medical, entertainment and industry; ground, air, space and maritime transportation systems; water supply and waste disposal; energy supply and distribution, and reduction of and recovery from natural and man-made disasters.

The Mentoring Committee provides Life Member mentors for students enrolled in a civil engineering curriculum at the the various colleges and universities in Southern California, as well as pre-college students who wish to pursue college-level civil engineering studies upon completion of high school.

The Habitat for Humanity Committee provides technical review and assistance to the Younger Member Forum, as well as to local chapters of Habitat for Humanity, on plans, specifications, and construction of Habitat for Humanity projects.

The Disaster Preparedness Committee identifies engineers who have expertise in various disciplines who are, or wish to become, certified by the State of California to assist public entities in times of catastrophic disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, and acts of terrorism. Assistance is provided, where necessary, in acquiring the training required by the State for certification. A roster of qualified individuals is updated annually and submitted to the ASCE Disaster Assistance Committee.

The Infrastructure Committee monitors development plans for public facilities such as highways, public transportation, airports, rail corridors, flood control, air quality improvement and congestion management, among others, and to alert public officials to possible alternatives to consider when adopting policy for such facilities.

The Transportation Committee reports at the monthly meetings on the progress of various transportation projects. This enables the Life Member Forum to make informed decisions on viability of projects based on availability of transportation funds in concert with the latest political developments by the California Transportation Committee. The Transportation Committee provides written and personal presentations at public meetings on transportation projects throughout Southern California.