ACEC Alabama: 2018/2019 Year in Review

By: Jim Meads, P.E.

It’s been truly an honor to serve as President of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Alabama this past year. There have been a lot of exciting things happening for ACEC from a national and state perspective.

ACEC National has always been a great organization, but there is a noticeable positive energy from new ACEC President and CEO Linda Bauer Darr. The Fall Conference in Las Vegas and the Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. this spring were outstanding. I learned a lot working on issues that affect our industry with other regional and national engineering leaders. ACEC is the advocacy leader for engineers at the state, regional, and national levels.

Through years of involvement in ACEC, I’ve learned a lot about the importance of advocacy in our profession, expanded my knowledge of business practices, and have been blessed to make great friends while working alongside other firm principals to protect and promote the business interests of our great profession.

Some of our major accomplishments and my personal highlights this past year include:

Advocacy

• ACEC Alabama continues to represent our members in matters related to the Alabama Board of Engineers and Land Surveyors (BELS), including nominations for board positions; we had a huge win in the last few years in spearheading a law to require Qualification Based Selection (QBS) for Engineers and Surveyors in Alabama.
• We worked closely with the Alliance for Alabama’s Infrastructure (AAI) and other industry partners to advocate for increased infrastructure funding in Alabama. Our combined advocacy efforts were instrumental in the passage of the Rebuild Alabama Act. Having worked in the Traffic/Transportation Industry in Alabama for over 30 years, being involved in the process was incredibly rewarding.
• It was an honor to participate in presenting a Lifetime Achievement Award to my great, personal friend and advocate of ACEC Alabama, Alain Gallet, and also to help present awards to Rebuild Alabama Act sponsors, Senator Clyde Chambliss and Representative Bill Poole.

Education

• The Winter Conference hosted by the University of Alabama in December and the Deep South Convention at Sandestin in July were outstanding.
• The great ethics training that we conducted as part of the 2018 ACEC Alabama Fall Clay Shoot.

Membership

• We increased membership engagement through committee involvement; participation in the Leadership Development Series; participation in fundraising activities; and the Engineering Awards Gala held again at the Grand Bohemian Mountain Brook.
• One of our major focuses this year was to add new member firms, and we are excited to have had a number of firms join.
• Daniel Sparkman has been selected as Membership and Operations Manager. He will oversee administration and logistics of the Council, as well as membership development, programing and communications.

Involvement in ACEC Alabama gives all of us an opportunity to make a difference in our industry. It’s been a challenging and exciting year. Thanks for the opportunity to serve as your President along with other outstanding firm leaders. Many thanks to ACEC Alabama Executive Director Ms. Renée Casillas, my family, and my Sain family for your support this past year.