By Alexandra M. Binder, Executive Director
Since November 2012, I have been working diligently on tying up “loose ends” within the administration side of NABIE. This included resolving membership issues, updating our many databases with the correct contact information for our members, and initiating the ability for members to pay their dues and conference fees through PayPal on our website. I hope that these changes, and more to come, will create a more organized and member-focused organization.
In addition to these tasks, I also organized and attended the 2013 Annual Conference in Nashville, TN with out-going Executive Director, John C. Cronin, Jr. PE. I enjoyed meeting NABIE members at the conference and putting names with faces! I would like to thank NABIE Member Samuel Y. Harris, PE, AIA, Esq. for suggesting the idea of setting up a tour of The Frist Center for the guests of the NABIE Members attending the conference. I heard the tour was wonderful and provided a fun opportunity for the spouses/significant others to meet and bond. This was the first time an activity for the guests of members had been arranged and it is something I look forward to continuing in the future.
Currently I am planning the 2014 Annual Conference to be held in Texas February 21 to 23. I must thank NABIE President William Coulbourne, PE and Board Members Russell Strahan, PE and Sidney Burns, PE for volunteering to assist in organizing the conference. I am excited to hear about the presenters these gentlemen have in mind. I sincerely hope that you will mark your calendars and attend the conference.
One of the items that lapsed during the transition of the Executive Directors was The Examiner. It was decided that forgoing publication for 6 months would permit focusing on some important administrative tasks. The fact that not too many of our members made inquiries as to the missing issues was a positive sign. This issue is larger than usual in an effort to provide expanded copy for our 6 month hiatus. From now on The Examiner will be distributed on a regular three month interval with the help of Board Member Gary Caruso, PE, who is generously volunteering his time to help in procuring articles. If you have an article that you have written that may be suitable for print in the newsletter, please submit it to Mr. Caruso to review for the next edition.
NABIE is a collaborative organization made up of approximately 170 engineers or architects. It is important for members to actively participate in discussions, sharing sessions, the conferences, etc. in order to obtain the most benefit from membership.
Thank you for being a member of NABIE.
*This article had been posted in the Spring-Summer 2013 edition of The Examiner.