The CSI Staff looks forward to seeing you at CONSTRUCT 2019 in D.C. this week. To help you maximize your time, here are a few top tips for how a first-time attendee can get the most out of this annual event:
All attendees should attend the Honors & Awards Ceremony, where contributions by members and chapters are recognized; the event also includes the investiture of the 2019 Class of Fellows.
Immediately following the Honors & Awards Ceremony is the Celebration of Fellows, a short walk away (Google Maps shows it as two minutes) at Succotash, a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence recipient.
Sheldon Wolfe, FCSI, CCS, CCCA
The College of Fellow Reception (Thursday, 9/10 at 7:30 pm) is open to all those who have purchased a ticket in advance for $60 (includes two drink tickets and heavy hors d'oeuvres). You can add this event at the registration desk when you get your badge or by contacting Informa Customer Service at 866-920-0208 or registration@constructshow.com .
Cathy Stegmaier CAE, Specialist, Community and Chapter Experience
A first-timer should take advantage of talking to other attendees. Whether a casual conversation in the hall, or at the Welcome Reception, or even during lunch over concessions during the expo hall, you just never know who you're going to meet while saying hello. Strangers become lifelong friends very easily when it involves CSI.
Eric D. Lussier, CSI, CDT
Plan your trips around the exhibits. Mark the ones that are ‘must see’ and do them first, then do the rest methodically. You probably won't get to everyone, so it's important to do the most important to your work. Pick the education sessions in the same way. And finally, enjoy yourself.
Lynn Javoroski FCSI, Member Emeritus, CCS, CDT, LEED AP, SCIP
One year Marc Chavez and I (we worked across the street from each other then) decided to box up all of our handouts from the convention and just ship them back to Seattle. It was 37 pounds! Even split in half, that's a lot of extra stuff to haul around. Take the flash drives, have everything else sent.
Anne Whitacre FCSI, CCS, CDT, LEED AP
Listen, and don't be too anxious to be noticed. If you have a question, don't be afraid that it isn't a good enough question and go ahead and ask it. There are folks like Sheldon who will take it seriously, won’t judge you, and try to answer it.
Jeffrey Pilus CSI, CCCA, AIA Ass., USGBC, SCIP
When I would register for CONSTRUCT in the past, I would study the list of available educational opportunities and select the ones that either directly applied to my job description or were a topic that I was deeply interested in. Invariably, I would walk away disappointed by the lack of new content. The light bulb finally lit for me when I realized that based only on those two criteria, I was attending classes addressing topics I had already spent a great deal of time researching and studying.
By stepping out of your comfort zone and learning about an unfamiliar topic, the event is much more satisfying for you, and broadens your knowledge base, making you a more valuable team member.
Ken Buschle FCSI, CDT, LEED AP
Don’t just hang with people from your own chapter. Sit with, eat with extended members of the CSI family and learn about their experiences. Take what you learn back to your chapter to share with those who didn't get to go. You never know what tidbit you'll pick up that will have a profound effect on your career or your life. Enjoy!
Sheryl Dodd-Hansen FCSI, Member Emeritus, CCS, CCCA, CDT