One of the accomplishments we have started is the development of the GAP Committee which is headed by Gerhard Guth, Susan Lee, Doug Lingren, and Sheldon Wolfe. This committee is developing a CSI Mentor Program using our current/retired specifier members for mentoring and educating the upcoming professionals at local architectural firms that will be developing the specifications and documents in our ever-changing design and construction industry. The committee is currently working with a local firm and several personnel from the firm are attending the CDT workshops. The committee will also be meeting with them to address any questions they have.
The second accomplishment was Susan Lee and I both recently applied and were accepted into the CSI's DYNAMIC CHAPTER PROGRAM (DCP). This program is offered to all members who are curious about how to improve monthly chapter programs. It is a web-based series of meetings with surrounding chapter members, all who are all interested in one thing - how to retain membership, build membership, and create a membership experience that can't be found in any other professional organization. Susan and I will be designing an upcoming Chapter meeting with the techniques that we learn from this amazing program! DCP will be offered twice a year, and I encourage all Minneapolis-St. Paul members to take advantage and apply for the program, even those who are not directly involved in the Programs Committee.
As you may already know, Susan Lee is our AIA-CES Coordinator, having taken over the job from Murray Schaumberg. She is now in the process of switching over to the Institute's central AIA recording process. If you have not received certificates for past events, please give her a little time to catch up. You should have received the October and November certificates. December and January certificates will be issued shortly. For those who wish to receive credit for self-reporting purposes for CSI certifications, be sure to sign up on the CES-credit sheet and check the "Certificate" box.
The Board is still working on evaluating the core values and developing a long-range strategic plan for our Chapter and this will continue into the next fiscal year.
I would like to see our members focusing more energy on outreach to the new people in our local construction industry (architects, contractors, product reps, facility managers, code officials, etc.). We are sorely underrepresented in our membership by the millennials, Gen Xers, etc. (new in construction). I would like to challenge those of you who work with new millennials, Gen Xers, to start talking to individuals and their corporate leaders about the benefits of CSI. Invite them to programs and better yet, ask then, if they would like to assist programs/membership/communication committees to develop seminars/meeting presentations that will address issues jointly important to the millenniums and the rest of the construction industry.
It is important that we give the people in the construction industry reasons for them to believe that CSI provides a significant amount of benefits that will define their most spectacular achievements from now and throughout their lives.
I would like to extend a special thanks to Doug Bergert and Heidi Costello of Perkins & Will and Rick Steinberg of Mortenson on their presentation on the “Bell Museum - Minnesota’s Natural History Museum and Planetarium” at the February Chapter Meeting.
Finally, I would like to invite all members, student members, and non-members to attend the March Chapter Meeting “Viking Practice Facility” on Monday, March 25, 2019, at Twin City Orthopedic - Performance Center, from 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. We are limited to 100 participates and you must be registered. No walk-ins are allowed.
I look forward to seeing all of you at the March Chapter Program.
Sincerely,
Cynthia J. Long || CSI, CDT
President
CSI Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter