In just over a month, the Tennessee General Assembly will reconvene for what promises to be a fast-paced, intense session. Keep an eye out for our weekly Legislative

updates which will begin again the first of the year. In the meantime, ACEC Tennesee President-Elect, Logan Meeks, and I had the opportunity to spend a few days at ACEC’s national headquarters in Washington D.C. We recieved a thorough briefing on a plethora of advocacy initiatives happening at the national level. I felt it was prudent to share a brief synopsis of ACEC’s current advocacy priorities.

Tax Reform – The House Ways and Means Committee passed tax reform legislation that reduces top rates for C corporations to 20% and “passthrough” businesses (partnerships, LLCs, Subchapter S corporations) to 25%, but excludes engineering firms and other professional services from the passthrough rate. ACEC supports a comprehensive approach to tax reform legislation that provides balanced rate reductions for corporations and passthroughs, while incentivizing business investment.

Infrastructure Initiative – ACEC strongly supports the passage of legislation that will boost funding and financing mechanisms to support improvements to our nation’s infrastructure. The Administration is developing an infrastructure program that uses federal funds to incentivize investment from state/local governments and private sources, as well as regulatory reforms to streamline project approvals. ACEC supports a balanced package that also includes additional funding for core federal infrastructure programs, including the Highway Trust Fund, the State Revolving Funds (SRF) for water projects, and others.Comprehensive Energy Bill – Legislation passed the House of Representatives (HR. 8) and

the Senate (S. 2012) in the last Congress that seeks to promote energy efficiency; modernize the electrical grid with emphasis on resiliency and security; streamline the permitting for pipelines and liquid natural gas (LNG) exports; and enhance the federal agency coordination of policies affecting energy and water. Congress should build on the progress made last year and pass energy legislation to promote energy markets and economic growth.

FAA Reauthorization – Federal programs to fund airport improvement projects and other aviation programs are set to expire in March 2018. ACEC urges Congress to move quickly on a long-term reauthorization bill that increases investments in the nation’s airports, lifts the cap on Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs), facilitates greater use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones), and applies uniform federal contracting and audit principles to airport projects involving federal funds.

Regulatory Reform - ACEC has urged the Administration and Congress to take action to address the burdens associated with the numerous regulatory actions taken by federal agencies over the past years. Congress has already made progress by overturning the “blacklisting” rule, which would have unfairly impacted firms competing for federal contracts, and the Administration is moving forward with efforts to streamline the regulatory process, develop a new salary threshold under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that will be less burdensome for engineering firms and the clients they serve, and other critical reforms.

OVERVIEW OF ACEC’S NATIONAL AGENDABy: Kasey Anderson, CAEExecutive Director, ACEC TN

ACEC TENNESSEE PARTNERS

These companies provide TN engineering firms with products and services and support the activities of ACEC Tennessee through participation in the Partners Program. Additional information about these Partner Program participants is available at www.acectn.org

Crow Friedman Group,a Risk Strategies Company

L&R Formerly, Lellyett & Rogers

Jacobs Technology

ACEC Life/Health Insurance Trust

AE Guidance, LLC

C*Connect

Forterra Pipe & Precast

Info Tech, Inc.

Lewis, Thomason, King, Kreig & Waldrop

Ryan Search & Consulting

Smith Cashion & Orr, PLC

Tennessee Concrete Association

TRTH Consulting

T. Wayne Owens & Associates, PC

United Structural Systems, Inc.

YANMAR America

Wishing you and yours a blessed holiday season

April 15 - 18ACEC National Convention &

Legislative Summit

December6 - 8

Crow Friedman Seminars

March 6

Engineers Day on the Hill

December 1

Leadership PE Applications Due

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2017 ENGINEERS’ CONFERENCE

thank you TPE-PAC Auction Sponsors & Donors

December 8

ACEC Tennessee Board Meeting

Govenor Bill Haslam delivers opening plenary remarks

Representative Sam Whitson receives the 2017 Freshman Legislator of the Year Award

TEF Keynote Speaker, Mike Keith, Voice of the Tennessee Titans, with TEF Trustees Jim Morinec,

Mack McCarley

Past President Amy Spann (EnSafe Inc.) passes the gavel to 2017 President Charlie Smith (Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon)

ACEC President & CEO, Dave Raymond, addresses the crowd

Leadership PE Deans recognized for their commitment to the program. (L to R) Jimmy Waddle (USACE, Nashville District), Matt Turner, PE (USACE, Memphis District), Kasey Anderson (ACEC Tennessee), Trish Holliday (State of Tennessee), Charlie Smith and Carrie Stokes (Barge Waggoner Sumner & Cannon), and Commissioner Rebecca Hunter (State of Tennessee)

Board of DirectorsPresident

Charlie Smith, PEBarge Waggoner Sumner &

Cannon, Inc., Nashville

President-ElectLogan Meeks, PE

A2H, Inc., Memphis

First Vice PresidentTim Verner, PE

Fisher & Arnold, Inc., Memphis

Second Vice President Brad Winkler, PE

WSP, Nashville

SecretaryDanl Hall, PE

Vaughn & Melton Consulting Engineers, Inc., Knoxville

TreasurerElizabeth Surface, PE

Ross Bryan Associates Inc., Nashville

Past PresidentAmy Spann, PE

EnSafe, Inc., Nashville

National Director to ACECSteve Field, PE

Stantec Consulting Services, Inc., Nashville

Director at LargeMickey Sullivan, PE

Gresham, Smith and Partners, Nashville

East Tennessee Chapter President

Houston Daugherty, PE Cannon & Cannon Inc., Knoxville

Memphis Chapter President

Logan Meeks, PEA2H, Inc., Memphis

Nashville Chapter President

Kenny Diehl, PESmith Sechman Reid, Inc.,

Nashville

Southeast Tennessee Chapter President

Russell Moorehead, PEBarge Waggaoner Sumner & Cannon, Inc., Chattanooga

ACEC STAFFExecutive Director

Kasey Anderson, CAE

Manager of Member ServicesJudy Logue

Director of Member EngagementNatalie Marler

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE DECEMBER SEMINARS

IN MEMORIAM

The Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers is sponsoring a morning session on professional liability

issues presented by Crow Friedman Group, a Risk Strategies Company and Xl Catlin – Design Professional. The Nashville date will include an afternoon session on codes. To register, visit acectn.org/category/current-events/

DEC 6 – KNOXVILLE | DEC 7 – NASHVILLE | DEC 8 – MEMPHISACEC Tennessee is accepting scholarship applications from Tennessee engineering and land surveying students. The Tennessee Engineering Foundation (TEF), will award four additional scholarships.

To qualify, applicants must be U.S. citizens pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in an engineering or land surveying program in Tennessee in a department

that has at least one ABET-accredited program.

Students must be entering their junior, senior, fifth, or graduate year in the fall of 2017 to qualify.

The deadline apply is January 12th

For more information, visit acectn.org/engineering-excellence-awards/scholarships/

ACCEPTING APPLICATION FOR 2018 ACEC TN SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

2018 LEADERSHIP PE PROGRAM APPLICATION DEADLINE DECEMBER 1

It is not too late to submit an application for ACEC Tennessee’s award winning Leadership PE program. The program is focused on senior, mid-level, and emerging high potential leaders. Program participants will gain leadership skills while networking with employees of TVA, USACE, the State, and other A/E firms. For detailed information go to acectn.org, select Get Involved, and choose Leadership PE 2018.

ACEC Tennessee mourns the loss of Steve M. Hays, PE, CIH, FAIHA, FACEC; founding part-ner and chairman emeritus of Gobbell Hays Partners (GHP) Environmental & Architecture.

Hays, known nationally for identifying and safely mitigat-ing hazards related to asbestos, mold,and lead-based paint in

buildings, was widely honored for his work, and was in-ducted into the College of Fellows of both the American Council of Engineering Companies and the AmericanIndustrial Hygienists Association. He was appointed to the board of the National Institute of Building Sciences

by President Bill Clinton, and received their prestigious Mortimer M. Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.

Hays earned his Bachelor of Engineering and Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University, and was induct-ed into the school’s Academy of Distinguished Alumni in 2013.

“Steve was a staunch supporter of ACEC Tennessee, serv-ing as our president in 1991,” said Executive Director Kasey Anderson. “We are grateful for his leadership and dedication to our industry. Our thoughts remain with his daughter Diana, his sister Connie, and the entire GHP family.”

SAVE THE DATE

ENGINEERS DAY ON THE HILL

MARCH 6, 2018

- 4 -- 4 -

The Voice of Tennessee Engineering Companies

Tennessee Engineering Center800 Fort Negley Boulevard

Nashville, TN 37203

Return Service Requested

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAIDNASHVILLE, TN

PERMIT NO. 1078

D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7

I N S I D E

• ACEC’s National Agenda

• Engineering Conference Highlights

• In Memoriam

• Scholarship, Leadership PE & Crow Friedman

Tennessee Engineers recognize our

2017 Legislators of the YearSenator Mark Norris

Representative Barry Doss Representative Sam Whitson

ACEC Tennessee is grateful for their tireless leadership and exemplary service on behalf of Tennessee’s engineers.