To the ACEC Community,
I hope everyone had a fantastic long weekend full of food, fun, and family to begin the holiday season. If you are anything like me, you awoke yesterday to an inbox full of Cyber Monday deals from every store and business you’ve ever patronized. Cyber Monday marks an important anniversary for ACEC: one year ago, we held the first-ever event of our Engineering and Public Works Roadshow.
Our choice of that date was very intentional. Our first stop on the Roadshow tour was the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge and Port of Long Beach because we wanted to showcase the essential role the engineering industry plays in ensuring a smooth and efficient supply chain. Cyber Monday has supplanted Black Friday as “make it or break it” holiday sales days for many stores. Receiving those purchases will depend on ports like Long Beach and the road, airport and rail infrastructure connected to it.
Most people outside of our industry have no idea what goes on behind the scenes to keep the wheels of commerce rolling, or the role we play in it. Engineering has the capacity to improve every human endeavor, from the essential (cleaner air and water), to the frivolous (holiday shopping). That’s part of our message in the Engineering and Public Works Roadshow.
In March, we traveled to Richmond, Virginia to the Shed at Main Street Station. The shed’s redevelopment sparked a rebirth of rail travel in the city and brought Amtrak back to Richmond in 2003. The shed itself has become one of the leading venue spaces in the region. Earlier this fall, we headed to Dallas to spotlight the Able Pump Station, an award-winning sump station that protects residents from overflows along the Trinity River. The Able Station has been credited with providing 100-year protection to the residents of approximately three-square miles of land around the river that has historically been most vulnerable to severe flooding events.
Next Monday we will hold a call with state executives from ACEC, APWA, and ASCE to introduce a complete campaign toolbox that can be used to hold state-based roadshow events. As for the national roadshow, we have a full slate of stops being scheduled across the country for 2024.
These events are an opportunity for us to reaffirm the incalculable value our member firms bring to society. We can stand in front of a completed project with our clients, policymakers, and the media and say, “This wasn’t here before and now it is – thanks to engineers.” It is an honor to showcase the work of our industry, and we are excited to continue building on the success of our Roadshow. We’ll be packing our bags soon to kick off Year Two, so stay tuned.
Have a great week,
Linda Bauer Darr
President & CEO
American Council of Engineering Companies | ACEC