By: Clinton Willson, PhD, PE
ASCE Baton Rouge Branch President

Greetings to all of our members. We have a number of activities going on this spring that should be of interest to all of our members. As I mentioned before, we are hosting the 2012 ASCE Louisiana Section Spring Conference, to be held May 10-11, 2012 at the Crowne Plaza, here in Baton Rouge. Adam Smith has done a excellent job creating a program that features many of the issues raised in the recently released Louisiana Infrastructure Report Card. In addition, there are a number of solid technical sessions and current ASCE President, Andrew Herrmann, P.E. will be speaking at the May 10^th luncheon. Please see our website for registration and sponsor forms. Feel free to contact Adam Smith, the Past-President, or me if you have any suggestions or would like to help out.

The Branch has been actively working with the AIA, ACEC, and LES regarding some proposed changes to the East Baton Rouge Parish ordinance regarding QBS. We have been communicating with the council members and attending the relevant council subcommitee and committee meetings to voice our concerns. Please do...
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Baton Rouge Branch Celebrates its 50th Anniversary!
In case you hadn’t heard, this year is the 50^th anniversary of the Baton Rouge Branch and, in celebration; we had a Commemorative Luncheon on February 16, 2012 at Drusilla’s Catering. The format of this luncheon was a little different than our usual monthly luncheons. We invited several Past Presidents and Board members from previous decades to share stories about their experiences on the Board, how the Branch has evolved over the years, and how ASCE has impacted their careers. Additionally, we had an Open Podium for other members who had stories to share. The cost of this luncheon was $5, the approximated cost of a comparable meal in 1962.

Baton Rouge Branch Celebrates 50 years. Left to right: Billy R. Prochaska, PE; Paul B. Fossier, Jr., PE; Brant B. Richard, PE; S. Brin Ferlito, PE; Jerome M. Klier, PE; Christopher P. Knotts, PE; Clinton S. Willson, PhD, PE; and Gerald R. Dyson, PE.

2012 ASCE Legislative Fly-in

Over 160 participants from across the United States took part in ASCE’s annual Washington Legislative Fly-In for 2012. During the three days of this yearly effort to help our membership engage with their federal lawmakers, they visited the offices of 240 members of Congress to talk about ASCE legislative priorities including surface transportation authorization, and authorization of the Natural Hazards Risk Reduction Act of 2011. 

Four ASCE members represented Louisiana at the Fly-In including: Dr. Kam Movassaghi, PE,  Mr. Bob Jacobsen, PE, Ms. Nedra Davis, and Mr. Kirk Lowery, PE. had the opportunity to visit as a group with Louisiana's Senatorial staffs.  Individual members were scheduled by ASCE to meet with their Representatives.  Under the leadership of Dr. Movassaghi, the Louisiana ASCE members made appointments with and visited the staff of all Louisiana Representatives.  All of the delegates at the conference spent parts of Tuesday, March 29, and Wednesday, March 30, in training with ASCE’s Washington, D.C. staff learning about and discussing the lack of transportation foresite.  Information was garnered from ASCE's National Failure to Act, such as, by 2020 familty budgets will be impacted by $900 annually as emergency repair of failing pipes' costs rise and personal income falls. 

The Louisiana delegation's main goal was to pass out the Louisiana Report Card and inform the congressional staff of the implications of the grades.  The Senatorial staff were quite familiar with the results and use this information to discuss infrastructure funding.  For the most part, the Representati...
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ASCE SPRING CONFERENCE
May 10 - 11, 2012
Crowne Plaza - Baton Rouge
Theme - Infrastructure Focusing on the Louisiana Report Card
Registration Form and Program:  2012 ASCE Spring Conference Registration Form and Program.pdf
Sponsorship Form:  2012 ASCE Spring Conference Sponsor Form.pdf

                                                                 
LUNCHEONS

April 19, 2012 - Project Overview of Temporary Retaining Structures (TRS)
Speaker: David Lovett - USACE
Time and Location:  11:30, Drusilla Catering
$25 Members, $30 Non-Members, $10 Students
Sponsors: Arcadis. & SJB Group, LLC
                            RSVP: secretary.ascebr@gmail.com 




May 24, 2012 -   Joint Luncheon with Louisiana Engineering Society
 
Speaker: Mayor Kip Holden
Time and Location:  11:30, White Oak Landing
$25 Members, $30 Non-Members, $10 Students
Sponsor: Atkins
                            RSVP: secretary.ascebr@gmail.com 
                            LES Website: LES Link
                            
June 21, 2012 - Past Presidents and Awards Luncheon

 Speaker: To Be Determined
 Time and Location:  11:30, Drusilla Catering
 $25 Members, $30 Non-Members, $10 Students
 Sponsors: Fugro, GSA Consulting Engineers          
 RSVP: secretary.ascebr@gmail.com 


                          
                               

Upcoming Events: