Nearly 200 ASCE section and branch presidents, region governors, Society directors, presidential officers, and institute and institute chapter leaders from around the world attended the annual virtual Presidents and Governors Forum, Sept. 29 through Oct. 1.
The event, sponsored by the Leader Training Committee, provided opportunities for attendees to learn about ASCE resources, network with other Society leaders, discuss best practices, and develop skills that will benefit their sections, branches, regions, and institute chapters.
The program began on Wednesday with a “Welcome and Society Overview” session by ASCE President Jean-Louis Briaud, P.E., Ph.D., D.GE, Dist.M.ASCE, President-Elect Dennis Truax, Ph.D., P.E., DEE, DWRE, F.ASCE, and Executive Director Tom Smith, CAE, ENV SP, F.ASCE. Following the welcome was a dynamic presentation on leveraging conflict and lastly an open Q&A session.
Thursday began with excellent information from the “Introduction to your Presidency and How to Utilize your Governors” session, followed by a talk from ASCE General Counsel Tara Hoke on legal issues impacting local groups, and concluded with an interactive exercise on section, branch and institute chapter challenges and presidential plans.
The PGF’s final day began with a session on membership recruitment and retention and the new student member transition process, followed by a leadership presentation by Jim O’Brien on transforming leadership philosophies into practice, and ending with closing remarks from ASCE President-Elect-Elect Maria Lehman, P.E., ENV SP, F.ASCE.
