· cost engineering · estimating
· planning and scheduling · project management

Welcome to the Catawba Valley (Charlotte, North Carolina) Section of AACE International, the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering through total cost management, serving the Charlotte, Hickory, and Statesville areas of North Carolina and adjacent Rock Hill, South Carolina.

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TECHNICAL MEETINGS AND SYMPOSIA

The Catawba Valley (Charlotte, NC) Section offers a diverse program of technical meetings and symposia for engineering and cost management professionals in construction, manufacturing, education, and government.

Technical programs offered by the Catawba Valley (Charlotte, NC) Section of AACE International have been approved by the North Carolina Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors for PDH license renewal credits.

Regular monthly dinner meetings of the Catawba Valley (Charlotte, NC) Section are held in Charlotte, NC, September through May. Most meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month. Most meetings are held at CH2M HILL - Lockwood Greene, 11301 Carmel Commons Blvd., Suite 304, Charlotte, NC 28226. For membership information, meeting reservations and to verify meeting dates and locations, contact Roy Luo or Don Johnson.

The Catawba Valley Section was recognized at the 2008 AACE International Annual Meeting in Toronto with the award of Superior Performance. The award of Excellent Performance was awarded at the 2007 Annual Meeting in Nashville.

The 2008-2009 meeting schedule and topics are:

Board Meetings (click date for newsletter)
September 9, 2008	6 PM - 6:30 PM
October 14, 2008	6 PM - 6:30 PM
November 11, 2008	6 PM - 6:30 PM
December 9, 2008	6 PM - 6:30 PM
January 13, 2009	6 PM - 6:30 PM
February 10, 2009	6 PM - 6:30 PM
March 10, 2009	6 PM - 6:30 PM
April 14, 2009	6 PM - 6:30 PM
May 8, 2009	*
June 20, 2009	6 PM - 6:30 PM

*Social night TBD

Date&Time	Speaker	Organization	Topic
September 9, 2008 6:40 PM - 7:40 PM	Don Johnson	Flour	Membership Benefits
October 14, 2008 6:40 PM - 7:40 PM	Dr. Ken Humphreys	Consultant	New Recommended Practice Guide –Risk & Contingency Using Range Estimating
November 11, 2008 6:40 PM - 7:40 PM	Mark Jones	CDP Inc.	Planning & Scheduling using Primavera Software
December 9, 2008 6:40 PM - 7:40 PM	Paul Shuster	Power Advocate	Construction Index tools
January 13, 2009 6:40 PM - 7:40 PM	Scott Bishop	HDR Inc.	Cost Estimating Classifications and Models
February 10, 2009 6:40 PM - 7:40 PM	Doug Creech	Carolina Healthcare System	Professional Paper-TBD
March 10, 2009 6:40 PM - 7:40 PM	Mark Hoecker	Duke Energy	Cliffside Power Project
April 14, 2009 6:40 PM - 7:40 PM	Cokey W. Mills	Environmental Chemical Corporation	MC2 Mechanical Database and Estimate Input Interface

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CREDIT FOR ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS AND SYMPOSIA

All technical programs sponsored by the Catawba Valley (Charlotte, NC) Section of AACE International qualify for PDH credit for Professional Engineering license renewal in North Carolina and also for recertification as a Certified Cost Engineer or Certified Cost Consultant. For information on the AACE International certification programs, contact AACE International at 209 Prairie Avenue, Suite 100, Morgantown, WV 26501, USA or call 1-800-858-COST (US) or 1-304-296-8444 (other countries)

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Catawba Valley Section 2008-2009 Board of Directors
Front Row, L to R:
Past President - Doug Creech, Carolinas HealthCare System
President - Don Johnson,, Fluor Power Group
Vice President - Shirley Harris, CH2M Hill
Treasurer - Vince Pratt, Zapata Engineering
Past Regional Representative - Ken Humphreys, Consulting Engineer
Back Row, L to R:
Past Secretary - Bob McCully, Day & Zimmerman
Secretary - Roy Luo, CH2M Hill
AACE International Region 3 Director - Mike Pritchett, Faithful + Gould
Not Shown:
Director of Memberships - Allan Burdett, ENSR/ AECOM

For information about AACE International membership, publications, or certification, you may call AACE Headquarters toll free. The telephone number is 1-800-858-COST [2678]. The AACE E- mail address is info@aacei.org.

Are you an AACE member? If not, consider the following reasons for becoming a member of AACE International, your professional association:

1. To Learn. AACE International provides many learning opportunities. Publications and technical sessions are available covering almost all aspects of your job.

2. To Meet. The opportunity to meet fellow cost professionals can be the most rewarding part of AACE activity. Discussing common problems with others can be very beneficial to both you and your employer.

3. To Grow. AACE membership can increase your self esteem and stimulate personal growth just as an investment can produce monetary growth. Commitment and "interest rate" are key factors in personal growth and development. Becoming certified and keeping your certification valid are specific examples of personal growth aided by AACE activity.

4. To Improve. Enhanced knowledge, skills, and abilities are almost certain to be the result of active AACE involvement. Such improvement can be reflected by greater interpersonal skills, a higher salary, and expanded job opportunities.

5. To Share. AACE membership is not a one-way street. Being able to share your ownexperiences and to help a friend solve a problem you have previously faced and solved can provide very high levels of personal reward and satisfaction.

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The advantages of AACE International membership far outweigh the reasons for not joining. Invest in yourself now or later you may regret it.

For membership information, call 1-800-858-COST or send an e-mail message to AACE at info@aacei.org.

AACE International has a competitive Scholarship program that annually awards Scholarships of $500 to $4000 to students in engineering and/or construction related curricula. Grants are based upon academic performance, extracurricular activities, and an essay. Any student who will be a junior, senior, or graduate student next academic year (2009-2010) is eligible. Students attending college or having their primary residence in western North Carolina may contact Richard Cathey for more information.

We are pleased to announce that Lakisha David who was nominated for Dr. Kenneth K. Humphreys scholarship by the Catawba Valley Section is the winner of an AACE $1000 scholarship for the 2008-09 academic year. The AACE International Headquarter has also awarded Lakisha a $500 scholarship bringing the total award to $1500. Lakisha is expected to graduate from North Carolina Argricultural and Technical University in Greensboro with Bachelor's degree in Construction Management.

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