Approved Minutes
First Meeting 2015–16 NCEES Board of Directors
August 22, 2015
Williamsburg, Virginia
President Michael Conzett, P.E., presided over the first meeting of the 2015–16 NCEES board of directors held
in Williamsburg, Virginia. Attendance for this meeting was recorded as follows:
Michael J. Conzett, P.E., President
Daniel S. Turner, Ph.D., P.E., P.L.S., President-Elect
David H. Widmer, P.L.S., Past President
Gary W. Thompson, P.L.S., Treasurer
Christy K. VanBuskirk, P.E., Central Zone Vice President
Roy Shrewsbury, P.S., Northeast Zone Vice President
Theresa H. Hodge, P.E., Southern Zone Vice President
Patrick J. Tami, P.L.S., Western Zone Vice President
Jerry T. Carter, Chief Executive Officer
E. Davis McDowell Jr., P.E., Chief Operating Officer
Representatives from Engineers Canada
Representatives from the Saudi Council of Engineers
1.
Opening of the Meeting
President Conzett welcomed all attendees. Conzett reviewed the agenda and asked if there were any
corrections or additions to be made to the agenda as published. CEO Carter added sponsorship of Engineers
Without Borders to the published agenda.
15-01
IT WAS MOVED by Widmer and seconded by Shrewsbury that the NCEES board of directors
approve the agenda as modified. MOTION CARRIED—Unanimous.
1.1
Conduct of Meetings and Expectations
President Conzett led a discussion of his expectations for conducting board meetings, emphasizing the need
for the board to think strategically about overarching issues. Conzett asked the board to discuss topics
in depth but, in the end, to speak with one voice.
1.2
Remarks from Society Representatives/Guests
The board heard remarks from the representatives of Engineers Canada and the Saudi Council of Engineers
regarding their respective organizational initiatives.
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2.
Discussion
2.1
Action Items
2.1.1
Conflict-of-Interest Policy
President Conzett provided copies of the conflict-of-interest policy. Each board member reviewed the policy
and signed the annual Conflict-of-Interest Statement.
2.1.2
Corporate Resolution
President Conzett shared a copy of the Corporate Resolution, which authorizes the chief executive officer to
execute contracts and other documents on behalf of the board in conducting the regular business of the
Council and to select depositories for Council funds.
15-02
IT WAS MOVED by Turner and seconded by VanBuskirk that the NCEES board of directors approve
the proposed resolution authorizing the chief executive officer to execute contracts and other
documents on behalf of the board and to select banks or other thrift institutions for the deposit of
Council funds. MOTION CARRIED—Unanimous.
2.1.3
International Engineering Alliance (IEA) Meeting 2017
CEO Carter shared with the board a proposal from ABET, Inc., to cohost the 2017 IEA meeting, potentially to
be held in Alaska. Carter noted that the meeting has been in Seoul, South Korea; Istanbul, Turkey; Wellington,
New Zealand; and Sydney, Australia, in recent years and is to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2016.
Carter estimated the NCEES cost to cohost the meeting to be $35,000.
15-03
IT WAS MOVED by Shrewsbury and seconded by Turner that the NCEES board of directors approve
serving as cohost with ABET, Inc., for the 2017 IEA meeting at a projected maximum cost of
$35,000. MOTION CARRIED—Unanimous.
2.2
Activity Deadlines
COO McDowell reviewed a list of activity deadlines set forth in the NCEES Bylaws. These include defined dates
for the solicitation and receipt of nominations for NCEES awards, submission of proposed Bylaws
amendments to all zones, submission of position papers to all zones, transmission of nominations for NCEES
leadership positions to the NCEES chief executive officer, and notice of the annual meeting to all member
boards.
2.3
Zone Operations
2.3.1
2016 Zone Meeting Dates
CEO Carter presented the 2016 zone interim meeting schedules. Carter reported the following meeting dates
and locations:
Southern Zone
April 7–9
Nashville, Tennessee
Northeast Zone
April 21–23
Burlington, Vermont
Central Zone
May 5–7
Kansas City, Missouri
Western Zone
May 19–21
Anchorage, Alaska
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2.3.2
2016 Zone Budgets
CEO Carter noted that the 2015–16 budget allocates $15,000 to each zone, if authorized by the NCEES board,
to assist with zone meeting expenses. To receive this allocation, zone vice presidents are required to submit a
proposed budget for their respective meeting for consideration at the board’s October 30–31, 2015, meeting.
Carter provided a template spreadsheet for developing the zone budget.
2.4
2014–15 Organizational Committee Meeting Follow-Up
President Conzett asked board members to work with their committee and task force chairs to establish dates
for any planned face-to-face meetings and to coordinate those dates with NCEES staff. CEO Carter also
requested that each board liaison submit a report of committee activities for review by the board at each
scheduled meeting of the board.
2.4.1
2015–16 Committee and Task Force Meeting Dates
COO McDowell shared a list of tentative meeting dates for the committees and task forces, noting that dates
and locations for all meetings would be added to the master calendar on MyNCEES.
2.4.2
Committee and Task Force Members
President Conzett provided a list of the committees and task force members for the coming year. Conzett
noted that the selection of these members was an onerous task but a very important one since most of the
work of the Council is done within the committees and task forces.
2.4.3
Committee and Task Force Preliminary Charges
President Conzett shared the current charges assigned to each committee and task force. Conzett noted that
due to the outcome of actions taken at the annual meeting, a few charges would be revised, added, or
eliminated.
2.4.4
Committee Guidelines
CEO Carter provided the latest version of the Committee Guidelines, noting that deadline for committee and
task forces reports is in mid-February 2016. Carter added that the guidelines are provided to committee and
task force chairs and members so that the work of the committee or task force is successful.
3.
New Business
3.1
Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Sponsorship
The board discussed the previous year’s sponsorship of EWB. CEO Carter noted that EWB clearly shows a
commitment of connecting professional engineers to students while doing remarkable humanitarian aid.
15-04
IT WAS MOVED by Tami and seconded by Widmer that the NCEES board of directors approve a
contribution of $250,000 to EWB for the 2015–16 fiscal year. MOTION CARRIED—Unanimous.
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4.
Adjournment
The first meeting of the 2015–16 NCEES board of directors was adjourned at 11:30 a.m. The next meeting is
scheduled for October 30–31, 2015, in Asheville, North Carolina.
Authenticated by: ________________________________________
Date: __________________________________________________
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