New Beginnings!
First, I would like to take the opportunity to thank our Past President, John Robinson, CSI, CDT, for bringing us through our first year of the governance change. While we may not have achieved all the goals we set for the year, John helped to lay the foundation for the Region to move into the future.
One of the six goals John set for the year was revamping the Region website. At our Leadership Conference held in March, Institute Staff representative, Joy Davis, demonstrated the new CSINet format, indicating that there would be micro sites for the regions and chapters. Much to my surprise at the end of last month, I received an announcement that due to the development of the new CSI micro sites, CSI WSE would be shutting down the end of July. While we had received a proposal to update the Region website, the consensus of the Region Board was to move forward with converting our site to a CSI micro site. Thanks to Russ Bunting, CSI, Florida Southwest Chapter President-Elect and my new best friend, we are well underway to converting our site that will be up and running as of August 1, 2010. On behalf of the Southeast Region, I would like to extend our thanks to the representatives of AEC Daily and CSI members who established CSI WSE for their insight in developing a much needed communication tool. Personally, I would like to thank Deborah Castelane and Timothy Pham for their assistance with the preparation and monthly distribution of the InfoGram - you are both the best!
My primary focus during the past few months has been working toward committee and task team appointments. As you will you in the upcoming InfoGram issue, I have appointed two task teams this year, the Region Long Range Planning Task Team chaired by John Tavaglione, CSI, and Region Scholarship Program Task Team chaired by William Hayward, Jr., CSI, CDT, AIA.
Thanks to the Greenville Chapter for accepting our invitation to be the host site for the FY 2011 Region Leadership Conference tentatively scheduled for April 9-11, 2011. The Region Leadership Conference Task Team will again be chaired by Kristopher Benton, CSI, Region Academic Affairs/Education Chair, and who is already gearing up to begin arrangements for the Conference.
My first President-Elect message had a photograph story and I will begin my term as President with another. I know that I am a unique member of CSI having work as Assistant to the Executive Director at the Institute headquarters for 25 years and now coming up through the grassroots in South Florida for the past five years – yes CSI is in my blood! Whatever your reason for joining CSI, I encourage you, whether a long-standing member or new member, get and stay involved! Being active at the Chapter, Region, or Institute level not only contributes to the overall improvement of the construction industry but also provides you with professional and personal growth. I will be leaving South Florida sometime this year and returning to my roots in Georgia. Becoming a member here has been the one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Thanks to all the Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, and Miami chapter members who guided me through my transition.
It was a pleasure to serve as the Southeast Region President-Elect last year and I am looking forward to my two-year term as Region President. I am very fortunate to have an incredible team with our new Institute Director, Joe Anetrella, Board and Committee Chairs. Thanks for the journey.
Di Ehmann
Southeast Region President
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