Lane's World

Reflections on the tenth anniversary of 9/11

2011-09-11T14:42:00.000-04:00

As we approached the tenth anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, I watched a few of the related television specials with deep interest, especially those that discussed construction of the Freedom Tower. I found a series called “Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero” on the Discovery Channel to be particularly interesting from an architect’s perspective. As we said a decade ago, we will never forget, so it is useful to be reminded.

It has been very difficult for me to recapture the sense of shock, disruption, and sadness that day brought with it. Within the first week, I wrote some of my thoughts for a newsletter I was editing at the time. The article seems a bit unfinished, and perhaps it is. However, I wanted to share it with you in the hope that it evokes your memories of that day.

For architects, engineers, and contractors, the events of 9/11 have brought some of the most significant changes to our approach to construction, and protection of building occupants, since the inception of building and fire codes after the devastating Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire 100 years ago. The documentaries on the Freedom Tower offered valuable insight into how these changes are being implemented near Ground Zero.

To give you some context, I was performing full-time construction observation on a large project at Ohio State. My office was a tiny construction trailer and my usual attire was jeans and a hard hat. My wife worked in the communications section of the Attorney General’s Office, and my son was in his first few weeks of public elementary school. A year before, I had been appointed to an open seat on our City Council, so I was in transition from private citizen to public servant.

“I had just dropped my son off at school and got back into my truck for the drive to work, when the radio reported that a plane had hit the World Trade Center.

“The reporter indicated it appeared to be a twin engine Cessna aircraft. He couldn’t have been more wrong. Now, I’ve been to New York and know how big the towers were, and I know how big a twin engine Cessna is. Based on that information, I made the assumption that everything would be fine. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

“I dropped off a roll of permit drawings at the University Architect’s office and gave an old professor a call on my cell phone on the way out of the building. I wanted to discuss a job opportunity that had been weighing heavily on my mind. At the time, it seemed important.

“While I was sitting in his office, he received a phone call, and informed me that the second plane had hit, and that it was a jet airliner. By this point, it became clear that the first crash was no accident.

“I casually observed a copy of the book “Why Buildings Fall Down” on his desk, not realizing what a strange omen this would prove to be. I commented on it and we discussed the fact that we hadn’t heard any planes from Port Columbus even though OSU is directly in the flight path. Then he received a call that indicated that the FAA had grounded all flights across the country.

“As I left his office, I had a very strange feeling that the day was going to be a little different than any other. For the first time in my lifetime, the United States had been attacked.

“As I pulled out of the parking garage, I heard the news that the Pentagon had been struck. I had to pull over to the side of the road. My cousin had recently been appointed director of the Defense Intelligence Agency and worked in the Pentagon. I took a few deep breaths, pulled back onto the road, and headed for the field office across the river. I later learned his office was with 60 feet of the initial point of contact.

“When I got there, the first thing I did was fire up my internet browser and tried to load a news site that had details of the morning’s events. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one. The webpage timed out and I began making phone calls.

“First, I made sure that my son was safe and wasn’t being sent home from school. I’d heard on the radio that a few schools were considering early dismissal. Thankfully, the superintendent and his staff had calmly decided to keep them in place, but locked the doors as a precaution.

“My wife was with the Attorney General at a media event near Cleveland, and not in the Rhodes Tower. Still I was concerned about her and was very relieved when she called. She said that she was able to go straight home and I told her to drive carefully.

“I called the office and discussed whether to postpone the weekly project meeting, and we decided to keep the schedule in spite of the day’s events. The University had locked the doors on most of the buildings and it was questionable if we could even get into our room.

“As we sat in the meeting, we discussed what was of utmost importance to us the day before. It just didn’t seem that important anymore. The world had changed…”

See you soon.

The 19th Century called, and it wants its construction law back!

2011-06-30T20:52:00.009-04:00

It's on its way. I keep resisting the urge to pinch myself to determine if I'm dreaming or not. Could Governor Kasich really be signing the most sweeping changes in Ohio's construction law in 134 years into law tonight?

After working on public construction projects for most of my professional career, and dealing with the issues raised by coordinating multiple prime contractors, there is truly light at the end of the tunnel. In ten bullets, here is what the new law contains:

Retains Multiple-Prime Design-Bid-Build project delivery as the default method of construction, but adds other options
Removes limitations on Single-Prime Design-Bid-Build project delivery (General Contractor may be used at any dollar value)
Allows Design-Build project delivery (single entity assumes risk for final design and construction of the facility including cost overruns)
Allows Construction Manager at Risk project delivery (CM holds subcontracts and assumes risk for cost overruns)
Enables selection of a Design-Build Firm or CM at Risk through a Best Value Selection process (combination of qualifications and price)
Allows public authorites to authorize Design-Build Firm or CM at Risk to utilize Design Assist Subcontractors (early engagement to facilitate coordination before construction begins)
Enables Design-Build Firms and CM at Risk to execute a Guaranteed Maximum Price amendment when construction documents are at a sufficient level of detail (60-75 percent complete)
Requires DAS to file rules for Best Value Selection process, forms of Contracts and Subcontracts, and standards for criteria that a Design-Build Firm or CM at Risk may use to prequalify subcontractors
Requires DAS to file rules for bonding requirements before Construction Reform provisions go into effect (earliest possible date is Dec. 15, 2011)
Allows the new project delivery methods to be used by state agencies, state institutions of higher education, counties, townships, municipal corporations, school districts, or other political subdivisions

Implementation will take some time and a lot of effort from many different people. I thank everyone who pushed this issue over the last 21+ years. It's been a long time coming and I trust it will be worth the wait. See you soon...

One Last Push Across the Finish Line

2011-06-23T12:39:00.002-04:00

Dear friends,

First, I want to thank you for your help a few weeks ago, prior to the Senate passing their version of H.B. 153, the state's operating budget. Someone said to me yesterday that the construction reform measures are the single most pwerful tool that is being provided to increase the efficency of governmental processes in this budget. I received a report this morning that the Senate members of the Conference Committee are angling to get certain provisions of their version of the construction reform provisions into the final budget.

The administration and the House of Representatives are clear in their position to send the House version to the Governor for signature next week. This version DOES NOT include a requirement for public bid openings conducted by the public authority, which implements more bureaucracy. It DOES include a provision to allow early engagement of subcontractors to provide their knowledge and experience to the project team before construction documents are complete, which provides increased integration of the design team, saving money and time, while improving the quality of the completed facility.

I am reaching out to ask for your help to call your Senator, and perhaps a few others, to ask them to support the House version of construction reform. We are very close to the finish line and need one last push to cross it with a bill that provides the best opportunity for public owners to realize the savings available through flexible project delivery methods including construction manager at risk, design-build, and single-prime design-bid-build.

The Senate roster and a search tool to allow you to locate your elected officials is available at http://www.ohiosenate.gov/. Thank you for your personal advocacy on this very important initiative. Please feel free to forward this message to your colleagues and contacts in the Ohio design and construction community.

Warmest personal regards,
Lane J. Beougher, AIA, FCSI

YESSSSS Again!

2011-03-13T22:51:00.003-04:00

As I was setting up the booth for the Akron-Canton CSI New Technologies and Products Trade Show on March 3rd, I received a call from my friend Bob Simmons, CSI Treasurer and chair of the tellers committee this year. When he asked if I had a minute to talk I asked him if I could call him back. When he said he had some news to share, I understood why he was calling. I immediately said I could talk, and he shared that I had been elected as the secretary of CSI for the 2012 and 2013 fiscal years.

When I agreed to run, there was a lot less on my plate. Since being named Interim State Architect four weeks ago, I've had a number of challenges and difficult decisions. I think I'm finally beginning to get caught up, but there is still a lot of extra work and responsibility involved. I realize I'm going to need to back away from a few of the things I'm involved in locally, such as treasurer of the CSI Columbus Chapter.

I am truly honored to be elected to serve the Institute in such an improtant position. I hope that prove equal to the task. An added honor is that this is the first year of the completely revised 18-member Board passed in 2009. We're still finding our way to a new way of working together.

I want to thank my worhty opponent, Bob Kenworthy for running a ggod race. I'd also like to congratulate the other succesful candidates including President-elect Greg Marking, Vice President Mitch Miller, Director at large Leslie Schlessinger, and the five incoming Institute Directors. I look forward to working with you to take CSI to the next level. See you soon.

02.11.2011 Reflections on turning fifty

2011-02-10T23:17:00.005-05:00

Well, in a few minutes the clock strikes twelve and I will strike fifty. This one has me going a bit. It didn't really phase me to turn thirty. Actually, I had just returned to college to complete my degree in architecture at Ohio State. So I was associating with kids ten years my junior. I still had most of my hair, which was brown, pulled back into an awful pony tail. Yikes!!! What was I thinking. Maybe that I was going to be an architect someday and I was too cool for school. Much has changed in the last twenty years.

I didn't even mind turning forty. It seemed so natural. Kind of like falling off a log. It was easy. I even coerced my good friend and boss Carole Olshavsky, FAIA, to nominate me for Columbus Business First's Forty Under 40 Award, which they actually gave me. A year and a half earlier, I had applied for, interviewed, and been appointed to a seat on my city council. Which made me think I was hot stuff. I actually waited until I turned 40 to announce my candidacy to retain my seat. I thought it would look better if I seemed a bit older. By this time, my forehead had extended back to where I couldn't see it in the mirror anymore. The faint bridge of folicles had faded and the brown strands were losing out to the silver ones.

I spent way too much time being serious and scowling. I tried to smile and look friendly in my campaign photo. All this was happening on the outside. Inside, I was worried that someone would discover that this little boy was in way over his head. Passing laws, fees, and taxes upon his fellow citizens that had a real impact on their lives and pocketbooks. I worked very hard to prepare for each meeting and tried to ask meaningful questions. I think I did ok. After winning the race in my 40th year, I ended up tied for the last of three seats four years later. After the other guy ended up one vote ahead after overseas absentee ballots were counted, I decided to step aside. I cherish every moment of the experience, but I had had enough.

What's hitting me hard this year is the knowledge that my maternal grandfather, Dr. Wells M. Wilson, passed away at 49. For the last ten or more years, I've tried to dismiss this notion that I didn't have much time to leave my mark. In fact, it was knowing that he was president of the Logan Elm School Board at the time of his death that may have triggered my foray into politics. He and my paternal grandfather, Judson J. Beougher, and my great uncle, Frank Graves, served on the school board together. I am extremely proud whenever I visit the State or Columbus libraries and look up their names and mine resting on the same shelf in the Secretary of State's collection of public officials.

My dad always tells me that I look just like my grandfather, especially his body type. This usually happens during the holidays, after I've consumed 5,000 calories of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. He warns me that I'd better start taking better care of myself. My wife worries about me too. I work too much and allow the stress of the office to follow me around like a big red caboose on the train of my life. There's a young man in our office that's fond of eating his Hungry Man dinners for lunch. I envy him a bit as I slide my frozen Lean Cuisinne or Weight Watchers lunch entree into the microwave. But I know it's for the best, and I try not to succomb to the attration of midnight carb loading that erases all the good that it did.

I spent this week trying to figure out if I should buy more life insurance, schedule a colonoscopy, or pay the invoice that came with my obligatory AARP card in the mail. I ended up doing none of those things. There will be time to visit the doctor, and get probed and prodded. The last time I endured the full physical was right after I turned 40. The memory still haunts me a bit. I did take care of one piece of business and renewed my license plate registration. That's a chore I need to do every year, so it made this milestone seem a bit like every other year. Since I didn't wait until the weekend, there wasn't even a line at the BMV. That's something I find I dislike most as I get a little older. Waiting in line, holding for a representative on the phone, time is just too precious.

My family hasn't really celebrated my birthday as a separate event for the last sixteen years. I've been sharing it with my son, Nate, who celebrates his eight days before mine. My father in law also has a birthday between ours, so a joint party is the norm. This year, I suggested to my wife that I wanted to do something more. So she reserved a couple of large tables at the Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill at Grandview Yard, 900 Goodale Avenue in the Grandview Heights area of the Greater Columbus Metropolitan Area. I sent out a note earlier this week via Hootsuite to my Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts. I also mentioned it to my fellow CSI, AIA, and Center for Architecture Board members.

If you're close enough to stop in and say "hello," please feel free. We plan to be there between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. I'm not sure if anyone will show up. If not, I'm not going to be concerned. But I hope a few of you do. I'm going to sit back and relax, enjoy an adult beverage or two, and try to avoid the chicken wings. If you're wondering why that location, it's to commemorate where I was born. You see, I'm a third generation Buckeye graduate. Both of my granfathers matriculated from Ohio State in 1935 and '36. My dad attended OSU and my mom graduated in December 1960, when Jerry Lucas, Bobby Knight, and John Havlicek ruled the courts of the Big Ten (and there were only ten). I was born at University Hospital just a few months after she graduated.

Mom told me once that at my fourth birthday party, I climbed up onto my chair, and thanked everyone for coming. That may have been the beginning of my political career. I will try to refrain from making any speeches tonight, but you probably can't restrain me from expressing an opinion or two. I look forward to greeting you. See you soon!

Break on through

2010-10-13T20:44:00.004-04:00

This afternoon, I attended a seminar titled Marketing in the Digital Age at the Center for Architecture. The presentation was given by Walker Evans and Gary Moneysmith. For additional info see http://www.aiacolumbus.org/.

It was a productive session and I learned a bit. I had been avoiding the little blue bird, but finally succumbed last Saturday. I am finally on twitter for better or worse. I generally don't do anything in 140 characters. I am also using hootsuite to keep everything up to date.

Not quite ready to go mobile yet, but am toying with a few options. I am in need of an upgrade for my personal cell, so maybe it's time to go there as well. It's a brave new world folks.

See you soon.

The World's Greatest Region Conference -- in the World!

2010-07-10T09:40:00.004-04:00

In less than two weeks, the Columbus Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute will host the Great Lakes Conference. We've been diligently planning an outstanding event for over a year, and have conducted the Region's first Call for Presentations. The result will be three days of outstanding educational and networking opportunity from July 22 through 24.

The conference is open to all -- not just members of the Great Lakes Region -- not just members of the Construction Specifications Institute. The tracks include presentations on Building Information Modeling, sustainability, integrated project delivery, and basic design and construction.

Visit http://greatlakes.csinet.org/ for more information. We will be at the Hyatt Regency Columbus, adjacent to the Greater Columbus Convention Center at High Street and Nationwide Boulevard. Just north of downtown, south of the Short North, east of the Arena District, and west of the Discovery District, this location is uniquely positioned to provide access to some of the most interesting cultural activities in the nations' 15th largest city.

We've negotiated an incredible rate for the hotel. Just $115 a night gets you a great room in downtown Columbus that includes parking! We still have a few rooms in our block that we need to sell, so we encourage you to stay at the Hyatt. The hotel itself is an amazing example of Brutalist architecture that offers an amazing view of the city.

There are a number of outstanding activities going on during the conference. Just down the street, the Jazz & Ribs Festival will be going on in the Arena District. At the Center of Science and Industry is an exhibit where you can see artifacts brought up from the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean at the site of the Titanic. The Columbus Zoo, home of Director Emeritus Jungle Jack Hanna, has an amazing new Polar Bear exhibit. And The Ohio State University has one of the most amazing collections of signature architecture ever assembled in one location.

Our attorney didn't want me to use the title you see above, but since we're meeting right across High Street from an insurance company that uses a similar tag line, I hope they don't mind that we borrowed it. And since CSI doesn't have another region conference that weekend, we certainly will be the World's Greatest Region Conference going on at the time. We even have the word "great" in our name, so surely we in good standing. I considered saying that we were the World's Great Lakiest Region Conference, but it just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Knowledge Leadership Assembly

2009-07-16T13:38:00.002-04:00

I'm writing this from a very large conference room in Phoenix at the AIA KLA meeting. We ar working on developing a strategy for AIA's Knowledge Communities. I'm very interested in seeing where this goes and contributing.

The weather is interesting. The high temperature is supposed to be 110 degrees to day and 115 on Saturday when I leave. I don't think I packed enough shirts.

See you soon.

MasterFormat 1995 Obituary

2009-06-30T18:39:00.002-04:00

I hope many of you were able to travel to CONSTRUCT2009 and the CSI Show last week. One of the more interesting things that happened at the Board Meeting on Tuesday was a recommendation to discontinue support and pull the licenses for MasterFormat 1995 Edition at the end of the 2009 calendar year.

The bottom line for users is that the master guide specifications will only be available in the 2004 version in 2010. The MF2004 numbers and titles came out five years ago. The hardcopy became available for purchase in November 2004. So, the Board's decision reflects that a five year transition period is sufficient. So, here's your six month warning.

While this may cause some pain for those who have refused to transition to the more robust version, it eliminates the need for pubishers to continue producing two versions of their product. One of the reasons we were inclined to make this decision, was a lunch presentation by one of our integrators, who described their new product and indicated it would only be available in the 2004 Edition.

I think the light went on above everyone's head. If you're going to develop and promote a standard, then you should stand behind and support it. You can't have two vastly different versions of the standard on the street for an indefinite period of time. Dennis Hall and I, along with two members of the Indianapolis Chapter met with some folks from the state of Indiana last Wednesday. We wanted to let them know, while we were their what was happening well in advance, so they could plan an orderly transition.

I look forward to your comments. See you soon.

The truth about the Ohio Construction Reform Panel

2009-04-16T18:41:00.002-04:00

There has been a lot of newspaper coverage about the recommendations of the construction reform panel in the past few days. I firmly believe that the writers are trying to capture the facts of a very complex issue in such a way that their readers will be interested. Unfortunately, there are several articles that have an error here or there that changes the meaning entirely.

I've also read a number of blog entries or comments on the articles that don't grasp the issues as well as they should, or could. A number of these deal with the incentive issues. Some of them discuss the nature of the project delivery methods. There have also been several letters written to our political leaders that, while intended to express concern, do not address the facts of the report. They warn of the elimination of competitive bidding and waste of taxpayer dollars.

I would suggest that the best way for those of us actually involved in the design and construction industry to understand the recommendations, is to obtain and read the report. My intent with this post is not to try and influence your thinking in any way. I merely wish to point you to the unfiltered information and allow you the opportunity to make up your own mind. The report is available on the State Architect's Web site at www.ohio.gov/sao and if you click on the green box on the upper left corner under the banner, you can download a PDF copy.

The truth about the panel is that a very diverse group of individuals representing a wide array of constituencies got together, discussed how to improve the ways the state manages the public construction process in Ohio, and actually agreed on enough items to provide meaningful reform. The panel was also very interested in seeing how the recommendations would be implemented and demanded to see the legislative language before they would finalize the report.

The bottom line is a carefully negotiated set of recommendations that are incredibly integrated and provide the first chance for meaningful change in this industry in our state. The panel members have agreed to work together to pass the legislation intact. If someone starts picking at loose threads, the whole garment could begin to unravel. This isn't a plan that would work anywhere but our state. The elements are unique to Ohio.

Read the report, make your own decision about it, and let's move our state into the 21st Century. See you soon.

Home sweet home

2009-03-31T22:24:00.007-04:00

Well, as much as I enjoyed the jaunt to Arlington, I am so glad to be back in the 'burg. One of the highlights of the trip was a visit from my "little" brother, Chief Master Sergeant Dennis Beougher, and his wife, Elma. They relocated from Vandenberg Air Base in California to Andrews over the Christmas holiday, and are living near Mount Vernon south of Alexandria.

They were able to join us after dinner as we socialized for a while in the hotel watering hole. It's always a good way to conclude the day's work with friends in a comfortable setting. There are some who say the real business happens there and not in the boardroom. In any case it's good to learn more about our comrades that cannot be done during the meetings.

I am pleased with my assignments, and really can't discuss as they aren't final until the sitting Board ratifies them in June. We also have a bit more to discuss regarding the standing committee and task team assignments, and have a webinar scheduled for next Monday.

The flight back was on time and uneventful, except for a little jostling during the landing. Temperature was a bit cooler than when I left on Friday, and my sport coat was woefully inadequate. Hit the house by ten, unpacked and in bed on the regular schedule to make my normal 8:30 a.m. senior staff meeting.

I empathize with my fellow Board-elect members who live much farther away and particularly with Sheryl Dodd-Hansen, who told me that she spent most of her flight to California sick in the lavatory. I've been there before and it's not much fun (being sick that is, not California). I hope everyone else arrived home safely and look forward to seeing them again in Indy.

Speaking of which, I hope to see a great turn-out from my Great Lakes Region. This is a fantastic opportunity for those of you who may not have been to a convention before. Indianapolis is a great city with a phenomenal CSI chapter. I know they've spent a great deal of time planning a number of special events for us. See you soon.

History in the making

2009-03-29T08:12:00.006-04:00

As I sit here in a hotel meeting room in Arlington, Virginia with the members of the FY2010 CSI Board, I am excited by the historic nature of this first ever Board-elect meeting. Last year, as in prior years, the Executive Committee performed the tasks we are undertaking. This year, as we move from a 29-member Board to a horizontal 21-member Board without an ExCom, the entire Board will participate in this process. We'll continue reducing our number to 18 in FY2012.

We started right on schedule as promised by President-elect Mike Davis. Mike has a very direct style of leadership and I expect we're going to accomplish great things. Yesterday, we received a very detailed orientation, as well as an update on the Strategic Planning process that will be presented to the members at the convention in Indianapolis.

Today, Walt Marlowe is giving us a presentation on his priorities for programs and projects for the coming year. After that, we'll begin to assemble the standing committees and task teams for the coming year. We'll also try to find a place for all of the members of the Board on the Committees of the Board and as liaisons to the committees and task teams.

This may be one of the more challenging activities of the weekend. Prior to the email that featured Mike Davis as Uncle Sam, there were only 19 members that requested appointment to committees. After the email was distributed, we now have close to 80 applications. Discerning the talents of each of the applicants from a spreadsheet will be a difficult assignment. My hope is that someone on the Board-elect will be able to champion each member and we can assign the most qualified members for each committee.

Well, I need to focus on the tasks at hand and will do my best to represent the interest of all CSI members as I move from an Institute DIrector to Vice President. See you soon.

YESSSSS!!!!!!! 2.0

2009-03-14T05:07:00.013-04:00

Well, I received my second phone call from John Patrick McCaffrey within the space of a week with great news. He told me I've been elected Vice President - Professional of the Construction Specifications Institute!

I want to congratulate Bob Dye on his excellently run campaign. Bob called me yesterday and offered his best wishes and assistance. We had a good chat and I encouraged him to stay involved and leverage what we've both learned during the election. I also told him his CSI 2.0 label made me wish I'd thought of it. Perhaps we can work that into the branding of CSI in our developing new strategic plan.

Bob's assertive tactics had me hearing footsteps and I wasn't sure if they were in front or behind me, so I just ran as hard as I could. One positive result of the increased campaign activity was that voter turnout increased from less than 20 percent of eligible voters to 24.8 percent. So for me, the big winner is CSI and its members.

I look forward to working with FY2010 President Mike Davis and serving as the first officer of CSI elected from the Columbus Chapter in its 51 year history. As we transition to a smaller board, it is critically important that we change the way we operate as well as our physical size. Since Sheryl and I have been thinking and talking about this for over a year on GRITT, we are well positioned to provide the benefit of our discussions to the new Board.

I've booked my flight to the Board-elect meeting at the end of March and look forward to serving on the first Board without an executive committee. There is much work to do.

I also want to thank everyone who supported my candidacy and those 62 percent of you that gave me your vote. Thank you for all that you do for CSI. See you soon.

YESSSSS!!!!!!!

2009-03-08T13:02:00.010-04:00

Well, it's been nearly 24 hours (have to deduct one for DST) since I received a phone call from Institute Secretary John Patrick McCaffrey at 1:28 p.m., to let me know I'd been elected a Fellow in CSI.

My first call was to my wife within 10 minutes to let her know. I also called Sheryl Dodd-Hansen, my number one cheerleader in this effort. She was at the West Region mid-year meeting with Paulette Salisbury, my official mentor and good friend. I spoke to her after the meeting later that evening. After that, I tried to keep working for a while (in the office on a beautiful Saturday afternoon - what's wrong with me?), but I kept losing my concentration. I have no idea why.

When two hours had passed, I started calling my 15 endorsers and the chapter leaders who had helped me. This is not a one man endeavor, even for an overly independent contrarian like me. I got in touch with most of the folks for whom I had a personal number. I'll try to call the rest on Monday.

But let me just enthusiastically say; "THANKS!!!"

I also talked to my Mom and Dad and let them know the good news. Told them to pack their bags, 'cause they're going to Indianapolis in June. One of the reasons I really wanted to submit this year is that the convention is in my backyard. It's about three hours from Columbus and an hour more from Zanesville, where they live. They're in good health, but Dad will be 71 in June and I'm not sure how many more long trips he's up for.

Saturday night I called Sheryl again to say that I couldn't really remember the call from John. I do remember that my first response was a chuckle, or perhaps a giggle. I'm still tickled by seeing Mike Davis as Uncle Sam...

Anyway, I've been trying to figure out if I could tell anyone, when I noticed Sheryl posted a congratulatory message on my Facebook wall. So much for keeping it a secret - just kidding.

I don't know all the members of the Class of 2009, but I can't wait to see the announcement from CSI. I know of several friends who submitted and I wish them nothing but the best.

I'm still floating a little bit, but am starting to feel it sink in. I'm going to need new business cards in June. I'd better start handing out a few more in the meantime. The waiting reminds me of my brother's plight. He made Chief Master Sergeant last February, but couldn't "sew on" his new stripe until August.

Well, this has been fun, but it's back to reality. My wife's car died on Friday, and I have to go play mechanic. See you soon!

Glad it's finally over!

2009-03-06T12:22:00.004-05:00

By the clock on my computer, it is now 12:22 p.m. EST and the election has officially closed. We won't know the results for about another week, but I want to congratulate all the candidates for a good, clean, and fun race.

I think everyone showed that they are willing to work for the opportunity to serve and that should bring us some comfort that no matter who wins, we all want to be there.

And for those of who were annoyed by our communication, I do apologize for the intrusion. I think we all have a little fatigue related to elections after a two year presidential contest.

One of the results I'm interested in almost as much as who won, is who voted. We have seen a lackluster 20 percent or less in the last few years even with controversial issues on the ballot. Perhaps the excitement of the candidates transferred to the voters.

I did learn quite a bit. There are a few new tools in my communication portfolio and I'm not afraid to use them. I did learn that 5:00 a.m. may not be the best time of day to send a message. To those of you with Blackberrys, I am sorry I woke you up. Once I became aware of the issue, I scheduled my message much later in the day.

In any case, I'm glad it's over and all that's left is the counting. Thanks for everything you do for CSI! See you soon.

Lane

The times, they are a changin'

2009-02-13T20:02:00.005-05:00

I've come to the realization that we can't stop progress, we can only delay it. I had resisted becoming entangled in the campaigning for CSI office that we're being bombarded with. But I finally decided that if I wanted the position, I was going to have to fight for it.

Long before the election began, someone pointed out my opponent's Web site. It quickly became apparent that if I wanted to stay in the race, I would need to get to work. Work is something I certainly don't shy away from. And as the veteran of four of my own political campaigns, and volunteering to help countless other colleagues, if I lose it isn't because I don't know how to win.

I know that this may seem distasteful to some of our long time members. That isn't the way it's done. However, the world is flattening and CSI is subject to that equalization as well. After all, aren't we all about communication? What's really wrong with taking our case to the members directly?

I suspect younger members are accustomed to the marketing efforts from every direction. It's part of the current culture. But those of us who have been around CSI for a while, haven't seen this before. In any case, I hope you find my message unobtrusive and easy to read. I tried to make it easy to opt out and let others help me make my case. I also made sure I respected the privacy of those who did not want to be communicated with in the first place. And I made absolutely certain that not a penny of CSI funds were spent at any level to communicate my message to the members.

I had a conversation with another board member a few days ago and noted that this new enthusiasm for just another election, could have the effect of revitalizing CSI. After all, who wants to belong to an organization no one is willing to duke it out to serve? Doesn't it inspire you that there are candidates for national office in your CSI that want to serve you so badly they invest their own blood, sweat, and tears to do so?

The point is to drive traffic to the CSI election site and remind members to look at the candidate statements, and finally to vote. If your upset with this tactic, please let me know, and please opt out on the link provided in my communication. At some point in the future, we're going to have to establish some ground rules. But as one of my colleagues pointed out recently, right now it's the Wild West.

In closing, let me just say that my primary goal here is to be elected, but a secondary side effect is that we could just have an election that has a reasonable turnout. We see way too much apathy in our political contests. My hope is that if you took the trouble to click through to this blog or to view my profile, then you will care enough about CSI to research the candidates and cast your vote. If that happens, we all win. See you soon.

How to vote in the CSI election

2009-02-03T13:12:00.003-05:00

I hope that folks will vote for me because I am more qualified, rather than alphabetical order, most initials, physical beauty, or another equally arbitrary method.

I also hope the the candidate who is the best person for the position they are seeking will be elected, regardless of how motivated their network is. If I, or anyone, had to rely on the people we know to elect us, we'd better pack it in, because the democratic process is irreparably flawed. While I am acquainted with a lot of CSI members, no one can know absolutely all of them. For instance, I've been involved in CSI for 23 years and had never heard of my opponent.

I, for one, believe in the the electoral process, and the wisdom of the electorate. If anyone is going to cast a vote for someone because of the alphabet soup after their name, then I suggest they shouldn't vote. However, if you've thoroughly read the candidate statements and have analyzed who is best suited to lead CSI through difficult and turbulent times, then please do vote.

I also want to recommend you not vote for someone because they're a nice person, or they express an interest in learning more about how CSI governance works. We need seasoned leadership that knows what the heck they're doing now more than ever before. CSI is asking much from us and on-the-job training will not give us the leadership we need!

If you have a few ideas about how to increase membership, then join the membership committee. However, if you are prepared to sacrifice your personal life and make tough decisions that you may have to defend later to members that may not always agree with you, then perhaps you may be suited for leadership.

I would encourage everyone to closely examine the candidates' statements. We were given a scant 350 words to declare why we should be elected to the office we were nominated for. The differences are very interesting. I know the way they are posted on the Web site is not perfect, and we can work on changing that, but we have to use the established framework to be fair for this election cycle.

If you want to learn more about me and why I'm very well prepared to lead CSI, then I have profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook and even MySpace. I also linked my blog to the candidate site if you want to see where my head is, at any given moment. I don't think I need a Web site for self-promotion. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I question expending valuable resources to be elected to a volunteer position. I believe that would make some members question my fiscal judgement and restraint, as well they should.

Try Googling my name and see what shows up. Using the Advanced Search option and "exact wording or phrase" will give best results, otherwise you'll get 7,320 hits and they're not all mine. Narrowing it down will result in about 500, and they are me for the most part. My unusual name is a benefit for this. You'll see what I've been into the past few years both within and outside of CSI. A few of those relate to my hobby in genealogy as well as a few about my past career in local politics. I designed a Web site for each avocation a few years ago, but have been too involved in other things lately.

By the way, a lot of people are curious about my heritage and name. My father's family came from Switzerland in 1727, Bucher with an umlat "U" became Beougher. I tell folks my name is Boo'-kur, spelled B-E-O-U-G-H-E-R, just the way it sounds. That line is usually good for a chuckle and may be why I was elected to the CSI Audit Committee at my first board meeting. And yes, I am a serious guy with a sense of humor. With my name, you have to be.

I encourage all CSI voting members to research the candidates and become informed voters, then and only then should you cast your vote for the future of CSI. My best wishes go out to all of the candidates and may the best man (or woman) win.

Why vote for me?

2009-01-17T14:45:00.001-05:00

Now that CSI has begun restructuring into a leaner governance model, it’s time for us to begin flexing our new muscle by focusing on initiatives related to the ongoing revolution in the construction industry. As the primary gateway to resources for programs, services, and the exchange of knowledge, CSI must respond to the challenges that building information modeling, integrated project delivery, energy efficiency, and resource conservation pose for designers, constructors, and owners, as well as the entire supply chain. We must also leverage our relationships with other organizations to realize our vision of becoming the premiere integrating force for creating and sustaining the built environment.

If the Institute is the body of CSI, and the chapters are its hands and feet, then the regions are its arms and legs. My vision for CSI is that of a strong, vibrant, and progressive organization with the whole greater than the sum of its parts, and a seamless support network to develop the next generation of leadership for our organization and the entire construction industry. Channels of communication must be refined to allow leaders and members instant access to the resources and information they need to operate their chapters and their businesses. We are only as strong as our weakest link and all levels must achieve operational excellence for us to realize our full potential.

The next few years will be critical during our transition to an 18-member board. Having served on the task team that developed the governance implementation plan, I will bring that experience and knowledge to bear as a vice president. As a former leader of my city council, and several other non-profit organizations, I bring the ability to work in collaborative groups to create positive change toward a shared strategic vision. I will leverage that ability with my knowledge of CSI’s technical programs and products to move our organization and the industry forward.

I look forward to working with you to build CSI into the outstanding organization that we all know it can be, should be, and must be. I respectfully ask for your vote for Institute vice president. See you soon.

The Power of Networking

2009-01-14T12:21:00.004-05:00

Like many CSI members, I talk about the organization with anyone who will listen. A number of these conversations have been with government officials. A few years ago, I successfully lobbied the State Architect’s Office to adopt MasterFormat 2004. I also worked with the executive director of the Ohio Architects Board to include the Construction Specifications Institute among the organizations approved to accredit continuing education programs. The following is from a CSI press release dated October 10, 2008.

“The Ohio State Architects Board now recognizes the Construction Specifications Institute's (CSI) Construction Education Network (CEN) as an approved entity for construction professionals pursuing continuing education credits. CSI CEN is a network of registered education providers offering programs to professionals in construction-related industries. It is the only continuing education program that connects the entire built community – from architects, engineers and contractors to manufacturers, facility managers and developers. No other program is as comprehensive in its scope."

The executive director of the Board was also the executive director of the Columbus Chapter of AIA for six years prior to taking her current position. During that time CSI Columbus and AIA Columbus worked very well together and we developed a very good working relationship. Since I was on both boards, I served in a quasi-liaison role between the two organizations. We held joint events and even shared mailing lists. In February 2005, CSI Columbus sponsored AIA Columbus’ newsletter in the Daily Reporter, a daily business newspaper, and I wrote four sponsorship articles to highlight current topics of interest about CSI.

I had just been elected to the executive committee, when she announced she was leaving. Before the Board adopted rules to implement legislation mandating continuing education for architects in late 2005, she called me to discuss the issue. When CSI developed and released the CEN program, the rule was in place to provide instantaneous recognition.

The value of forming relationships like this is a priceless commodity. You never know what can happen if you connect with the right person. See you soon.

Thoughts on Membership

2009-01-08T00:40:00.002-05:00

It never fails that sometime during a membership conference, someone will get behind the podium and say, "If each one of us would just recruit one new member, we could double our size." Now, it's not that I disagree with that idea. The problem is they're preaching to the choir. The attendees are usually the most motivated folks who actually do recruitment. What we aren't reaching is the disengaged member who may not be around long himself.

I tend to think in terms of fixing the holes in the boat. Not only fixing the holes, but bolstering the structural problems, and giving it more than a fresh coat of paint. People will go to an organization that is sexy or trendy or hot. Look at the success of USGBC. But there are also problems with that kind of rapid growth. We need to keep providing better customer service.

Why can't we do both? Change to be the organization people want to belong to, and let them know about us at the same time. In my last post, I talked about networking and selling the value of maintaining professional relationships. This is a fundamental key to success.

Another key is to engage new members the moment they walk in the door. Give them a job and some buy-in and they keep coming back for more. And they might bring someone with them.

Programming is also important. Too many chapters let good programs slip away and begin doing the box lunch-type programs that cater to one segment of a diverse organization. Where are the programs for the manufacturer's representatives?

It's getting late and my thoughts are becoming more and more random, so I'd better sign off. See you soon.

Happy 2009!

2009-01-06T15:25:00.005-05:00

Well, another year has passed. The events of the previous year are certainily weighing heavily as we look forward. I think that perhaps uncertainty is the watchword as we begin again. Organizations are budgeting conservatively and showing hesitancy in creating new initiatives.

Perhaps this is the time to be bold and do things we wouldn't normally think about in the years of fat. For instance, instead of downsizing sponsorship budgets, think about changing the way these opportunities for getting the corporate image in front of people are approached. Perhaps there will be a desire to downsize individual budgets, but the number of potential sponsors may increase since they need to make an effort to reach their customer, when they didn't before.

As for memberships, maybe now is the time to make a better case for the value of the networking opportunities that trade organizations provide. Networking with peers, especially in a diverse group like CSI, will pay dividends if the right hand is shaken on any given day.

With a new administration coming to power in difficult times, there will be an effort to bolster the economy. This time it looks like a check may not be in the mail, but a more sizeable investment in our aging infrastructure. Where better than CSI to meet the partner for your next public project. See you soon.

Refocused Energy

2008-12-05T16:04:00.005-05:00

As I wrap up my year as President of AIA Columbus, Ohio's largest chapter and head into my last six months on the national board of CSI, I begin to look for additional opportunities to serve my profession and the construction industry.

I've been asked to serve on the Advisory Group for AIA's Public Architect's Knowledge Community. I've also accepted the nomination to serve as one of CSI's Vice Presidents. So it doesn't appear that free time will increase for a few months anyway. Given the outcome of the election, I could be busy for another few years.

I look forward to these challenges. I've never been one to shy away from problems or keep my opinion to myself. I believe this makes me a more effective member of these institutions and their leadership. See you soon.

AIA Ohio Grassroots Planning Session

2008-03-14T20:53:00.011-04:00

I spent the day with the AIA Ohio Board and the leadership of each of the local components in our state. Representing AIA Columbus, I was joined by Tim Hawk, our president-elect; Gwen Berlekamp, our executive director of two weeks; Chris Brim, our AIA Ohio delegate; and Steve Shinn, AIA Ohio treasurer. Karen or K.C. Harrison from the national component led the discussion of the national strategic plan and the environmental scan presentation, which examined trends that affect the profession. K.C. agreed to meet with our AIA Columbus Strategic Planning Task Force tomorrow morning.

What was interesting was the way each of the three break-out groups came to very similar conclusions. The common themes that we wanted AIA Ohio to tackle include sposoring seminars on leadership and media training, changing the bylaws to remove the prohibition against endorsing political candidates, taking on public relations on a statewide level, etc. The state component is being asked to take on issues and programs that many of the local components cannot. AIA Columbus has the staff and financial resources to do many things an unstaffed component cannot. Another concept we discussed was pairing a staffed component with an unstaffed component. Paul Hollenbeck, president-elect of AIA Ohio, quoted one of the speakers at national grassroots, Frances Hesselbein, who said; "The best way to manage change is to be the change."

After the planning session, we attended a reception in the statehouse rotunda hosted by our own Carole J. Olshavsky, FAIA, 2008 chancellor of the AIA College of Fellows. She held a meeting of the COF executive committee and we were privileged to network with them and Fellows from around the state. The venue for the event was very appropriate since Carole led the renovation of the statehouse while she was State Architect. Carole made the comment to her executive committee who came from Los Angelos, Chicago, and Minneaplis, that Columbus was also a destination city. This comment was met with a round of applause. See you soon.

CANSTRUCTION 2008

2008-03-11T14:51:00.003-04:00

This morning I helped judge the sculptures created from cans of food at the Columbus College of Art & Design. There were a total of nine creations that were incredibly, and edibly, crafted from a total of 22,000 pounds of food. I stayed for the kickoff celebration for Operation Feed, a program of the Mid-Ohio FoodBank. I was asked to help present the awards to the teams that assembled the structures.

The team that received the Juror's Choice Award was made from 6,800 cans of tuna. It looked amazingly like a piggy bank and was very well crafted. All of the creations were great and it's too bad we couldn't give each of the teams a prize. These structures take a great deal of effort to plan, design, and construct. I congratulate all of the teams for a job well done. See you soon.

Williams and Tsien Epilogue

2008-02-27T17:12:00.003-05:00

Wow!!! I was extremely impressed by the work they showed. Their interest in the irregularities of certain materials creates a unique structure. The use of natural light through slivers of space in thin atria shows a mastery over the concept of space. They also showed us a project in which they cataloged 1,800 trees on a campus site for the Tata company in Mumbai, India, maker of the $2,500 automobile that's been in the news lately. Very respectful use of the natural environment.

Their lecture was very well attended. I did make it from Cincinnati on time to introduce Dennis, although he was getting nervous. Dennis did a nice job of welcoming Tod & Billie, and they were very gracious. Unfortunately, they didn't have any images of the Columbus Museum of Art project they are working on, but I am very interested in seeing what they design for our city, based on past work.

I also announced that our new executive director is Gwen Berlekamp, who rejoins us after working in development at CAPA/CATCO. Gwen's first day will be Monday, March 3rd and we can't wait to work with her again. Gwen's tenure with us as member Services Coordinator was marked with true dedication to the needs of our members. Welcome back Gwen! See you soon.

Ohio Construction Conference Prologue

2008-02-25T22:31:00.004-05:00

I'm looking forward to tomorrow night's presentation by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien at the Ohio Construction Conference. I have the privilege of introducing the sponsor for the speakers, Dennis Hoffer of Inside Outfitters. Dennis and his company have been sponsoring this event for a number of years and we appreciate his generousity and interest in the architectural profession.

While I have to be in Cincinnati during the day, I'm leaving the networking event in time to hit COSI well before 6:00. If the weather looks nasty, I will start back a little earlier. I'm disappointed I won't be able to enjoy the presentations during the day. The Central Ohio Builder's Exchange has assembled a really phenomenal panel of speakers. I would encourage anyone who can attend to do so.

Tod and Billie are working on a project at the Columbus Museum of Art, and I'm hoping they'll talk about that project. They have a very impressive body of work and I'm really looking forward to their presentation. I will also be making a very special announcement related to our executive director search. See you soon.

On becoming an exceptional board

2008-02-24T11:55:00.004-05:00

Another seminar I attended at Grassroots, along with our treasurer Pete Macrae, was entitled "12 principles that empower exceptional boards." Two of the principles that we want to implement right away are the use of a consent agenda, and devoting the remainder of the agenda to action items and decisions.

A consent agenda is used to approve reports, minutes, financial statements, and other items that do not require discussion. These items are distributed to the board members prior to the meeting for review, and if anyone has a question or would like to expand on the report or other item, they request that item be pulled after the secretary reads it. When I was on city council, we used the consent agenda for the first and second readings of legislation. It would then be placed on the regular agenda for the third and final reading for passage. We also use a consent agenda for reports on the national board of directors of CSI (Construction Specifications Institute). It takes a little more planning and preparation, but the idea of a shorter meeting has great appeal.

The second concept that Pete and I discussed at length is using the regular agenda for business that requires board action. For our upcoming meeting, we'll be voting on our annual budget. It was tabled at our last meeting. There will be questions, discussion, perhaps even amendments will be offered, and finally we will vote to approve. Other items that committees submit for board action will be discussed. Remaining business from previous meetings and action items, can also be considered by the board. Any new policies, bylaws amendments to be presented to the members, etc.

At our last board meeting we discussed a timetable for the directors to follow in working with their committees, acting as the liaison between the board and each committee, ensuring reports are submitted timely. We also discussed asking each director to submit their own written report with their itineraries, activities, and a summary of each committee's progress toward their goals. These reports will then appear on the consent agenda, and if there is business for the board to consider, the director will submit the item for inclusion on the agenda. The idea is to get away from the verbal reports we've been doing far too long.

We need to work toward becoming that exceptional board discussed in the seminar. If we're able to implement these two concepts in the next month, we'll be well on our way. See you soon.

It's good to be home

2008-02-23T21:57:00.005-05:00

After four days in our nation's capital, it's good to be back in Central Ohio. AIA's Grassroots Leadership Conference for this year had a different angle in that we didn't visit Capital Hill to speak with our representatives and senators. Instead, we've been asked to visit them back in their districts in March. It's part of an effort to get us in the "habit" of advocacy.

It's one thing to go to DC and feel like you're in the unique environment of Washington. It tends to make you think you have to be there to contact your congressman. While the truth is, it is probably better to visit them back home. You're much more likely to get to see them, rather than their staff. The unfortunate issue is that on the hill, you can make more than one visit in the span of a few hours, while back home, we may have to travel a bit further between offices.

Since this is my third trip to Grassroots in four years, it was almost a relief to not have the stress of scheduling appointments, boning up on issues we received a few hours before the meeting, and conducting an intelligent conversation with some of the most powerful people we're likely to encounter. AIA's government affairs staff is going to post the issues on a Web site, where we can download and review them well in advance of our visit. More on this to follow...

One of the seminars I attended (this morning) was on Using the Web to Maximize Component Communications. A strategy discussed during the session conducted by AIA East Bay's executive director, Sidney Sweeney, was the use of Web logs or Blogs to communicate to members (and others). The result is immediate, and much less formal than posting to the chapter Web site.

So, I've decided that instead of the usual President's Message you see in organization newsletters, I'm going to attempt communication via a President's Blog. I'm hoping I can maintain the discipline to keep up regular posts. Stay tuned and we'll see how this experiement in the next generation of communication tools works out. See you soon.