2014 Annual Fall Conference
Photos from ACECNJ’s 2014 Annual Fall Conference
[Atlantic City] ACECNJ’s 2014 Annual Fall Conference brought together more than 150 engineering professionals from around the state of New Jersey. The fall conference began on Sunday, September 14th with a day of golf at the prestigious Galloway National Golf Club. Our golfers competed leisurely on the challenging course throughout the afternoon with comfortable fall weather. In the evening, attendees earned continuing education credits for ‘Asset Management of Large Roadway Networks’ presented by Kaz Tabrizi of Advanced Infrastructure Design.
On Sunday evening, the welcome reception honored Roy W. Little, PE, PP, the chief engineer of Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, with ACECNJ’s 2014 Public Service Award. Little has been an active member in the community and an example to other engineers in our region.
The fall conference continued on Monday, September 15th with opportunities for professional engineers to earn continuing education credits, network with clients and other ACECNJ members, and hear from leaders in the profession through panel discussions. The morning began with an open transportation committee meeting and a session focused on the development of an internal Corporate Sustainability Program, ‘Sustainability – Strategies and Benefits to our Industry and Region’.
The morning keynote speaker, Joseph W. Mrozek, Executive Director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, addressed attendees on his present and future initiatives for NJTA and took questions from the audience. Mrozek was recently appointed the Executive Director in March 2014, prior he served as the Deputy Commissioner for the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Additional continuing education sessions occurred throughout the remainder of the morning. Courses included but were not limited to the following: ‘Forewarned is Forearmed – Predicting Construction Related Traffic Conditions’, presented by Mark Yedlin, Greenman-Pedersen, Inc., ‘Mobile LiDAR and its Use in the Civil Engineering Industry’, presented by Christine Gayron, LS, Gayron de Bruin Land Surveying and Engineering, PC, and ‘Making the Case for Sustainable Outcomes – Leading Edge Tools for Guiding Economic, Social and Environmental Assessments and Outcomes’, presented by Lidia Berger, MEM, LEED, Dewberry and John Williams, Impact Infrastructure, LLC.
As always the ACECNJ luncheon keynote did not disappoint. ‘The Infrastructure Crisis: Finding Solutions’ included a robust panel that discussed the crisis on a national level and on the local level for the Northeast region. Issues that are surfacing due to inadequate investment in transportation infrastructure and its challenges and potential opportunities were addressed. Panelists included: Steven Hall, American Council of Engineering Companies, Joung Lee, American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and Brian Pallasch, American Society of Civil Engineers, moderated by the Honorable Jack Lettiere, JL Consulting.
In the afternoon, attendees attended breakout sessions but were not limited to the following: ‘Bayonne Bridge Lift – Case Study’, presented by Paul van Hagen, HDR, and ‘Successful Sustainability Programs for the Transportation Industry’ presented by Tom Abdullah, NYC Transit Authority, Richard Lobron, Amtrak, Celia Ann Pfleckl, Amtrak, and Melissa Targett, PANYNJ.
The final panel discussion, ‘New Jersey’s Transportation Infrastructure: Challenges & Opportunities’ included representatives from New Jersey’s five main transportation agencies, Robert Fischer, NJTA, Susan Gresavage, NJDOT, Stephen Mazur, SJTA, Steven Santoro, NJ TRANSIT, and Jim Starace, PANYNJ, moderated by the Honorable Stephen Dilts, HNTB Corporation. The panelists discussed the visions and priorities for repairing and rehabilitating New Jersey’s roads, bridges and transit systems.
At the farewell reception, attendees gathered one last time before the conference ended to network and collect their certificates earned through the continuing education courses offered during the conference. ACECNJ is eager to begin the planning of the 2015 Annual Fall Conference and invites you to continue our website for updates.