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Design Exchange Society for Design Administration, Atlanta Chapter Issue #2015QTR1 | Page 1
Design Exchange Society for Design Administration, Atlanta Chapter
April 6, 2015
IN THIS ISSUE
January 22, 2015 Monthly Chapter Meeting 2015 Roundtable
Member “Spot
Light”
Stacey Milnichuk
January Chapter Meeting……………………1
Calendar of Events………………………………2
Member List…………………………………………3
Atlanta Chapter Committees…………....3 Highlights: Lunch Bunch Groups, Mentoring Efforts, and Social Media
President’s Message…….…………………….4
What’s Happening?..........……………….5
Chapter Meetings……….………………………7
Member Spot Light………................10
Announcements…………….………………….11
Birthdays, News, Poll, Board Members, and more
HAVE AN IDEA FOR AN ARTICLE, OR WANT YOUR OWN BYLINE?
CONTACT: Arlene Mohammed
ON SALE NOW… SDA-ATLANTA POLO SHIRTS AND JOURNALS
SHIRTS: $40.00 each
JOURNALS: $5.00 each
CONTACT: James Byers
Design Exchange Society for Design Administration, Atlanta Chapter Issue #2015QTR1 | Page 2
Unless Otherwise Specified, Meetings Are Held At the Following Locations: Business Meetings: The Architecture Group, 381 Venable Street, Atlanta, GA 30313 (678.222.0375) Chapter Meetings: Gordon Biersch Buckhead, 3242 Peachtree Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30305 (404.264.0253)
2015 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
JANUARY
Business Meeting 6-7pm: January 7th Location: The Architecture Group (TAG) Chapter Meeting 12-1pm: January 22nd 2015 Roundtable Location: Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
FEBRUARY
Business Meeting 6-7pm: February 4th Location: The Architecture Group (TAG) Chapter Meeting 12-1pm: February 19th PEG: Office Admin
“Google-ify” Your Work Sponsor: Meld Automation
Location: Gordon Biersch
MARCH
Business Meeting 6-7pm: March 4th Location: The Architecture Group (TAG) Chapter Meeting 12-1pm: March 19th PEG: Project Mgt. Get in the “Know” of A/E/C Location: Gordon Biersch
APRIL
Business Meeting 6-7pm: April 1st Location: The Architecture Group (TAG) Chapter Meeting 12-1pm: April 16th PEG: Office Admin Location: TBD Spring Social TBD MEMBERSHIP DRIVE
MAY
Business Meeting 6-7pm: May 6th Location: The Architecture Group (TAG) Chapter Meeting 12-1pm: May 21st PEG: Finance What’s new in 2015?
Location: TBD
JUNE
Business Meeting 6-7pm: June 3rd Location: The Architecture Group (TAG) Chapter Meeting 12-1pm: June 18th PEG: Office Admin
MS Office – Tips / Tricks Location: Gordon Biersch
JULY
Business Meeting 6-7pm: July 1st Location: The Architecture Group (TAG) Chapter Meeting 12-1pm: July 16th PEG: Project Mgt. Porsche Jobsite Tour–In Motion Location: PCNA Headquarters
AUGUST
Business Meeting 6-7pm: August 5th Location: The Architecture Group (TAG) Chapter Meeting 12-1pm: August 20th
Obamacare – Are you Ready? Location: TBD
SEPTEMBER
Business Meeting 6-7pm: September 2nd Location: The Architecture Group (TAG) Chapter Meeting 12-1pm: September 17th PEG: Mktg
Strategic Planning Location: Gordon Biersch
OCTOBER
Business Meeting 6-7pm: October 7th Location: The Architecture Group (TAG) Chapter Meeting 12-1pm: October 15th
Boss’s Day Location: TBD
NOVEMBER
Business Meeting 6-7pm: November 4th Location: The Architecture Group (TAG) Chapter Meeting 12-1pm: November 19th PEG: HR/OA
A/E/C Evolution of a Firm Location: TBD
DECEMBER
Business Meeting 6-7pm: December 2nd
Location: The Architecture Group (TAG) Chapter Meeting 12-1pm: December 17th
PEG: Holiday Party
Location: TBD
Design Exchange Society for Design Administration, Atlanta Chapter Issue #2015QTR1 | Page 3
Gloria Boden, CDFA
Sue Book-Gustke
James Byers, CDFA
Lydia Caseman
Mila Charron
Consuella Clarke
Nancy DeLoatch, CDFA
Cynthia dos Remedios
Beth Forsyth
Tina Garbos, CDFA
Merddyn Glaza
Ashley Harper
Sabrina Heard, CDFA
Daniel Immerman
Andrea Ingleton
Robin Jarriel
Vincent Lafitte, CDFA
Ashonta Langdon
Briana Martin
Lynnette McKissic
Katy McNulty
Stacey Milnichuk
Arlene Mohammed
Susan Mohr
Jeri Muller
Kristi Mundt, CDFA
Nancy Owen
Michele Prim
Sheila Rickles, CDFA
Aimee Robinette
Sandra Simpson
Gina Swanson
Elizabeth Wagner
Sarah Wallace, CDFA
Casey Washinski
Lynn Wesley
Cathy Witt, CDFA
Wakefield Beasley & Associates
SB-G Temps
The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
Cooper Carry, Inc.
The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
Rosser International
The Architecture Group, Inc.
Lord Aeck Sargent Architecture
Walter P. Moore & Associates, Inc.
Professional Service Industries, Inc. (PSI)
Integrated Designs International, Inc. (IDI)
Pond & Company, Inc.
Randall Paulson Architects, Inc.
Hendrick, Inc.
Marx|Okubo Associates, Inc.
Clark Nexsen, PC
Stevens & Wilkinson
Lord Aeck Sargent Architecture
Stevens & Wilkinson
Cooper Carry, Inc.
The Preston Partnership, LLC
Cunningham Forehand Matthews & Moore Architects, Inc.
Eberly & Associates, Inc.
Spenser Bristol Engineering
Randall Paulson Architects, Inc.
Warner Summers
Browder + LeGuizamon and Associates, Inc.
Clark Nexsen, PC
Cooper Carry, Inc.
Clark Nexsen, PC
Rosser International, Inc.
PES Structural Engineers
ENGQUEST, Inc.
Surber Barber Choate & Hertlein Architects, P.C.
Browder + LeGuizamon and Associates, Inc.
Gleeds
The Lunch Buddies program is back again. The purpose of this program is to encourage members to connect with others who are close by for informal lunches and other social outings. Based on their locations, members have been grouped and introduced to their new Lunch Buddies. Right away some members were emailing each other to suggest potential meeting dates and places. That type of energy is contagious!
Lunch Bunch Groups Group 1: Tina Garbos, Merddyn Glaza, Jeri Muller, Casey Washinski, Lynn Wesley
Group 2: Gloria Boden, Mila Charron, Ashley Harper, Sabrina Heard, Susan Mohr, Elizabeth Wagner
Group 3: James Byers, Andrea Ingleton, Katy McNulty, Nancy Owen, Aimee Robinette, Gina Swanson
Group 4: Consuella Clarke, Nancy DeLoatch, Cynthia dos Remedios, Daniel Immerman, Kristi Mundt
Group 5: Sue Book-Gustke, Lydia Caseman, Briana Martin, Sarah Wallace, Abagael Warnars
Group 6: Beth Forsythe, Vincent Lafitte, Lynette McKissic, Sandra Simpson, Cathy Witt
Group 7: Robin Jarriel, Ashonta Langdon, Stacey Milnichuk, Arlene Mohammed, Michele Prim, Sheila Rickles
Mentor/Mentee Program
The Mentor/Mentee program is also back in action this year. There has been a great response to the request for volunteers who are interested in being a mentor, a mentee, or one of each for two different members. This is another opportunity to interact with a fellow member on a one-on-one basis for professional guidance, advice, support, and encouragement. Each of us has had a unique set of experiences, and we can all learn something valuable from each other.
The Mentor/Mentees will soon be introduced. The list will be published in the next Newsletter.
Social Media Publications Committee is working on several Social Media outlets in 2015. Currently we have the following:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SDAAtlanta
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Society-Design-Administration-Atlanta-Chapter-7444033
Of course, you can look for this and future issues of the SDA-Atlanta newsletter Design Exchange from Arlene Mohammed and Lynn Wesley on the SDA-Atlanta website at http://www.sda-atlanta.org/.
SDA ATLANTA CHAPTER INITIATIVES
Members
Design Exchange Society for Design Administration, Atlanta Chapter Issue #2015QTR1 | Page 4
President’s Message
2015 is off to a GREAT start! I personally wanted to thank each and every 2015 board member and committee chair for your enthusiasm, drive, and energy in creating a vision and SDA chapter that is truly making a difference. As you may know, we have several new board members and chairpersons this year that are helping take SDA to a new level, and I could not be more proud to be a part of the team! While each of us runs into daily challenges with our work and personal lives, they still take the time (their OWN time) to help make SDA-Atlanta a better place and organization for all of us to be a part of. That being said, a very heart felt “thank you” from me personally to:
Consuella Clarke Vice President / Membership Chair / Historian
Mila Charron Secretary / 2015 Canstruction Chair
Stacey Milnichuk Treasurer / Finance Chair Nancy DeLoatch Past President / Certifications
Chair / Nominations Chair Lynn Wesley Publications Chair Lydia Caseman Chapter Awards Chair Casey Washinski Job Bank
As position holders, each person listed above has had to learn the history of SDA and the role that they fill. At times it can be a tough role to fill the shoes of a predecessor while establishing your own unique stamp on things. Take it from someone that has done it many
times; this is no small task. In 2015, SDA-Atlanta members have taken a renewed interest in the group as a whole, and if this quarter has been ANY indication, 2015 is going to be a phenomenal year for everyone!
Together we are all trying to get back to the basics of “people first,” and it is working! I, for one, am looking forward to the myriad of events we have coming up this year, like the wine tasting, EdConnect15, great speakers, a day at the ball park, lunches around town, and more. While I truly believe that we are making a difference with the level of hands-on education we are providing, I also highly value getting to know each and every member as a person and NOT just a name on the SDA roster.
I think I can summarize the 2015 SDA-Atlanta experience with a single quote…
“Leadership is action, not position” – Unknown
With our members emerging as leaders at every turn, I am happy to report that we are “lighting the way” as our National President Sarah Wallace had envisioned, and look forward to seeing the rest of 2015 unfold and our members continue to blossom into industry leaders.
James Byers, CDFA
Consuella Clarke and Tina Garbos enjoy an evening out
at a NAWIC event at Sips & Strokes on March 06, 2015.
Can you guess which
painting belongs to
which lady? The
correct answer is on
last page of
newsletter.
Design Exchange Society for Design Administration, Atlanta Chapter Issue #2015QTR1 | Page 5
EDConnect – SDA Joins the Virtual Revolution! Sarah Wallace, CDFA, LEED Green Associate Registration is now open for EDConnect! Education is one of the main tenants of our organization and EDConnect allows SDA to demonstrate the quality of our educational resources with some of the best speakers presenting on industry related topics to a larger audience. Leading industry experts will present programs in each of the following areas: Finance, Human Resources, Marketing, Office Administration, and Project Management. EDConnect is an excellent way for firms to help cultivate the entire staff’s knowledge and your future firm leader’s management skills while helping the firm stay a step ahead of the competition. Here is just a sample of EDConnect programming content:
Finance: Basic financial management terms and firm management terminology, such as efficiency rate, billing rate, etc., and what they mean, and how to calculate them as part of a strategy to reach a profitability goal.
HR: The onboarding program elements that research shows result in new managers becoming more emotionally and rationally committed to their new job more quickly
Project Management: An understanding of how integrated delivery eliminates waste to shorten design/construction time and lower project costs
Marketing: “Benefits-based writing” – a way to ensure that selection committee members (technical and non-technical individuals) - recognize and understand the benefits your team brings
Every year at EdSymposium members say, “I wish my firm Principal had been in this session,” or “Our project managers could really have benefited from this program.” We heard you loud and clear - EDConnect allows each of our members to make sure they have every opportunity to share SDA programs with everyone from the top down and the bottom up. EDConnect similarly provides additional educational opportunities for our largest growing constituency, our members-at-large, as well as for those members who are unable to travel. Earn Continuing Education Credits! EDConnect will provide up to 9 hours of AIA approved Continuing Education Credits throughout EDConnect. These credits will help members achieve 50% of the required annual CEUs to maintain Certified Design Firm Administration (CDFA) credential as well as provide opportunities for technical staff to earn CEUs for their various professional associations (AIA, IDP, etc.) EDConnect will provide up to 9 hours of AIA approved CEUs for all attendees – that is less than $28/CEU. Increase your return on your investment; reserve the conference room and invite your entire firm to participate. So leave your suitcases in the closet, don’t worry about missing time at work or with your families. Advance your skills and knowledge; improve your firm’s efficiency; facilitate your firms’ future leaders’ growth; promote the value of SDA through this new virtual platform; and register today for EDConnect! For more information, please check out the FAQs on the SDA National website under the Learn tab, EDConnect15.
The next big item on the agenda is a Meet and Greet in April for our Spring Membership Drive. Since Administrative Professionals Day
is observed in April, it’s a great time to acknowledge the valuable contribution that our hard work brings to our firms every day. We will
be inviting potential new members to attend, meet our awesome current members, and learn more about all that SDA has to offer.
The exact date and location haven’t been finalized yet but will be soon. We’ll share the details in the very near future.
Design Exchange Society for Design Administration, Atlanta Chapter Issue #2015QTR1 | Page 6
CANstruction - 17th Annual Design/Build Competition
What is CANstruction?
Canstruction® is a special public relations event aimed at putting a spotlight on the
design/construction industry doing something tangible to help in the fight against
hunger by combining the competitive spirit of a design/build competition with a unique
way to help those in need. Canstruction, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization founded by SDA in 1992.
When is CANstruction 2015?
November 2015
Where is CANstruction 2015?
Colony Square Mall
How Do I get Involved in CANstruction 2015?
Contact Mila Charron (Committee Chair) at [email protected] or Ashley Harper (Committee Co-Chair) at
INDUSTRY REFERENCES a. Architectural References:
1. (2015). Retrieved from ARCAT: www.arcat.com
2. American Institute of Architects (AIA). (2008). Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice. John Wiley & Sons.
3. American Institute of Architects. (2015). Construction Procurement. Retrieved from
http://www.aia.org/aiaucmp/groups/aia/documents/pdf/aiab089225.pdf
4. Construction Specifications Institute. (2011). Project Delivery Practice Guide. John Wiley & Sons.
5. Kaplan Construction Education. (2012). Construction Documents & Services Study Guide.
6. Society of Design Administration. (1999). Handbook of Design Office Administration.
b. Engineering References:
1. http://www.amg-eng.com/engineering-terms-glossary.php
2. http://seaonc.org/structural-engineering-terms
3. http://www.nspe.org/resources/media/resources/glossary-engineering-terms
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_HVAC_terms
5. http://elect.mrt.ac.lk/electricalterms.htm
c. Construction References:
1. http://www.revenue.state.il.us/Publications/Pubs/Pub-124.pdf
2. http://architectshelp.com.au/ArchitectsHelp/index.php/component/k2/item/139-common-acronyms-and-abbreviations-
used-in-the-industry
CANstruction meetings are held the last Tuesday of every month at the Atlanta Community Food Bank
(ACFB) and all are invited to attend.
Design Exchange Society for Design Administration, Atlanta Chapter Issue #2015QTR1 | Page 7
March 19, 2015 Monthly Chapter Luncheon Get In the “Know” of the A/E/C Industry
Ashonta Langdon presents on
Architectural terminology
Mila Charron presents on Elizabeth Wagner presents on
Construction Terminology Engineering Terminology
Design Exchange Society for Design Administration, Atlanta Chapter Issue #2015QTR1 | Page 8
February 19, 2015 Monthly Chapter Luncheon Office Automation
By: Meld Automation
I Called My Excel Tracker, “Larry”
– And here is why he was better than yours!
By Elisabeth Carey
Formally, I was a Project Coordinator for an engineering firm here in Atlanta. My job description was a mile long, from creating purchase requisitions to tracking projects statuses; from updating the latest versions to being the liaison between engineers and the customer; and, in the end, I invoiced all the hours accumulated on a project…and that is just the tip of the iceberg.
Every day was race against the clock: checking multiple inboxes and updating queues, identifying and broadcasting what is almost-due or overdue, sending notifications and reminders – “Where is this? Where is that? It’s on the ‘K’ drive. The Penske Project is now on Version 4. Please disregard the earlier email.”
The worst part was all the duplicative tasks – every action on every job seemingly required: update the Excel tracker, update the department database, update the accounting system, and finally send an email to update all the relevant parties. With all of the cc’s, I was really good at “decorating email inboxes”!
One day, when a cool breeze blew across my face, I realized two ironic nuggets:
1. Without a doubt, my position was created for company efficiency, and yet it had become the bottleneck.
2. I had built “Larry” – the biggest, best spreadsheet known to Man! (Sorry if you feel yours is better, but it’s like your
kids, everyone loves theirs best) …yet I was still bogged down.
In this wonderful moment of calmness I made a list (I still have it!) of everything I wish “Larry” (my spreadsheet) could do:
1. Update itself – if only it could know when John in engineering completed a task.
2. Send out notifications to each person when it was their turn to perform work.
3. Have every Project Coordinator know and use my sheet. No more disasters when someone is out sick.
4. Have a link to the current version of every document, at all times.
5. Automatically assign engineers to a project (and why not re-assign if someone is on vacation?)
6. Automatically update our 4 other systems.
7. Have a real-time, report-only view for my boss (who from time to time touched and broke Larry – nobody likes re-
doing macros and custom views!)
8. Tell me who and when a change was made over the history of the project.
9. Alert me when an issue arose.
10. Could it also tell me who was most productive, while confirming what I thought about others?
As you can see, I really got on a role. I saw the world as a better place. But alas … reality, my phone rang and I was sucked right back in.
Then, in an awesome turn of events, I was introduced to a team and learned of technology that did everything in my top 10 and even more. Even better they could meet all of our custom needs and have us up and running in 30 days – I had always assumed anything like this had a 12-18 month turnaround.
With this solution in place, it feels like I have a full-time admin “assistant” – just to help ME.
Elisabeth Carey is a Process Improvement Consultant and Operations Manager for Meld Automation – Simplifying the Workspace.
Design Exchange Society for Design Administration, Atlanta Chapter Issue #2015QTR1 | Page 9
AEC CARES Elizabeth Wagner is spearheading this event.
SDA Team Update: AEC Cares
Every year, on the day before the AIA National Convention, AEC Cares brings together
leading manufacturers, generous sponsors and volunteers from across the U.S. for a
project that helps the host community. Managed by CMD Group (formerly Reed
Construction Data) and supported by the AIA and Hanley Wood, AEC Cares seeks to
renovate or refurbish a facility that is serving critical needs to the underprivileged.
This year, AEC Cares is joining forces with Covenant House Georgia to renew and renovate a crisis shelter serving homeless
and trafficked youth. The fifth annual blitz build, projectAtlanta, will take place on Wednesday, May 13th, 2015, the day
before the 2015 AIA National Convention in Atlanta.
The pro bono design team is comprised of volunteer architects, landscape designers and contractors from Beck, Gilbane,
Stevens &Wilkinson, Dwell Design Studio, StudioA2 Design, Cooper Carry, 5G Studio, Skanska, Perkins+Will, Dargan
Landscape Architects, Harrison Design, and Urban Agriculture. All are working together to accomplish something
amazing.
“Each year, AEC Cares just keeps getting bigger and better,” says Laura Marlow, Senior Director of Business Development
for CMD Group and the project’s executive sponsor. “We pull together the best of the AEC industry – architects, engineers,
contractors, as well as product manufacturers, all donating their time and materials for a great cause. With an army of 150+
volunteers, we are making a difference, one community at a time.”
SDA has a team of seven volunteers, but there is always room for more. This promises to be time well spent as we represent SDA in the AEC community. Please consider volunteering your time to help the SDA team. Contact the team coordinator, Elizabeth Wagner, at [email protected] to volunteer or find out more about sponsorship opportunities. There is no better way to spend your time than making a positive difference in someone’s life. As previous AEC Cares volunteer Matthew Aronson stated, “These are kids who have the same hopes and dreams as everyone else, but they don’t have the resources. We’re helping connect them to all the things that we take for granted.” Our SDA Team: James Byers Mila Charron Consuella Clark Tina Garbos Ashonta Langdon Sandra Simpson Elizabeth Wagner
Lots of principals attend, and this would be a great opportunity for networking. The board would love to see as many
SDA members there as possible. We will bring this up at the next chapter meeting; perhaps everyone can show up
with an SDA pin?
Design Exchange Society for Design Administration, Atlanta Chapter Issue #2015QTR1 | Page 10
SDA Atlanta Chapter Member Spotlight
Stacey Milnichuk
Q. Why did you join SDA?
A. It was brought to my attention by our Professional Liability Insurance Broker, Hugh Holley.
Q. What positions/committees/activities have you participated in with SDA?
A. Currently Treasurer (on second year)
Q. What are some of your goals with respect to SDA?
A. Determined to become CDFA.
Q. What challenges you with respect to work/life balance?
A. The ability to say “NO” – I am a sucker and always get roped into involvement (i.e. answering questions about myself to Arlene for her Newsletter) with family and work.
Q. Do you volunteer with any other organizations?
A. Current board member with Kids Day Care and Elementary School.
Q. What are your favorite activities to do in Atlanta?
A. Love to shop & attend new events (i.e. sporting, music, theater/plays).
Q. What’s one work-related skill that you’d like to develop, especially if you could do it easily?
A. Constructive criticism
Q. If money was no object, what would you be doing right now?
A. Sitting outside (either on the beach or in the mountains), reading an exciting new novel while I wait for the cake to finish baking.
Q. If you had to be a teacher of something, what would you teach?
A. Defensive driving.
Q. Name one thing you really like about yourself?
A. Being positive with a smile.
Q. What computer programs are you fluent in?
A. Word Perfect; Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Publisher, Powerpoint); Lotus notes, Adobe programs (Acrobat, Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator); Quickbooks; Mas 90; Peachtree.
Q. If you could go anywhere in the word, where would you go?
A. Scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia followed by a hike on the Great Wall of China.
Design Exchange Society for Design Administration, Atlanta Chapter Issue #2015QTR1 | Page 11
2015 Board of Directors PRESIDENT James Byers Whiting-Turner Contracting Company 990 Hammond Drive, Suite 1100 Atlanta, GA 30328 770-350-5100 [email protected] VICE PRESIDENT Consuella Clarke
Rosser International, Inc. 1555 Peachtree Street, NE, Suite 800 Atlanta, GA 30309 404-876-3800 [email protected]
SECRETARY Mila Charron
Whiting-Turner Contracting Company 990 Hammond Drive, Suite 1100 Atlanta, GA 30328 770-350-5100 [email protected] TREASURER Stacey Milnichuk
Cunningham Forehand Matthews & Moore Architects, Inc. 2011 Manchester Street NE Atlanta, GA 30324 404-873-5152 [email protected] PAST PRESIDENT Nancy DeLoatch, CDFA The Architecture Group, Inc. 381 Venable Street, NW Atlanta, GA 30313 678-222-0375 [email protected]
Thank You 2015 Sponsors
Design Exchange Society for Design Administration, Atlanta Chapter
Birthday Announcements January 7th Susan Mohr January 15th Sandra Simpson January 21st Lynette McKissic January 22nd Kristi Mundt February 20th Aimee Robinette February 21st Nancy DeLoatch February 21st Ashley Harper March 4th Ashonta Langdon March 26th Andrea Ingleton March 29th Mila Charron
Good News: PSI Atlanta Awarded Two Atlanta Public School Contracts
PSI Atlanta has provided environmental, geotechnical, and construction services for APS for over a decade. Now look for PSI on
APS roofing and waterproofing projects too. APS has ~11 million square feet of buildings and 7 million square feet of roofing on ~1,100
acres of land.
Poll Results Q. Have you ever had a Surprise Party? Yes – 73% No – 27% Q. Have you ever taken a Helicopter Ride? Yes – 27% No – 73% Q. Have you ever needed stitches? Yes – 73% No - 27%
NAWIC: Bathing Beauty – Tina Garbos Wine Bottle – Consuella Clarke
