XD’s Corner

Congratulations to the Anchorage Post for hosting an outstanding Pacific and Northwest Regional Conference in Anchorage, Alaska, in February. Despite the weather, which was about 10oF during the day with winds up to 50-mph, the conference was very well attended and featured many excellent speakers. Also, a round of applause for the International Committee and Installation Realignment Task Force for hosting two outstanding and well attended workshops in February.

Attendance at the International Workshop doubled from last year due to the strength of the program and member interest in Department of Defense projects overseas, and the attendance at the BRAC and Installation Realignment Workshop increased by 50 percent from last year (when we had a space limitation). Many thanks also go to the SAME HQ staff for managing the events.

Let me take this opportunity to discuss a proposal I made to the Regional Vice Presidents (RVP) regarding SAME regional conferences. We have enjoyed many successful conferences and now it is time to build even further upon these successes. The regional conferences have been generally aligned with SAME’s Strategic Plan and the interests of our members—both the content and the format have provided for the much-valued networking and relationship building that is paramount to the SAME culture. However, I have observed that the commitment of the Posts within the regions to attend the conferences has been less than I think it could be and should be. There are several reasons why we see limited participation from other Posts:

• For the public sector, the location is outside the primary area of operations for the organization in which an individual works.
• For the private sector, the location is outside the primary area in which the company has current contracts or business development interests.
• Posts continue to plan and host monthly meetings in the month in which a regional conference is being held.
• The host Post may not seek to involve other Posts in the planning of the conference, or other Posts may not be interested in assisting the host Post.
• The host Post often has limited capability to market the conference to the other Posts in the region.

Despite these limitations, the potential for participation in SAME’s regional conferences is greater than we have seen in the past. The challenge is for the two regions joining together for the regional to truly make the combined regional concept a partnership, and for the Posts within the two regions to take greater ownership of the event.

Over the past two years, the Pacific and Northwest Regional Conferences have demonstrated the success that can be achieved through a cross-regional partnership. To the credit of the RVPs—Rear Adm. Gary A. Engle, P.E., CEC, USN; Brig. Gen. John W. Peabody, USA; and Cdr. Rob L. Frazier, P.E., USN (Ret.), Environmental International Ltd.—we have seen these two regions forge a partnership that has resulted in regional conferences that truly represent both regions in the program, and to a limited extent, in attendance. We also see a renewed effort by the RVPs in the Missouri River and Texoma Regions—Mike Zambrana, Pangea Group, and Donna Weinkauf—to forge a more active and supportive partnership for their combined regional conferences.

To support the concept of stronger partnerships between the two regions involved in a combined regional conference, I propose the adoption of the following guidelines to benefit the entire SAME organization.

• Posts within the two regions should not plan a monthly meeting in the month in which a combined regional conference is scheduled.
• Posts within the two regions hosting a regional conference should not plan a major industry day or similar event within the four weeks before or after a regional conference.
• The host Post should establish a partnership with one Post from the partnering region in the planning of the conference program to ensure both regions are represented. (There may or may not be a financial agreement related to this partnership.)
• The host Post should allocate 25 percent of the net profit of a regional conference to the Posts within the regions (including the host Post) based on attendance at the regional conference. This would require each attendee to designate one Post from within the two regions to assign his or her share of the distribution.

My plan is to discuss, refine and recommend approval of a concept to strengthen regional conferences at the SAME Board of Direction meeting on May 4 in Philadelphia, Pa. The idea is to adopt these as guidelines to support SAME’s strategic objectives, rather than impose them rigidly on our Posts and regions. If they can be used to benefit the region and SAME, the Post would adopt them. Your input to your RVP or to me would be most appreciated prior to the May Board meeting.

We have filled our Continuing Education Manager position. Kristin Duckworth has come to SAME HQ after six years as a U.S. Air Force officer following graduation from the University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in communications. She will be a welcomed addition to our staff as we seek to promote the continuing education opportunities available from our strategic alliances with the International Facility Management Association, the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Construction Management Association of America. Additionally, she will work to obtain the proper accreditation for awarding professional development hours at our national conferences and to develop unique SAME-sponsored education and training Webinars and classroom sessions to complement the programs hosted by Posts and regions.

I look forward to seeing you at upcoming SAME events. Please feel free to contact me with your feedback at rwolff@same.org.

Bob Wolff, Ph.D., P.E., F.SAME
SAME Executive Director
rwolff@same.org