From the SCSPE President
George H. McCall, PE, SCSPE President

George McCall

The mission of the South Carolina Society of Professional Engineers is to promote the ethical, competent, and licensed practice of engineering, and to enhance the professional, social and economic well-being of its members.   We try to incorporate this mission in everything we do, and we’d like to do it for more people, which is why as President of SCSPE I am implementing an initiative to recruit new members. 

SCSPE sponsors several seminars each year to enhance the profession.  Our Fall Symposium, Winter Meeting, and Disaster Preparedness seminars are all courses that we feel help achieve our mission and meet your personal continuing education needs.

We are so confident about this that this year we are putting our money where our mouth is.  If you recruit a new member, we’ll give you a free admission to one of these seminars. The recruited person (new member) will also receive one free seminar admission   This is a savings of from $120 - $160 for a member or from $175 - $270 for a non-member.

SCSPE is the only collective voice of the Professional Engineer in South Carolina.  The larger our membership, the louder this voice is and the more people will listen to it.  Take advantage of this today and come to the Fall Symposium “A Business Edge for Design Professionals” for free by recruiting a new member.

In closing, Labor Day is upon us and our local chapters are becoming active again. Please support your chapter by attending their meetings.   Bringing someone from your office, or who you’ve worked with and introducing them to SCSPE on a chapter level. It is a great way to gain new members.  Also, it is my goal this year to resurrect the Chapter Excellence Award to be presented at our Annual Meeting, and it is never too early to start brainstorming who should win from your chapter.

SCSPE Welcomes New Members
South Carolina Society of Professional Engineers would like to recognize a few new members having joined since the beginning of our fiscal year:

• Sean T. Amormino, PE – Columbia Chapter
• Rachel M. Smith, PE -  Charleston Chapter
• Christian A. Workman, PE – Piedmont Chapter

Student Members:

• Camden L. Druga – Clemson University
• Dillon Cole McClam – Clemson University

SCSPE is honored to have you as members.  Please contact us if you have any questions.  Please attend you chapter meetings.  Find chapter meeting schedules at www.scspe.org

A Business Edge for Design Professionals
Is there a skill set out there that may put you a little ahead of your competitor?  We think so.  This year’s SCSPE Fall Symposium, “A Business Edge for Design Professionals” may just give you that edge.

As in years past, SCSPE is offering this full day (8 PDH) seminar both in the Upstate on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at the TD Convention Center, Greenville, SC and in the Low Country on Thursday, November 13, 2014 at the DoubleTree Hotel and Suites Charleston Airport. 

This year’s presenter is Mel Lester of the Business Edge.  Lester has been working in the A/E design and technical consulting business for over 30 years.  He has diverse management experience in operations, project delivery, business development, human resources, corporate communications, quality management and safety.  Lester advocates best management practices in the A/E industry and other applicable business.  Lester will lead this full day seminar going over the following topics:

• What is quality?
• Why quality programs fail?
• Introducing root cause analysis.
• The 360 degree root cause analysis.
• Where do you go from here?

“From ideas to implementation,” Mel Lester of the Business Edge is sure to help you as a design professional.  This is a great deal on pertinent topics that can benefit all engineers and design professionals.  SCSPE is offering this full day seminar for $125.00 to SCSPE members or $175.00 to non-members. 

*Come free by joining SCSPE today or as an existing member by recruiting a new member.  Call SCSPE at 803-771-4271 for details on this deal.*
Click here to register<<

Newly Licensed Engineers Ceremony
The South Carolina Society of Professional Engineers and the South Carolina Society of Professional Land Surveyors honored those who passed the Professional Engineering and Professional Land Surveying exams on July 15, 2014 at the South Carolina State House.

The South Carolina Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, SCSPE and SCSPLS host this ceremony annually to recognize those individuals who worked so hard to gain their licensure. 

After the Registration Board handed out the certificates to those who attended, SCSPE President George H. McCall addressed the group and challenged them to join both a technical association as well as a professional association in order to give back to the profession that will give them so much.  McCall also thanked these Newly Licensed Engineer’s families and employers who have supported them in this journey.

Directly following the ceremony, attendees joined SCSPE and SCSPLS members over at the Palmetto Club at a reception in their honor.  Congratulations to the new PEs and PLs.

SC State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors to Review Practice Act Legislation at its Next Meeting
The engineers’ and surveyors’ Practice Act is being reviewed by the SC State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors at its Sept. 23 meeting at LLR headquarters in Columbia.

The engineers’ and surveyors’ rewrite of the Practice Act did not pass the SC General Assembly last session. It must be reintroduced in the 2015 session. The Registration Board plans to review the previous bills that were introduced in the House and Senate to see if any changes might be made.

Several issues came to light after the bills were introduced that may need to be addressed before reintroducing the document in the General Assembly in January.  Among these issues are the definition of commissioning and an amendment dealing with engineering seals on certain structures.

For the interest of the professions, you are encouraged to read this legislation, and if you have suggestions for changes please let a Registration Board member know or send your suggestions to Joe Jones at [email protected].

Here is the link for the 2014 Senate version of the Practice Act:
http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess120_2013-2014/bills/497.htm

Executive Director Meets with Governor Haley
Joe Jones met with Governor Haley as part of the SC Civil Justice Coalition Executive Committee to discuss tort reform issues.

“Governor Haley has been a strong proponent of the tort reform issues advanced by the coalition,” said Jones. This meeting was to brief her on issues that might be brought up in the 2015 General Assembly.

Engineers have supported and benefited by the tort reform issues that have become law since 2003 including a much shorter statute of repose and a certificate of merit. Issues expected to be introduced in January include a stronger certificate of merit, seatbelt admissibility, trespass liability and consumer lawsuit lending.

Gov. Nikki Haley Appoints Robert Polk as S.C. State Fire Marshal
Governor Nikki Haley announced Robert “Bert” Polk as the next State Fire Marshal. Polk has more than 40 years’ experience in fire and emergency services and has most recently served as the Fire Chief for the Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue District in Florida. Currently a resident of Columbia, S.C., Polk previously served as South Carolina’s Fire Marshal under Governor Jim Hodges from 2000 to 2003.

“With over 40 years of fire service experience, Polk is the right person to step in and continue the great work Chief Ray has been doing for our state,” said Gov. Nikki Haley. “His expertise will bring the right balance of common sense and knowledge of the necessary safety precautions to the position – two things that will serve the citizens and businesses of South Carolina extremely well.”

Polk has degrees in Fire Administration and Management, has attended the Executive Fire Officer Program through the National Fire Academy, and is recognized by the National Fire Protection Association as a Certified Fire Protection Specialist.

Message from SCSPE Educational Foundation Scholarship Winner – Camden Druga

Camden Druga

Hi, my name is Camden Druga and I am a senior at Clemson University studying mechanical engineering. I am also a recipient of the SCSPE Education Foundation Scholarship. This scholarship means that I can repair and splurge on some necessities for college.  Over the last year I have been involved in projects for classes and labs that used CPU heavy programs. This has ruined my laptop and I will use some of the scholarship money to buy a new fan, battery and maybe a new processor for it. The next big thing I will buy is a really nice desk. For the past 3 years I have had a different desk and each one is just awful. Now with this scholarship I have a budget so I can get exactly what I want. The last things I will buy with this scholarship will be some kitchen essentials. It is really hard to cook meals when you only have the bare minimum, so I going to buy a set of pots and pans, a couple of knife and anything else I may need.

This scholarship will overall improve mywellbeing in my everyday life. I can do my homework without fear that my computer will break me. I can do my homework comfortably at my new, fancy big desk. After I am done with all that work I can prepare a meal myself with my new kitchen supplies that are actually healthy and don’t cost as much. I am very grateful for this scholarship, Thank you SCSPE.