December 2007

As I write this during Thanksgiving week, it’s hard not to think about all the things that I am thankful for in my life. There are many things that come to mind immediately: Jeri, my wife of 28 years; my 3 kids, all in college, who are developing lives of their own; my parents who are still in good health at 80; my own health; and the rest of my family and numerous friends.

It’s also a good time to contemplate my career and the many steps along the way. I knew I wanted to be an architect since I was in 7th grade. I took drafting and art classes in high school. I got into the School of Architecture at the U of M on my first application. I passed my registration exams without difficulty. I was never out of work for more than 2 weeks. A lot to be thankful for.

At some point I heard about the Construction Specifications Institute. I wasn’t sure what it was all about and I didn’t know anybody who belonged. It took a couple of years before I had a chance to pursue it when a new employer asked if I would be interested in joining. It was one of the first big unplanned events in my career that has provided a wealth of experiences and career growth. I had been writing specifications on my own projects for about 3 years with little mentoring and no training. Then I heard about a monthly event called Specifiers Breakfast, organized by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter. Here was this young architect sitting in on discussions with some of the most experienced specifiers in the Twin Cities. It was an incredible education for me.

I think it was the following year that I read a flyer on something called a North Central Region Conference that was held in Fargo, ND that year. Again, I really didn’t know what it was about, but my employer g ladly agreed to pay for me to attend. For those of you who don’t know, the r egion conferences offer educational seminars on chapt er committees and business. I found it interesting, a lot of fun, and the social camaraderie made me feel very included in the larger aspects of CSI. The next year I found my name on the ballot as secretary of the chapter. And my involvement in the chapter grew from there.

Several years later, I learned of CSI’s certification program. Actually, it was the study courses I heard about – and signed up for as a way to improve my knowledge for specification writing. It wasn’t until after I was in the classes that I learned about the national exam for certification, but by then it was too late to sign up for it. The classes were helpful, nonetheless. Two years later, I signed up for the Certified Construction Specifier exam. I also sat in the study sessions again.

There are a lot of things I’m thankful for in my career. Some of these were well planned; others were opportunities that just presented themselves. I’ve benefited from many of the programs and leadership opportunities CSI has offered. I’ve made long term friends. I’ve seen people get job offers through networking and introductions in the chapter. The chapter is more than a newsletter, mont hly meetings, and 3 letters after your name. You’ve made a positive step in your life and career by joining this organization. I encourage you to take advantage of the many benefits the chapter offers. One benefit that will definitely help you individually is to take the certification exams and show the construction community that you know your business well. The early registration deadline for the CDT exam is January 2, 2008. For those of you who already have achieved your CDT, the early registration for the advanced certifications (CCS, CCCA and CCPR) was December 1, 2007, but you have until January 31 until the final registration deadline. What might you be thankful for at this time next year?

Wishing you Happy Holidays!

I look forward to seeing you at the next Chapter meeting.

Jon Rao Papke, CSI, CCS, AIA
President, Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter CSI