Greetings! I hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful summer; it’s hard to believe it is State Fair time already. It seems the older I get the faster time goes by; which reminds me that life is precious and passes too quickly. Our chapter was reminded of that notion last month when a long term chapter member passed away suddenly. Terry Ryan of Specialty Systems died on July 2, 2006. Terry joined the chapter in 1992. He was a very active member for many years. I had the pleasure of working with him on various committee activities over the years; he was a fun person to be around. Terry is survived by his wife and daughter along with a large extended family. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate a very difficult time in their lives. We will have a moment of silence for Terry at the September chapter meeting.

Next month’s meeting will be an excellent start to our chapter programs for 2006/2007. The location is unique and beautiful and will provide a nice backdrop to an informative meeting on CM at risk. I hope to see all of you there. Chapter meetings are the lifeblood of our chapter, so your participation is important.

Participation has always been a challenge for our chapter; it is for most non-profit organizations. It is difficult to compete with the rigors of today’s demands. I challenge everyone to do what they can to get involved. There are so many great opportunities for getting involved right now; for one, we are supporting the start of a 501c3 Public Charity organization which will provide all kinds of non-profit programs for the construction industry. If you are interested in getting involved, contact Paula Nyquist at paula.nyquist@rsparch.com or Eric Johnson at eric@krkline.com for more information.

We are also preparing to celebrate our chapter’s 50th anniversary in 2008. A committee is being formed to begin planning for that very special event. For more information contact Rod E. Erickson at rerickson@atsr.com . Another great opportunity is our educational seminars; there are several upcoming sessions that will need assistance. For more information contact Nancy Gulliford at nancy.gulliford@countymaterials or Jim Schnack at jim_schnack@ellerbebecket.com .

There are many more opportunities. If you are interested, contact me at marthe.brock@basf.com or anyone on the Board. We are here to support our members. Thank you for the opportunity to be your chapter President and serve on the Board, it is truly an honor. Hope to see you at next month’s meeting.

Marthe Brock, CSI, CCPR
President, Minneapolis-St. Paul Chapter, CSI