SAVANNAH POST In this issue . . . It’s that time of year again where we celebrate the Christmas spirit by giving back to the community and wrapping up another successful year! This year’s event will be held on Monday, December 3 at the Jepson Center from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Do not forget to bring TWO Christmas presents this year . One gift needs to be for a boy or girl at $25 or less, unwrapped, and it will go toward our charity Toys for Tots which we support each year. The second present will be part of a gift exchange at the Christmas party itself. We look forward to seeing everyone there to celebrate the Christmas season! 2012 SAME Savannah Post Christmas Party is Upon Us! ISSUE 15 December 2012 Letter from Col. Jeffery Hall November Meeting Highlights Save the date Sustaining Member Listings Sustaining Member Highlight 02 03 04 05 page page page page
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SAVANNAH POST
In this issue . . .
It’s that time of year again where we celebrate the Christmas
spirit by giving back to the community and wrapping up
another successful year! This year’s event will be held
on Monday, December 3 at the Jepson Center from
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Do not forget to bring TWO Christmas
presents this year. One gift needs to be for a boy or
girl at $25 or less, unwrapped, and it will go toward
our charity Toys for Tots which we support each
year. The second present will be part of a gift
exchange at the Christmas party itself.
We look forward to seeing everyone there
to celebrate the Christmas season!
2012 SAME Savannah Post Christmas Party is Upon Us!
ISSUE 15December 2012
Letter from Col. Jeffery Hall
November MeetingHighlights
Save the date
Sustaining Member Listings
Sustaining MemberHighlight
02 03 04
05
page
page
page
page
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2012 SAMESavannah Post
Officers & Committee ChairsCol Jeffrey Hall
President
Joel Burke1st Vice President
Gwen Parker2nd Vice President
Scott VeenstraSecretary
Gavin CareyTreasurer
Bob PickardAssistant Treasurer
Sally RikerChairman of the Board of
Directors and past president
Justin ArnsdorffProgram Chair
Maureen HokeLeadership & Mentoring
Streamer
Anna LucasEducation & Training
Streamer
Adam RagsdaleRelationships & Recognition
Streamer
Kelly HayesEmergency Preparedness & Homeland Security Streamer
Frank RandonScholarships & Camps
Hugh GigglemanSustaining Members
Hollie DupesNew Members
Heather WishartFellow
Chryse JohnsonPost Web Page
Larry ChristopherNewsletter
Greetings SAME Teammates:
Just over a month ago I was facing a crowd of frustrated
lake stakeholders who sought an impossible solution. Here
was the unsavory truth: The Savannah River Basin has been
experiencing a sustained period of drought and a less-than-
hopeful weather forecast. In fact, consistent rain deficits
over the last 15 years suggest a new normal is being established
in our basin. Rain just isn’t falling as it once did and there is
no easy or low cost engineering solution that can increase
inflows to lakes. The challenge will be learning to adapt to
the new weather patterns and finding other holistic solutions to water quality and water
quantity needs throughout the Savannah River Basin.
A similar challenge is emerging in the Department of Defense (DoD), if it is not already here.
We all are fully aware that this challenge involves fewer dollars and a less-than-hopeful budget
forecast. Just like in the Savannah River Basin, we are faced with adjusting to a new normal
in light of our evolving economic reality, a reality defined by fiscal limitations. Therefore, the
theme for the SAME Savannah Post in 2013 is “Operating in the New Normal.”
For nearly 11 years we have operated in a period of Military Transformation which
required extensive construction and updates to military infrastructure. Global events such
as 9/11 changed the Nation’s security needs and the Base Realignment and Closure initiatives
were also unfolding in this period. As a result, the Army underwent a massive reorganization
focused on modular units (such as brigade combat teams) to fight different kinds of battles
in new conditions and environments. The Military Transformation created a demand for
engineering solutions and required a renaissance in construction and infrastructure design.
After a decade of transformation, we know the pendulum is swinging in the opposite direction.
Currently DoD is experiencing $470 billion-plus in budget cuts through 2020. A portion of
these cuts has been taken in the services Military Construction (MILCON) and Sustainment,
Restoration and Modernization (SRM) programs which were reflected in briefings at our
Annual Programs Conference. With sequestration and the “fiscal cliff’ looming, the services
could experience even greater budget cuts. Current sequestration numbers reflect DoD
and non-DOD discretionary spending programs could be cut by $1.2 trillion between 2013 and
2021— roughly $140 billion a year. It remains unclear how sequestration will affect USACE’s
Civil Works program. Even with the budget cuts the Corps of Engineers will continue to be
required to help the Army meet Small Business goals.
We can expect our business to shift from many high-dollar projects to fewer and smaller
projects making the most out of dollars spent. What can the SAME Savannah Post Sustaining
Members do to be successful in this new operating environment? (continued on page 5)
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Gwen Parker, AECOM Director of Federal Small Business Programs, was recognized with the Regional
Vice President’s (RVP) medal at the November meeting. Col. Jeffrey
Hall (left) and Bill Bersson (right,) SAME South Atlantic Regional
Vice President, presented Gwen with this prestigious honor.
Congratulations to Gwen on this well-deserved award!
Col. Jeffrey Hall addresses the crowd as the featured speaker at the November
SAME Savannah Post meeting.
Don’t Forget to Save the Date!The 2013 SAME Savannah Post 2013 E-Week Technical Training Conference is right
around the corner! This year’s conference will be on February 19, 2013 at the Armstrong
Center in Savannah, Georgia. The theme this year is “When Less Become More…
Achieving Success in Challenging Times.”
In recognition of National Engineer’s Week (E-Week), Savannah local professional
engineering organizations are working together to present our Savannah Post members
and local engineering community a one day workshop that provides technical training
and governmental insight that is valuable to all engineering disciplines.
First, we are developing a Government Track with briefings that span the federal,
military, state and local sectors to provide our Post with the very latest economic trends and developments.
We need your help with the Engineering and Environmental Tracks! This workshop is about successes, new opportunities and tech-
nologies. We are asking our Post membership to provide presentations! Please email [email protected] if you are interested in presenting.
NOVEMBER MEETING HIGHLIGHTSJeff Hallibruton with Thomas & Hutton Engineering Company attends the monthly meeting.
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JANUARY AECOMAlliant CorporationAMECAmerican StructurepointApplied Engineering Solutions, Inc.ARCADIS AtkinsBarge Waggoner Sumner and Cannon Inc.Bechtel-S CorporationBhate Environmental Assoc. Inc.Brasfield & Gorrie General ContractorsBristol Alliance of Companies
Government Services Integrated Process Team LLCGreenhorne & O’MaraGuidon Design, Inc.Harvard Jolly ArchitectureHatch Mott MacDonaldHDRHolocene, LLC
MAYJETC Conference
JUNEAnnual Program Review
JULY Howard W. Pence, Inc.Hussey, Gay Bell & DeYoungIKHANA, LLC.J2 Engineering, Inc.JacobsJE Dunn ConstructionKennedy Engineering & Associates Group, LLC. KBE Building Corporation KBR Government & InfrastructureKnight Architects, Inc.LBYD, Inc.Leetex Construction, LLC.Leo A DalyLG2 Environmental Solutions, Inc.
Pinnicle Construction & Development Group, Inc.Pond & CompanyPort City Design Group, LLCProject Management ServicesRamey Kemp & AssociatesR.C. Construction Co., Inc.R2TReeves Construction Company
OCTOBERReynolds, Smith & Hills, Inc.Rosser InternationalQ Solutions, Inc.S&ME, Inc.Science Applications International Corp.Schenkel Shultz Sherlock, Smith & AdamsSiemens Industries IncSmall Business Group, Inc. (DBA SBG-EEG)Southern Energy ManagementSpatial Engineering Inc.SpecPro Environmental Services LLCStanley Consultants Inc.Stantec Inc.
NOVEMBERSTOA ArchitectsSundt Construction, Inc.Teng & Associates, Inc.TerranearPMC, LLCTetra Tech, Inc.The Louis Berger Group Inc.The Sack Co. & SCM Inc.The Shaw Group Inc.Thompson Engineering Inc.
DECEMBERTidewater Environmental Services, Inc.Toland & Mizell Architects, Inc.Trans SystemsUnited Consulting Group, Ltd.URS CorporationVolkert, Inc.WalbridgeWeston Solutions, Inc.W.G. Yates & Sons Construction CompanyWK Dickson & Co., Inc.Wolverton & Associates, Inc.Woolpert, Inc.
SUSTAINING MEMBER BRIEFINGS 2012For 2012, the Savannah Post SAME is offering Sustaining Member firms the opportunity to submit an article on their company for the monthly newsletter, and to have a two-minute briefing to discuss their firm at the monthly SAME meeting. Each firm will be asked to bring a gift to raffle. A list of all sustaining members is below with each member’s assigned month. We ask that all articles be forwarded to Larry Christopher at [email protected]. Please contact Hugh Giggleman at [email protected] for more information.
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SAVANNAH POST
DECEMBER SUSTAINING MEMBER HIGHLIGHT
None of what I am going to say is groundbreaking or earth-
shattering, but rather they are the basics. As always if you get
Government, contracts perform exceptionally well and deliver
the project safely, on time, and within budget. Seek and leverage
cost effective, sustainable, and ingenious solutions. Establish
Mentor-Protege relationships with Small Business firms in order
to help fulfill the Army’s requirements. Pursue Joint Ventures to
leverage unique capabilities and talents as well as share the
limited work. Develop and submit competitive proposals.
This new normal requires a cultural shift from accomplishing
high volumes of work to putting the best value into the work we do.
Just like our lake stakeholders who cannot control the
weather, we have little immediate influence on the Nation’s
larger economic reality. We are dealing with smaller pieces
of pie, but this creates opportunities. Therefore we must
adjust to this new normal and focus on doing less, better.
I look forward to working with and serving with you in 2013!
Sincerely,
Col. Jeffrey Hall, Post President
SAME Savannah Post
If you have an article or announcement you want to include in future issues of the newsletter,
please submit them by the end of the previous month to Larry Christopher with Brasfield & Gorrie