PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Are Your Young Engineers Fired Up and Enthusiastic? I n a previous message, I wrote that if we want to bring bright, young engineers into the deep foundations industry and keep them, we must convey to them our enthusiasm and excitement about construction in general and our industry in particular. I cannot tell you how many times in the last 40 years doctors, dentists and attorneys have told me that they started out in engineering and then changed careers. Even in my own engineering career, after I was out of college a few years, I thought about getting a graduate degree in another field and leaving construction. It was not because I didn’t find the work engaging. I was working on very interesting marine construction projects both overseas and in the Pacific Northwest, and had a broad range of assignments that were challenging and provided valuable training. It was more a feeling that I was not using my creative talents. And when I did, they were not being valued and respected. It was only after the upper management of the company I was working for at the time, Riedel International, began involving me in their problem-solving sessions, or what they referred to as “brainstorming sessions,” that I felt my creative talents were of value and encouraged by my associates. These sessions gener- ally focused on two types of challenges. The first was to develop concepts for giving our company a competitive edge on a given project that we were pursuing. The advantage could be in the form of an innovative way to perform the work or developing a piece of equipment that was more efficient than our competitors’. The second type of challenge addressed in these sessions involved a specific problem or oppor- tunity on a project already under construction. Typi- cally, I participated in these sessions with the upper management; project man- ager, project field superin- tendents, chief estimator, and usually, one outside construction engineering consultant. Following the session, the outside consul- tant and I would then develop the selected concepts jointly. DFI 2014 Awards: Call for Entries DFI annually showcases and celebrates the achievements and contributions of individuals, teams and companies in the deep foundations industry. We encourage you to submit your work and nominate your colleagues for recognition. The Outstanding Project Award recognizes the superior work of DFI members. Each year, a project is chosen from several geotechnical projects submitted for consideration by DFI members. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes individuals who have made exceptionally valuable contributions to the advancement of the deep foundations industry. C. William Bermingham Innovation Award encourages and recognizes innovative contributions to deep foundation technology. The award pays tribute to the innovative spirit of Bill Bermingham, DFI past president, and his contributions to DFI and the deep foundations industry. Ben C. Gerwick Award for Innovation in Design and Construction of Marine Foundations recognizes excellence in marine engineering. The award is a tribute to Ben Gerwick, and recognizes his exceptional achievements and contributions to the design and construction of marine foundations. For more information visit www.dfi.org/awardslectures.asp Submissions for the 2014 Awards due by April 15, 2014 DEEP FOUNDATIONS • MAR/APR 2014 • 7 Robert B. Bittner, P.E. President [email protected] This experience conveyed the I cannot tell you how many times in the last 40 years doctors, dentists and attorneys have told me that they started out in engineering and then changed careers. message that my creative ideas were valued and respected on the same level as my senior associates, and added confidence in my work and a sense of satisfaction. From that point, there was no look- ing back. I knew I was in the right field and was truly mak- ing a significant difference. I cite this example to illustrate the importance of tapping into the creative spirit in all your staff and especially your young engineers. Seek out oppor- tunities for them to use their creative talents and when they do, treat that talent with respect. They can provide a fresh perspective, one that can be very rewarding to your company and very important to them personally.
