Chattanooga Engineers Club

NEXT MEETING________________________

Monday, February 15 – 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM — Engineers-Week Kick-Off Luncheon

UTC University Center, Chattanooga Room.

Our Keynote speaker for the event is Mr. Ralph Jakobs, Head of Research and Development, Volkswagen Group of America, Chattanooga Operations.

As the head of research and development at the Volkswagen plant under construction, Mr. Jakobs is working towards introduction of the New Midsize Sedan. The plant is scheduled to begin producing cars in early 2011 for sale that fall as a 2012 model.

Mr. Jakobs was previously international project manager on the first joint project in conjunction with an American manufacturer which resulted in the Routan minivan.

The E-Week Kick-Off Luncheon is an opportunity for Chattanooga's engineering organizations to come together at the start of National Engineers Week, a week set aside for cultivating and celebrating the engineering profession.

Attendees should RSVP to Kelley Evatt, telephone: 423-209-6813. Cost: Single Ticket $15, Table of Eight $115, Student Ticket $10. Online payment may be made in advance at www.chatc.org.

For more information about E-Week, go to http://www.chattanoogaengineersweek.com/?Events

FUTURE MEETINGS________________________

Thursday, February 18 - 6 pm to 8 pm - Engineers Week Awards Banquet
DOUBLETREE HOTEL CHATTANOOGA, 407 Chestnut Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402

"Role of Engineering in Developing Astec Industries Family of Companies"
Keynote Speaker: Dr. J. Don Brock, Astec Industries CEO/Chairman/Founder/President

J. Don Brock and four other men started Astec Industries in 1972. They had worked together previously and they wanted Astec to design, manufacture and sell specialized asphalt production equipment. There were seven major manufacturers of asphalt plants in the United States when they started, so competition was pretty stiff. They vowed to never copy a competitor's equipment or hire local competitors' employees. In just five months, the team sold four complete plants and took in nearly 50 orders all demanding a new design. They worked long hours because of their commitment to succeed and they produced attractive equipment with advanced features, efficiency, automation and durability.

A highlight of the evening will be presentation of these awards:

Engineer of the Decade
JO CONN GUILD Outstanding Engineer of the Year
GEN. ROBERT NEYLAND Young Engineer of the Year
CARLISLE A. JORDAN Technician of the Year
PHILIP J. SUTTON PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE Award

RSVP by Friday, February 12, to Lulu Copeland, 423-697-3212.
Cost: $40 per person or $300 per table for eight.
Payment should be made by cash or check prior to the event.

Monday, February 22 – Noon – “Sustainability for Enterprises”

Speaker: Brad McAlister, WAP Sustainability

Monday, March 1 – Noon – “Estimating Rainfall from Weather Radar”

Speaker: Dr. Larry Carey, Earth System Science Center, University of Alabama in Huntsville

Tuesday March 2 -- Engineers' Day on the Hill

The Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers and the American Council of Engineering Companies of Tennessee (ACEC) will have a wide variety of issues to address which affect public health and safety. The licensure of engineering technology graduates, continuation of the state licensing board, and defining the practice of interior design are just a few of issues on our agenda.

The ACEC is sponsoring a Legislative Reception Monday March 1 at the Nashville Sheraton, beginning with a discussion of the issues at 5:15. Engineers' Day on the Hill begins the next morning at 9 am in the Old Supreme Court Chamber (first floor of the State Capitol) with an issues briefing and ends after lunch. For more information see:

http://www.tnspe.org/Newsletters/TSPE%20JFM%2010%20newsletter-web.pdf

PREVIOUS MEETING____________________________

Maurice Bandy, P.E., V.P., Arcadis U.S., reviewed the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina, which touched down on August 29, 2005, and his company’s engineering contract to design improvements to the existing protection system including levees, locks, and other hurricane control structures. Noted as the worst engineering disaster in the history of the United States, the 28’ high storm surge with 55’ high wave surge caused more than 50 breaches in drainage canal and navigational canal levees.

Mr. Bandy showed several film clips of the levee system designed to protect the Inner Harbor Navigation Channel. The Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC) surge barrier, similar to a floodwall but much larger, is being constructed near the confluence of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) and the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet. Navigation gates are being constructed where the barrier crosses the GIWW and Bayou Bienvenue to reduce the risk of storm surge coming from Lake Borgne and the Gulf of Mexico.

Another navigation gate is currently under design in the Seabrook vicinity where the IHNC meets Lake Pontchartrain to block storm surge from the lake from entering the IHNC. Much of the Seabrook design work is underway in the Arcadis Chattanooga office. The total cost of the Surge Reduction Barrier is estimated to be as much as $1.4 billion. The length of the Barrier is 1.8 miles. 1,271 Spun Cast concrete piles have been used.

CHATTANOOGA ENGINEERS CLUB - CORPORATE SPONSORS______________

We gratefully acknowledge the corporate sponsorships listed below.

2010 - Robbins & Bohr, LLC

2009 - Coca-Cola

2008 - Alstom

2008 - Chattanooga State

EMPLOYMENT SOUGHT

Project engineer seeks career development move to Chattanooga. BS in Mechanical Engineering, MBA. Specialized in: project management, reliability, high speed manufacturing. For more information, please contact Casey T Wilson at CTW84@hotmail or 859-533-0974.

QUESTIONS and SUGGESTIONS______________

If you have any questions, items that would be of interest to the Chattanooga Engineers Club, or suggestions for future programs, please contact Ralph Boroughs by e-mail at rdboroughs@gmail.com or by phone at 423-227-0412. You can find membership application forms, references to future programs, historical data, and other info at: http://www.ChattanoogaEngineersClub.org. To receive future meeting announcements by email, join the Chattanooga Technology Organization mailing list at: http://www.ChattanoogaEngineersClub.org/email.

Looking for details on a local society meeting? Links to local engineering societies are available to you at: http://www.chattanoogaengineersclub.org/engineer