Friends,
SEAONC’s committees are the lifeblood of our Association. I’m pretty sure I’m obligated by the Bylaws to say that at least once during my term. If there were a SEAONC June Business Meeting Bingo card, “lifeblood” would be the free space. Frankly, the word has always kinda given me the willies, so I’m happy to get it out of the way in writing and avoid having to speak it. But joking aside, committees are the lifeblood of SEAONC. They’re where the magic happens, where collegial bonds are built (strong, running bonds, obvi…), and where code changes are debated in office conference rooms after business hours over a Specialty’s sandwich and soft drink, the healthier, modern version of the “smoke-filled room.”
I’ve been a committee participant from Day 1 at SEAONC, so I can testify to that. I made some of my first friends in The City through YMF. Last month I shared a story about how my early involvement in the Disaster Emergency Services committee, eventually raising my hand to become chair, served as a gateway into my practice of forensic engineering and my urban search and rescue side hustle. That, in turn, got me interested in existing buildings, and I got involved in that SEAONC committee, which I chaired at the local and then state levels. Did I consider myself an existing buildings expert by that time? Nope. But I think I wielded my crook (or whatever it is one uses to herd cats) dexterously at those meetings and tried to encourage everyone to participate actively in their own way. I also did my best sponge impression and absorbed everything I could from the veteran engineers around me, adding it to my own growing pool of experience.
That was the last committee I chaired, but once my committee leadership roles ended, I was free to explore and participate more fully. Around that time, the need to find a better balance between my growing workplace responsibilities and my personal life drew me to the newly formed SEAONC SE3 Project Committee, where I found friendship, advice, and satisfaction in trying to reach others seeking a voice through their initial practitioner survey. The great work happening with seismic retrofit ordinances and disaster recovery around that time, alongside my own forensic experiences, led to participation in SEAOC’s Policy/Legislative Committee and Resilience Committee, and SEAONC’s Professional Practices Committee, which I am trying my best to continue even as a SEAONC officer.
Takeaways: 1) David is a huge nerd (obvi…), and 2) my professional (and even personal) journey has been supported at almost every turn by SEAONC’s committees.
It wouldn’t be a President’s Corner if I didn’t regale you with a personal anecdote, so listen up and put on your steel-toes because some names will be dropped. A number of years ago, my managers, Brian McDonald and John Osteraas, and I were debating the interpretation of some Existing Building Code provisions. We were at it for a while when one of us said, “Why don’t we just call David Bonowitz?” We did, he picked up, and we politely asked for a five-minute chat. An hour later, original questions answered and new ones on our plate to mull over, we thanked him profusely for his time. David said, “Are you kidding me? This has been the best part of my day!”
I remember that moment and that feeling so vividly because he was absolutely genuine in his reply and absolutely right. The feeling was mutual. That couple hours of discussion captured so much of the essence of what I love about this profession, and it was a moment that in so many ways would not have been possible without SEAONC. For the sake of his productivity, please don’t take this as an open invitation to cold call David Bonowitz in the middle of the workday, but I hope all of you can find a committee that aligns with your interests or passions and find your proverbial David Bonowitz with which to share a moment like that.
If you’re a solo act or at a small firm, SEAONC committees are a great way to stay up to date on new developments in the industry, engage in respectful intellectual discourse, work on changing the codes and ordinances we like to complain about so much, seek formal or informal peer review, and maybe get one of those free sandwiches after work. Paying your SEAONC dues and attending a few meetings is far cheaper and far less drama than taking on new business partners to help you get those benefits. If you’re at a larger firm, you may have more of those resources at hand, but it’s arguably even more important to break out of your bubble and get some fresh ideas to bring back to your practice.
Not a member of a committee yet, or looking to add one or change things up a bit? You’re in luck! With our usual monthly meeting cycle thrown off by the SEAOC Convention this week, YMF will be hosting our annual Committee Involvement Night on September 16th, a great way to reconvene with your local colleagues after a big week of statewide convening in San Diego. It’ll basically be what Decompression is to Burning Man (more on that next month…) but with what I assume will be fewer costumes and subwoofers. Open to all members, newbies and veterans! Come for the conversations, libations, and games; stay for the raffle!
Your committed President,
David Ojala
dojala@thorntontomasetti.com