EUCA Elected to AAA Honor Roll

SAN RAMON - The Engineering & Utility Contractors Association has been elected to the 2003 Associations Advance America Honor Roll, a national awards competition sponsored by the American Society of Association Executives, Washington, DC.

EUCA received the award for its EUCA University Program. The program began in 1996, initially designed as a field management curriculum in order to transform field managers into field leaders. The program now offers field safety, business/finance and management training.

Between January 2002 and April 2003, the EUCA University program held 52 courses and trained over 900 people. More than half of these courses were field safety training. In January 2003, EUCA University expanded its training from the East Bay to both Sacramento and Santa Rosa areas. The program is open to anyone interested however members of EUCA receive training at a discounted rate.

Now in its 13th year, the Associations Advance America Awards program recognizes associations that propel America forward - with innovative projects in education, skills training, standards-setting, business and social innovation, knowledge creation, citizenship, and community service.

EUCA serves union-affiliated construction companies throughout California and is comprised of approximately 400 pipeline, structure, general engineering contractor, suppliers and vendors. EUCA provides labor relations, legislative, education and training, legal, product development, and safety and insurance services to its members and the industry.

NECA San Diego Names New Officers

By Paul Napolitano

SAN DIEGO—The San Diego chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association recently installed its 2003 executive officers and appointed new directors to its board.

NECA also presented Jim Westfall, training director of the San Diego Electrical Training Center, with the annual Founders’ Award for his exemplary service to the electrical contracting industry.

Earl Restine Jr., president of Fuller Electric Corp., was named president of NECA San Diego. He served as treasurer last year and has been on the board of directors for six years.

Jim Cowan, president of Chula Vista Electric, was named vice president. He served as NECA president for the past four years, has been on NECA’s board of directors for 12 years and has previously served as vice president and treasurer.

Tom Hedges, president of Hedges Electric, was named treasurer after serving on the board of directors for several years.

Dave Raspolich, president of Dynalectric Co., was named NECA governor. Raspolich has been on the board of directors for 16 years and has held the offices of president, vice president, and treasurer during his tenure.

Returning NECA board of directors include Kent Baker, owner of Baker Electric; Ronald Dudek, owner of Saturn Electric; Thomas Eddington, vice president of Amelco Electric; Paul Lively, vice president of Morrow Meadows Corp.; Robbie Robinson, president of Robinson Electric; Donald Walters, president of Construction Electronics; and Richard McBride, owner of Southern Contracting. McBride has served on the board of directors continuously for nearly 30 years and has previously served as chapter president and governor.

Westfall received the annual NECA Founders’ Award for his 16 years of outstanding service to the union electrical contracting industry. Since 1987, Westfall has served as training director of the San Diego Electrical Training Center, which is owned and administered by a labor-management partnership of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 569 and NECA San Diego. During that time, Westfall has helped build the Training Center into a world-class facility with industry-leading programs in areas such as building automation, computer-assisted learning, and photovoltaic (solar energy) training.

Westfall has been chairman of the National Electrical Training Directors and recently served on the California state subcommittee to design the electricians’ certification exam mandated by state law this year. He also serves on the principal advisory committee charged with implementing that law.

Westfall manages a teaching staff of 60 for over 400 apprentices attending school full time and 750 journeymen electricians who take part-time classes each year.

NECA San Diego represents union signatory electrical contractors who work exclusively with the trained members of the IBEW Local 569 to provide more than $300 million in electrical work in the greater San Diego area.

Californian Honored for Conservancy Accomplishments

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Board of Trustees of the American Society of Landscape Architects has selected the recipients of the 2003 Medals and Firm Award, to be presented during the ASLA annual meeting later this year in New Orleans.

A Californian, Joseph T. Edmiston, FAICP, will receive the LaGasse Medal in the non-landscape architect category.

As executive director of the Santa Monica Mountains Comprehensive Planning Commission, Edmiston helped enact the Santa Monica Mountains Comprehensive Plan that set land-use policies for local governments to follow. The subsequent establishment of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy has saved 50,000 acres from the bulldozer’s blade.

Since 1997, Edmiston has led the implementation of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Strategic Plan, working to provide the entire Los Angeles County and Ventura County region with a green buffer.

A native of Southern California, Edmiston received his undergraduate education at East Los Angeles College and USC.

Previous recipients of this medal include: Lawrence S. Rockefeller, Hon. ASLA; Morris K. Udall, Hon. ASLA; John Seiberling, Hon. ASLA; William K. Reilly; and Bruce Babbitt.

Other 2003 winners are:

Richard Haag, FASLA, will receive the ASLA Medal, which is the highest honor the ASLA bestows upon a landscape architect whose lifetime achievements and contributions to the profession have had a unique and lasting impact on the welfare of the public and the environment.

Lawrence Halprin, FASLA, has been selected as the first recipient of the new ASLA Design Medal, recognizing an individual landscape architect who has produced a body of exceptional design work at a sustained level for a period of at least 10 years.

Craig W. Johnson, ASLA, will receive the Jot D. Carpenter Medal for his sustained and significant contribution to landscape architecture education.

John G. Parsons, FASLA, has been selected to receive the LaGasse Medal in the Landscape Architect category.

The National Capital Planning Commission will receive the Landscape Architecture Medal of Excellence for its significant contributions to landscape architecture policy, research, education, project planning and design.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has been selected to receive the ASLA’s Olmsted Medal, recognizing his sustained environmental leadership, vision and stewardship.

AGC Fall Conference in La Jolla

AGC of California's 2003 Fall Conference will be held Oct. 23-25 at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines.

Several events are planned around this year's James Bond-style theme, "License to Build." Among the events scheduled are a "Shaken Not Stirred" Martini Welcome Reception, "Casino Royale Reception and Dinner," and "Build Another Day" Closing Fizz Reception and Breakfast. Optional sporting events will include the golf classic, tennis and croquet tournaments.

AGC will hold its annual meeting and board meetings on October 21-23, just prior to the conference. Educational seminars are also being planned. For complete conference details and registration information, visit AGC's website at www.agc-ca.org.