Foundation News

2011 INFORMAL DINNER and GOLF - See flyer with additional details.

Make plans to arrive for the Annual FES Meeting on Wednesday, August 3rd and join your FES, FICE, FELI and FEF friends for a Miami dinner and libations in a casual setting. The Annual FEF Informal Dinner will be at the Port of Miami in the Carnival Cruise Lines Terminal D hosted by the FEF Board of Trustees and Port Director Bill Johnson. After a relaxed 20 minute drive across Julia Tuttle Causeway and down Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami, you will be immersed in the tropics with a classic Cuban-Miami dinner consisting of Lechon Asado (Roast Pork), Arroz Blanco y Frijoles Negro (White Rice and Black beans), Yuca con Mojo, Maduros (Sweet Plantains) and Flan. Beer, wine, cocktails, and soft drinks will be provided.

Golf: Doral Golf Resort and Spa
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Lunch: 11:30am
Golf Tee Time: 12:30pm

"Giving Money Away" by FEF Trustee George R. Knecht, PE, F.NSPE

As those of you who have been around for a while know, the Florida Engineering Foundation (FEF) has been in business for a few years.  Our main purpose is to get and keep more engineers. We do this through several programs, and I happen to run one of them. My operation is to “Give Money Away”—that is, my committee works with all the engineering programs in Florida’s university system, and we give each university at least $1,000 each year. The donations are then used to fund engineering competitions for their students. These can be events such as (but not limited to) the ASCE Steel Bridge, ASME robotic car, IEEE Presidents’ Change the World Competition, etc.  Thus, we have been giving back to the places that put us where we are today—the engineering colleges.

In years past, we were able to provide $2,000 each, and hope to again as the economy gets better; which I am “hearing” is happening, although very slowly.

The photographs shown are check presentations of the eight colleges this last February. I am sure each of you reading this knows one or more people in the pictures; who are not only involved in giving cash, but also their time. Wouldn’t you like to be in one such event? 

University of Florida College of Engineering. From left to right, Judy Knecht, George Knecht, PE, F.NSPE and Dean Cammy Abernathy, PhD, PE.	Florida Gulf Coast University U.A. Whitaker School of Engineering. From left to right: student David Spelman; Associate Professor Dr. Kristoph Kinzli; Foundation Trustee Fermin Diaz, PE, F.ACEC; students Chris Conti (holding check) and Corey Smith; Founding Director Dr. Susan Blanchard; and Professor and Chair of Environmental and Civil Engineering Dr. Robert O'Neill.
Florida International University. From left to right: Foundation Trustee Rod Rodriguez, PE, Dean of Engineering Amir Mirmiran, PhD, PE and Osama Mohammed, PhD (who heads up the South Florida Region Future City competition).	University of North Florida College of Computing, Engineering & Construction. Left to right: Director of Development Jill Jackson, FEF Trustree Don Ditzenberger, PE and Interim Dean Dr. Peter Braza.
Florida Atlantic University. Left to right: James Lovenbury, Joseph Marquardt, Don Goddeau, PE, F.NSPE, Dean Karl K. Stevens, PhD, PE, Jason McCullough, and Andrew Harrington (students are representatives of the mechanical and ocean engineering organizations.	FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. From left to right, Primus Mtenga, PhD, PE, Michelle Roddenberry, PhD, PE, Foundation Trustee J.W. Hunter, PE and Dan Scheer, PE.
University of South Florida College of Engineering. From left to right: Brett Woods, Oltion Tase, Kimberlee DeBosier, PE, F.ACEC, F.NSPE, Vanessa Ortiz and Daniel Kamsler.	University of Central Florida. From left to right: Associate Dean Charles H. Reilly, PhD, FEF Trustee Glenn Forrest, PE, and Dean Marwan A. Simaan, PhD, PE

It is a great feeling to see what these engineering students are doing while learning, and to see the smiles on their faces when they receive the checks. All it takes is a phone call to Shawn Stewart at 850-224-7121.
Credit cards are accepted. To get involved, contact Dick Gassett, PE at: adme2002@msn.com.

I can remember a long time ago, my parents saying something like, “it is better to give than receive.” As a child, I said they were crazy!  I’m sure we all did. Well, now that I have matured (notice I did not say grown up, which I hope to never do), I can also say that it is better to give than receive. With your continued help, we will get back to donating $2,000 annually to each engineering college. This is how you can make it work. You make a donation to FEF. The Foundation gives to the engineering colleges in Florida. The colleges pass it on to their students to further their education. These students become engineers, and they give—the cycle goes on and on and on.

I give a big “thank you” to each and every one of you who have been able to support this effort, and I look forward to your continued support.

FEF Board of Directors Annual Meeting

Greetings to the FEF Board of Trustees:

The Annual Meeting is over. It was a great one! Congratulations on the success and thanks to all who attended and worked so hard to make it great. The rough results are:

Wednesday Night Dinner - Approximately 100 were in attendance, with a profit of about $4,000. It wouldn't have happened without the hard work of Fermin Diaz, his wife Mary and his ever present sidekick at WM(S) Karla. In addition to all the hard work Fermin donated the cost of a large portion of the food, drink and supplies. Special thanks to all three. I can't possibly name all the folks who pitched in, but you couldn't miss Steve Bassett behind the bar ($250 +/- in tips! including a "C-note" from Bill Francis who denies he was just paying for his drinks!). The FELI class and alumni showed up in force before, during and after. Derrick Jenkins led the grilling brigade; consideration is being given to altering the desert name to "Bananas Gassett-Porter". To these folks and to the many, many unnamed volunteers congratulations on a job well done and thanks from the rest of the Board. During the dinner I took the opportunity to present the "Chairman's Executive Chef Award" to Fermin and Angelina and the "Chairman's Number Cruncher Award" to Shawn.

Golf -- We had about 32 golfers show up (37 paid) and will have a profit of about $3,500. The rain stayed away. Without handicapping (we'll change that next year) Ed and Jane Racila playing with Jim Horton and John Brandvik took top honors with a 60. It was a great afternoon! The FELI trophy, given for the current class/alumni competition during the year went to the Alumni (those guys must have a lot of time on their hands).

Silent Auction -- the silent auction was a great success. With 27 items on the block the event raised about $7,400. Dick Gassett was hustling right up until the last minute adding items. Tery Glunt and his wife put together a couple of great packages and his idea of a Chapter competition brought out four additional baskets in this, the first year. The basket chosen as most creative was from the Palm Beach chapter, so Dick will have a trip to Palm Beach to cook a dinner for eight (the Palm Beach chapter with 8 Trustees on our board ought to be able to turn that into a fun time, money making event!) If you're at a meeting of the Treasure Coast, Big Bend, Palm Beach, or Central Florida Chapter(s) be sure to thank them for their basket and efforts. Of course there are 23 other donors to thank. A list of donors will soon be on our website. Also, thanks to all those Board members who spent time at the Silent Auction Table helping folks to bid and then with the close out, deliveries and collections.

FELI Raffle -- How many $10 tickets can you sell for a 50-50 raffle? If you work really hard, how about 1600! That's right the FELI raffle raised about $16,000 through their raffle with half of that amount going to FEF! The other half went to the winner of the single ticket -- Emilio Garcia, who I believe works with the folks at C3TS. Many, many thanks to the FELI class and to Jim Horton and Dannielle Slaterpryce for all their work on the raffle, the dinner, the auction, golf and everything else.

Which brings us to the Poker Tournament -- Ed Davis did it again. With about 20 +/- players, Ed managed to raise about $3,500 through entry fees, sponsorships, and (don't forget) the re-buy-ins! This year the poker tournaments arranged by Ed at the FELI class meetings netted FEF about $7,800! Over the last two years the total has been about $15,000!!!!!!! What a one man show. Many thanks to Ed, his players and his sponsors.

So (drumroll) the Foundation netted about $30,000 from the events at the Annual Meeting and from the efforts of the FELI class all year long. Through the "gentle" efforts and reminders of John Hall just before and during the meeting the Chairman's Circle added 6 or 7 members for the year!

Like I said -- It was a great meeting!

Our annual membership and Board meetings were well attended with about 20 Trustees present. That group developed a great list of topics for Dick to consider to include in the agenda for the Board Retreat. Donna and Glenn will circulate it to the full Board for comments and additions. Dick will be back with you all shortly with the selected date, times, etc.

Oh yeah, now "Heeeeeeeere's Dick"!!!!!!!!!

But before I go I just want to say that I look forward to working with you all and to having even a greater year in 2010-2011.

Best regards to all, Don

P.S. And a big "THANK YOU" to the donors of the items for the Silent Auction:

Water for People Program - Click here for details

FEF Contributes to Florida Colleges of Engineering - Click here for details

Engineer's Week Banquet of Central Florida - Click here for details

FEEC Update - Click here for details

FEF Silent Auction
(click on photo for details)

FEF and ASCE Partner to Support Education
(click on photo for details)

FEF Chairman's Circle
(click on photos for details)