ACEC New York - Eastern Region


	Eastern Region: Albany, Columbia, Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Hamilton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren and Washington Counties The Eastern Region is located in an area branded "Tech Valley," which is the name of a regional marketing initiative designed to build the regional economy around high-tech businesses. Because the State Capitol is in the region, members interface closely with state agency home offices and the legislature. However, the region faces many of the same challenges that the industry faces throughout the state, and members are interested in many of the same issues, such as outsourcing public sector design work to private sector companies and corporate governance. Special projects include support of the region's Future Cities program, which is designed to interest young people in the engineering profession. The region is also involved in helping to develop a National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) certification program at Hudson Valley Community College, for certification of construction inspection professionals.

	The Eastern Region plans four membership meetings per year, as well as one annual meeting in late spring or summer. Membership meetings are generally held at one of the local country clubs during lunch, or sometimes during breakfast. Guest speakers are usually invited to speak on such topics as risk management, Web-based project management, recruiting challenges, project case studies, and other issues of importance to members.

	President Karen Astorga Plumb Engineering, P.C. Vice President Thomas J. Cascino Earth Tech, Inc. Secretary Charles Stone HAKS Engineers, Architects and Land Surveyors, P.C. Treasurer John Brusko C.T. Male Associates, P.C. At Large Board Member John (Jack) Robson Foit-Albert Associates, Architecture, Engineering and Surveying, P.C. State Directors Robert Cartwright Stantec Consulting Services Inc. Eric Thorkildsen Collins Engineers, P.C.