2009 Issue

7 Chair’s Message Growing the Profession Together Reflect upon what we have accomplished and be proud to be associated with the council through each of your respective societies. TRENT HUNT Utah Engineers Council Chair 2008-2009 I NCLUDED IN THIS YEAR’S JOURNAL are some ter- rific articles by many talented and respected engineers. Looking for something that might separate some of the articles from the norm, I asked two friends whom I admire to share stories from their past and present to help those of us who are less salty grow a little. Knowing that these two individuals overflow with wisdom, I expected a lot when they gave me their articles to review. However, I must say that I was astonished by their insight and views of the past and present. The first article, by Clark Peterson, describes changes in the profession of Mechanical HVAC Engineering (that’s Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning for the acronymous challenged) over the last 50 years. I marveled at the transformations that have taken place as well as the revelations regarding the roots of the profession. However, I also realized that the changes were actually just pieces of today’s puzzle and that without the steps that engineers took in the past, we would not have the talents that we posses today. For instance, the hot topics in the construction industry today are Leadership in Energy & Envi- ronmental Design (LEED), SustainableDesign, and Net Zero Carbon Buildings. If some of you are lost by these terms and acronyms don’t feel alone. The industry is moving faster and faster every year and keeping up is sometimes easier said than done (let alone trying to stay ahead of the curve). 50 years ago though, the intent was not to save the planet but just literally keep the inside of a block wall warm or provide a light for a room. My how things have changed! Today, engineers are designing and building systems that are not only more efficient, but sustainable to help assure that future generations are not compromised by the needs of the present. And in the future, Mechani- cal, Electrical, and Civil engineers will work even more closely together to seamlessly manage the projects/puzzle of tomorrow. The second article, by Neil Spencer, tells a par- able of sorts that reminds me of lessons learned as a child that too many of us forget as an adult. Howmany times have I been told to slow down or been reminded how small improvements make a big difference. Today’s generation is sometimes called the Now generation because they want everything fast. However, are any of us really all that different? A lot of the time, I feel that my daily schedule is approaching the speed of sound. I cannot tell if I am going or coming and at the end of the day everything is a blur. On other days, fric- tion or gravity takes over and it seems that I have accomplished nothing. In either case, I was always on a road going somewhere whether or not the road is downhill or against a 30 MPH headwind. Remember that we are all subject to the Laws of Physics. As my friendNeil explains, it only takes one mountain pass to learn to lighten the load. In fact, I feel that too often I carry a kitchen sink throughout my day. As withmany of you, I need to lighten my load and plan my route a little better. However while planning is prudent, there is some- times no way to avoid that 11,000 ft peak. Regarding the state of the council, I can as- sure each of you that we are headed in the right direction. In the future the UEC will do even more to bring value to each society and its respective members. I can also testify that the council is currently in no short supply of leaders. As I sat in a recent boardmeeting listening to committee re- ports, banquet plans, and various campaigns and requests to support the youth of our state, I was in awe at the dedication and professionalism that each and every board member brought to their position. It is no wonder that seating has been in short supply for recent meetings as everyone wants to be involved with success. I alsowant to take this chance to challenge each of you to do more to help others. Choose to get involved in your societies and do more than just coast downhill. Take that uphill climb and remem- ber that you can always lighten the load if you have to. Above all else, remember that life is too short so pull over sometimes and smell the roses. I hope that each of you enjoy the UEC journal this year. I also want to take this chance to thank each of you for the opportunity to serve on the UEC board for the past three years. As Chairman of the Utah Engineers Council, I hope that you can reflect upon what we have accomplished and be proud to be associatedwith theUEC through each of your respective societies. Mr. Hunt is associated with Trane, a division of Ingersoll Rand Climate Control Technologies.