JUNE CHAPTER MEETING
Annual Awards Banquet

Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Sarah’s Vineyard

A Great Time to Celebrate

Sarah's Vineyard, perched just across from the main entrance of Blossom Music Center, has been growing into the rolling hills skyline of our National Park. A rough hewn wood structure rises just beyond the entrance and houses the tasting room where we will gather for our annual CSI Awards Banquet. Of all the great meetings we host each year, the awards banquets have provided some of our most lasting memories. This year's casual wine tasting with dinner should continue to build on that tradition of fun and reflection.

On Wednesday, June 24th at 5:30 PM, the corks will pop and we will enjoy the solstice sun with business slipping from our minds and celebration kicking in. As an organization with no paid employees, but an organization where members devote hours of their valuable time, recognizing and sharing thanks together as a chapter is a must. Please join in and share the fun, you will be glad when you arrive and will share in a memory for a long time to come.

CONSTRUCT 2009

June 16 – 19, 2009
Indianapolis, IN

Exhibit Hall OPEN:

Two Shows. One Great Event

CONSTRUCT2009 and the 53rd CSI Annual Convention is your most cost effective strategy for combining educational opportunities with product and service solutions for your business success. Now, co-located with The TFM Show, an event for the senior executive facility manager, this event is dedicated to the institutional, industrial and commercial building industry. If you design, build, specify, engineer, renovate or operate in the built environment, this is your event. Find hundreds of exhibitors with the newest trends and practices, relevant accredited educational sessions, a complete CSI agenda and expanded networking opportunities.

You’ll find everything YOU need in ONE place, under ONE roof!

Refer to www.constructshow.com for more information and to register.

5th ANNUAL CSI & AIA GOLF OUTING

Can you ever golf enough?? Even if you don’t have much time to get out the clubs and play a round - don’t miss this chance! The 5th Annual CSI/AIA Golf Outing will be on Friday, July 17, 2009 at the Pines Golf Club in Orrville, Ohio (just east of Wooster) – the same location as last year.

Akron-Canton CSI’s share of the profits will benefit the scholarship fund so we can again award a scholarship to a deserving student in the construction industry at one of Northeast Ohio’s colleges or universities.

The day will include lunch, an 18 hole scramble, dinner and prizes for everyone! It is a great event to bring clients or to reward your employees. For more information, click here.

About the Chapter

In the 1960’s and 1970’s there was a local CSI Chapter, known as the Warren, Akron, Canton, Youngstown or “WACY” Chapter. The Chapter gradually fell apart from lack of leadership and loss of interest and was dissolved in the early 1970’s.

A few of the former members retained CSI membership recognizing the value and benefits even without a local support Chapter. Some transferred to other Chapters in the region. Some were simply unaffiliated members. One such faithful member was Larry Everhard. In the summer of 1996, Larry was called by a member of the Columbus Chapter who had noted the absence of a Chapter in the Northeastern Ohio area. Some phone calls, some commitments, some meetings with CSI members from other Chapters, and the spark for a new local Chapter was ignited. Larry Everhard and George Wagner, also a CSI member, gathered a core of interested persons, including this writer. George, during the course of his work convinced a number of persons to join our ranks. George also tracked down other unaffiliated members by obtaining a list from The Institute.

On September 26, 1996, a meeting of 28 prospective members of the new Chapter was inspired by a highly motivational presentation of “What is CSI” by Edith Washington, a member of the Toledo Chapter. Edith is currently president-elect of the Institute, and was treasurer of the Great Lakes Region at that time. Her enthusiasm for CSI in her presentation convinced a lot of attendees to join and made clear that she was destined to go far in CSI. Also present were Larry Raymond and Kathy Bultman, president and vice president, respectively, of the Great Lakes Region, and Brian Smith and Dave Proudfit, presidents of the Columbus and Cincinnati Chapters, respectively.

At the October 1996 dinner meeting conducted by Larry Everhard, officers were elected by verbal vote. Elected to the Board of Directors were: President, Larry Everhard, CSI, AIA; President-elect, Roy Crawford, CSI, CCS, CCCA; Vice-president, Jerry Iams, CSI; Secretary, Debbie Lavanty, CSI; Treasurer, George Wagner, CSI, CDT; Director, Professional, Bill Mikusa, CSI; Director, Industry, Dan Sarvis, CSI; Advisory Board, Jim Jones, CSI; Assistant to the Treasurer/Secretary, Karen Strekely (Schlechter).

By October 1996 the first Chapter newsletter was published and mailed to members, prospective members, and construction-related organizations. Monthly dinner meetings continued through the winter, as did recruiting of members.

On March 27, 1997, at the monthly dinner meeting, Larry Raymond, president of the Great Lakes Region, presented Larry Everhard with a gavel, and a Charter for the Akron-Canton Chapter, CSI. Forty-two charter members, most of whom werepresent, received their charter certificates.

Since that time, the Chapter has grown to 65 members, and continues to grow. Several rounds of new officers have been elected, and have taken the Chapter to new levels of achievement. Our Chapter has won several national and regional awards and is recognized as an important part of the local construction community.