After several heavy and deep-thinking blogs, I needed to do something light. I realized, the other day driving back from a client meeting “Hey this is Tuesday, and I forgot to do a blog”. Still recovering from the lost month of the computers plus travel and before I knew it, Wednesday came to a close. However, just a couple of days ago I headed out of the office for a client meeting. I went to the meeting with a couple of my co-workers and on the way back we realized it was close to lunch. I noted that I saw this little café and we should go there. I’m the first to admit, I enjoy food. 

A couple of weeks ago, I expressed the details of a ‘hefty ransom’. After rebuilding the servers, workstations, traveling to Alaska and meeting my deadlines on 2 projects. I can only say I’m so glad that September is over. This week CONSTRUCT is kicking off. This is the first year in several years that I will miss. However, we are trying a new bold experiment, to host a Town Hall from the CSI both at CONSTRUCT, Thursday at 1:00pm EDT.

Each of the following members joined CSI in October. CSINext is please to congratulate the following CSI members on their continued membership.

• 1 Year - John Koessler, CSI
• 1 Year - Mazen Najar, BS, MBA, CSI, PMP
• 4 Years - Jeffrey Mosley, CSI
• 5 Years - Matthew Avard, CSI-EP, LEED GA
• 24 Years - Lynn Javoroski, FCSI, Member Emeritus, CCS, LEED AP, SCIP
• 27 Years - Michael Young, FCSI, CCCA
• 29 Years - Robert Dye, FCSI, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP, RRC
• 33 Years - Helaine Robinson, CSI, CCS, CCCA, SCIP

Special shout out to Matthew Avard, CSI-EP, LEED GA for celebrating 5 years with CSI!

Greetings! We will be conducting our October Chapter Meeting in a new format only possible with CSINext, this will be a live Town Hall from Construct via ZOOM. This will be our attempt at this on site, it will be hosted by  Secretary Cynthia Belisle and via tele-conference from Ohio CSINext President Thad Goodman and from Tucson Daniel Hargreaves. Mark your calendars for October 10th at 1:00pm EDT. We look forward to having you attend this free Webinar event or joining us live at CONSTRUCT.

The CSINext Chapter has awarded Blake Keller, a student at Greenville Technical College, the inaugural Built Environment Preparatory (BEPREP)Emerging Professionals Scholarship sponsored by PPG Paints.

Greenville Technical College is one of the 23 schools that participated in the BEPREP  program. Their Professor Cari Anderson saw the value of teaching CDT® principles in the classroom to help prepare his/her students for their futures in the AEC  Community.

Two Friday’s ago, was a good day. Or at least it started that way. I had wrapped up a half day planning session for a new district office building. The location of work I do, I am usually out of cell range. This was no exception. When I drove into cell range, a LOT of messages started to come through via text and email. Sifting through them was a bit of a challenge. Now for the meat of the blog, this message is going to turn into a public service. We all know the rules when it comes to the internet, but we have become creatures of habit and forget some of the basics. Our office got hit by ransomware. This is probably the same you have heard on the news about cities, institutions, banks, etc. getting all of their files encrypted and then having to pay or reconstruct from back up. 

I woke up today and realized it is September. My absence started out as a Coffee Break. Then a Mini Break. Followed by the Summer Break. Well, Fall is around the corner, it is time to get away from the Break and start Blogging again. I haven’t been idle; I was just changing some of my priorities and I don’t know why I let the Blog fall to the wayside.

CSINext continues to grow! CSINext is please to welcome the following CSI member to CSINext.

• David Oglesby, CSI, CCS, CCCA, CDT, SCIP

Each of the following members joined CSI in September. CSINext is please to congratulate the follow CSI members on their continued membership.

• 2 Year - Craig Stanton, CSI, CDT
• 2 Year - Nicole Milton, CSI-S
• 16 Years - Georgia Spencer, CSI, CDT
• 20 Years - Nina Giglio, FCSI, CCS, SCIP
• 34 Years - Lane Beougher, FCSI, Lifetime Member, CCS, CCCA, AIA, CSC, DBIA, LEED AP
• 34 Years - Janet Piccola, FCSI

A very special shout out to Nina Giglio, FCSI, CCS, CDT, AIA, LEED AP, SCIP for reaching the 20 year anniversary! Congratulations!

Each of the following members joined CSI in August. CSINext is please to congratulate the following CSI members on their continued membership.

• 1 Year - Scott Ficklin, CSI, CDT
• 1 Year - Anthony Lucero, CSI
• 1 Year - Luana Buratynski, CSI
• 7 Years - Robert LeClare, CSI, CCPR
• 28 Years - Ann Baker, RA, FCSI, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP, SCIP

Once again, we really appreciate everyone's continued membership in CSI.

Greetings! We will be conducting our September Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "MIA - Missing In Accessibility" Presented by Daniel Hargreaves, FCSI, AIA, CDT, RAS. Mark your calendars for September 5th at 4:00pm EDT. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited! 

Each of the following members joined CSI in July. CSINext is please to congratulate the following CSI members on their continued membership.

• 1 Year - Veronica Worley, CSI, CCS, CDT, AIA, LEED AP
• 1 Yer - Brian Schwingel, CSI
• 15 Years - Thad Goodman, FCSI, CCPR
• 25 Years - David Oglesby, CSI, CCS, CCCA, CDT, SCIP

We would like to do a shout out to Thad Goodman, FCSI, CCPR for 15 years of membership and David Oglesby, CSI, CCS, CCCA, CDT, SCIP for celebrating 25 years with CSI!

Once again, really appreciate everyone's continued membership in CSI.

Each of the following members joined CSI in June. CSINext is please to congratulate the following CSI members on their continued membership.

• 6 Years - Mark Ogg, CSI, CCCA, PMP
• 8 Years - Ronald Mueller II, CSI, CCS, CCCA
• 38 Years - Anthony Kam, RA, CSI, CDT, NCARB

Once again, really appreciate everyone's continued membership in CSI.

Greetings! We will be conducting our June Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "Coating of Aluminum Extrusions" Presented by Taylor Coley. Mark your calendars for June 26th at 12:00pm EDT. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited! 

I’ve always had a self-made nick name, “Master of the Obvious”. It is a running joke in my family, in fact my daughter got a hold of my iPhone several years back and had Siri change my phone to address me that way. I was talking with Mike Young, FCSI from the Denver Chapter and current CSINext President. The other day our conversation started on Institute Awards for CSINext and other individuals. And he used a term… One that I’ve heard him use several times at the SouthWest Region conference and even during CSINext Board Meetings.

Who remembers why and when you joined CSI? A little bit of a rhetorical question. However, for most of us, it was a decision that continues to impact our professional carrier. I’m a stone throw away from being a member for 20 years. I remember my first meeting and the impact it had on that young kid (young at the age of 34). After I joined, I remember being surround by such wisdom. I would sit quietly, absorbing everything around me.

The National Center for Education and Research on Corrosion and Materials Performance (NCERCAMP) is hosting the second annual National Concrete Symposium on Tuesday - Wednesday May 14 & 15 at The University of Akron.

This event will combine hands-on and lecture style courses for a compelling continuing education opportunity for architects, engineers, and construction professionals wanting to learn the latest in concrete innovation at the nation’s only advanced corrosion and materials performance research center.

For more information, please CLICK HERE to visit the website and register.

Each of the following members joined CSI in May. CSINext is please to congratulate the following CSI members on their continued membership.

• 3 Years - Patrick Donnell, CSI, AIA
• 15 Years - D. Blake Wagner, CSI, CCCA, AIA, NCARB
• 20 Years - Kathryn Marek, CSI, CCCA, AIA, NCARB, SCIP
• 21 Years - George Wade Bevier, FCSI, CCS, LEED AP, SCIP
• 24 Years - Frank Fuller, FCSI
• 27 Years - M. Keith West, FCSI, CCPR
• 28 Years - Cynthia Belisle, RA, CSI, CDT, SCIP

We would like to do a shout out to Kathryn Marek, CSI, CCCA, AIA, NCARB, SCIP for celebrating 20 years with CSI! 

Once again, really appreciate everyone's continued membership in CSI.

We wrapping up our final Board meetings for FY19. And with all good things, this to must end. But we are excited to welcome the new Board for FY20!

The 2019-20 CSINext Board:

• President - Thad Goodman, FCSI, CCPR
• President Elect - Kathryn Marek, CSI, CCCA, AIA, NCARB, SCIP
• Secretary - Cynthia Belisle, RA, CSI, CDT, SCIP
• Treasurer - Daniel Hargreaves, FCSI, CDT, AIA, RAS
• Director - Robert LeClare, CSI, CCPR
• Director - Joni Zimmerman, CSI, CDT
• Electronics' Chair - Daniel Hargreaves, FCSI, CDT, AIA, RAS
• Programs - Mark Ogg, CSI, CCCA, PMP

This is one of those observational blogs. It doesn’t have much to do with architecture. I went out on a limb at the first of the year. I ordered my first pair of shoes online. I’ve had a pair of L.L. Bean loafers for about 8 years. They were very comfortable, yet I know the style and size I wanted. I would need for a replacement pair and ordering online was a safe bet.