Well folks, it is that time of year again - the summer months have waned off, fall has set in, and we are fast approaching the official start of the "Holiday Season". And with that come scents of fresh baked pies, yule logs in the fireplace, and the tradition of spending time with family, loved ones, friends and neighbors. In the immortal words of the Byrd’s..."There is season...turn turn turn". 

As in years past at this time, I always take time to reflect to what I am thankful for this time of year with life in general, but also with this chapter and CSI. I am going to focus on the latter this month. 

Kermit the Frog was right...."It's not easy being green". 

Every one of us was "green" to some degree when we got started in this industry. Fresh out of school, wide eyed, bushy tailed, excited, nervous, unsure what to expect. But hey - we were armed with our education, job offers, our hard hats on, steel toes laced up, and drafting machines squared up, as we entered into our respective architectural, engineering, and construction fields. Ready to conquer the world as they say right!?

Then BAM! There we were...dropped into in the real world...smacked in the face with reality....and on our own to navigate the ever changing world that is the AECO world.   

So, what drove this topic you may ask? 

The CSI Conference is always a whirlwind. A fun whirlwind though....seeing old friends and colleagues, making new ones, educational sessions to go to, topics to follow up on, networking, networking, networking, ....man I need a happy hour....more networking, dinners, lunches, breakfasts...and somewhere in there some sleep. 

So it takes a few days to decompress, organize all the new information, follow up with all the new contacts one has made....and then sit back and think about all of it. 

So as I made my way home on the plane back to Cincinnati, I thought back at the three awesome days that is the CSI National conference...thought about what I learned, what I heard, what we need to work on as an industry....

Here are some of the things that popped into my head....

• No matter your depth of experience, one can always learn something from their peers. We are all students, we are all educators. 
• CSI is THE place for AECO professionals, where else can you find in one place - folks who make the product, provide the product, design and specify the product, and build the product? Nowhere except here! 
• It is refreshing, and inspiring to see and speak with so many young professionals who are attending CSI events.
• Nothing is more nerve wracking than presenting to your peers...on the flip side there is nothing more satisying than being congratulated and told job well done at the end!
• A wise man once said - "Everthing you want is right outside of your comfort zone".
• A wise woman once said - "Your brand is what people say about you when you aren't in the room".
• I missed my CSI colleagues who weren't able to make it this year....fingers crossed ya'll get to Houston next year!
• Leadership is not a specator sport. Encourage. Inspire. Be authentic.
• The digital future of this industry is something to be in awe of....but scary at the same time.
• Greek proverb -  "A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit”. It is up to us to help build the industry work force of the future. 

Now that we are all back and settled down - what random thoughts did you come away with? 

Greetings everyone!

Hope everyone is smiling as much as we are here at CSINext! Fresh back from the CSI National Conference in Minneapolis, I would be remiss without paying homage to one of the great TV shows of my childhood, the Mary Tyler Moore Show, which took place in Minneapolis. 
For those that don't know, the show centered around Mary Tyler Moore who worked in a fictional local news room, facing numerous challenges typical for the time. The show appealed to an audience facing the new trials of the early modern 1970's. And as the theme song asks..."who can turn the world on with a smile?". That would be CSINext...because we have a lot to smile about! 

CSINext / Columbus State Community College Construction Management
CDT Bootcamp Spring 2023

We are excited to announce that on Saturday October 28, 2023 from 9am – 4:30pm US EST Dean Bortz with Columbus State Community College (CSCC), located in Columbus, Ohio, USA will be offering the Autumn 2023 CDT Bootcamp through CSINext! This is a Virtual Class via ZOOM. Be sure to sign up now as space is limited.

Greetings! We will be conducting our October Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "Best Practices-Fire and Sound Solutions by Building Type" Presented by Thad Goodman, FCSI, CDT, CCPR, LEED Green Associate. Mark your calendars for October 18th at 12:00pm EDT. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited!

Greetings! We will be conducting our September Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "Barrier Management for Compliance in Healthcare Facilities" Presented by Michael Crall. Mark your calendars for September 27th at 12:00pm EDT. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited!

Greetings! We will be conducting our June Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "Electronic Leak Detection for Roofing, Waterproofing and the Building Envelope" Presented by Shaun Katz. Mark your calendars for June 15th at 12:00pm EDT. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited!

Annnnndddd we’re off!

That’s right folks, it is May.  And when the first Saturday in May rolls around it is time for the Kentucky Derby, what could be considered the most famous horse race in the world.  Hundreds of thousands of people, from around the world gather, in Louisville, Kentucky the first weekend of May to take part in festivities and watch what has been dubbed “The Run for the Roses” and the “Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.” So, who do I think is going to win this year’s Derby?  Well…if I was a betting man (and I am), I would place a “Boxed Superfecta” (4 horses to finish 1,2,3,4 in any order) bet on CSINext! No folks, I haven’t lost my mind….

Greetings! We will be conducting our May Chapter Meeting and excited to present our first Virtual Tourv at "Calgary DIRTT Experience Center" Presented by the DIRTT Client Experience. Mark your calendars for May 11th at 12:00pm EDT. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited!

Hello everyone, Spring as arrived, baseball season is underway, and to borrow a cliché’ from former Cincinnati Reds great and Hall of Fame announcer Joe Nuxhall we here at CSINext are “rounding third and heading for home.”

That is right folks CSINext is getting ready to slide “Charlie Hustle” style, headfirst into the last quarter of the CSI fiscal. And what a trip around the bases it has been this year! We have really "hit it outta the park" as they say!

Well folks March is here; the winter cold is slowly moving out giving us a start to some very warm days and the opportunity to mingle with those who are coming out of hibernation.  As the saying goes, LET THE MADNESS BEGIN!

Greetings! We will be conducting our March Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "Firestopping Requirements in the IBC" Presented by Michael Crall. Mark your calendars for April 13th at 12:00pm EDT. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited!

Roses are red, violets are blue, boy I wish winter was over don’t you? Slowly we are getting there folks, while February may be ripe with sounds of snowplows and shovels for some, the sounds of cheers, jeers, and ripped up college basketball brackets is just around the corner in March. 

Speaking of around the corner…I hear the beeping sound of a delivery truck (OSHA compliant of course) backing up to the CSINext dock for a delivery.

Well would you look at that?  A large box from the “Programs Department,” and one from “Certification Preparation.” Well, why wait…lets open these bad boys up and see what we have.

Greetings! We will be conducting our March Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "Accessibility: ANSI or ADA" Presented by Daniel Hargreaves, FCSI, AIA, iSCS, RAS, LEED Assoc. Mark your calendars for March 9th at 12:00pm EST. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited!

Greetings! We will be conducting our February Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "The Role of Acoustics in Responsible Design" Presented by Tony Sola. Mark your calendars for February 9th at 12:00pm EST. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited!

CSINext / Columbus State Community College CDT Bootcamp Spring 2023

We are excited to announce that on Saturday April 29, 2023 from 9am – 4:30pm US EST Dean Bortz with Columbus State Community College (CSCC), located in Columbus, Ohio, USA will be offering the Spring 2023 CDT Bootcamp through CSINext!

Happy New Year folks and welcome to 2023!

Hoping everyone in the CSINext family had a safe and joyous Holiday season!

Taking a quick look back at 2022, what a great year it was here at CSINext.  Our membership grew to over 120 members from within the United States and around the world, we had several members achieve their CSI professional certifications, we collaborated with Columbus State Community College to present the CSI CDT Bootcamp, Margaret Fischer of the Architectural Woodwork Institute knocked it out of the park with the AWI Casework Storage Standard presentation in December to finish out the year, and our Chapter sponsors continue to grow and support us in making CSINext one of the most unique and noted Chapters within CSI.

With all that, you are probably wondering if 2023 can top it right? The answer is a resounding YES. 

Greetings! We will be conducting our January Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "3M Architectural Finishes" Presented by Heidi Lohmann. Mark your calendars for January 12th at 12:00pm EST. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited!

Greetings! We will be conducting our December Chapter Meeting and the presentation will be "AWI Care & Storage" Presented by Margaret S. Fisher. Mark your calendars for December 8th at 12:00pm EST. We look forward to having you attend this free webinar, register today as space is limited!