A Celebration of Renewal
R. Kevin Clark
Editor,
APWA Reporter
APWA members should be very proud of the successful International Public Works Congress & Exposition held in New Orleans from August 17-20. As always, Congress attendees connected with their colleagues, learned more about the key challenges facing our industry, and shared their knowledge and solutions to those challenges. And as always, we had a lot of fun doing it. But this year's conference was about so much more than education, networking and having fun. And in keeping with the legacy and mandate of public works professionals nationwide, APWA attendees didn't come to watch. They came to do.
As we go to press with the October issue, it is still unclear what the true impacts of Hurricane Gustav have been on the Gulf Coast. It is also unknown if Tropical Storm Hanna, Hurricane Ike, or Tropical Storms Josephine and Karina will follow similar paths, with similar consequences. But after spending a week with the conference attendees in New Orleans, I can tell you that one thing is perfectly clear: Whatever punch they pack will not be enough to knock down the citizens of the Gulf Coast. And whatever challenges they bring will be met with the unflinching determination of the region's public works professionals.
Making a difference
As many Congress veterans know, our annual conference usually begins on Congress Saturday with activities such as the House of Delegates Business Meeting, meetings of the nine Technical Committees, the full-day Self-Assessment Workshop, and a friendly golf tournament. But this was not a typical Congress. And things began a day earlier…in a big way.
St. Bernard Parish, located just outside New Orleans, was inundated with rainwater and floodwaters by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. According to the nonprofit, grassroots St. Bernard Project, which has been rebuilding homes in the area purely through volunteer labor and donations, more than 200 residents lost their lives in that storm. And nearly 100 percent of the homes were left uninhabitable. So on August 15 and 16, more than 250 APWA members, guests, exhibitors and staff rolled up their sleeves to help the Project rebuild those homes, and to make a difference in the lives of residents who live in the parish.
"We received an outpouring of support for the project," said APWA Director of Chapter Relations Brian Van Norman. "Our members and guests from across North America wanted to support this community in giving of their time and talents."
"In just two days, more than 250 ‘Team APWA' volunteers contributed 1,800 hours of community service benefiting 20 local families," said Brian Sullivan, APWA's Chapter Relations Program Manager. "Because of rebuilding projects such as installing insulation and sheet rock, interior and exterior painting, electrical, plumbing, carpentry and yard work, displaced New Orleans residents are that much closer to moving back into their homes and reestablishing their lives in the community."
Teresa Scott, P.E., Director of Public Works for the City of Gainesville, Fla., had this to say about her experience working on the project: "I had the pleasure of working on one of the teams on Friday and have to say that it was one of the most rewarding experiences. While hanging insulation on a sweltering, humid day in the southeast isn't something that I would normally be found doing, working alongside new and old friends, teaming up to accomplish the task at hand, and visiting and working beside the young family who owned the home were amazing experiences. But the day was topped off when the young owner came over and gave me a warm hug and expressed his appreciation for our work despite the fact that I was covered from head to toe in sweat and insulation! I appreciate APWA providing me with the opportunity to participate in such a rewarding experience."
Howard C. Stone, P.E., Chief Operations Officer, Bohannan Huston, Inc. of Albuquerque, N.M., gave the following testimonial: "We began around 9:00 about 20 strong. The task seemed daunting, trying to coordinate the effort of installing the insulation in the walls and the ceiling in this one-story house in the St. Bernard Parish. The temperature in the morning was pleasant and we quickly broke up into teams after receiving some instructions on how best to cut and install the insulation from the house foreman. The temperature soon increased and we all quickly were affected by the combination of temperature and humidity and perhaps also affected by our ages and lack of being used to laying insulation for hours on end.
"Near noon we all laid down our tools, consumed more water, and waited for the bus to bring out lunches. When the lunches came they were indeed a welcome sight.
"With sweat pouring down our faces and our clothes completely drenched, we persevered onwards in the sweltering heat installing insulation at the house assigned to us (the Krupp house). To our surprise by about 3:00 we were finished with the installation of the insulation. Some brave souls even began the next task of removing the ceramic tile floor. Others of us found it hard enough just to clean up! It was a very tiring but rewarding day."
For additional testimonials and photos from APWA's St. Bernard Parish Project, please see pages 36-38.
No turtles on fenceposts here
After the hard work was done, a large crowd of new Congress attendees was on hand to attend the twelfth-annual First-Timers Meeting, coordinated as always by the APWA Diversity Committee. For the fourth year in a row, Rinker Materials of Houston, Tex., sponsored the breakfast portion of the meeting. Throughout the meeting, members of the Diversity Committee and the Board of Directors provided helpful hints to the first-timers on how to get the most value from their first Congress. Director-at-Large Sue Hann started things off by discussing the benefits of participating in the Emerging Leaders Academy, and was followed by incoming President Noel Thompson, who expressed the value of First-Timers Meeting participation in a unique way.
"Before I ever attended a Congress, I thought I was a pretty well-tuned-in fellow. I'd been to a couple of sheep shearings, rodeos and stock car races [laughter from the audience], so I figured I was prepared to come to Congress. The reality is that I was no more prepared than a turtle on a fencepost. A turtle on a fencepost has no idea how it got there, it has difficulty looking around, and it has no clue about how to get down and go anyplace else. That's kind of where I was, until my boss sat me down and said, ‘Noel, you're going to go here, here and here on Sunday, and then again on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.' So, she laid it out for me. And if it hadn't been for that, I would have still been sitting on that fencepost.
"So someone at some point a dozen years ago said there's a better way of doing things, that there's a better way to get our folks oriented so they can make the best of their time, and that's why we have the First-Timers Meeting. This is your moment to get acquainted, and you're going to learn a few things here about how to maximize the benefits of attending Congress with the least amount of energy on your part. Immerse yourselves and soak it all in. There's no time like your first time."
Executive Director Peter B. King provided welcoming remarks and discussed the growth of the First-Timers Meeting over the course of twelve years. "Just to follow up on Noel's comments, twelve years ago this room would not have been this large," King said to the gathered crowd. "It only would have had a few tables and a few people, so it's terrific to see the turnout this morning and the number of people who haven't had an opportunity to attend a Congress have that opportunity here in New Orleans."
Louisiana Chapter President Robert Lambert also provided welcoming remarks, followed by Director-at-Large Diane Linderman who advised first-time attendees that the three major reasons to attend Congress are for the educational sessions, state-of-the-art equipment in the exhibit hall, and networking opportunities.
About halfway into the meeting, Carole Copeland Thomas, Principal with C. Thomas & Associates in Boston, Mass. (and a featured speaker later that afternoon and the following day) led a networking exercise that helped the newcomers get to know one another better. Finally, in-depth discussions of the educational sessions and the exhibit hall were provided by APWA Project Manager Kathy Dotson and National Past President Dwayne Kalynchuk, respectively.
Building a better tomorrow
Sunday's Opening General Session began with an inspirational video about the role that public works professionals play as first responders. Following the video, 2008 Congress Grand Marshall Brice Miller introduced outgoing President Larry Frevert.
President Frevert began his final presidential address by mentioning some of the accomplishments in APWA over the past year, focusing mainly on our advocacy efforts. "In May we were in Washington for National Public Works Week," Frevert said, "and we had no less than twelve members of the entire Transportation and Infrastructure Committee of the House come in and meet with us for a reception. Congressman Oberstar of Minnesota and Congressman Mica of Florida were there, and we honored those two gentlemen for their leadership. We've got to stay in touch with them. I encourage you when you go back home, when your congressional delegations are in your home districts, to contact them. Talk with them. Make sure they understand about infrastructure."
Following welcoming remarks from Louisiana Chapter President Robert Lambert, and the introduction of the 2008-09 Board of Directors, it was time for the traditional passing of the presidential gavel. "Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to a man who shares your passion for the public works profession, a man who's committed to taking APWA to the next level, Mr. Noel Thompson of Louisville, Kentucky," outgoing President Frevert said.
"When several thousand people gather together in one place for one cause, it makes a big impact," President Thompson began. "When that group gathers to learn how to better serve their communities and help others, the ripples for good can be felt far beyond the gathering place.
"We are the American Public Works Association and we are in New Orleans to help renew and rebuild. We're keeping our promise to return to New Orleans. The ripples of good are building into waves of hope. We're making a difference. We're doing the best work of life. We're serving humanity. We're building a better tomorrow. We are public works."
Following Thompson's speech, came the Keynote Speaker for the Opening General Session, Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, a world-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon and coauthor of four best-selling books including Take The Risk and Gifted Hands. In 1987, he made headlines by leading a 22-hour operation to separate Siamese twins at the head, the first such procedure ever to succeed for both patients.
In an inspiring presentation, Dr. Carson shared with the audience how he overcame a disadvantaged childhood and eventually graduated from Yale, proceeding from there to the University of Michigan Medical School. The main focus of his presentation was the importance of being able to assess and accept risk. "It's important to have dreams, to have something to push you on sometimes, particularly when the going gets rough," he said. "And sometimes you have to take risks in order to achieve those dreams."
Throughout his presentation, Dr. Carson provided a number of examples from his own experience and that of others regarding taking the necessary risks in order to accomplish great things. "That's one of the things that's most important about taking risks," he said. "Sometimes what you're trying to do doesn't work the first time, or the second, or even the thirteenth time. But if you learn something from it each time, you're going to be making progress. It's always forward progress, always moving the ball along, that's the key to getting to the goal."
Following Dr. Carson's presentation, audience members headed to the traditional grand opening of the exposition. But this was New Orleans, after all—the home of jazz—so they didn't go alone. At their sides on the march to the exhibit hall was an eight-piece Dixieland jazz band, led by none other than Grand Marshall Brice Miller, who happens to play a really mean trumpet.
You just had to be there
After being led out of the La Nouvelle Orleans Ballroom by the sweet sounds of the Dixieland group, it was time for what many Congress veterans feel is the big event of each year's conference: the grand opening of the exposition. And let's face it, no words can adequately describe the energy you feel as you walk into our exhibit hall at opening time. Row upon row of massive street sweepers, spreaders, chippers, grinders, and every other variety of public works equipment were arrayed across multiple combined halls of the convention center. It's an almost staggering picture that sweeps over you when you enter the exposition, and it hammers home a simple reminder that public works professionals are serious people, doing serious work. This is one of the many reasons I encourage you each year to attend. Until you've been there, and stepped through that door, you just can't know the power of that moment.
Coming down a bit from the big-ticket items, there were of course scores of smaller exhibits, bringing power of their own. Each offered solutions to tough public works challenges, ranging from nontoxic sprays able to remove graffiti from multiple surfaces, to software supporting rigorous construction contract management, to "smart" key readers that enhance fuel management in these days of skyrocketing oil prices.
It was abundantly clear that APWA members and other professionals were eager to see the millions of dollars worth of equipment and vehicles that filled the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center New Orleans. More than 470 exhibiting companies occupied 97,500 net square feet of space and drew crowds daily offering up-close looks and hands-on inspections of gigantic pieces of earth-pushing, snow-moving, and road-building equipment.
Only the finest
The 130-plus educational sessions at the New Orleans Congress provided plenty of proof that APWA has the finest educational program in the public works community. Topics ranged from water infrastructure security and emergency operations management, to the benefits of public/private partnerships, to the history and practice of sewer root control. Although there is always an emphasis on technical sessions, there were also numerous personal and professional development sessions such as "Design/Build a Leadership Culture"; "How to Deal with a ‘Bad Boss'"; "Did We Agree on that? Lessons Learned from a Contract Administrator"; and "Working 101: Maximizing Your Full Potential."
If you couldn't make it to this year's Congress, you can still check out what you missed. Just go to www.prolibraries.com (or call 800-679-3646) for information including an exhibitor directory, upcoming event information, and audio recordings and PowerPoint™ presentations of speaker sessions.
"We can change anything"
Joseph Grenny, Monday's General Session Keynote Speaker, delivered a fascinating presentation on one of the most difficult challenges faced by leaders today: how to influence human behavior. Grenny, a New York Times bestselling author and one of the leaders of the corporate training firm VitalSmarts, stressed that ideas can change the world, but only when coupled with influence—the ability to change hearts, minds and behavior.
"Almost every significant problem we face persists because of our inability to influence behavior, that of ourselves or that of others," Grenny began. "So if you look at the whole range of influence challenges we face—anything from your own personal fitness, to your family, to your community, to your organization—every one of these problems fundamentally is exactly the same issue. And yet few of us have any systematic way of even thinking about this problem."
According to Grenny, while many vital behaviors would help us produce better results, the vital behaviors are often boring, frightening, uncomfortable or even painful. "Your challenge as an influencer is to help people be personally motivated about doing behaviors that aren't personally motivating."
At one point during his presentation, Grenny asked the audience: "When did it become true that the only behaviors you and I are think are unchangeable and intractable are the bad ones? When did we become so cynical that we started to assume that only negative behaviors that ruin our lives and ruin our world are the ones that we believe can't be changed? If anything, you'd think the opposite. What I want to promise you is that if you can learn more deeply what we're talking about today, then every one of the problems we face—which are influence challenges—will turn out to be surmountable. We can change anything."
Rolling up their sleeves
Friday and Saturday's St. Bernard Parish Project wasn't the only humanitarian project APWA sponsored during Congress week. On August 18-19, Congress attendees generously participated in the Second Annual Proud to Care Blood Drive to support the Blood Center of Greater New Orleans. The organization is the primary supplier of blood to local hospitals throughout southern Louisiana and parts of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
"APWA would like to thank the members, exhibitors and guests who participated in the Proud to Care Blood Drive in New Orleans," said Brian Van Norman, APWA Director of Chapter Relations. "Through the giving of these individuals who rolled up their sleeves to save a life, 90 pints of blood were collected during the August 18-19 event. Thank you for taking the time to make a lasting impact on the lives of residents in New Orleans and the surrounding area."
For more information on the APWA Proud to Care comunity outreach programs contact Brian Van Norman at bvannorman
@apawa.net or (800) 848-APWA.
The glue that holds everything together
"The first thing I'm going to do in the time that I'm with you is absolutely the most important thing I'll do in the whole time, and that is to thank the servant leaders in this room," said Brian Biro, Tuesday's General Session Speaker, who delivered a high-energy presentation entitled "Breakthrough Leadership." "Who are servant leaders?" he asked. "Servant leaders are real leaders. Servant leaders lead not by position or title—they may have them, they may not—but they lead by doing whatever it takes to get things done. No job is too big or too small, no job starts too early or ends too late. And you know when you notice servant leaders the most? It's when they're not there, because it feels like the glue that held everything together seems to fall out. And the people that I want to thank in this room are the glue. The people that are the glue of all of our communities, that make everything run in this country, that don't get a lot of credit for it but make it happen, are you."
"How can I help you see who you really are?" Biro asked the audience members early on. "The best way I can help you see yourself is what I call a Breakthrough Leader. Think about it. You're in the breakthrough business, breaking through those economic challenges and breaking through those resource challenges. But they start on the inside with breakthroughs inside of you." Through a very inspirational story of his experiences as a swim coach and the breakthroughs he was able to extract from his team (particularly from one young girl named Alison), Biro conveyed his message about the possibility of breaking through in order to discover our real possibilities.
Biro concluded his presentation by bringing an audience member (Sherri Howard, Associate Engineer, City of Carlsbad, Calif.) up on stage to experience a personal "breakthrough" by breaking a board in half. With the entire audience crowding around the stage and rooting her on, Sherri focused and broke the board cleanly into two halves with no problem. "If you like these breakthrough beliefs," Biro told the attendees, "take them back to your public works team, take them back to your families, take them back to your communities. Because these beliefs are not just beliefs about breaking a board—they're about breaking through the obstacles."
"You can control chaos"
In a thought-provoking presentation at Congress Wednesday's Closing General Session, James Mapes, Founder and President, The Quantum Leap Thinking Organization, challenged us to be more flexible both in our thinking and in the way we've always done things. "We have an immense amount of control that we don't know we have, because often we fall prey to that which is the dark side," he said. "In public works that's got to be constant. But one thing I want you to look at is that you can control chaos."
Through a series of videos and exercises, Mapes demonstrated new ways of looking at and responding to situations (including dealing with being outside our comfort zones by having us do something as simple as wearing our watches on the opposite arms). "We are often held by the gravitational force of our comfort zones of doing the things the way we have always done," he said. "But if you think the way you have always thought and do what you have always done, you will get the results that you have always gotten."
"It's what you do so very well"
It was uniquely appropriate that Wednesday's Banquet was held in the Hilton New Orleans Riverside's Grand Ballroom, because "grand" is the perfect description for this year's final event of Congress. From the packed house, to the exquisite cuisine, to the outstanding entertainment for the evening, nothing could have provided a more fitting closure to our worldwide gathering of professionals. After the traditional procession of the Executive Committee and their spouses, President Thompson took the stage and recognized the Board of Directors, the Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year, members of the Louisiana Host Chapter, Past National Presidents in attendance, the inaugural class of the Emerging Leaders Academy, and international guests from 15 countries. He also recognized outgoing Past President Bill Verkest and outgoing Director of Region VII LeRoy Givens, and thanked them for their leadership and service.
"You are committed to your communities and to bettering the world around you," Thompson said to the audience during the traditional presidential address. "Your daily work is an essential and fundamental service to your fellow human beings. It vitalizes and strengthens nations, states, communities and neighborhoods. It makes civilization possible. It's what you do so very well, yet with humility, every day. And, I thank you for that."
In a departure from how the entertainment is typically presented at the Banquet, a different group of performers entertained us during each course of the meal. During the first course we were treated to a parade and performance by the Mardi Gras Indians Troupe, a talented family wearing colorfully elaborate headpieces of intricate stitching, feathers and rhinestone beading.
Next, the doo-wop trio Ray, Jay & Gee, who sing a'cappella on the streets of the French Quarter in New Orleans for thousands of visitors each year, provided a local flavor that perfectly complemented the wonderful aroma of the entrée. For the final course, the Joyful Gospel Singers provided terrific hand-clapping and foot-stomping gospel music as we enjoyed a decadent dessert. All I can say is "wow."
A final and particularly touching piece of entertainment during the Banquet came from local artist Reggie Ford. Like so many others, Ford is trying to rebuild his life after losing everything during Hurricane Katrina. During the course of the evening, he painted a beautiful creation, seamlessly incorporating the elements of public works across the enchanting canvas of his beloved New Orleans. Ford presented the painting to President Thompson and the attendees later in the evening, and it will be displayed in the Board Room of our headquarters office here in Kansas City.
On to Columbus
So, the 2008 APWA International Public Works Congress & Exposition is now history, but by all accounts, the best kind of history. The kind that leads to a better, brighter and more exciting future for us all.
Now it's time to put the 2009 Congress on your calendar in big red letters. Start making your plans today to join your fellow public works professionals in Columbus, Ohio, September 13-16, at the Columbus Convention Center.
Like I said before, you really have to be there.
Kevin Clark can be reached at (816) 595-5230 or kclark@apwa.net. Congress photos by Steve Young of Jowdy Photography (www.jowdy.com) except where noted.
