I’m honored to have the opportunity to serve as the Section President this year.  I remember joining our Section back in 1998, and I simply can’t believe it has been 26 years!  One of the greatest attributes of our Section is our membership.  As an active member of our Section, I have had the opportunity to meet so many colleagues on both a professional and a personal level from the very beginning of my career.  These relationships have shown me that the greatest attribute of our section is our membership.  The fellowship I experienced from this Section over the past 26 years has taught me so much about our industry and our duties to the traveling public.  We’ve enjoyed such a talented group of engineers that are always willing to help one another and share their talents and abilities for the greater good.  I find this unique and refreshing, and I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to be part of such an organization.

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These qualities in an organization do not happen by accident.  Rather, it is a result of strong and intentional leadership.  As I look back over the past 26 years, I just want to thank all the past presidents and board members who have made this organization what it is today, and I hope to continue to build on those qualities that make our Section so beneficial, both professionally and personally.  I would also like to thank our immediate past president, Jon Balko, P.E.  I’ve had the privilege of watching Jon serve our Section over the past year and I have always been impressed with his professionalism and dedication. Jon is an excellent engineer and a great friend in the industry.

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Moving forward, my goal is to lead in a way that truly serves our Section and continues to foster that friendly atmosphere where we all have the opportunity to grow on both a professional and personal level.  My hope is that others will see the benefits of belonging to such an organization, just as I have over the past 26 years.  It’s imperative that we reach out to our younger engineers and introduce them to our Section so that they might enjoy the same opportunities for personal and professional growth that we have.  We will continue to have social events to provide an opportunity for all to come, to foster that growth, and to see what our Section is really all about.

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Above all, I want to be available to you all, and will seek to serve you well.  Please feel free to reach out to me at clayton.vanverth@gibson-thomas.com with any feedback or suggestions about our Section.  We have an excellent lineup of venues and speakers for the upcoming year.  Thank you ALL for being part of ASHE Southwest Penn!  You are what makes this section amazing.  I look forward to seeing you soon.

 

Serving with you,

Clayton