Author: larrycruz

SAWE Los Angeles Chapter Meeting Minutes

Meeting Time: Saturday September 28, 2024, at noon     

Meeting Location: Lakewood Stonefire Grill 

Meeting Agenda: Discuss next steps for planning 2026 SAWE International Conference

Attendance: (Nine total including eight in-person & one virtual)

John Hargrave (LA Chapter Director SAWE Honorary Fellow)  

Dan Rowley (LA Chapter Vice President & SAWE Fellow)

Yi-Ling Tam (LA Chapter Treasurer)

Michael Notarangelo (LA Chapter Secretary & SAWE Fellow)

Richard Manning (LA Chapter/SAWE Lifetime Member)

Ian Mac Neil (LA Chapter Member)                                                                    

Vinh Dinh (LA Chapter Member)

Bryan Strong (Mohave Desert Chapter President)  

Virtual Attendee: Lawrence Cruz (LA Chapter President & Webmaster)

SAWE LA Chapter Business Meeting:

Dan Rowley called the business meeting to order @ 12:18 PM

1. There are thirty current and twelve delinquent members in the Los Angeles Chapter for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. As a reminder, annual SAWE membership renewals are due April 30^th. To renew your SAWE membership, please go to www.sawe.org and click “Join Us”. The LA Chapter currently pays membership fees for our chapter officers, but each officer must first renew their dues on-line, and will be reimbursed by Yi-Ling at a future chapter meeting.

• SAWE International is currently seeking candidates for the offices of President, Executive Vice-President, and Senior Vice-President for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Nominations are due by December 15^th. Please contact John Hargrave if you are interested in running for an office or have any questions.

• Please consider nominating a worthy LA Chapter member for a SAWE award (SAWE Fellow, SAWE Honorary Fellow and Ed Payne/Young Engineer Award). John Hargrave is willing to assist with the nomination process.

• International Conference Planning:

1. The conference host committee typically does the legwork and SAWE International is responsible for the big picture.

• The 2025 SAWE International Conference will be an in=person conference at the Clyde Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The LA Chapter will sponsor a vendor table at this conference to promote the 2026 International Conference that we will host in Valencia. LA Chapter members are encouraged to attend the conference in New Mexico since we are not planning to host a regional conference prior to the 2026 SAWE International Conference.

• Dan Rowley identified the following international conference committee positions which need to be filled: Publicity, Technical Papers, Vendor Coordinator, Budget & Finance, Training Coordinator, Registration, Facilities, Social, Program, International Website, Photography, Hospitality, Transportation and Official Host which is typically the Chapter President.

• Dan will cover the 2025 New Mexico International Conference Zoom planning meeting for the LA Chapter on Saturday, October 5^th.

• Bill Boze has information and records from recent international conferences.

• John Hargrave mentioned that the host chapter is usually allocated a number (perhaps ten) free conference registrations for host committee members that are not sponsored by their employer.  

• Below is a list of volunteers that stepped up for 2026 Internation Conference committee positions: 

Facilities Chairman => Bryan Strong volunteered the Mojave Desert chapter (Kevin Tharpe?)

Vendor Coordinator => Yi-Ling Tam

Photography => Yi-Ling Tam

Training Coordinator => Richard Manning

Registration Chairman (TBD); Richard Manning can support   

Budget & Finance (TBD) 

Publicity Chairman => Mike Notarangelo

Conference Program (TBD)

International Website (TBD)

Hospitality => John Hargrave

Technical Papers => Yi-Ling volunteered John Nakai

Official Host => Lawrence Cruz

Social (TBD)

Transportation (TBD)

Lessons Learned (Vinh Dinh)

The business portion of the meeting concluded when the food was served.

SAWE LA Chapter Luncheon Meeting

Saturday, September 28, 2024 @ 12:00 (Noon)

 StoneFire Grill

4325 Del Amo Blvd., Lakewood, CA, 90712

Below is a link to the restaurant and map for your convienence

Lakewood – Stonefire Grill

• Please join the LA Chapter as we meet in person this month to socialize and discuss the next steps towards hosting the 2026 International Conference at the Hyatt Regency in Valencia plus LA Chapter plans for this fiscal year.

• A banquet style luncheon (including a non-alcoholic beverage) is complimentary for current SAWE members and $10 for non-members and guests.

Please R.S.V.P. with names of attendees by noon, Thursday, September 26thto Lawrence Cruz by e-mail at L