Meeting Minutes February 22, 2025

SAWE Los Angeles Chapter Meeting Minutes

Meeting Time: Saturday February 22, 2025, at noon     

Meeting Location: Lakewood Stonefire Grill 

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

Attendance: (Five total)

Dan Rowley (LA Chapter Vice President & SAWE Fellow)

Yi-Ling Tam (LA Chapter Treasurer)

Michael Notarangelo (LA Chapter Secretary & SAWE Fellow)

Ian Mac Neil (LA Chapter Member)                                                                    

Bryan Strong (Mohave Desert Chapter President)  

SAWE LA Chapter Business Meeting:

Dan Rowley called the meeting to order @ 12:30 PM

  1.  International Conference Planning:
  1. The 2025 SAWE International Conference will be held May 18-23 at the Clyde Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The LA Chapter plans to host a table at this conference to promote the 2026 International Conference in Valencia. Dan Rowley has an action to find out if we must pay a fee for this table. LA Chapter members are strongly encouraged to attend the New Mexico conference since we are not planning to host a regional conference prior to the 2026 SAWE International Conference.
  • Dan Rowley has an action to update the LA Chapter’s 2026 International Conference package using the Alburquerque conference package as a template. He will post it to the SAWE Cloud where others can provide additional inputs and save a new copy noting author’s initials and date in document title.
  • LA Chapter needs to plan a schedule of events for the 2026 conference including the Monday night mixer, Wednesday S&P Luncheon, (3) spouse tour/events (assuming 10-15 people each day) on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Thursday night Awards Banquet and a Friday “factory” tour.
  • Below is the current list of volunteers for 2026 International 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 (TBD)

Official Host => Lawrence Cruz

Social (Mike Notarangelo & Ian MacNeil)

Transportation (TBD)

Lessons Learned (Vinh Dinh)

Doug Fisher recently offered to help out

The business portion of the meeting paused at 1:00 PM as the meal was served and resumed at 1:40 PM.

  • Dan Rowley stated that LA Chapter Officer elections need to be held in March. Please step up if anyone new wishes to become a chapter officer.
  • Mike Notarangelo stated that we need Company Reps to help promote SAWE membership and publicize SAWE activities to fellow co-workers who are currently not SAWE members. Dan Rowley volunteered to be the Northrop Grumman company rep.
  • The LA Chapter is willing to reimburse Lawrence Cruz for out-of-pocket Zoom meeting expenses to host LA Chapter virtual meetings. Lawrence must provide his mailing address in-order for Yi-Ling to mail him a check.
  • Yi-Ling has an action to provide an updated Treasurer’s Report to be included in the meeting minutes.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:08 PM

SAWE LA Chapter Luncheon Meeting

Saturday, February 22, 2025 @ 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 fellow LA Chapter members 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 the remainder of 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 on Thursday, February 20thto Lawrence Cruz by e-mail at Lawrenc

Meeting Minutes, Sept 24, 2024

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 30th. 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 15th. 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 5th.
  • 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

Meeting Minutes: Sept 30, 2023

SAWE Los Angeles Chapter Meeting Minutes

Meeting Time:  Saturday September 30, 2023 at 11:00 AM

Meeting Location:  New Peking Restaurant in Cerritos     

Meeting Agenda: LA Chapter Luncheon Meeting   

Attendance: (12)

Lawrence Cruz (LA Chapter President & Webmaster)

Dan Rowley (SAWE Fellow, SAWE Vice President-Training & LA Chapter Vice President) & Lisa Rowley (guest)

John Nakai (SAWE Honorary Fellow) & Terri Nakai (guest)

John Hargrave (SAWE Honorary Fellow & LA Chapter Director)

Yi Ling Tam (LA Chapter member) & Henry Tam (guest)

Richard Manning (SAWE Lifetime & LA Chapter Member)

Michael Notarangelo (SAWE Fellow & LA Chapter Secretary)  

Ian MacNeil (LA Chapter member)

Scott Snelson (LA Chapter member)

Continue reading “Meeting Minutes: Sept 30, 2023”

Preliminary Report to SAWE 2026 Planning Committee

  SAWE 2026 Hotel Search

Preliminary Report to Planning Committee

I have completed my initial review and contacts with potential hotel facilities that lie broadly in the Los Angeles area and can now present to you the list and general pricing expectation of the properties and locales that will most closely meet SAWE’s historical needs and preferences regarding the issues of location, meeting space, quality, pricing and expense to attendees.

Continue reading “Preliminary Report to SAWE 2026 Planning Committee”

Meeting Minutes: August 19, 2023 LA Conference Planning

SAWE Los Angeles Chapter Meeting Minutes

Meeting Time:  Saturday August 19, 2023 at 10:00 AM

Meeting Location: Virtual (Zoom) meeting   

Meeting Agenda: SAWE International Conference Planning   

Attendance: (6)

Lawrence Cruz (LA Chapter President & Webmaster)

Dan Rowley (SAWE Vice President-Training, LA Chapter Vice President & SAWE Fellow)

John Nakai (SAWE Honorary Fellow)

Richard Manning

DJ Feldman (dj.feldman@verizon.net) called in at 10:20 AM

Michael Notarangelo (LA Chapter Secretary & SAWE Fellow) called in at 10:55 AM

Continue reading “Meeting Minutes: August 19, 2023 LA Conference Planning”