Engineering Inc. - January/February 2004 - (Page 32)

ONE ON ONE What This Election Year Means For Us true concerning the money that work for the pharmaceutical, industry should be looking at is available for our clients to telecom and defense industries. how each candidate talks about spend, which directly translates We're starting to notice that his/her commitment to this into revenue for our member projects that had been put on issue and what are the appropri- firms. That's why I believe it's hold 12 to 18 months ago are ate sources of funding to make quite important for member now getting refunded, and it happen. firms to elevate their level of design activities are starting to Q. political involvement. Also, it's Do you see the presiden- occur for a number of these important for ACEC to more tial race having a major impact clients. effectively leverage member par- on the direction of the Congres- Q. What's going on at STV? ticipation so that when we visit sional races? Michael Della Rocca is an elected official as an organi- A. A. We are renewing our president and COO, STV zation, they understand that we I think the presidential Group, New York, N.Y., and represent a significant compo- election is going to be a very efforts to come up with a five- president of ACEC/New York. nent of the economy and that tight race, so I don't believe the year strategic plan. The last time we are a force to be reckoned Democrats or the Republicans STV went through this process, with. The ACEC Major Donor are going to win that contest by we made the strategic decision Program will provide a tremen- such an overwhelming margin to convert from a publicly dous boost to that effort. they would carry along with traded company to a privately Q. What do you see as the them the Congressional races. I held company. We've seen the Q. Economists refer to the issues of most concern to our think each of the elections is shares of our stock increase sig- current economic situation as a industry, and what should we be going to be based on the merits nificantly, and we've put that jobless recovery. What is your looking for as we evaluate the of their individual constituen- stock in the hands of our perspective on the direction of candidates in this presidential cies. To the extent that the employees. The strategic deci- the economy and its impact on election year? economy is healthy, and there is sion to go to a privately held our industry? progress in Iraq, that would cer- firm has served the company A. The principal issue for tainly help president Bush, his very well. A. I look at the economy our industry remains federal supporters, and the Republican from both the public sector per- funding for infrastructure. The candidates in various offices. I spective and the private sector federal government is the prin- don't see the presidential race perspective. On the public sec- cipal source of funding for itself having the type of impact tor side, I think things are still highways, bridges, airports and it has had in previous years on very slow. There are three- transit systems. The states rely local elections. quarters, if not more, of the upon that funding to execute Q. You've taken a leadership states that still have very signifi- their programs. We want the role in organizing ACEC's new cant budget deficits. I believe presidential candidates to dis- Major Donor Program. How that the marketplace will con- cuss their willingness to take important is it for ACEC mem- tinue to be slow to recover for a scarce federal dollars and invest bers to ramp up their involve- couple of years until state budg- them into infrastructure that is ment with ACEC/PAC? ets become a little more solid necessary for the country. There and the federal funding picture is a clear link between investing A. There are a lot of issues comes into place for some of in infrastructure and the econ- that are going to be decided in the nation's major investments. omy. It certainly creates jobs, the next year or two that will On the private side, we're start- but also creates long-term bene- have both short- and long-term ing to see the early signs of a fits in terms of economic activ- impacts on our industry. This is recovery. We do a lot of facilities ity and development. Our 3 2 ENGINEERING INC. J a n u a r y l February 2004

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Engineering Inc. - January/February 2004

FROM ACEC TO YOU
ASK MEMBERS
NEWS & NOTES
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
IT'S PARTY TIME
CONSENSUS ON QUALITY IN VERTICAL CONSTRUCTION
CCD/EEA SCHEDULE
GETTING YOUR WORD OUT!
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
ONE ON ONE

Engineering Inc. - January/February 2004