News Detail

ACI—Your Home

8/1/2009

Feeling lost—it’s an experience we’ve all had. You may remember your first ACI convention. Knowing no one, you might have wandered among groups of people who all seemed right at home. When you are new to an organization, the transition from lost to comfortable can be daunting. But "being at home" within ACI has innumerable benefits, and that is why we are working harder than ever to make members—both established and new—feel welcome.

One challenge a new member may face is deciding how to invest time in ACI effectively. Every ACI convention features a "First-Time Convention Attendee Breakfast" that provides valuable information for getting the most out of the convention. New members will increase their networking base by becoming involved in multiple committees. The best advice I can give is to immediately join committees that reflect your interests and expertise. Attend an open meeting to learn what a particular committee does, then express your interest in joining to the committee Chair. Although attending all committee meetings is not required, volunteer contributions are the most valuable component of the consensus-based process of ACI.

Those of us who are already at home can do a world of good by reaching out and making a newcomer feel welcome by simply engaging someone in conversation at a convention. Committee Chairs can also encourage new committee volunteers to participate and invite visitors to become members. One important way ACI is reaching out to new student members specifically is through our free student e-membership program. Over 4800 students worldwide have taken advantage of ACI's benefits at no cost to them. Programs such as this that invest in the future are possible in large part because of ACI Sustaining Members, who show true dedication to advancing concrete knowledge. This exclusive group helps ACI provide continued leadership and service to all its members.

ACI membership is key to constructing your professional resource network, both in person and electronically. At a recent meeting of my local ACI chapter, I met several contractors with enlightening approaches to evaluating a project from the sustainability point of view. A local chapter offers you the ability to stay abreast of industry changes, and the semiannual national conventions are likely the best platform for networking within the concrete industry worldwide. Members who prefer to network online are encouraged to join ACI's groups on the networking Web sites LinkedIn or Facebook.

Your member benefits also give you access to a wealth of knowledge in concrete-related fields through online resources such as the eLearning program, free CEUs, free downloads, and the Concrete Knowledge Center. The eLearning program is available 24 hours a day and from any location, as are the CEU courses. Your ability to download select ACI documents without cost means that you will have unlimited access to committee documents, symposium papers, and journal articles that bear on your profession or your studies. ACI's award-winning Concrete Knowledge Center helps to enhance understanding of ACI 318, "Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary." This technical content and these training programs are priceless resources, yet they are available to you either for free or at special member rates.

Faced with the recent economic downturn, most of us are looking for ways to make our time and money go further. Yet it is precisely in difficult times that our contributions to ACI give us the greatest return. When we participate in committees and the production of documents, we buoy the industry as a whole by ensuring it is at the forefront of technical changes and market demands. Individually, we benefit from ACI's unparalleled networking opportunities. The new "Stay Connected" program at ACI is ensuring the continuation of this resource to our dedicated members, even in tough times. Laid-off, longtime ACI members can renew their membership for 12 months, free of charge. This means they will continue to have access to the Career Center, the ACI Membership Directory, group insurance programs, free online CEUs, and technical support and educational resources. Additionally, to help lessen the burden on our members, ACI is not increasing its 2010 membership rates. It's my sincere hope that these measures will help more dedicated, thoughtful people like you feel at home at ACI.

Florian G. Barth
American Concrete Institute
fb@florian.com

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