The President's Message

Well, folks, we’ve finally made it! The 2008-2009 Chapter year is almost over for the Kansas City Chapter of ASHRAE. Some of you may be breathing a sigh of relief about not having to suffer through any more of my ramblings….and frightening images. Hopefully, though, most of you see this past year like I do – that it’s been a fantastic year for our Chapter’s membership. We’ve had some outstanding programs and events, and I would personally like to thank everyone who served on the Board of Governors, as a committee Chair, or as a committee member to make this such a great year for our Chapter!

I’m very proud of what our Chapter has accomplished during the 7 years I’ve spent thus far on the Board of Governors. I can’t tell you how fun it’s been seeing the conference space at the Holiday Inn get smaller and smaller as more and more people attend the regular monthly Chapter membership meetings. It’s certainly a good problem to have when there are more people at a meeting than it seems we can accommodate. The Chapter leaders have responded well to this growth, and I fully anticipate more growing pains and more accommodation of such in the next few years. I still want to see a regular Chapter meeting hit the 200 mark in attendance. How awesome would that be?!

I promised you all a tear-jerking farewell in last month’s Breeze. I’m not sure I’m going to be able to induce any sobbing, but I do feel compelled to dish out some heart-felt gratitude on several people who deserve it. The people I mention below don’t know I’m mentioning them, so my apologies after-the-fact for putting you in the spotlight.

• First off, thank you to Larry Staples for being an example through his own past leadership, and for being a mentor, a coach, a motivator, a cheerleader, a helper, and a friend.
• Thank you to Jim Burger for being such a steady, organized, and rock-solid Past President to follow.
• Thank you to Alan Lankford for the changes you put in place several years ago to improve our Chapter’s bookkeeping and financial organization.
• Thank you to Kathryn Hines for continuing your ASHRAE service through so many life & career changes.
• Thank you to Jerri Brewer for putting up with all of my last-minute requests.
• Thank you to Linda Baschnagel for putting up with all of my last-minute (or late…yeah, mostly late) Breeze articles.
• Thank you to Brian Lynch, Past President of the Rocky Mountain Chapter, for giving me a fresh outlook on ASHRAE service and leadership, for helping me in my BOG roles, and for being a friend.
• Thank you to Stuart Braden for jumping in on so many different tasks this past year and helping me through a rough personal time at the start of my Presidency. You’re going to be great, Stuart!
• Thank you, again, to Stuart Braden for forgiving me for pasting his face on Naomi Watts’ body for my King Kong photo in the April Breeze (top right corner of page 3 of 19, in case you missed it!).
• Thank you to everyone who stepped up to help on the many committees we have in this Chapter. There are so many new faces in ASHRAE leadership positions these days. Halleluiah!!
• Thank you to everyone in the Kansas City Chapter of ASHRAE membership for putting up with all of my silliness this past year. Life’s too short not to have fun. For the record, I had fun!!!

OK, I think that’s all I have to say. In case you’re wondering about the inspiration for my photo, that’s George Castanza from Seinfeld. It was a pretty funny episode that this photo came from, and this picture (sans my face) also hangs above my family’s favorite corner table at our favorite Red Robin restaurant in Independence. I tend to be fond of using quotes to conclude my addresses, so in the words of the quirky-but-lovable George Castanza, “These pretzels are making me thirsty!”

Sincerely,
Jeffrey “King ASHRAE” Ewens
Chapter President

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Do you know a local ASHRAE member that is not getting a copy of the KC Chapter newsletter? Has the member recently graduated, changed companies, or changed e-mail addresses? Help them out and give them the following information. If the “lost member” is a paid ASHRAE member, they should be on the chapter roster and email lists that are maintained by Jerri Brewer. Jerri keeps the mailing list updated for all emails for the local chapter. The “lost member” should contact Jerri at jerri.brewer@hei-eng.com to update their contact information. This is the only way to get all of the chapter newsletters, including emails and announcements concerning ASHRAE that are sent out by Jerri to the Kansas City Chapter members throughout the year. But, you are not done yet! Go to the ASHRAE national website and update all information at the national level. Members will not receive the ASHRAE Journal, renewal notices, and other important information if their contact information is not correct at the national level. Go to the ASHRAE website and update member information at the link below. You will need your membership number and PIN from your membership card to login.

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